One year ago today...

One year ago today, SCBR took a heartworm positive bag of bones that no one else would give a second glance.  Gibson came to us emaciated, weighing around 35 pounds, and had a very long road ahead of him.  He landed in a shelter after animal services seized him and his broken body told the story of a rough life.  Even though he's young, Gibson has a bad hip and almost all of his teeth are broken, probably from chewing on rocks because he was so hungry.  Well, as the story goes, I saw a picture of him online and I knew he belonged in my house.  I already had a foster (Oscar) at the time, so I spent two weeks trying to convince our fearless leader that three dogs wouldn't be a problem for me and I'd make it work.

I took my girl, Casey, out to the boarding facility to meet Gibson one very cold February afternoon and no one could believe what happened when the two met.  They looked at each other and acted like they had always been together - 'oh, hey, it's you again.'

A week or so later, everything was settled and Gibson was on his way to my house.  Three dogs is a lot of work, but when you get pictures like this...

                                                                        ...it's totally worth it.

Well, before long Oscar found the perfect family and then it was just the three of us here.  We wrapped up Gibson's heartworm treatment, made sure his hip was okay, and got to work on some serious training.   We're still working at it, but today he knows all of his basic commands, a few tricks, and is a gentleman on a leash.

Unless he sees a bunny.

And Casey and Gibson are all but inseparable now.

It wasn't all rainbows and sunshine though.  A few urgent trips to the vet, rough patches with training, his fear and anxieties (about men in particular)... It was all worth the effort.  He still has a ways to go, but he's doing great and we wouldn't trade him for the world.  With all of the progress, he's decided he likes to be helpful too!  Now Gibson likes to...

 help with the laundry and...                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                    help mom with yoga and...

help mom crochet even though...

sometimes he makes a giant mess of the yarn.

 

A year makes a huge difference in all of our lives, but Gibson has changed so much in such a short amount of time it really is remarkable.  He's a lover, a mama's boy, a protector, 'The Bub' and definitely the piece that was missing in my house.  Gibson is home now and the three of us couldn't be happier.

Foster Friday: Ranger

It's Foster Friday again!  This week, we have Ranger with us who's really hoping we can help him find his forever family.  Take a look!

Ranger here! I didn't want anyone to forget about me and since I am growing up really fast, I thought the world would like to see my lovely face.  I love to run and play in the yard and I really love it when my foster mom throws the tennis ball for me to run and fetch for her! I can do that for quite some time!  Some other things I love to do is to play with all the toys and chew on all the bones that my foster home keeps around for us to play with - it's like a doggie daycare!

I am getting along well with the other dogs in the house, I just need to learn that the little dogs really don't like it when I use my paws to play with them.  The cat tolerates me and I just like to sniff at him every once in a while - he doesn't like to play with me so I have learned to leave him alone.

I really LOVE people if all sizes! I like to be very close to them, especially my foster mom.  I will lay at her feet no matter where she is in the house and love it when she pets me and rubs my belly!

I am only about 6 1/2 months, but have been housetrained and crate trained and I sleep all night in my crate without whining and crying.  I'm working really hard to learn good manners.  I am a good boy and I really am ready for my forever family!  Do you have a place for me?

If you think Ranger is the perfect addition for your family, fill out an application and please share Ranger with your friends and family!

Weekend Wrap-up

Happy Monday everyone!  We very rarely have a quiet weekend here at SCBR, but after all of the excitement on Friday we didn't have a whole lot going on.  Friday, however, was a great day for one of our foster favorites.  Miss Lucy met some new friends who wanted to help!

Lucy and her temporary foster dad, Bill, took a little trip out to Central Florida where some Summer Camp kids put together a walk-a-thon.  Laps for Lucy was a huge success and the kids were able to raise more than $200 to help pay for Lucy's eye surgery.  Lucy has what's called eyelid entropion, which makes her eyelid roll in and irritate her eyes.  Entropion can be very painful if not treated, so we're doing everything we can to get Lucy's surgery scheduled quickly.  You can read more about the condition here.

We are extremely fortunate to have met such wonderful kids who care so much and got so excited to help out!  Someone once said that it will be our kids who end the cycle of pet neglect and abuse, and it's very encouraging to see such young volunteers!

