2 Women Save 8,952 Animals

Posted By Dawn Kairns, Author of MAGGIE: the dog who changed my life 

Colorado Animal Rescue Express, or C.A.R.E. seems appropriate to post about on Mother's Day, since these 2 amazing women, Linda Fox and Lisa Mendelsberg are responsible for saving the lives of 8,401 dogs and 551 cats since C.A.R.E's inception on 6/27/2007 (as of February, 2011). Isn't that what mothers do -- love, nurture, protect, care, save ... ?

I was fortunate to pick up a dog several months ago from the C.A.R.E. transport when it arrived in Denver, to take to her new home. How incredibly inspiring it was to see all these dogs in the vans, who likely would have been euthanized, having a second chance on life. They were all going to have a home in Colorado soon. Equally inspiring was seeing all the volunteers from the myriad of rescue groups picking up the dogs to take them to their foster homes. I will never forget Linda Fox's face -- the joy, peace, and satisfaction living there. I knew I'd where that expression, too, if I knew I was responsible for saving all these lives.

Through transport using rented vans, C.A.R.E. volunteers have driven over 472,000 miles to save these 8,952 animals. As of this writing the numbers will be even higher since these figures are several months old.
 
"The mission of C.A.R.E. is to arrange and provide safe transportation for domestic animals who are going to approved rescues and adoptive homes. Twice a week, C.A.R.E. arranges and provides the safe transportation of dogs and cats from high-kill shelters in Colorado and neighboring states that are going to rescue groups or adoptive homes. C.A.R.E. works with over 110 rescue organizations who commit to taking the homeless animals into foster care for proper assessment and placement."

Each transport consists of renting multiple vans to move approximately 20 animals. C.A.R.E. currently transports animals from high kill shelters in rural Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Nebraska.  
 
"Donations and grants are needed to cover the rental van charges, gasoline, and the purchase and maintenance of transport supplies.  It costs C.A.R.E. an average of $29 to transport an animal to safety."  

Linda Fox and Lisa Mendelsberg were awarded Denver Channel 7's Everyday Hero Award on 3/17/2011. Please visit the C.A.R.E. website to learn more or/and to donate to their wonderful cause at:

http://www.caretransport.org/

Happy Birthday, Maddie Girl

Posted By Dawn Kairns, Author of MAGGIE: the dog who changed my life

You, my girl, are truly a joy ...

You NEVER stop smiling.  You make people on the trail laugh when you circle them and drop a stick at their feet, hoping they'll throw it for you. You bring happiness to us, to the kids at the juvenile center, the kids in the reading program at Columbine Elementary, and to everyone you meet.

Your tail never stops wagging and that earned you my nickname for you of "Thumpy." You brighten my life, Maddie Girl. I treasure our morning cuddles in bed, your greeting when I walk in the door, the way you lick my tears when I cry.

 I love you with all my heart.

You, Tom and I know our little secret of how your 5-5-05 birthday connects back to Maggie :)

Thank you for coming into our lives, Baby Angel. Happy 6th Birthday, Maddie, and may there be so very many more!

It Was "Just" a Pitbull ...

Can We As a Therapy Dog Team Change That Perception?

Posted By Dawn Kairns, Author of MAGGIE: the dog who changed my life

Last week when Maddie, my therapy dog and I made our weekly visit to the juvenile center, I had intended to talk to the kids about animal cruelty. However, when we arrived and there was only 1 teen there, I thought about saving this talk for a larger group. But for some reason I decided to go ahead and talk about what constitutes animal cruelty, what an individual can do about it, and the link between animal and human abuse.

I asked a question I'd never asked before. "Have you ever witnessed animal cruelty? At home? On TV? By a friend?"

Dustin, a caseworker, with Maddie

"Yes," came the surprising answer back. Surprising because of his rapid forthrightness with his response. "I've seen a relative hit his pit bull. But it was just a pit bull. I've hit a pit bull, too. But I would never hit a dog like that one," he said, motioning to Maddie.

Maddie and me: We talk first and then the kids play with her

First, I had to keep my mouth from dropping in order to respond and not blow all rapport with this young man.

"What do you mean, just a pit bull? Hitting an animal to punish him/her is not OK," I said.

"But it's a pitbull," he said. "They're different." He made some reference to himself doing something wrong, and said if punishment wasn't OK then he shouldn't be in the juvenile center. Then I talked about the importance of drawing boundaries and having consequences for both humans and dogs -- as opposed to striking any being. I could see he was still dubious, and likely brainwashed by his relative or others with a mind set that pit bulls are fighting dogs or mean and need to be "put in their place."

