Long-time companions of Nancy Pleibel, a manager at the Farmer’s Market, Ginger & Peaches used to wait in Nancy’s car until closing time. Recently, Nancy asked if she could leave the two dogs tied up to a signpost behind the FoPAAS tables. We said Yes, so she brought out a plush bed and a flannel blanket for the dogs’ comfort and left them watching the activity on the street from their little perch on the curb.

Peaches on the left and Ginger on the right. They are sisters.

Then came the magic. Children stopped to look at the dogs and ask permission to pet them. Others in strollers were lifted out by their parents so they could inspect Ginger & Peaches up close. Parents with toddlers paused and demonstrated to their children how to pet the dogs. The dogs relish the affection and attention. Nancy says that when they get home from the market, they fall asleep quickly and dream of that day’s adventure.

Enjoy these photos of children in love with Ginger & Peaches. To see a full-size version of a photo, click it. The magic speaks for itself.

Note:  We expect to add photos as we capture more of these lovely moments, so check back in the following weeks….

The post Ginger & Peaches appeared first on Friends of the Palo Alto Animal Shelter.

George joined the Army as a Private, and he came home a Captain. He wanted to return to normal life and his family, but he found it impossible. Nightmares, fear, anxiety all led him where traumatized people go for escape: abuse of drugs and alcohol.  George was a troubled man and finding a peaceful, normal life was out of the question. His training as an accountant led to work in industry, but eventually he lost everything and at one point was homeless. His story is not unusual, though each person has his own unique version.

It was years before George was able to seek help, and when he did he was diagnosed with, among other things, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  The psychiatrist who finally got through to George prescribed that he get a dog. And so he did. He was lucky when he found Rocky, a massive and loving Rottweiler who had been surrendered to a shelter.

The bond between man and dog was instant.  They became constant companions, and now George had someone in his life for whom he was responsible. He had to provide a stable home, food, and exercise for Rocky, and in exchange the dog gave his greatest gift, unconditional love. As anyone knows who has lived with a dog, this love can heal a broken human being.

George and Rocky were together for nine years. Listed as a Companion Dog with the National Registry of Companion Dogs, Rocky was allowed to live in places that usually do not accept animals. When Rocky finally died, the grief George felt was almost more than he could bear.

It took two years before he could consider another dog, but then a friend introduced him to a white faced pit bull named Smoke.  Now when George drives anywhere, you see Smoke’s handsome face poking out the rear window of the Jeep, sniffing the wind, and smiling.

George says he’s been called the poster boy for PTSD because it took him so long to seek help and get the treatment he needs. He takes his meds faithfully, he attends AA meetings (sober 18 years), and he can always be counted on to reach out to anyone needing help. He walked a long road himself before he found Rocky; now he is a strong voice telling other veterans, “Get a dog.”  George has learned that devoting yourself to another being who loves you just as you are–no conditions, no judgment–changes your life.

Companion dogs are waiting for adoption at local animal shelters. There are many pit bulls looking for homes, and they seem to be a perfect match for a strong person willing to give these powerful, loving dogs the exercise they need.

The good news for veterans and for shelter dogs is that there are organizations whose mission is to unite a companion dog with a veteran seeking help. These groups work carefully to choose the right dog and give the veteran and the dog all the training and support they need. George is not only a poster boy for PTSD, he is also an example of how a good man was able to find his way again with the help of a loving, loyal companion.

The post Soldiers With Dogs appeared first on Friends of the Palo Alto Animal Shelter.

Most of us who are paying attention already have our family emergency kit organized. Water, food supplies, toilet and hygiene items, warm clothes, blankets etc. But what about our pets?

We must ask ourselves – will the dog and cat come with us if we have to leave the house for our own safety? If we must go to a shelter that doesn’t allow animals, will they have to remain in our house, garage? If not, what shelter can they go to, how will they be cared for? Do I have a backup plan for caring for my pet? How will I find them afterward?

First step: Get a Rescue Alert Sticker

FoPAAS made this sticker for your home. This easy-to-use sticker will let people know that pets are inside your home. Make sure it is visible to rescue workers. Come and get your free sticker at our table at Downtown Farmer’s Market.  

Remembering most of the city workers, the fire and police we depend on to help us in time of trouble, will not be able to reach us – most live in other cities. If roads and bridges are down, how will they get here? We should expect to be on our own for up to 5 days after the event.