We are still raising money to cover the balance of Lucy's surgery so please donate and share her fundraiser with your family and friends.  Also, Lucy will need a more permanent foster home so we can start her heartworm treatment and get her ready to find a forever family.  If you're interested in fostering or adopting please fill out an application.  

SCBR is grateful for all of our supporters, but especially for the young ones!

Wellness Wednesday: Compassionate Care

Recently, we've been posting a lot to the Facebook page about our Compassionate Care dogs and we've gotten a lot of questions about them.  Right now, there are compassionate care dogs out at the SCBR ranch for some very different reasons.  Some are too aggressive to be trusted in a new adoptive home, some have ongoing health issues, some are extremely anxiety-prone and can be destructive (to themselves and their surroundings).  All are being given the best life possible on a ranch designed especially for dogs in need and are very much loved by those of us here at SCBR.  Today, we're going to introduce two of our favorites: Buster Boy and Layla.

Like any true gentleman, Buster insists we introduce Layla first.  Miss Layla stays at the boxer ranch now due to her extreme separation anxiety.  Layla's anxiety is not something she's been able to work through, even with training and vet help, and does very well on the ranch.  Recently, she had surgery to remove a tumor directly behind her eye and she's comfortably recovering at the ranch.

Buster Boy will spend the rest of his days on the ranch because he has Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (the doggy equivalent of dementia or Alzheimer's).  Dogs suffering from CDS exhibit many symptoms similar to those in humans suffering from dementia including disorientation, forgetting learned behaviors, and not recognizing familiar people or objects.  It is extremely important to provide dogs like Buster with a secure environment since symptoms usually get worse as time goes on, since they may not recognize their name or other verbal commands.  For now, Buster enjoys life on the boxer ranch and we are glad to give him a quality life there.

As anyone can see, the SCBR boxer ranch is a special place dedicated to dogs with no other options.  When we rescue a dog, we promise to care for it and provide a loving home throughout the rest of it's life.  On the ranch, compassionate care dogs get plenty of playtime, love and attention but best of all, someone's always there with them.  Some would call these dogs spoiled but we wouldn't have it any other way.

Weekend Wrap Up: New Additions

Happy Monday everyone!  We hope you all had an awesome Fourth of July weekend.  Here at SCBR, we were super busy.  All of our fosters and recently adopted dogs did really well with the fireworks and excitement, but there's no such thing as a quiet weekend in rescue.  We have three new additions to the SCBR family.

Meet Gabby!  Gabby came to us from a shelter in the panhandle this weekend.  When animal control received a call about an injured dog, I don't think anyone could have imagined what this poor girl had been through.  Gabby had a dinner plate sized hole in her side where she had been shot.  The animal control officer didn't even notice it at first because she was so happy to see him.  Gabby went to see a vet who was able to clean up her wound and mostly close it to allow it to heal.  Everyone who's met her says Gabby is the sweetest girl!  She won't be available for adoption until her wound is fully healed, but we have started a fundraiser to help cover her vet costs.  If you're able, please donate and share Gabby's fundraiser.

Ranger was one of two owner surrenders we took in over the long weekend when his owners decided they couldn't keep him.  His foster mom has let us know that Ranger is a good boy who even does well in the bath and is now 5 months old (as of July 6 we're told).  We are working on raising money to cover the cost of vaccinations, heartworm testing and preventative, neutering, etc. but once Ranger is fully vetted, he will be available for adoption.  If you're interested in adopting Ranger, you can fill out an application here and please donate toward his vet expenses.

Last, but certainly not least, is Tessa.  Tessa came to us on the Fourth of July when her original owner moved out of state and left this little girl with a family member.  The family member was not able to keep her because the landlord would not allow pets, so this little girl met her new foster family before the barbecue and fireworks started!  Tessa's foster dad says she's an absolute joy and does well with both of his dogs and both of the cats.  She knows basic commands, is housebroken and crate trained.  Even though this little girl needs some work walking nicely on the leash, she's smart and has an infectious personality.  It's very hard not to love Tessa!  If you think Tessa is the new addition you've been looking for, fill out an application to adopt.