Ms. Maddie paying attention to "Mom"

"You're not buying this, are you?" I asked him.

"I'm listening," he said.

Maddie and Nick, another caseworker (he really loves her!)

"Did you know animal cruelty is against the law in Colorado?"

"I don't pay much attention to the laws," he quipped.

"Hmm. Do you suppose that's why you're in here?" I was amazed at his response!

He smiled and shrugged. As he began playing with Maddie, I talked about the stereotype so many people have re: pit bulls; how it was humans who bred fighting genes into the breed and try to make them mean; and how at the turn of the century they were the family dog.

Barb, juvenile center supervisor, with Maddie

I do find it interesting that while some part of this young man believed that pit bulls somehow deserved to be hit to control them, where other breeds do not, he did clearly recognize it as cruelty given his immediate response to my first question. Did Maddie and I make a difference in this teen's thinking about animal cruelty and pit bulls? I'll probably never know. I can only hope we planted a seed.

Don't Leave Me! (Steps to Deal With Separation Anxiety in Dogs)

Posted By Dawn Kairns, Author of MAGGIE: the dog who changed my life

Have you ever had a dog with separation anxiety? It can be one of the most challenging behavioral problems to deal with in your dog. After Maggie died, we were far from ready for another dog, so we got involved with the Humane Society of Boulder Valley and Front Range Labrador Rescue (today we have Safe Harbor Lab Rescue and Rocky Mountain Lab Rescue) and we fostered dogs. We fostered a handsome white lab named Bob. But oh my, we did not know what we were in for! I'd never even heard of separation anxiety in dogs before. But Bob took my husband and I on such a journey that I wrote about our adventures with Bob and some handy tips for dealing with separation anxiety in your dog in an article published in Real Travel Adventures online magazine. Here's the link if you'd like to read it:

Don't Leave Me! (in Real Travel Adventures online magazine)

Good luck!

Can Dogs Sense Cancer?

Posted By Dawn Kairns, Author of MAGGIE: the dog who changed my life

We've heard about it before, that some dogs can sense cancer. Here is another case reported by Diane Sawyer on ABC news, and a brief look at how cancer detecting dogs are detecting cancer through the scent of our breath, urine, and more... Click the link below to see the video:

http://news.yahoo.com/video/health-15749655/can-dogs-sense-cancer-25023195

Link Between Violence to Animals and Violence to Humans Studied at DU

Posted By Dawn Kairns, Author of MAGGIE: the dog who changed my life

Based on DU Study Ahead By a Cold, Wet Nose by John Davidson, The Denver Post, April 10, 2010:

According to John Davidson in his article DU study ahead by a cold, wet nose published in the Denver Post, a groundbreaking program at the University of Denver is "exploring the many ways people and pets are connected. The emerging results could reshape practices in social work, law enforcement and public policy, according to leaders of DU’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection.”

The executive director of the institute, Frank Ascione, has been looking into “the link between violent behavior to humans and violence to animals. Ascione was part of a study that "documented cases of violent husbands harming family pets to torment abused wives.” He testified awhile back in Colorado in behalf of a bill to include pets in domestic restraining orders.

As part of the people/pet study, students in DUs Graduate School of Social Work also "documented the positive impact of using therapy animals to teach responsibility and anger control to at risk children.” Although these connections may be obvious, the science behind them is novel and important according to the dean of the Graduate School of Social Work, James Herbert Williams.

The support of the American Humane Association and the Animal Assistance Foundation is credited by Williams for the Institute success, but all of these Denver organizations have brought so much to the table.

“Institute staffers are working on two new efforts: enlisting experts from around the world of fellows and then posting their studies at Humananimalconnection.com, and conducting a painstaking study of public and social institutions in Colorado to come up with a better understanding of how animal abuse cases are handled.” It is called the Colorado Link Project, and they are trying to individually target social welfare, law enforcement and the judicial system.

Researchers will look at animal cruelty cases to determine 'how they are investigated, what control the investigator has, what does and doesn’t get investigated, how they are prosecuted and what penalties are handed down,' in order to improve practices in each step.

Graduate students can work with kids in a program, Pawsitive Connection, that teaches them how to train dogs while learning compassion and responsibility for animals.

Finding Safety for Abused Animals Living in Domestic Violence Homes

Posted By Dawn Kairns, Author of MAGGIE: the dog who changed my life

Many women will not leave an abusive partner for fear of what the perpetrator will do to the animals in the house if she is not there. Does your state include pets in restraining orders if they are victims of animal cruelty or are threatened in a domestic violence situation? This is the second in a series of 3 posts taken from original articles on the link between animal and human abuse. Many women know there are safe houses for them to turn to if they are victims of domestic abuse. Women, children, and all victims of abuse also need to know there are resources, safe havens to turn to for protection for their pets. I encourage you to know the laws in your state regarding animal cruelty and protection orders.

