Bring Jake Home- a rescue story with a happy new beginning

Toby the dog here!

I'm a dog with a blog on a mission to change the world through kindness.

And here is a totally pawsome story about a rescue dog Jake, who has a new beginning because of the kindness of others.

You can listen to the update on Jake's happy beginning story here:
 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/teamtoby/2015/04/14/bring-jake-the-dog-home-update-collaboration-at-its-finest-for-pet-rescue

Today's guest blog post is from my friend Lisa Litwinski. 

 thanks Lisa for sharing Jakes' story with us.

Jake’s amazing  story involves  a community of some of the most incredibly caring & dedicated people in Canada & the USA  who pulled together in a magnificent collaboration to bring this wonderful  rescue dog home to Alberta & give him the best second chance possible.  

 Lisa Litwinski deeply loves animals and has been devoted to animal rescue her whole life. She heard about an Alberta Black Lab dog who got lost,  ended up in an Imlay Shelter, and launched Bring Jake Home to Alberta.  (Jake did not have a tattoo or microchip. With extensive efforts in Canada & the US we were not able to locate his family.) Lisa partnered with Aimee Orn at Lapeer County Animal Control, Wendy Yax at Lapeer’s Adoptable Animal Rescue in Imlay, Michigan & April Oakes at Infinite WOOFS Rescue in Edmonton, Alberta so that Jake could journey home to a loving foster home while we help him to settle in & find his new forever family. (His Foster Mom Megan volunteered before we had our Alberta rescue in place. 

 Wonderful people stepped up to join Jake’s team & community of support. )Jake’s story is one of LOVE, hope, & kindness, & the positive difference we can make.  It is an honour to have worked with so many caring, thoughtful people who have collaborated to help Jake. Thank you profiles of our Jake team & family members are on Jake’s Facebook page: Bring Jake Home to Alberta, with more to come. Please stop by and get to know these wonderful people.

Our boy JAKE IS HOME & settling in very well! Thanks to everyone for caring, sharing, & helping us to help give Jake the fabulous second chance he deserves. He is one incredibly wonderful dog and everyone who meets him falls in love with him. Jake is a happy and affectionate boy who is part Lap Dog. J He loves to snuggle time, snack time, play time with his tennis ball, and truck rides.

We are fundraising to cover additional care & vet expenses for Jake in Alberta. Jake has an approved Charity ATB Financial Community Spirit bank account: Bring Jake Home. Contact: BringJakeHometoAlberta@shaw.ca for ways to donate or private message Jake’s page. We accept Pay Pal to a friend & transfer.  Check out Jake’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bringjakehometoalberta or Twitter: @BringJakeHomeAB  #BringJakeHometoAlberta    Jake’s profile is on the wonderful: InfiniteWOOFS.org 

Lisa is a Facilitative Trainer, Professional Speaker, & Mentor Coach who specializes in collaborative Team Building, Leadership Development, & Life Leadership/Empowerment. She is a Certified True Colors Facilitator who loves to work with people to focus on their strengths.  Lisa works with organizations & teams to Create Leaders at Every Level  & is the creator of Today, I Choose™ daily inspirational cards for consciously choosing successful thoughts, feelings, & actions.

Support the Underdog! That's what Project Blue Collar does!

Carole Feeny and Kristin Waters from Project Blue Collar were guests on PAWsitive Radio show, hosted by Team Toby!.

 This is our Toby sporting one of the Project Blue Collars and showing how much we love how Project Blue Collar is doing to save lives.

Www.TheOriginalTeamToby.com  Photo Credit

Project Blue Collar – Support the Underdog™ is a movement to publicly identify and celebrate the rescue dog. Changing the perception of shelter dogs from being damaged to being priceless. It’s a way to share stories and educate and inspire others to give shelter dogs a chance.
 
Every time you see a Support the Underdog™Blue Collar, you’ll know that another underdog became a hero. A moment of recognition is created, common ground is discovered, and a conversation is started. That’s how movements are born – one conversation at a time – and change begins to happen. They are committed to donating a portion of our profits to animal shelters and rescue groups. Every purchase from Project Blue Collar - Support the Underdog™ matters. It’s that simple.  Website:  www.projectbluecollar.com

Toby with his serious face... and his blue collar  www.Theoriginalteamtoby.com

 We all know that animals connect people and Kristin and Carole stated that the blue collars are a real conversation starter!  It provides a launch pad for pet families to share stories, how their dog came to be a family member, and funny stories about their pets. 


 You can listen to more tips from Project Blue Collar at:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/teamtoby/2013/04/24/project-blue-collar


 Please feel free to share this blog and radio link with others...together we CAN make a difference!

And...Follow us on Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeamToby2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheOriginalTeamToby

Pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/teamtoby1

 Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/in/charmainehammond

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/On-Tobys-Terms/209331272432608?ref=ts&fref=ts 

 Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hammond-International-Inc/161986823865485?ref=ts&fref=ts

https://twitter.com/hammondgroupbiz

Have you puppy trained your kids?

photo credit: CritterKin
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1633520401/critterkin-puppy-train-your-kids

 

Can we Pleaseeeeeeee get a puppy?  Have you had that question posed in your family yet? I am certain my parents heard that question repeatedly when we were children. Our dreams were answered... I remember our first dog, Duchess. She was a beautiful mixed breed dog who loved us girls unconditionally. We learned how to care for a dog, how to travel with a dog, how to be consistent with the "dog" rules and most importantly, the gifts of unconditional love that Duchess gave us every day. 

 

When I met the CritterKin pack, I knew this would be a walk in the dog park!  I am delighted to share CritterKin with you.  CritterKin is creating an app for children, and has partnered with the humane educator at the SPCA of Wake County North Carolina "to make sure that kids aren't just entertained, they're educated. Kids will be excited about owning a puppy, and the CritterKin app will ensure that they're ready." 