In addition to our new additions, we are still looking for new foster homes.  Right now, we need a place for Ino, Roo and Lucy.  Fosters are vital to any rescue's success and it's one of the most rewarding things anyone could ever do.  If you would like to foster, fill out an application and if you would like more information about fostering you can email us at secondchanceboxers.florida@gmail.com.  SCBR has the best supporters and we'd like to thank each and every one of you!

Wellness Wednesday: BOOM!

It's everyone's favorite summer holiday here in the States.  The Fourth of July at my house usually involves a great day of barbecue and beach or pool time and of course I love to involve my four-legged friends in all of that fun!  But later, we always make sure we're packed up and home long before the sun goes down.  Unless your best friend is deaf, chances are he doesn't like what comes next...

Virtually every source I found mentioned that an estimated 50% of all dogs and cats are terrified by loud noises, whether it's thunder, fireworks or from another source.  The Fourth of July weekend lands lots of pets in shelters or pets get lost after escaping yards and running from noises.  There are lots of precautions you can take to make sure your pets stay safe during all of the celebrating.

• ALWAYS make sure your pet is wearing identification information (license, tags, etc) and get your pet microchipped.  In the event your pet does run away or gets separated from you, microchipping is the best bet for a safe return.
• Do not feed pets table food.  It takes very little to upset pets' tummies and this can heighten anxiety and add to stress.
• Only use bug repellant and sunscreens specifically made for animals on your pets.  Sprays and sunscreens made for humans can cause severe stomach upset, irreversible neurological issues and even death.  Same goes for citronella candles and other insect deterrents.
• Likewise, alcohol can be fatal for pets even in very small doses.
• Make sure your pet gets plenty of exercise before the fireworks start.  Tired pets (dogs especially) are less likely to have excess energy and get wound up as easily.
• Give your pet a safe place to go if they want, like in their crate.
• Turning on the television or radio can help drown out the noise from fireworks.
• Don't coddle a frightened dog or give an anxious dog attention unless there is a risk that the dog could harm itself.  This sort of attention reinforces the anxiety and fear response.
• Try playing with toys to keep pets distracted once fireworks start and keep pets inside.
• Lastly, but certainly not least, pay attention to the heat index.  Daytime temperatures can soar and some breeds simply aren't able to handle the heat.  If you do take your pets out during the day, make sure they have access to shade, clean drinking water and pools or hoses to cool down.

Here at SCBR, we hope everyone has a happy and safe Fourth of July!

Foster Friday: Oscar

Oscar the Almost Boxer

When I applied to foster for SCBR, there was a beautiful white boxer in a Central Florida shelter they were trying to find a place for.  Well, to make a long story short, another rescue pulled that guy, Bill came and did my home visit and a few days later Oscar showed up.  I knew Oscar was a hound-boxer mix and heartworm positive and good with other dogs but that was about it.  I had never fostered dogs before but I thought it would be a good way to test the waters before jumping in and adopting.

When Oscar came to me, he sort of knew some of his basic commands, but he's really good at picking up new things.  It was only a few weeks before he knew he needed to sit before I would put his leash on to go out, that he wasn't allowed out of the garage without me, sit, stay, lie down, and box (the command I use when I want the dogs to go in their crates).  He's a super sweet boy and also now knows his leash manners when we walk.

 Oscar LOVES kids!  He couldn't understand why my friend's daughter thought 'in and out of the box' was the best game ever, but he played along anyway and had a great time.  He is the happiest, sweetest boy when the kids come over to play.

Who remembers the 'More Dogs More Happy' picture?  Oscar is definitely a happy guy and all of that happy can be a little infectious!

While Oscar was with me, I learned a lot.  I learned why SCBR rescues boxers, almost boxers and honorary boxers (Oscar is an awesome almost boxer).  I learned heartworm treatment really isn't as scary as it seems.  I learned some dogs really just don't like to be up on the furniture.  I learned Oscar likes food.  ALL sorts of food.  I learned all sorts of new training methods and discovered some hands-off approaches for correcting behavior.  I learned how completely awesome foster dogs are.  I learned that I fall in love with any dog that comes into my home within a matter of minutes and I will be simultaneously heartbroken and over the moon when that dog finds a new home.

