Tag Archives: rescues

Adorable adoptables in northern Virginia: Back in black edition

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Timber from FOHA

This week, I have a special edition of my Adorable Adoptables feature for you. In the month of May, Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) in northern Virginia has been running a “Back in Black” promotion to showcase black cats and dogs looking for a home. The promotion is part of the Best Friends Animal Society’s Back in Black 2 national adoption event.

Oreo from FOHA

We’ve talked about black pets on the blog before as part of Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Week. My motto is “appreciate, don’t discriminate” – it’s crazy that black pets have a tougher time getting adopted, considering how awesome they are. I mean, how could anyone find the sweet faces accompanying this post anything less than fantastic?

Gulliver from FOHA

So, check out some campaign info from FOHA. Then swing by the FOHA Twitter account and Facebook page, where they’ve been sharing black pets all month! There’s even a special Black Cat Ball section on the FOHA website. It’s a pretty great campaign, and there are lots of cute pets up for adoption, including the ones featured in this post – Timber, Oreo, and Gulliver. Finally, don’t forget to spread the word about these sometimes overlooked (and amazingly awesome) adoptables!

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Adorable adoptables in northern Virginia: Bunny hop edition!

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Bella loves bunnies… I think. She did have a bunny cousin, and she tried to lick him during their first meeting. However, she tried to lick a goose once too, so who knows what’s going on in that puppy brain of hers.

Anyway, all that is a prelude to some very special adoptables. Today, I’m participating in the Second Annual Rabbit Adoptathon, founded by the All Things Dog Blog. This year, the hop (wordplay!) is co-hosted by afFURmation and Bunny’s Blog. (We participated last year too – I told you that Bella loves her bunnies.)

Photo courtesy of Petfinder.com

First up, allow me to introduce you to Oreo II. (If you’re wondering – yes, I did choose him because of the Roman numerals. I’m a nerd that way.) Oreo II is an adoptable American rabbit from the Humane Society of Fairfax County (HSFC). This sweet little guy is dog friendly (and cute as a button).

 

Photo courtesy of Petfinder.com

Up next, meet Bella. (Good name, right?) This little lady is a Dutch/Cinnamon mix available from Friends of Rabbits in Centreville, Virginia. She’s sweet, calm and friendly. On top of that, she’s downright gorgeous!

If you have room in your home (and your heart) for one of these beautiful bunnies, contact HSFC or Friends of Rabbits. If you know someone else who might be interested, please share this post. Let’s find some homes for Oreo II and Bella!

Want to see more adoptable rabbits? Check out the other blogs participating in the adoptahon blog hop!

 

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Adorable adoptables in northern Virginia: Bear & Piper

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Every week, I’ll be featuring adoptable pets from local rescue groups.  This week, I’m sharing adorable adoptables from Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA). Ready to meet this week’s pups, Bear & Piper? Here we go…

First up, meet Bear!  This handsome guy is a Lab mix and he is approximately six years old. Here’s his bio from FOHA:

“Bear is a wonderful blind black lab mix. He needs a family that will help him learn the lay of the land and keep him safe. He has a lot of love to give and is a very bright fellow.

Bear is in foster care and not at the shelter, so please ask to meet him.”

Do you have the perfect home for this lovely Lab?

Up next, meet Piper!  This Silkie/Yorkie mix is approximately five years old. Here’s his bio from FOHA:

“Hi, my name is Piper and I am a cute Silkie Terrier that was picked up as a stray and taken to a county pound. For the life of me (literally almost) I can’t figure out how that happened. Wasn’t my family out looking for me? Luckily FOHA came to my rescue. I am still trying to adjust to not being in a home so I am shy with strangers. But I am great with other dogs and I can be bribed with some cheese. I am so cute, I know you will want to meet me. Just please go slow and give me time to get to know you. Trust me, once I know that I can trust you, it will all be worth the wait. I am quite the snuggler with my friends! Might that be you?”

If you’re interested in adopting Bear or Piper, visit the FOHA website for more information, or email doginfo@foha.org.  To view the other pets available for adoption at FOHA, click here.

FOHA also has monthly adoption events at the PetSmart in Gainesville and at the Treasure Hound in Chantilly.  To find out more info on these events, click here. 
(If you have your eye on a specific pet, please email for information
first – not all pets will be at the monthly event.  However, there are a
lot of awesome pets in need of homes, so if you’re in the neighborhood,
stop by and meet some of them!)