We should be prepared for all possibilities. Have a kit set up, preferably a crate or other carrier where you can place your pet quickly. Have all his documents, including his vet’s name, any special health concerns, meds, and also a photo of you with your pet for identification purposes. Most people have their pets micro-chipped but make sure that crate contains an extra leash and collar with his tags.

Here is a list of items that should be included in the pet carrier, including the Pet Emergency First Aid Kit.

This should be ready and stored in an easily accessible location.

Pet Emergency First Aid Kit

About the Author
Jeremy Lindston Robinson, our Vice President

Photo Credit: The U.S. Army

The post Before a Disaster: Plan for Your Pets appeared first on Friends of the Palo Alto Animal Shelter.

An allergy to pollen caused her paws to become extremely itchy, especially in summer. And because her licking created a warm, moist place, a yeast infection quickly followed—thus exacerbating the irritation. A savvy vet recognized the problem, and recommended Benadryl for Cookie’s allergy. (A basic antihistamine, Benadryl is available over the counter at local drugstores.)

In addition, the veterinarian prescribed a medicated shampoo for Cookie, who is now bathed with it once a week to keep the secondary yeast infection at bay. When it works, topical treatment such as the shampoo is preferred over pills.

In another case, the family of Elsie, a one-year-old Brittany Spaniel, found her lying unconscious in their back yard. At the Emergency Veterinarian’s office, they learned that Elsie had been stung by a bee, to which she had an extreme allergy. Elsie had gone into anaphylactic shock, which can kill a dog within minutes.  If dogs roll on grass or bite at a bee as it buzzes around them, they are susceptible to bee-stings.

With treatment Elsie recovered quickly, and now her family is never without an epi-pen nearby in the event of another episode.  Since the initial attack, Elsie has been stung once again and has been stabilized by the family that loves her, using an epi-pen.

Our pets are subject to allergies, just as we are.  They can be allergic to foods, all the airborne allergens we suffer from, as well as fleas, cleaning products, insecticidal shampoos, drugs, even perfumes.  And like us, the symptoms of their allergic reactions include sneezing, itching, vomiting, or diarrhea.  If you recognize a problem, your veterinarian is able to offer fast and effective treatment.

To cut down on dust and allergens, clean bedding is important for your pet. Frequent bathing removes pollens and allergens from their skin.  If your veterinarian suspects a food allergy, she may prescribe a hydrolyzed protein diet followed by specific foods, or a home-cooked diet that eliminates the offending food, once it is identified.

Being aware of your pet’s health and behavior is key to a happy animal. Cookie was very lucky to have Gwen who was determined to address the licking problem and succeeded. And little Elsie was fortunate indeed to have a family that dropped everything and found help for her quickly. We must be mindful that our beloved pets have similar concerns to ours, and they need us to take care of them. That is our promise to them.

About the Author
Jeremy Lindston Robinson, our Vice President

The post Allergies in Pets appeared first on Friends of the Palo Alto Animal Shelter.

Sadly Toby has left us. Here is a video made by his human, Jim Martin, in loving memory of Toby.

I miss you so much; my four-legged friend
I ask myself each day; if the pain will ever end
Your loss is so hard; for one person to bear
because we were a team; an inseparable pair

You were by my side; when I got up each day
waiting so patiently; to go out and play
You were there each night; when I got home
waiting to go to the park; where you could roam

You always knew; if I was having a bad day
so you’d snuggle up close; and try to get me to play
If that didn’t work; you’d put your head in my lap
then make yourself comfortable; and take a nap

One way or another you; would brighten my day
like only you could; you had a special way
You gave me a lifetime; of memories to hold
through all the years ahead; till I’m gray and old

I promise I’ll see you; again one day
when we’ll be together again; to go run and play
Your loss is a cross; I will just have to bear
because you and I know; we’re an inseparable pair

John Quealy

Two years ago Jim and Toby came to the Bay Area to care for Jim’s elderly father who was in frail health. They thought the visit would be brief, but that was not to be. When Toby began to show signs of illness, tests revealed spleen cancer.  Toby was given just a week to live. The veterinarian was not optimistic, saying Toby might not survive spleen removal, and even successful surgery would not buy him much extra time.