Oscar is spending the weekend with a great family in the Tampa Bay area this weekend and they have decided they really like him.  For a heartworm positive guy who had very little hope in a central Florida shelter, Oscar sure has come a long way.  It's hard to let a foster go, but knowing this loving (and incredibly loveable) guy wouldn't be here without the foster homes he stayed in before he came to me makes it a little easier.  I am incredibly happy for Oscar and he has come such a long way it's impossible not to be proud of him.

He will always have a place in my heart and in my home if he should need one ever again.

But I doubt he will.

Wellness Wednesday: Have a Hurricane Plan?

Hurricane Ivan, 2004

Here in Florida, we got a very early reminder that it's hurricane season.  Not quite two weeks in and we've been through the first tropical storm of the season.  This is the time of year when everyone is supposed to get hurricane supplies together and have a plan.  For pet owners, that plan involves a little more...  Over the next few weeks we're going to cover severe weather safety for pet owners.  There are plenty of things to take into consideration when making your plan and we'll try to cover as many as possible here...

KNOW YOUR EVACUATION AND FLOOD ZONE

Knowing which zone you live in can really help with planning.  If your front yard floods every time there's a bad thunderstorm, it probably isn't safe to stay for a tropical storm or a hurricane.  Check with local emergency management websites if you are unsure about your evacuation zone.  These sights can also help you prepare for any emergencies that might occur during or after a storm.

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

Knowing your evacuation zone can help you make this decision.  Your decision to evacuate may be dependent on how strong the storm is as well.  Will you be able to keep yourself and your pets safe if you stay home?  Will you evacuate to a shelter or make other arrangements?  If you do decide that evacuation is the best plan, make sure you have supplies ready and leave early.  It's no fun to have anxious pets in a car during a stressful situation and leaving early can help ensure that you make it to your evacuation destination safe and sound.

REGISTER FOR A PET SHELTER

Many counties now have pet-friendly shelters but most require you to register well before a storm and space is always very limited.  Pinellas County has three, Hillsborough County has two, Pasco has one, Polk County has three and Hernando County has one.  Priority is given based on evacuation zones and to those living in mobile homes.  Almost all require pet owners to provide proof of immunization when you register.  Contact your local emergency management to see if a pet-friendly shelter is available in your county.

Always follow directions from emergency personnel.  Having a plan helps to keep you and your pets stay safe during an emergency.  If it isn't safe for you to stay, it isn't safe for your pets either!  Never leave your pets behind!

Weekend Wrap Up

Today's weekend wrap up is short and sweet!  We had a new addition of the newsletter go out last week and that covered a lot of what we've been doing lately.  If you missed it, you can find a copy here.  If you'd like to receive future newsletters, there's a tab on our Facebook page to sign up.

This past weekend, we welcomed Babas to the SCBR family. When we first heard about Babas, the story was his last vet suspected he had cancer.  Our vet's preliminary findings suggest he does NOT have cancer (great news!), but we're running more tests to be sure.

Summers are always rough for rescue groups.  We need the most help with fosters, adoptions and fundraising during this very busy time of year.  If you're interested in fostering or adopting Babas (or any of our other wonderful dogs), fill out an application.

FUNDRAISING UPDATE:

Our big push right now is fundraising.  We will quickly find ourselves so far behind, it will be almost impossible to catch up.  Right now, we have YouCaring fundraisers running to treat Lucy's heartworms and pay for vet care she and her puppies have already received, for Buster Brown's surgery to remove some lumps on his side, and for JR's skin condition vet care.  Please share these fundraisers with your friends and family members.

We are also very excited to announce a fundraiser with Pampered Chef that's running through the month of June!  Our consultant, Christine, has set up an online party for us.   When you're on her homepage, click on 'shop online' and enter the word 'second' where they ask for host name.  Click on the Second Chance Boxer  link (Tampa, FL is the location) so our party gets credit for your order!

WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW:

If you have any contacts in the hospitality industry, we are looking for old mattress pads to use as crate liners for some of our compassionate care dogs and some of our fosters going through vet treatment.  We can also always use more towels, blankets, old sheets, etc. for our fosters as well as for dog washes, transporting animals, etc.  If you have any you'd like to donate or know of a contact in the industry, please email us here at secondchanceboxers.florida@gmail.com.

We can't do what we do without our supporters in the community.  Thank you all so much for your continued encouragement and support!  Please continue to share our fundraisers and donation drives with your friends and family!

