Comments on: Round one of Mutt Madness is almost over!

By: judy

judy — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:29:40 +0000

LUV YOU! My heart breaks when I read these emails from rescues who feel like there is no where to turn for help. Our rescue feels the same frustrations! We are in a rural county in Alabama that has one of the highest poverty populations. People struggle to feed and educate themselves. Also we live close to the coast, and it’s hurricane season again. Our community population increases tremendously due to people heading north away from the hurricane. Alot of them bring animals that they are no longer able to care for, and they are abandoned. We have several small home-made fenced in areas to house our dogs, but are in the process of making better fenced kennels with fans and better facilitys. The southern heat is just brutal to our animals. Of course all this takes time and money. We have more time than money. We only have a few volunteers that help with the rescue. We have adopted 196 dogs to their forever homes within the past year. But this still is not enough to meet the daily numbers of abandoned animals.
Racheal what can we do to increase awareness. We appreciate your luv for animals and what you do, but is there more we can join together and do. People are more interested in the nasty gossip of hollywood than real issues of everyday communitys! I hope you and your staff can help. Thanks for your time. We luv you in Alabama!

By: Tina Thompson

Tina Thompson — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 19:51:52 +0000

I recently received a small sample of Rachel Ray Nutrish from a friend. I put it down in a small bowl for my little Poodles (2). Within 15 minutes they had eaten the whole bowl. They love it! However, I have not found it in store here (Ft.Laudale, Fla.). I am interested in getting them on this food as soon as I can purchase it locally.

By: anne marie

anne marie — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:01:47 +0000

i have fostering puppies for many years and i just had to give my little sebastian, lab-pit mix to a new home. what a great puppy. i am going to try to only get pits or pit mixes from now on. i have always loved the breed and they get along with my 4 other dogs. please just keep telling people how great this breed is and how misunderstood they are. it’s not bad dogs, it’s ignorant people!! it’s going to be a very sad christmas in my house this year since my little guy got adopted, but, he went to wonderful home who have experience with pits.

By: Laura

Laura — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:44:55 +0000

Hi Rach!!! I love your big heart when it comes to pit bulls! I have three dogs that I couldn’t live without. I saw this great show on Animal Planet called “Pitbulls and Parolees”. Tia Marie Toress runs this incredible rescue center called “Villabos”. She houses abused and abandoned dogs of all breeds but houses around 225 pitbulls. Tia rehabilitates the dogs for adoption and it is her life. Please Rachel, if you can, feature her show. “Pitbulls and Parolees” is a more than worthy segment!! The dogs could really use your help!!!! Thanks, Laura B from TN

By: Melissa Bellew

Melissa Bellew — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:05:06 +0000

