Bertie Bots, formerly Sasha
Bertie was abandoned in Washington by her "owners" when they decided to move. A good samaritan neighbor fed her and then took her to the humane society. She was released to rescue and through the efforts of several folks along the way, she found her forever home in Eugene.

 

Ted E. Bear was fostered by Sylvia Berni until he  crossed the bridge in October, 2002. This gentle, elder  citizen was a stray and it was clear he had been severely neglected before he found Sylvia and Jim. A much loved addition to their family, he was, and is still, cherished. Read his story here: http://www.cpwcc.org/ Click on Rescue, then on Teddy: A rescue's story

Samantha and Me

The result of an irresponsible breeder, Sam was deaf and had poor vision. She was too much trouble for her family, but came to Oregon and lived the remainder of her short life surrounded by love and other rescued Great Danes.

Maggie B.B.

At twelve, Maggie had to find a new home. Her family split up and her man could no longer keep her. He'd rescued her as a wee pup and she'd been his always-by-his side companion all her life.

Try as he might, he could find no one to take Maggie into their hearts and home. Why? Her age. Over and over again, she was rejected. But he never gave up. Finally, he found Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon and through heartbreaking tears, he said goodbye to Maggie.

Good-samaritan dog lovers and rescuers quickly offered to transport Maggie to her foster home, with a loving forever home waiting in the wings.

With friskiness and pluckiness that belie her years, Maggie has a new lease on life thanks to an owner who wouldn't give up and rescuers who answered his pleas.

  Lovey

Libby

It takes a lot of research to find just the right dog. Learn about the breed you are interested in; health, longevity, temperament, care involved, compatibility with other animals, children, etc. Read all about it. If you visit the national club sites, look for regional clubs. Visit their sites as well. Talk with breeders about adopting older dogs. Attend dog shows; talk with folks there. Ask questions. Find out what they look for in homes for their puppies and older dogs. Ask more questions. Find a mentor. Visit the rescue sites; read what it takes to adopt a dog. 

Don't be in a hurry; expand your search, even geographically, if necessary. Don't limit yourself to a puppy or a particular gender, for that matter. There are many benefits to adopting an older dog and even the opposite sex of what you thought you wanted. And, most important of all, make certain you are ready and capable to make that life-time commitment to another life. 

 Are you willing to foster? Volunteer at a community shelter or with a rescue group? Help with transport? There are a number of ways you can support rescue groups and shelters even if you are not ready or able to have your own pet. Any way that you can be involved, no matter how small, helps save the life of one more dog and is not only very rewarding, but an invaluable learning experience as well. And, the more you learn, you'll understand why I say........

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER buy your pet from a pet store. Do not support the puppy-mills of America. If you want to purchase a purebred puppy or adult, make certain the breeder is responsible and ethical and follows the code of ethics established by national breed clubs. Remember, that even though most breeders are looking for responsible homes for their dogs, YOU are looking for a responsible breeder. You have the right to make certain that a breeder meets your high expectations. Don't settle for anything less. A responsible breeder won't.

Interested in Adopting a Rescue? Try these sites for starters:

http://www.cpwcc.org/ Home page of the Cascade Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club
http://www.cardigancorgis.com/ Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America web site
http://www.forpaws.org/ An excellent site devoted to finding homes for corgis and corgi mixes
http://www.hua.org/ A national no-kill shelter, sanctuary and animal welfare organization, most animals here come from puppy-mills. An awesome organization.
http://www.pembrokecorgi.org/ Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America web site.
http://www.petfinder.org/ An extraordinary national database with an easy search engine.
http://www.puppymillrescue.com/ Another great site dedicated to finding fosters and forever homes for dogs previously used as breeders in puppy-mills.
http://www.arescuemom.org/default.htm Dedicated to finding, fostering, adopting and living with senior dogs. Another excellent site!

Puppymills, Pet Stores and Backyard Breeders

Puppy-mills, pet stores and backyard breeders unfortunately too often go hand-in-hand. For most people, seeing those cute puppies in the pet store window brings a smile and sometimes a purchase. However, the big business relationship between puppy-mills and pet stores is no smiling matter. In fact, it is a cruel, abusive, and neglectful business where the only concern is making money from breeding dogs repeatedly until they are no longer useful and are destroyed. Most dogs are kept in crowded cages, with little to no socialization and minimal veterinary care. They are not checked for inherited conditions, such as hip dysplasia, epilepsy, kidney, liver or heart problems. Puppies are taken from their mothers at too young an age and shipped as large consignments to pet stores. Many do not survive that trip, but it is of no consequence to the millers or the pet stores. There is always another one to replace those who die.   

If you've never given thought to the background of those pet store puppies, now is as good a time as ever. Meet a few of the puppy mill breeding stock. These four were lucky. They were rescued by Hearts United for Animals and have a new lease on life. Most don't. And they suffer horribly just to sate the public's desire to purchase a pet store puppy. 

Ever wonder where the dogs live that produce pet store puppies? These are the conditions in which they live while producing litter after litter until they no longer can make money and are discarded - which usually means destroyed.

Not all the puppies make it to the pet stores:

Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise. One thing is certain. At least this puppy will not be condemned to life as a puppy mill breeder.

So, the next time you look at that cute, little puppy in the pet store window, ask yourself "How much is that doggy in the window?"  Is it a price you truly want to pay? 

To learn more about puppy-mills, visit:
Hearts United for Animals and
Puppymill Rescue

Or, simply do a Google search on "puppymills" or "puppy mills" to learn more about this insidious business. And then, like the little boy returning starfish to the sea, make a difference and save a life. Do not purchase a pet from a pet store. One by one, we can all help by just saying "NO."

(all puppy mill-related photos came from HUA's Prisoner of Greed page)

*The Rescuer's Quilt*
  Author Unknown

As I arrived at the Bridge, I faced all the animals who had gone there before me. Before each of us go to the Bridge, we live our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles, mirrored in the eyes of the animals awaiting us. An animal Angel sits before each of us sewing our quilt squares together in a tapestry that is our life. But as my animal
Angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life as a rescuer that had been difficult, the challenges I was faced with in my quest to save lives and the times I had been tempted to take the easy way out and avoid the
controversy rather than speak for the animals who could not speak for themselves. I saw hardships that I had endured for the sake of the animals, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Others than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened. My animal Angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air. Finally, the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose, each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been with the riches of the Earth. My animal Angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise. My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter and the sweet kisses of the precious animals who honored my life with their presence. But there had also been the trials of illness, and death, and false accusations that took me from their world as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights crying and praying that somehow the strength would come to go on, asking for help and guidance as I tried to help the helpless. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time enduring it for the sake of the animals who looked at me with trust and love in their eyes.

And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was. I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the animals gathered there, who stared at me with wide eyes. Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image of an animal who had depended on me. All the animals at the Bridge stood before me, with warmth and love in their eyes. They said, "Every time you gave over your life to help us, it gave us life. Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let us shine through, until there was more of us than there was of you."

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing the animals to shine through.