Bonnie's Happy Tail!

Every now and then, we think it's important to share our happy tail stories.  One of our favorites is Bonnie.  She was abandoned at the pound.  Her forever mom Barbara tells Bonnie's story better than we can:

After losing the love of our lives, Trixie rescued back in 1998 from a New Jersey shelter, we knew we would rescue again. Although, Allie our sato rescue was a comfort to us, I needed another black and white border collie mix in the house. Nick didn’t think that he was ready yet; but I was compelled to put out the feelers. I emailed and filled-out forms to every border collie rescue that I could find. Then on one Saturday, I just sat with my laptop on petfinder and went page by page determined that the right one was out there waiting for us. There were more than 57 pages with the criteria I had entered. Half way thru, I happened upon Bonnie. The big problem was that Bonnie was over 1000 miles away in a pound. There were just 3 photos and a brief description. But from my experience with dogs, I could see a happy, fairly confident little dog in those photos. Allie came from a fearful background; and although has overcome most of her fears after 2 years of positive training and patience, we knew that we should not have 2 fear based dogs living together as they would feed off of each other. We emailed Emily to inquire on Bonnie and with God’s help we were led on a path to a successful adoption against all odds.

Nick and Barbara have provided Bonnie -- now Sadie --  with a wonderful home on the beach!  Sadie even has a private beach in her backyard where she plays in the sand.

Sadie also goes on boat rides with Nick, Barbara, and Allie!  Allie had to show her the ropes at first, but Sadie does just fine now.  We miss Sadie, but we are so happy for her!  Thank you, Nick & Barbara!

Do you want your pet featured in the 2013 FOPCP Calendar?

We’re gearing up for our 2013 fund-raising calendar, and we want to feature your pet!  FOPCP needs 12 local, rescued pets to feature in a photo spread, one for each month of the year.  Your pet will get a professional photo shoot by talented professional photographer Wes Allen, using the beauty of the Red River Gorge as the backdrop.  These photos will be a stunning and timeless keepsake for your family, plus your support will help us continue our mission to find loving homes for the homeless animals in our community.   We are asking for a $100 donation from the chosen participants, which will be used to pay for the printing of our fund-raiser. This is an incredible value, and you will get to keep select digital photos from the shoot.  And check out more of Wes' awesome work at his website, http://www.wtallenphotography.com.

I'm ready for my close up!

Email Kelly at kellyhobbs1974@gmail.com, and tell us about your rescued pet.   Please include name of pet, name of owner, breed of pet (if known), where the pet was rescued from, and please include any quirky details about your pet’s personality.  The donation for the photos will be due on the day of the shoot.  

And one technicality…since the theme of this calendar is focused on rescued animals in our community, we are only looking for rescued pets.  We are not looking to feature pets that were purchased from a breeder or pet shop.  We are a non-profit rescue, and we want to concentrate on animals that were given a second chance.       

We only have 12 slots, so contact us as soon as you can!   And check out these pet photos from Wes Allen….you gotta love his work!

We are having another adoption event this Saturday at the Winchester Tractor Supply!   We will be there from 10 am until 4:30 pm, and we will have kittens, puppies, dogs, and plenty of love to adopt.   If you are considering adopting, please stop by and check out our fosters.  

A big thanks goes out to Tractor Supply for their ongoing support of our cause!

Thanks True Value!

This weekend, FOPCP was invited to have an adoption event and fund-raiser at the grand opening of True Value in Stanton!   It was amazing to see the community support, and we thank everyone for their kind donations.   And a HUGE thanks goes out to Delbert Brown and the folks at True Value!  They have been very supportive of FOPCP, and we are honored to be invited to take part in their celebration.
 

Adopting homeless pets shows the true value of people!

And the next time you are at True Value, say hi to the new True Value mascot...Pursee the cat!  Delbert Brown decided that Pursee would make a great addition to the True Value family, and adopted her on the spot!  We couldn't be happier!

   

Woof! Give Blood!

Friends of Powell County's Pets would like everyone to know that we are participating in the Kentucky Blood Center's Charity Challenge.  First place charity receives $3000, and second place receives $1500.  Either one would help us save many animals if we won.  In order to win, we need your help!

Here's how:  a whole blood donation earns 1 point for current KBC donors.  If you are a first time don or, you earn an extra 2 points.  An automated donation (double red, plasma, platelets) is worth 3 points.  You can donate at any Kentucky Blood Center location or any KBC mobile blood drive.