Where to begin,Marley(before the movie) a big lab thats thinks he is human or 5 pd chiwawa.Lets begin I paid 10 dollars for him at a flea market.I was on jury duty the next day.I put him in my bathroom ,to come home to a dissaster on lunch,I put him out in my fenced in back yard,not thinking about the steps to my deck.I arrived home to him under my carport.I reached down to pick him up and realized his back legs both snapped in half.I immediatly took him to vet where I paid 550. dollars for 2 casts on back legs.During the next 8 weeks he was babied and pampered and scooted around on front 2 legs.As he grew apart of our family I felt more and more that he was one of a kind.Loyal to a fault,loving playful,and a big clutz.As for being a lab as he grew so did his tail,there for earning him the name death tail.LOL.He just cant understand he does not weigh 5 pds,he never has.He loves to ride with me every where I went.He loves to swim,but has trouble do to his broken legs.He is so gentle that a 2 yr old pulled a soup bone out of his mouth,nothing,he just looked at her with his big brown eyes.He is four yrs old now,clutzy as ever,runs into walls chasing flies,tail knocks over anything in sight,but he is now and forever like one of the family.I owned a house for 9 yrs,I lost it to forcloser on Nov 5th 2008moved into a trailor that burnt down on Dec.5th 2008,moved in with mom until I was approved to live in Gov. housing.I knew it was against policy to keep him but the thought of giving him up killed my family.Housing in Morristown Tn. only alows you to have a pet 20 pds and under.I kept him hid for several months until I was turned in.I entrusted him with whom I thought was a freind,he stayed there for 2 weeks until they got mad at me and turned him in to the lacal kill shelter.I had done some volutier work for about 30 days for them and took pics of alot of cruel treatment of the animals,needless to say they were not happy with me.I went to the Mayor,the sherif and the president of the Board,nothing has been done.I did however got a non profit local rescue to go and get him so he would not be killed.It was actually one of the board members who has been trying to fix this issue for a long time,but the other board members wont allow it.He is for now in Conneticut in a ruscue and safe.I am begging for any way to start a no kill shelter except in severe cases,and then for it to be done in a humane manner. There is a lady in this town who has formed a recue called paws of luv,she has had alot of trouble out of the county about barking dogs,but yet if I could find a way to start a humane shelter,All animals in this town and surrounding would be very took care of and safe from harm.Is there anything you can do to help us in this fight. Melissa Bellew,423-839-5983.I know you must get alot of Emails,but this is not a problem that is going away,and so far I cant get the news,or anyone else to even look into the situation.PLEASE I am so fustrated with this town and its officals??The lack of concern really bothers me……Animals unlike most people are loyal to a fault,and deserve deserve the same in return.

By: maggie stansberry

maggie stansberry — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:37:09 +0000

Hi, to the person that has worked in animal rescue, I need help. My boyfriend and I live in St. Augustine, Fl. I brought two dogs here that were both adopted,a beagle for my son and a half sheperd half chow my decesed mom had adopted. Things got hard after the move and we had to give them up for adoption and it broke my heart. Anyway I am searching the internet to find ways to get funding to help rescue animals here. There’s not much help here and a goal John and I have set is to get a piece of property where we can help. We are both avid animal lovers,John drives the horse and carriages for downtown historical St. Augustine tours. We are both over 50 and have decided this is how we would like to spend our retirement. We aren’t looking for a free ride we just both love animals and love helping. So if there’s any info you can give us as to grants and such that can help us get started it would be greatly appreciated.

By: amanda kirk

amanda kirk — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:25:37 +0000

oh yea my pit Trouble really luvz it…
thanks

By: amanda kirk

amanda kirk — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:24:57 +0000

hello, this is my first time here and i was woundering if u carry bigger bags of dog food all i have found is 14lbs and i need bigger bag.cause payin 15.00 for a 14lb is really really expensive…

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:50:02 +0000

Shannon,
Every one of these organizations in the contest is required to have the no-kill status. While I agree with you on that misunderstood stand,and I hope Rachel Ray will look more closely at that in the coming year, I completely understand and support the need to have voters vote in EVERY category. How many would simply vote for their own organization if that were not a requirement? I’ve read the profile pages carefully, and I’ve learned a lot during this contest… that there are so many people who give their all to promote the humane treatment of animals. Every one of the shelters here is deserving, and I’m so happy that RR is rewarding them all.
Good Luck everyone.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:26:32 +0000

There may be logistical reasons for requiring a vote in every bracket, but from the standpoint of someone who has worked in animal sheltering and welfare for years, not every bracket contains an organization I can truly get behind without considerably more info, and that keeps me from voting for those that I can back in good conscience. They all sound great based on their statements but, let’s face it, many rescues and shelters have vastly different philosophies (aversive training, misleading adoption policies, “no-kill” myth, irresponsible adoption policies, humane treatment and enrichment programs, etc.). Forcing the voters to click on one in every bracket is very likely to result in the funding of organizations that they would not vote for if they really knew these groups’ policies. I can see two groups here with, IMEO, very dangerous policies. One is already out of the running and I’m just hoping that the other is as well.

I certainly do appreciate the funding opportunity and the awareness raising, but maybe certain aspects could be adjusted next time.

Thank you!