Feature Fosters!

Our foster homes provide us with a number of invaluable things: a place for a dog to live while he gets healthy, training, a really good idea about a dog's personality... Today we have two very special ladies.

Adeline is SCBR's best kept secret.  She is one of the sweetest, most even tempered dogs we have ever met.  Adeline loves kids, dogs and thinks cats are pretty interesting.  She's a very friendly 2 year old girl looking for a forever home.

Unfortunately, we don't know much about Miss Roo here.  This poor little girl has been hanging out in our boarding facility for over a month.  We need to find her a foster home ASAP.  She is young and has lots of energy.  She's a boxer/lab mix and desperately wants a foster home (Roo is going a little kennel crazy...).  We can't wait to get her out and find out more about her!

If you're interested in adopting or fostering, please fill out an application.  We know both of these girls deserve forever homes and need some help finding them!

Wellness Wednesday - Pet Allergies

Who else has an itchy dog?  You know, the ones chewing their paws til they're swollen, scratching their ears, losing some hair maybe... Who knows exactly how to deal with their pet's hot spots?  Today we're taking a closer look at allergies in pets, what commonly causes them, and how to help your pet feel better.

Casey is a great example of a dog dealing with the most common allergies in pets: environmental allergies and food allergies.  We'll start with environmental...  Every spring and fall, the oak trees bloom and you suddenly start to see a lot more yellowish-green cars in Florida.  The pollen drives me crazy.  Some mornings I wake up wishing I could scratch the back sides of my eyes and I know Casey feels the same way.  Oak and grass pollen both do it for her and the sneezing, scratching, face rubbing and paw chewing starts.  She just loves to be outside though (in case her roll in the grass didn't clearly demonstrate that...) so we had to find some ways to cope.  We try to limit outside time and walks on days when I know the pollen is highest.  When we come in, I wipe down her face and THEN her paws with a wet wash cloth to try to get rid of as much residual pollen as possible.  On the days when she simply can't help herself and decides to go roll in the grass, she gets a bath before bed time.

Figuring out the food allergy was a little bit tricky.  There are so many things in food dogs can be allergic to and dogs can also develop allergies to something they've been eating for a very long time.  Common dog food allergens include beef, chicken, dairy, soy, corn and wheat among others.  I spent a lot of time emailing back and forth with Casey's vet trying to figure out what to feed her.  Dog Food Advisor was a great resource for us and along with the vet's help, we were able to find something that helped Casey a lot.  High quality foods can go a long way in helping your dog, but your vet may also recommend supplements during allergy season or throughout the year.

Just like bees for some people, pets can be allergic to fleas.  Fortunately, I don't have to deal with that nightmare with my dogs but the cat I had for 20 years would rip all of her fur from her shoulders back when the fleas got really bad.  Unfortunately for poor Cinders, topical flea treatments weren't an option (we'll revisit this in the next section) and I got the distinct pleasure of bathing a very angry cat who frequently left my arms looking like they'd been through a paper shredder.  Flea allergies in Florida are always a nightmare because the fleas never seem to go away.  Cinders was a little easier to cope with than a dog would be.  She quickly became an inside-only cat and that really helped, but if she had been a dog our only option would have been frequent baths and oral allergy medications.

So back to the topical flea treatments... The last major category of allergies we're covering today is contact allergies.  These work similarly to poison ivy in people: frequently a delayed response and always from coming into direct contact with the allergen.  We never figured out which part of the topical flea treatment Cinders was allergic to, but I did discover it's a lot more common than I thought.  People and pets share many common allergies including fragrances, formaldehyde (found in some paper products, paints, fabric finishes and household cleaners), topical medications and preservatives found in soaps and shampoos.

It can take a very long time to figure out what's causing Fido to be so fidgety, but it is definitely worth the effort.  I was glad I traded a few months of trial and error for the peace of mind I now have.  If your pet is driving you crazy with late night scratching, itching and licking, start by calling your vet to discuss what the most likely causes and most appropriate solutions may be.  Just like any other condition, never give your pets medication without first clearing it with the vet.  Do some research on the products you use on and around your pet and you may be surprised at what you find.

Weekend Wrap-Up

Happy Tuesday everyone!  We had an awesome weekend.  Saturday, we had an event at Three Birds Tavern.  Trigger City Trio put on an awesome show for us and we had several fosters and SCBR alumni come out and say hello!