Powell County will be having a community blood drive at the Powell County Extension office in Stanton on May 8.  Before you donate, tell the staff that you are donating for FOPCP, and we will get points!  Montgomery County and Clark County also have blood drives during the month of May.  The details are here:
http://www.membersforlife.org/ckbc/mobilesch/county.php

To prove that we're putting our arms where our mouths are, one of our members is already committed to 3 platelet donations during May -- that's 9 points from one donor!

Please spread the word and make your good deed of donating blood go a little further!  Thank you!!

Digital Camera 101 Class

I'm a pho-dog-grapher.

New digital cameras are SOOOO cool...But with all the settings and buttons, they can be confusing, too!  There's nothing worse than spending big bucks on an amazing camera, and then not knowing how to get those amazing photos of your family, pets, or vacation.

Well, worry no more!  Professional photographer Wes Allen is teaching a "Digital Camera 101" class on Monday, April 30th, from 5pm to 8pm at the Stanton City Park.   The class is geared to give students a hands-on approach to learning the basic functions of Digital SLR cameras.   You'll gain the confidence to switch off the Automatic Mode, and use your camera as an artistic tool of expression.   You'll learn f-stops, exposure time, ISO, and how to manipulate available light to your advantage.  Show up on Monday, and bring your DSLR camera, lenses, camera manual, and plenty of creativity and excitement!   This is gonna be a fun class!

Am I doing it right???

The cost of the class is only $30, and all proceeds will be donated to FOPCP.  Wes Allen is an amazing photographer, and we are very blessed to have his support.    

You can see more of Wes Allen's work at his website, http://www.wtallenphotography.com     

Another Successful Transport!

This weekend, our volunteers moved 9 dogs from our pound to rescues up north, including one gigantic Great Dane!  Some of the dogs already have potential adopters waiting to meet them.  Thanks to everyone who helped make the transport happen, and a big thanks to the rescues who work with over-crowded rural areas to give our dogs a chance.   Y'all rock!

Transports are expensive, but we do it because it saves so many lives.   You can help by sponsoring or donating to an upcoming transport!  Contact us to find out how.  Remember, all donations are tax deductible.  

A little therapy goes a long way!

This is Kabota.  Isn't he beautiful?

Kabota had a tumor.   

Kabota was dropped off at the pound with a very unsightly tumor on his lip.   Other than this tumor, he was perfectly normal.  He had a great temperament, and seemed to be very intelligent.  He was even obedient.  In general,  Kabota was a very happy boy.  But we knew that the tumor would make it very difficult for this beautiful dog to find a home.   For some dogs in animal shelters, these kind of imperfections can be a death sentence.  People may actually avoid adopting him, fearing that tumor may be cancerous.  But Kabota was too special to live the rest of his life in limbo.   So we reached out to our network of rescues to plead for help.  And boy, did those rescues respond!  Kabota was selected by Pennsylvania rescue, and we quickly shuttled him off to his new life.

This is Kabota today.  No tumor.  No cancer.
Just one happy dog.   

When Kabota got to Pennsylvania, his tumor was removed.   We were SO relieved to find out that it was benign.  But here's the best part...Kabota turned out to be the perfect doggie!   In fact, his new owners have decided that he is such a happy dog, that he might as well make others happy as well.  Kabota is now undergoing evaluation to become a therapy dog!  If he passes all of the tests, he will be visiting hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes.  Therapy dogs meet each patient with excitement, and lavish these strangers with unconditional love.  With the tumor gone and the happiness he brings to the faces of everyone he meets, Kabota is all smiles.  We thank all of the volunteers and financial support from our community that made getting dogs like Kabota to a forever home!  We couldn't do it without you!

Next Low-Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic

Animals receive special attention at our clinics!

Our next Low-Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic will be May 12th at the Stanton Fire Department.   To schedule your animal, please contact us at (606) 481-9430.  Space is limited, so reserve your animal today!  

Funds are still available!

And don't forget that we also still have funds for our PAL program.   PAL stands for Prevent A Litter, and offers help to those who are in need of financial help to spay and neuter their pets.   Applications are available at The Powell County Library, The Powell County Animal Shelter, or contact us at (606) 481-9430.  

Raffle Winner!

And the winner is.....Shirley Bowen!   Shirley is the winner of our latest fund-raising raffle.  The drawing was for a lady's gift basket, which included a really nice purse.  Value of the prize was $250, and we thank everyone who donated items for this raffle.   Another raffle will be coming soon, and we will announce it right here on our blog and Facebook.

Congrats to Shirley!

You Can Help Us Help Them!