 

Here's a quick sample of the more than 30 lessons CritterKin has developed:
 http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1633520401/critterkin-puppy-train-your-kids
Meet and Greet - How to safely meet an animal
Socialization and Manners - How to teach your dog to play well with others
What’s a Dog Made of? - Basic dog anatomy
Good Treat/Bad Treat - Why dogs shouldn't eat chocolate!
Poop and Scoop – What goes in must come out
Zap the Fleas – What are common pests that can harm your dog? 
What’s in a Crate - The benefits of crate training
Visit to the Vet – Why vet care is so important
Looking Good – Grooming for good looks and health
Doggy Fashion – types of collars, leashes, clothes and accessories
Give a Dog a Job - The importance of exercise and mental stimulation
Lost and Found - How to avoid losing your dog...and what to do when you do
Cool! - The physiology of how dogs regulate their temperature
Play - How do dogs play? What kind of play do dogs need?
Special Needs – The importance of difference
As Long As You Both Shall Live - What it means to give a dog a forever home
Animal Sheltering 101 - How kids can help your local shelter
(Credit: CritterKin Kickstarter page) 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1633520401/critterkin-puppy-train-your-kids

 

 

What lessons do you hope your children will learn?

 

What lessons has your family learned from a pet?

 

Will you join the pack? 

 

Together we CAN make a difference and create forever homes for animals.



 



One blanket Can Save Two Lives

Did you know that donating one blanket to a shelter can save two lives? It is likely that the one dog will be adopted and when that happens, another dog can await finding their forever family.  Snugly blankets make dogs more adoptable!

While on a book tour, we took a break to have Toby spread the word about a local Sedona AZ Humane Society Program

Eileen Smulson was our guest on PAWsitive Radio All Things Pets, and I thoroughly enjoyed interviewing her.  She is the founder and President of Operation Blankets of Live, an award winning nonprofit public charity.  They collect and distribute recycled and new pet related items to comfort stray, sick neglected and abused homeless animals in shelters, rescue groups, sanctuaries and foster groups.

They are also an Emergency Response Team that partners with those organizations who provide relief and comfort to animals that are displaced or endangered by catastrophe.

Her adopted dog Ginger was the inspiration for her to start this charity. She wanted to make sure that every homeless pet had warmth and comfort by having a blanket to snuggle in while waiting to be adopted by a loving family and forever home. 

So one blanket really does save two lives. The research is showing that shelters who have snugly blankets for animals instead of cement floors are more adoptable. And the impacts on the animal of course are extremely positive. 

Operation Blankets of Love hosts blanket drives and also does presentations in schools and to children and youth programs. They also engage schools in blanket drives, which is a very positive learning experience for children to be engaged in animal kindness and making a difference. 

Listen to the incredible things Operation Blankets of Love are doing:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chammond/2012/10/27/guest-eileen-smulson

·         How could you host a blanket and towel drive?

·         How could you support your local animal shelter?

It starts with sharing the message.  Then by taking action.

thank you Eileen for all you do to positively impact shelters, and the many animals awaiting a forever family!

 Find out more about Operation Blankets of Love at:

www.operationblanketsoflove.com

Rescue dogs making a big impact in the world.



Our Toby
He was an animal assisted therapy dog at a local hospital
We adopted him when he was five years old from a local rescue organization


Well if you want to see some powerful stories of rescue dogs leaving pawprints on hearts, making profound differences in the world, and healing people as well as saving lives, check out http://www.shelterme.com/shelter-me-synopsis/.

Shelter Me, which is hosted by actress Katherine Heigl, is a wonderful family-friendly PBS show that celebrates the human-animal bond and the importance of animal rescue. This film offers positive, uplifting stories about different shelter pets, their new homes and the ways in which these pets are enriching the lives of their human friends.

I have watched it!


I loved it!


I have talked to the producer Steven Latham on the phone….


And, he is coming on my radio show (PAWsitiveRadio) August 11, 2012


Here's the link so you can follow, and listen in

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chammond/2012/08/11/guest-steven-latham


Please listen in. Share this news and invite others to join us. This project is making a big difference!   Let's celebrate all the amazing staff and volunteers who support shelters and the wonderful pets that make our world a brighter place!

The Shelter Me’s website states that “ Every year, 3-4 million dogs and cats are euthanized in America’s shelters. Shelter Me focuses on the success stories to bring more people into the shelters to give these incredible animals a second chance.”

Steven is an award-winning filmmaker and the President of Steven Latham Productions. He recently produced and directed SHELTER ME, a family-friendly PBS show that celebrates the human-animal bond with positive, uplifting stories about shelter pets and their new homes. SHELTER ME focuses on the success stories to bring more people into the shelters to give these incredible animals a second chance.Website: http://stevenlathamproductions/


Our dog Toby was a rescue dog. His second chance at life became ours in a way. This dog became a teacher for us providing lessons in patience, persistence, purpose and unconditional love. In his life he gave me much to write about. One of the joys I shared with Toby was Wednesdays…. Wednesdays were Toby’s day, he volunteered as an animal assisted therapy dog at a hospital. Four years later he loved his work as much as he did the first day … what a great way to be. His story has been chronicalled in Chicken Soup for the Soul- what I learned from the dog, On Toby's Terms (being made into a motion picture), Toby The Pet Therapy Dog & His Hospital Friends and two more books on the way.  I was interviewed about animal assisted therapy and our experience with Toby, you can listen here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/consciousdiscussions/2012/04/08/dog-rescue-therapy-dogs
(http://www.ontobysterms.com/)

Here's to all the wonderful pets around the world leaving pawprints on hearts!