Buster, of the Bill and Buster Brown team, hung out on the patio for a while and was super excited to let everyone know he's now an SCBR ALUM!

Chuly came out for a bit too.  He was the resident ladies' man for the evening.

Johnny Cash played it cool while hanging out by the raffle and silent auction table.

Ms. Matilda is not an SCBR dog, but her mom tells me she might get to be a foster sister soon!  We always need foster homes and we're keeping an eye out for Matilda's application.  If you're interested in fostering or adopting, you can find the application here.

UPDATE ON JR:  JR's fundraiser is starting to pick up a little steam and we're almost to the half way point! His foster mom says he really likes to eat and his skin is starting to look a little better.  We hope to have a progress picture for everyone after his vet appointment next week.

As always, thanks to everyone who supports SCBR.  We can't do what we do without all of you!

Monday (Late) Wrap Up

I like to post our updates on Monday morning usually, but today's weekend wrap up includes a very special segment.  We'll get to that in a bit though.  We had A LOT going on this weekend!

First up this weekend was Kids' Day at the Village.  Casey had a blast saying hi to everyone and just LOVED seeing all of the kids come by.  We got to meet the nice ladies from Wags and Wiggles pet sitting and really hope to work with them again in the future.

After Kids' Day, we went back over to Groovy Cats & Dogs for the Patio Pawty and PHOENIX made a surprise appearance!  We're hoping to get her eye surgery scheduled ASAP but we need to raise another $1300.  Who has a dollar or two they could contribute to this girl's fundraiser?  It all adds up and no amount is too little!

We were glad to see everyone come out Saturday.  We made close to $200 and every little bit helps us take care of the dogs!

As many of you know, we have a new addition to the SCBR family.  JR comes to us from Hernando County and will need all of our help over the next few months while he recuperates.  He weighed barely 30 pounds when he went into animal control and surprisingly put on a few pounds there!  Since he's gotten settled in his new foster home, he put on another few pounds and we were thrilled to find out at the vet yesterday that he's now up to 37 pounds!  A few down, 20 or so to go...

We know he looks like a sad bag of bones now, but with some love and a lot of vet care we hope he'll be a very handsome boy soon!  JR has demodex and as a result, he has lost most of his fur.  We're working closely with the vets to get it under control and help him heal.  We did get some good news!  He's heartworm negative!  JR's condition is still pretty serious though and his foster mom is closely watching him.  Yesterday at the vet, he sat between me and his foster mom and gave everyone (including Dr. Register!) lots of kisses.  JR has a very long and challenging road ahead, so please share his fundraiser with your family and friends.

Tomorrow's Wellness Wednesday: Allergies and Your Pets.  Stayed tuned and thank you from all of us here at SCBR!

Happy Friday!  Today is our first edition of Foster Friday and today we have Suri.  She came to us from a Louisiana shelter about two months ago and is ready to find a forever family.

Hey y'all!  I'm Suri, the little girl who came back from Louisiana with Bill after he dropped Circles off at Dag's House.  My foster family says I'm a very sweet boxer mix with a really pretty flashy brindle coat.  I'm two years old and I've learned lots of new tricks!  I can sit, stay, lie down, give my paw, and I just know I could be a perfect addition to your family!  I love other dogs and people are just awesome.  I love to share happy times with you and I'll give you kisses when you're sad.  I'm always happy to see my foster family come home at the end of the day and I promise you I'll wait patiently and love you unconditionally.  I've come such a long way since leaving the Bayou behind!  Won't you consider making me part of your forever family?  If you want to adopt me, fill out an application and one of my friends will call you.  Until then, cheres...  Love, Suri

Weekend Events

SCBR will be out and about a lot this weekend so swing by and say hello.  On Saturday we'll be at Kids' Day 2013 in the Carrollwood Village area from 10:00-3:00.  After that, we're headed over to Groovy Cats & Dogs from 4:00-6:00 for their Patio Pawty.  We'll have items to raffle off and t-shirts for sale.  Last time we all had a blast so be sure to swing by and say hello!

Sunday, if you're headed out to the Rays game come by the third base food court and say hello to our volunteers! We'll be working the Italian Sausage stand near section 119.  We hope to see you all out at the ballpark!