Do you have room in your home (and your heart) for one of these cute canines?  Then contact FOHA.  If you know someone else who might be in the market for an awesome companion, please share this post.  Let’s find some homes for Bear and Piper!


Bios and photos from the FOHA website.  This post is not on behalf of or officially endorsed by the group.
 

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If at first you don’t succeed, volunteer again!

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Blog the ChangeLately, it seems that I’m constantly running behind. Today’s post is no exception. Writing a post for Blog the Change for Animals has been on my to do list for over a week, yet I’m still barely getting it up before the day is done. Luckily, a topic has been percolating in my brain for a while now, so here we go…

Have you ever thought about volunteering for a rescue group? I’ll admit – it took me a while to turn my intentions into actions. I would occasionally send an email to a rescue group for information, but somehow it never really clicked.

For today’s Blog the Change event, I decided to share a little bit about my experience and encourage you not to give up if you’re interested in working with a rescue group. I had my own form of Goldilocks syndrome – it took me a while to find a group and volunteer opportunities that were a good fit. With a little persistence and patience, you can find your fit as well.

For me, things finally changed once I read an article about Second Chance Photos. I’d never considered offering my services as a volunteer photographer before, and reading about the organization gave me the push I needed to seriously pursue volunteering with a local rescue group. I emailed several local organizations, and one took me up on my offer. (I later had the opportunity to attend a Second Chance Photos workshop, and it was fantastic.)

My experience taking photos of some of the animals at Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) led to other opportunities. In order to make the logistics of photo shoots easier, one of the other volunteers suggested I sign up for dog walker training. (Before taking the training, I had to have another volunteer get the dogs out of their runs and bring them to me for photos. Now I can get dogs out myself. I’ll be candid – I haven’t done any formal photo shoots since taking the training, but I’m going to revisit this option soon. I wanted to get comfortable with the shelter and its routines before trying again)

After taking the training, I began to receive FOHA’s weekly newsletter, which is full of volunteer opportunities. I started to volunteer for dog adoption events, and I now help out with FOHA’s Twitter account as well. The adoption events are very rewarding – it’s a fun way to spend a day, and it’s nice for the dogs to get out of the shelter for a few hours. Two of the dogs I’ve brought to events (Willis and Janai) have since been adopted – when I read their names in the weekly email of dogs who were going home, my smile couldn’t have been bigger.

My most recent adoptable buddy – the lovely Smilin’ Sally.

So, if you want to volunteer but don’t  know where to start, this post is for you. Your fit is out there. If the first group you try isn’t a great match, try another one.

Try out different opportunities. If you’re a people person, you might enjoy working an adoption event. If you enjoy being outdoors, you might like being a dog walker. If your time is limited or you prefer working from home, you could volunteer to help with the organization’s social media accounts. If you’re a writer, perhaps you can help pen bios of adoptable animals for the website. Do you have experience planning events? Perhaps you can help plan a fundraiser or organize other events for the group. Are you a cat person? Consider becoming a volunteer cat snuggler. (Best job title ever.) Help collect food, blankets or other supplies for the shelter. Every little bit helps, whether you can volunteer once a week or once a month.

Many rescue groups have weekly newsletters – sign up for those and take a a look to see what kinds of help the group needs. There’s an opportunity out there for everyone. Sometimes, you just have to try a few on for size until you find the one that’s just right. If you haven’t found your fit yet, don’t give up. I’m glad I finally took the leap, and I hope you will too.

I also hope you’ll check out all of the great blogs participating in today’s Blog the Change event… there are some truly wonderful posts this round.

 

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The exquisite beauty of disappointment…

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Don’t worry, the title will make sense in a moment. Read on, dear friend:

  1. Today’s punny pet names: Kate Finslet and Jean Renroar.
  2. You’re probably tired of my Downton Abbey obsession by now, but I just had to share this parody from Jimmy Fallon. It’s fantastic.
  3. CasaSugar recently posted some fun finds in honor of National Pet Day. I’m in love with this poster.
  4. This original pitch for The Muppet Show is made of awesome.
  5. Apparently these disappointed animals have not watched that pitch, or they’d be much happier.
  6. Truffle hunting in Italy with an adorable dog? How do I get that gig? (Until then, I’ll be making faces like those of the disappointed animals I shared above. Just kidding – these photos perked me right back up.)
Speaking of disappointed animals, I hereby nominate and bestow upon the following video every film award ever, past and present. (For the full effect, I highly recommend you watch this one with the sound on.)