One of the most heart-wrenching aspects of animal rescue is witnessing animals in desperate need of medical attention.  For homeless animals, it can truly become a life-or-death situation.  Depending on the illness, vet bills can become overwhelming.  Being a non-profit rescue, FOPCP does not make any profit  on any animal we adopt.  In most cases, we spend hundreds of dollars on vetting animals to ensure that they leave our care in tip-top shape.   We keep our adoption fees low, and depend on fundraisers, donations, and community support for to help pay for vetting.

Right now, there are animals in desperate need of medical attention in Powell County, and we are asking for your support.  You can help by donating through our PayPal account by clicking on the donate button below.

Bacall is a very sweet-natured beagle mix.  She has a very serious eye injury, and it is very urgent that she receives vetting soon.   Bacall is going to make someone a wonderful family pet, and she deserves a chance to make it happen.        

Shay is a Shepherd/Retriever mix.   He is very active, and loves to explore.   But he was diagnosed with heartworm.   A heartworm is a parasite that when left untreated will eventually kill its canine host.   Shay is in foster care right now, and is undergoing treatments to cure him of heartworm.   These treatments are very expensive.   

We are also nursing a few pups back to health after they were diagnosed with Parvo.   For puppies, Parvo is deadly.   And treatments for this disease can really add up.   We're doing everything we can to ensure these pups pull through!

   

These sweet animals are depending on us, and we appreciate any donation.  Click the donate button to access our PayPal site, and any donation you give is tax deductible on both the state and federal level.   We cannot do what we do without support from you!     

  

Happy Valentine's Day!

Gonzo is gaining confidence!

You might remember Gonzo from a video we posted a few weeks back...  Gonzo came to us from the pound.   He had been separated from his mother at a very early age, and had not been properly socialized.  Gonzo was very smart, and very handsome.   However, he was also very fearful of people and new situations.  Gonzo was definitely a special needs dog, and he had to be placed with the perfect family that would have the patience to help build his confidence.      

Well, Gonzo was adopted by a wonderful couple in Louisville!  And in an attempt to build his confidence, they decided to enroll him in obedience and agility classes.  In Gonzo's case, the goal of obedience training is not just to understand the commands, but to also establish a means of trusted
communication with the dog.  Mutual respect and trust is the foundation of a good master/dog
relationship.  Gonzo has already learned basic commands, and his trust in his owners is growing each day.

Being scared is very stressful.  One of the most beneficial way to relieve this type of stress is through exercise.  This is where the agility course helps!   Gonzo is now learning to trust his new owners, plus he's relieving that tension that is built up in his anxieties.  And to top it off, he is having a blast the whole time!  This may be one of the best therapies that you can give a shy dog.

We are proud to report that Gonzo is progressing, and we are so happy to see his new family working so hard to help him become a healthy, happy dog.   Gonzo is a sweetie, and he deserves it!  You've GOTTA check out this video of him taking on the obstacle course challenge.  It's awesome!
  

   

Off To A Roaring Start in 2012!!

We are off to a roaring start in 2012!  This is the 20th day of the year, and so far, we have an average of more than one dog per day in rescue, adopted, or scheduled for transport.  While this is a fantastic statistic, we are getting a little too big for our britches, so to speak.  We are in need of more volunteers in order to keep up with the pace.

How can you help??

First, we need fosters!  When dogs in the pound are spoken for, we have to pull them to foster homes to get them vetted and quarantined before transport.  If you can do this, we have a sponsor who will provide a kennel.  We have experienced fosters ready to assist when any questions arise.  All your expenses will be tax-deductible because we are a 501(c)(3) corporation.  Your fosters will usually have a definite date of transport, so you can avoid having the indefinite fosters that might be around for months.  Some of our transports require a two-week quarantine period, some less, but usually we will have your fosters moved out within a month.  Fostering is a very rewarding experience.  You get to experience the love of many animals and then follow their progress as they find their forever spoil-em-rotten homes!

Second, if you can't foster but love road trips, we have some fun for you!  Driving transports!  Sometimes we rent a cargo van, but if we don't have too many dogs, we send groups in SUV's.  Common destinations are Hagerstown, MD, and Hershey, PA, but we've gone other places, too.  Again, your expenses are tax-deductible, including half your food and lodging if you choose to make it an overnight trip.  One of our transporters took the opportunity to visit Snowshoe Resort for some snowboarding on the way home!  Ever heard of "voluntourism?"  It's a new trend in this economy -- do some volunteering on a vacation and earn some tax deductions, plus have the satisfaction of helping others!

These are two of our biggest needs.  Please email fopcpky@gmail.com if you think you can help in either way. Thank you from the bottoms of our hearts!