Fundraising Updates

As always, we have lots of fundraising stuff in the works and a few very special things coming up as well.  Phoenix's fundraiser is a little more than half way to our goal!  As soon as we're within 10% of our goal, we will schedule her surgery to remove the cataracts.  Circles' fundraiser is making a little progress, but we still need your help.  We received the first invoice from Dag's House this week and the donations we've received toward his care are phenomenal!  We need to keep building momentum for him though so we can make sure he gets all the rehabilitation he needs.  Right now, we're about $3,600 away from our goal with a May 31st deadline, so please continue to share.  In case you missed it, here's the latest video of Circles.  He's going to be able to run all by himself soon!

Thanks again for all of your ongoing support and encouragement!  We hope to see everyone out and about soon.

Wellness Wednesday - Here Comes the Heat Part 1

Monday, we posted a different graphic highlighting the dangers of leaving dogs (or any pet or child or elderly person for that matter) in a car.  Even with the windows cracked or down, heat still gets trapped in a car.  Ask anyone who's dealt with a summer in Florida and broken air conditioning in their car.  I can tell you from personal experience it's easily 10 degrees warmer in the car than outside, even with the windows all the way down and driving fast enough to feel the wind in your hair...

There are 14 states which have laws on the books dealing with animals being left in cars.  They all carry penalties of $250 to $5000 and/or jail time.  Although Florida does not have a law specifically for pets in cars, people have been tried and convicted of animal neglect or abuse under Florida Statute 828.13, which covers improper confinement and abandonment, and others which cover felony animal cruelty and animals found in distress.  Many individual counties have ordinances on the books stating that people who leave their animals in cars can face civil and criminal penalties and anyone who sees an animal in distress should call the local authorities.

It only takes minutes for a car to reach unsafe temperatures and some 'snub nosed' breeds, like boxers and pugs, are more susceptible to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.  The effects of heat stroke can be devastating and it doesn't take long for a dog to wind up with a permanent injury, disability or even die in a hot car.  It's too much to risk for animals we love so much, so this summer please think about any stops you may have to make before taking your four legged friends for a drive.

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday everyone!  Welcome to our very first blog post.  We hope to be able to keep everyone up to date with all of our upcoming events, fundraisers, updates on dogs going through treatments as well as new addition, fosters and adoptions.  Once or twice a month, we would like to do educational posts so if you have dog health, training and/or well-being questions email them to secondchanceboxers.florida@gmail.com and your question may be featured in a future post!

We have a lot going on in May and it started with our dog wash at Groovy Cats & Dogs this weekend.  We had an awesome turn out and had some of the best volunteers anyone could ask for working this weekend.  Everyone's hard work helped us a lot and our total for Saturday's event was $577.11 which goes a long way toward helping some of our dogs get the vet care they need!

Groovy Cats & Dogs had Veronica from Tailored Pet Sitting, LLC come out to take some photos and we just couldn't get enough of Beamer's close up here.  He's such a handsome boy and hung out at the ticket desk with his fur sisters and our volunteers.  He is deaf but he's such a smart boy he's learned some hand signals and was a great assistant all afternoon.

Phoenix, Dodger and Lucy are all having different eye issues, so they will be our next big fundraising and events focus.  If you know of a venue where we could host an event, could donate raffle or silent auction items, or can help us drum up some donations or ideas for future fundraisers send us an email!  One of our volunteers came up with our theme for the next event: Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades!  Details to come...

YouCaring is a huge part of what we do and we were able to raise enough money to cover all of Bentley's and Snow's vet needs, but Circles seems to be losing steam and Phoenix's just launched yesterday.  Please share both of them.

We have several upcoming events and hope to see you all out and about.
Saturday, May 11 10:00-3:00 Kids Day 2013 at the Village
                                               4535 West Village Drive Tampa, FL 33624
                             4:00-6:00  Patio Pawty at Groovy Cats & Dogs
                                              2305 W Linebaugh Avenue Tampa, FL 33612
Sunday, May 12  Rays v San Diego Padres
                            Sausage Cart in the 3rd Base Food Court

We couldn't do what we do without our supporters.  As always, thank you from the dogs and volunteers of SCBR.