This original article by Gabriela Sandoval  appeared in the American Dog Magazine, Fall, 2009

Domestic Violence

Human Victims, Animal Victims

What happens when victims of domestic violence have animals who are physically abused as well? How will one find a safe way out and also protect their beloved animal companions? What legal recourse is available and how can you help? While I am not an expert on domestic violence nor am I a therapist, I have come across this issue time and time again as an attorney representing both children in abusive homes and as a legal advocate for animals.

According to the ASPCA, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence conducted a study in which 84 percent of women and 63 percent of children who arrived at domestic violence shelters reported incidents of pet abuse. Abusers harm or threaten to harm animals for different reasons, including: to demonstrate power and control; instill terror and fear; gain cooperation; prevent a victim from leaving; coerce a victim to return by threatening to harm or kill the family pet; or to teach the victim "a lesson."

Victims of abuse are entrenched in a vicious cycle. Lives may be at risk. If you suspect domestic violence is happening to someone you know and have concerns about their animals as well, inquire about the animals. Friends may be more willing to talk about the abuse to their animals as opposed to abuse they themselves are experiencing. What are the signs? Abusers need to be in control. They may belittle, humiliate, criticize, yell, be overly possessive, limit access to money, friends, and family. Victims demonstrate fear of their partner, may become isolated, less available, have feelings of self-loathing, helplessness, and desperation.

Legal remedies that may be available vary from state to state as does the legal definition of "Domestic Violence." Some states include harm to or threats to harm a companion animal in their criminal definition when used as a means of intimidating or injuring a spouse or significant other. For example, Domestic Violence in Colorado now includes "a crime against an animal when used as a method of coercion, control, punishment, intimidation, or revenge." Also, in Colorado, a Protection Order (sometimes referred to as "restraining order") may now include an order "that prohibits the restrained person from contacting, harassing, injuring, intimidating, molesting, threatening or touching any protected animal, or from entering or remaining on premises, or from coming within a specified distance from the protected animal." Ten states in the U.S. allow animal companions to be included in orders of protection: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Nevada, New York, Tennessee, and Vermont. Find out more information about your state by visiting http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/.

Perpetrators of violent crime including Domestic Violence or Animal Cruelty may be incarcerated or ordered to complete a mental health evaluation and complete anger management or other recommended treatment. Anger management isn't always appropriate because domestic violence isn't really about anger—it's more about control.

Animal Assisted Therapy (also referred to as "AAT") can be very effective treatment or complementary treatment for both perpetrators and victims. AAT is unique therapy because of the fact that a therapy animal is present and actually plays a therapeutic role during sessions. AAT addresses bullying, helps build empathy and compassion, improves conflict resolution and relationship skills, and heightens motivation and engagement in therapy.

Often, victims feel they cannot escape their situation. Feelings of shame, humiliation, hopelessness, denial, blame and fear take hold. There may be financial issues that prevent victims from fleeing. Victims also refuse to flee because they don't want to abandon a family pet who has been or may become a victim of the abuse. Not every city or town has the resources to assist animal victims but the number is growing. There are many websites and local and national organizations that publish resources for people and animals in crisis.

To find a shelter for you and your animal, visit American Humane and Ahimsa House online.

If there is a safe haven for you but you can't bring your animal, be aware that some animal shelters will temporarily house animal victims. For instance, Colorado's Denver Dumb Friends League has a temporary Pet Assistance Program for people who need to protect their animals from violence in the home. A Pet Support Program in Maryland "will offer victims immediate alternative housing for their companion pet(s), providing victims the peace of mind needed to seek their own safety... and will organize a foster care network to shelter large pets, such as horses and livestock, which are just as susceptible to abuse." They can be reached by calling 410.222.8900. Find animal shelters in your area that can assist during a crisis by visiting

The Humane Society of the United States online.

With these resources at your fingertips you can really make a difference for victims of abuse - human and animal. If, in good faith, you suspect that an animal is being harmed consider calling your local humane society and requesting a "welfare check" for the animal. Not only will they go into the home to ensure the animal's safety, but if other abuse is suspected they may be required to contact local authorities. Providing direct access to local resources may empower a victim to take advantage of the support available - especially when a beloved animal's life is at risk.

Read original story in American Dog Magazine at: http://www.read.theamericandogmag.com/dog-law/dog-law-domestic-violence