(Via Best Week Ever – view Part I here. On a loosely related note – these photos from The French Dog are gorgeous. Also, I recommend you check out this tale of a globe-trotting pup who dug up some French culture during his travels.)

Magnificent, no? I am giving the person who made this video a serious slow clap right now. Bravo, good sir. Bravo.
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Adorable adoptables in northern Virginia: Aaron & Sissy

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Every week, I’ll be featuring adoptable pets from local rescue groups.  This week, I’m sharing adorable adoptables from Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA). Ready to meet this week’s pups, Aaron & Sissy? Here we go…

First up, meet Aaron!  This handsome Black Lab mix is one special guy. I had the pleasure of meeting him at an adoption event yesterday, and he’s an absolute sweetheart. Here’s his bio from FOHA:

“Hi! Are you looking for a very special dog? The kind of dog that brings bunches of love and fun to your home? Well it’s your lucky day! I’m Aaron and I have to say I’m pretty good looking! I like hugs and I like to play. I like to play so much that I get really excited and you need to tell me when I need to calm down, but no worry, I’ll listen to you. Maybe you can take me to some doggie classes. I always wonder what all the fuss is about.

I also like to just stay by your side while you pet my beautiful fur and enjoy life with you. Come take a look for yourself, I promise you won’t be disappointed!

For more pictures of Aaron, please click here.”

Do you have the perfect home for this happy guy?

Up next, meet Sissy!  This lovely lady is also a Lab mix. Here’s her bio from FOHA:

“Sissy is a very friendly girl.  She seems to love other dogs and people.  She is very active, though, and would do better around older children.  She loves to chase the ball and run and run.  Sissy will do great with an active family.”

I met Sissy at an adoption event yesterday, and she is a happy, friendly gal. Could she be the pup for you?

If you’re interested in adopting Aaron or Sissy, visit the FOHA website for more information, or email doginfo@foha.org.  To view the other pets available for adoption at FOHA, click here.

FOHA also has monthly adoption events at the PetSmart in Gainesville and at the Treasure Hound in Chantilly.  To find out more info on these events, click here. 
(If you have your eye on a specific pet, please email for information
first – not all pets will be at the monthly event.  However, there are a
lot of awesome pets in need of homes, so if you’re in the neighborhood,
stop by and meet some of them!)

Do you have room in your home (and your heart) for one of these cute canines?  Then contact FOHA.  If you know someone else who might be in the market for an awesome companion, please share this post.  Let’s find some homes for Aaron and Sissy!


Bios and photos from the FOHA website.  This post is not on behalf of or officially endorsed by the group.
 

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Adorable adoptables in northern Virginia: Bubba & Hopper

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Every week, I’ll be featuring adoptable pets from local rescue groups.  This week, I’m sharing adorable adoptables from Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA). Ready to meet this week’s pups, Bubba & Hopper? Here we go…

First up, meet Bubba!  This handsome Bloodhound mix is approximately three years old. Here’s his bio from FOHA:

“I am one of the lucky dogs (pun intended) that got to go to the Super PetExpo. It was so much fun! Everyone stopped to pet me and say how handsome I am – and of course everyone had to stroke my beautiful ears.

My favorite FOHA volunteer disccovered that I absolutely adore children. I wanted to say ‘Hi’ to all the kids. And I was so good with all the other dogs. What a day!

Bubba is a fun, happy bloodhound. He has a zest for life, and he is very smart. Like most bloodhounds, he is always investigating and loves attention. FOHA saved this sweet boy from a local county pound.”

Do you have the perfect home for this happy hound?

Up next, meet Hopper!  This Pit Bull/Hound mix is looking for the perfect home. Here’s his bio from FOHA:

“Hopper has had a tough life. He was found as a stray wandering down a parkway, and his paws were very sore from his time on the run. Because his paws were painful, he would hop when he walked, which earned him the name Hopper. Hopper is now all healed from his days as a stray and anxious to find his forever home.

Hopper is a friendly and affectionate boy who wants nothing more than to love and be loved. He loves to go for walks, but he is strong on the leash and will need someone who can teach him leash manners.  He also loves to have you throw his special red toy so he can bring it back to you so you can throw it again.  When you are done throwing the toy, he loves to sit beside/on you on the couch and cuddle.

Unfortunately, Hopper was diagnosed with a medical disorder called lymphangiectasia. He is fine as long as he is fed a special food and takes medication.  We would love to find Hopper a forever home OR foster home with someone to take care of him and make sure he gets the medication and special food he needs.  In you are interested in fostering Hopper, FOHA will cover his medical expenses…all you need to do is give Hopper the TLC that he craves.”

