Brother Wolf Ball

If you live in the Asheville area and are looking for something fun to do on New Year’s Eve, check out the Events Calendar.  Brother Wolf is having its annual masked ball. 

You can also check out www.bwar.org  for more information.  Be safe!

Rescue Mommy and Daddy

Holiday Hazards

Christmas is here.  Like all holidays, it is time to be hyper-vigilant about foods our pets might consume.  We all know that chocolate is highly toxic to pets.  Did you know that these foods are toxic too?

Coffee

Caffeine

Alcohol

Avocado

Macadamia Nuts

Grapes and Raisins

Yeast Dough

Raw/Undercooked Meat, Eggs, and Bones

Xylitol (artificial sweetener)

Onions, Garlic, Chives

Milk

Salt

*Source:  ASPCA website

If your pet eats any of these or other toxic items, call your vet immediately.  You can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.  They charge a consulting fee for the call, though.

Stay calm.  Be sure to note what and how much your pet has consumed.  If you are not sure what it is, grab whatever is left and take it with you when you head to the vet’s office.

Rescue Mommy

P.S.  Watch out for those poinsettias too!  The plants are highly toxic to pets.  By now, the plants might be dropping leaves as they are slowly dying.  Keep a close eye on them. 

 

People Food Hazards

Christmas is just around the corner.  We all know that chocolate is highly toxic to pets.  Did you know that these foods are toxic too?

Coffee

Caffeine

Alcohol

Avocado

Macadamia Nuts

Grapes and Raisins

Yeast Dough

Raw/Undercooked Meat, Eggs, and Bones

Xylitol (artificial sweetener)

Onions, Garlic, Chives

Milk

Salt

*Source:  ASPCA website

If your pet eats any of these or other toxic items, call your vet immediately.  You can also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.  They charge a consulting fee for the call, though.

Stay calm.  Be sure to note what and how much your pet has consumed.  If you are not sure what it is, grab whatever is left and take it with you when you head to the vet’s office.

Rescue Mommy

Reality vs. Fantasy

At this time of year, some of you may be thinking about giving a puppy or kitten as a Christmas present.  You picture the expression of sheer joy as your loved one discovers the furry ball of fur under the Christmas tree. You imagine the sweet puppy smell or kitten playfulness. 

That is a nice dream.  Unfortunately, the reality is not quite so cuddly.  Puppies will chew the new pair of socks Aunt Clara bought you.  Kittens will climb the new curtains you bought for the living room – or worse, decide the top of the Christmas tree looks like an excellent location from which to survey his/her new living quarters.

Now is not the best time to bring a pet into a home.  With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it is really hard to devote enough attention to your new pet.  Experienced pet owners know how much work a new pet is, regardless of the age. 

I am a firm believer that you should never give a pet as a gift unless the person is 100 percent involved in the decision.  If that is the case, I have a suggestion.  Give your loved one a handmade gift certificate.  Offer to pay the adoption fee for the pet whenever the recipient is ready.  You can tuck the gift certificate inside a basket of toys and other goodies for the new pet. 

Also, if you know the person is a pet lover but not ready to add another pet, consider giving a donation to his or her favorite rescue group.  That is something we have on our Christmas list this year.  We have enough junk around the house.   The dogs and cats at Brother Wolf could use the funds much than we can. 

We hope you and your family (furry and human) have a safe and happy holiday season and a healthy, happy new year.

Rescue Mommy

Home for the Holidays Adopt-a-Thon

On Saturday, December 15 and Sunday, December 16, a special Home for the Holidays adoption event will be held at Brother Wolf’s adoption center on Glendale Avenue in Asheville.  Sponsored by Prestige Subaru and the ASPCA, Brother Wolf, Animal Compassion Network, and the Asheville Humane Society will have dogs and cats available for adoption.  The event is from noon until 4:00 p.m. each day.

If you have been thinking about adding a cat or dog to your family, this event gives you an opportunity to see wonderful pets from three rescue organizations.  They will also have a bake sale, so you can pick up some sweet treats while visiting the animals.

Rescue Mommy

Brother Wolf Gifts

Looking for gifts for an animal lover?  Brother Wolf has nice clothes, wine glasses, and pint glasses for sale.  All proceeds benefit Brother Wolf.

If you are interested, you can purchase the items at BWAR’s Re-Tail Store on Glendale Avenue or through their website at www.bwar.org.

Rescue Mommy

Update about Gus

Gus is the miniature Schnauzer we rescued Thanksgiving weekend.  His new parents have kept me up to date about him, so we thought we would share the stories with you.

Gus has been at their home for a week now.  He is adjusting well to his new life.  Within a couple of days, he became the lady’s lapdog.  He sleeps in a comfy crate.  He still whines a bit and scratches at the door, but his parents have noticed he does it less every day.

He has been neutered.  We really hope this helps with his restlessness. 

Gabi, the Schnauzer who already lived in the home, has not warmed to his presence yet.  They are not fighting, though.  She just needs time too. 

We are so happy that Gus found such a wonderful home.  We can tell from our conversations that his new pet parents will give him the home he always deserved.

Rescue Mommy and Daddy

Gold Party at Brother Wolf

Gold parties are somewhat popular, thanks to the economic downturn.  The idea is you take unwanted gold jewelry to a “party” where a jeweler offers to buy the gold from partygoers.  You walk away with a little extra cash and dispose of items you might not use.

I know one of those late-night news shows had a segment recently about how you might not get fair value for your gold jewelry.   Keep that in mind when you read the rest of this post.

This evening, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Brother Wolf Animal Rescue is hosting a gold party at the Second Chance Thrift Store.  The store is located beside their shelter at 49 Glendale Avenue, just off Swannanoa River Road in Asheville.

Laughter Jewelers will be on hand to appraise gold, silver, gemstones, and diamonds.  It does not matter if the item is broken.   If you decide to sell your items to the jeweler, 20 percent of the worth will go to Brother Wolf.  All donations are tax deductible; you will be given a receipt.

As with anything like this, do a little homework so that you know the rough value of your items before you go.  If you are interested in learning more, contact Brother Wolf at 828-505-2017.

Rescue Mommy

Home for the Holidays

Last week, we told you about a miniature Schnauzer we found in the neighborhood.  Long story short, he was bound for the pound.  We could not let that happen. 

We have debated adding another dog to the family for a really, really long time.  His arrival certainly gave us a taste of what that would be like.  What proved most surprising (for me anyway) was Kiki’s reaction.  She is around 15-16 years old.  She was seriously stressed at the new dog’s appearance.

Gracie would not play with him, despite his best attempts.  If he played with her toys, she would grab them from him.  She was distressed whenever he received any attention from me. 

In time, maybe weeks or months, everyone would probably have sorted through their issues.  We decided to quietly put out the word among our dog-loving friends that we found a Schnauzer.  Within an hour, we had a lead on a fantastic family. 

A retired couple had lost one of their Schnauzers to cancer in July.  They were devastated.   Their surviving Schnauzer was also lonely.  They were ecstatic at the opportunity to adopt another Schnauzer.

After talking for a week and making behind-the-scenes inquires about the couple, we decided that the Schnauzer (who we called George) would have a better shot at immediate happiness with them.  It would also restore harmony in our own household.  The only thing George and Gracie enjoyed doing together was chasing Kiki.

The couple will spoil George, who they have renamed Gus.  Before he arrived, they bought lots of things for him and made sure he had presents under the Christmas tree.  Gus seemed to warm right away to the husband.  He walked without hesitation beside him when I turned over the leash.

Just one week earlier, this little guy was roaming outside and days away from being deposited at the local kill shelter.  Now, he has a safe home and can spend this rest of his days indoors, being pampered and loved. 

If you have been thinking about adding a pet to your family, there are thousands of dogs and cats like George/Gus out there.  They are waiting in shelters and with rescue groups.  With love and patience, they will be wonderful additions to your family.

The new parents promised to stay in touch.  We will keep you posted too.  Good luck, Gus!  You deserve every bit of the pampering and love you are about to receive.

Rescue Mommy