If you’re interested in adopting Bubba or Hopper, visit the FOHA website for more information, or email doginfo@foha.org.  To view the other pets available for adoption at FOHA, click here.

FOHA also has monthly adoption events at the PetSmart in Gainesville and at the Treasure Hound in Chantilly.  To find out more info on these events, click here. 
(If you have your eye on a specific pet, please email for information
first – not all pets will be at the monthly event.  However, there are a
lot of awesome pets in need of homes, so if you’re in the neighborhood,
stop by and meet some of them!)

Do you have room in your home (and your heart) for one of these cute canines?  Then contact FOHA.  If you know someone else who might be in the market for an awesome companion, please share this post.  Let’s find some homes for Bubba and Hopper!


Bios and photos from the FOHA website.  This post is not on behalf of or officially endorsed by the group.
 

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Adorable adoptables in northern Virginia: Heidi & Rhapsody

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Every week, I’ll be featuring adoptable pets from local rescue groups.  This week, I’m sharing adorable adoptables from Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA). Ready to meet this week’s pups, Heidi & Rhapsody? Here we go…

First up, meet Heidi!  This adorable Basset Hound/Black and Tan Coonhound mix is approximately one year old. I met her at an adoption event a few weeks ago, and she’s a real sweetheart! Here’s her bio from FOHA:

“I may be short in stature, but I make up for it with personality plus!

In case you couldn’t tell, I’m a lap dog extraordinaire, and will sit happily with you for as long as you like. I’m friendly and fun-loving. I get along famously with other dogs! Maybe it’s my height, you know, non-threatening and all.

I’m great with people of all ages. I’m very loving and will show you by giving you kisses whenever I get a chance. I love riding in the car, and I’m such a good girl I always get to go to PetsMart or other fun outings. But what I really want is a new home – someone to frolic and play with, and best of all someone to love.”

Do you have the perfect home for this happy hound?

Up next, meet Rhapsody!  This Doberman mix is approximately 3 years old. Here’s her bio from FOHA:

“Some of the most talented individuals come from less than ideal situations and Miss Rhapsody is no exception. This young girl had a tough start but a kind woman saw her potential and saved her life.

Rhapsody is an athlete. She also has stunning good looks, a heart of gold, and will even occasionally sing her own little song. This long-legged beauty absolutely loves a good romp in the playyard and would love to find a home with a yard or maybe a daily running partner. Miss Rhapsody has been working on her patience and will sit nicely for her leash to be attached. Once she’s all leashed up though, she is certainly ready to go. Daily exercise and positive reinforcement of leash manners will be very important for her.

Once she gets her exercise, Rhapsody is ready for lovin’. She settles in next to her person and loves having her chest and neck rubbed. When invited, she even hops right into the back of an SUV and makes herself comfortable for her pet time. Did I mention she’s smart too?? Miss Rhapsody is very food motivated which makes her very trainable. So, with Rhapsody, we have beauty, brains, energy, and love. What more could you ask for?? Please consider meeting this black and tan lady and she’ll show you how wonderful a Dobie can be!“

If you’re interested in adopting Heidi or Rhapsody, visit the FOHA website for more information, or email doginfo@foha.org.  To view the other pets available for adoption at FOHA, click here.

FOHA also has monthly adoption events at the PetSmart in Gainesville and at the Treasure Hound in Chantilly.  To find out more info on these events, click here. 
(If you have your eye on a specific pet, please email for information
first – not all pets will be at the monthly event.  However, there are a
lot of awesome pets in need of homes, so if you’re in the neighborhood,
stop by and meet some of them!)

Do you have room in your home (and your heart) for one of these cute canines?  Then contact FOHA.  If you know someone else who might be in the market for an awesome companion, please share this post.  Let’s find some homes for Heidi and Rhapsody!


Bios and photos from the FOHA website.  This post is not on behalf of or officially endorsed by the group.
 

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Obey the bandana…

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Well, you can’t argue with the bandana.  That’s a pretty clear directive – someone better just go ahead and adopt this awesome guy.

The adorably adoptable Willis, on our way to an adoption event 

Willis has mastered the art of the not-so-subliminal message.  (I suppose that makes it a liminal message?)  Considering he’s part Border Collie, I’m not surprised that he’s so smart.  And awesome.  Did I mention that he’s awesome?

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