But possibly the veterinarian had not counted on Toby’s stout heart and the deep love between this dog and this man.  In spite of all the cautions, successful surgery was performed and has prolonged Toby’s life.

We recently introduced ourselves to Jim with Toby riding happily in his cart along the Bay Trail, where the two can be seen every single day.  Almost 3 months have passed since surgery, and Toby sometimes walks alongside the cart as Jim pushes it; they usually stop at the creek and Toby will paddle around, as Labs love to do, and when he’s tired, he gets back into the cart for the ride home.

No one can know how long Toby and Jim will walk the Bay Trail together, but as long as they do, they remain a perfect example of love between a man and his dog.

About the Author
Jeremy Lindston Robinson, our Vice President

The post What Love Looks Like—A Dog Named Toby appeared first on Friends of the Palo Alto Animal Shelter.

A crisp, sunny autumn day — what a perfect afternoon to host our inaugural Dog-O-Ween! Last Saturday, October 26th, FoPAAS held the very first of our annual Dog-O-Ween fundraising events. The sunny day was much improved by the cheery, festive atmosphere emanating from the Bowl at Rinconada Park, where Dog-O-Ween was held. Happy barks and yips of the numerous participants could be heard interspersed with the merry chatter of the participants’ owners.

The brainchild of Kristen DeStafano, FoPAAS’ Paly High School Youth Board Liaison, Dog-O-Ween featured dog costume contests, a theme that coupled well with October’s Halloween festivities. The attendees dressed their dogs up in their clever Halloween costumes, and some owners wore their own getups as well. Participants could enter five contest categories: Scariest Dressed, Best Family Theme Dressed, Best Couple Costume, Best Dressed, and Cleverest Dressed. Attendees could also enter the Dog-O-Ween raffle, for which there were twelve drawings and prizes. Also available at the event were goodies and treats for owners and pets alike. FoPAAS booths offered dog treats, collars, and catnip toys, all home-made, as well as FoPAAS T-shirts, Emergency Animal Notification stickers, and dog licensing forms. The Pet Place, one of Dog-O-Ween’s sponsors, also hosted an information booth of their own.

The event was kicked off with an outstanding acoustic performance by the Paly High School student band, Remi and Chloe  . After the crowd had had ample opportunity to enter the raffle, DeStefano drew the first ticket: Zoë Limbrick was the lucky winner of a $25 Pet Food Depot Gift Certificate. Then, the party really got started with the first costume contest. DeStefano boosted the festive spirit by enthusiastically introducing each contestant, then turned it over to the five judges, Lydia Kou, the founder of Quakeville and an Alain Pinel realtor, Marilynn Goldberg, a dedicated Dog Yenta, Carole Hyde, the Executive Director of the Palo Alto Humane Society, Rhonda Abrams, Columnist for USA Today and owner of PlanningShop (a publisher of content for entrepreneurs), and Maggie Schoenholtz, a Manager for the City of Palo Alto Aquatics. Although obviously having difficulty favoring one contestant over all the other adorable costumes, the judges were clearly enjoying themselves, engaging in lively but friendly debates. For each contest category, one winner was awarded a Samyama Yoga Center Journey 5 Gift Certificate and a box of dog treats, donated by Samyama and Trader Joe’s, and an honorable mention also received a box of delicious dog cookies.

Looking into the Bowl was a quirky but adorable sight. There were mingling Mexican dancers, alligators, Giants fans, footballs, angels, clowns, crossing guards, cows, skiers, and even a Superman, all enjoying the warm autumn day. A seriously spooky Halloween music track gave the venue a festive air, while the smiling faces of all the FoPAAS board members, volunteers, judges, and attendees brightened up the day even more.

And even though admission to Dog-O-Ween was free, FoPAAS reached their goal of raising over $500 for Palo Alto Animal Services (not including the generous donations from our many sponsors, totaling three times the amount raised at the event). Most of the donations rolled in from attendees purchasing raffle tickets, but the home-made goodies were also a hot topic. Much to the delight of FoPAAS, Dog-O-Ween proved to be a reputable success. The money raised at Dog-O-Ween will go toward Palo Alto Animal Services projects, including replacing gravel in the dog run with artificial turf, renovating the cat cages, building a new roof over the dog kennels to prevent flooding, providing low-cost spay/neuter vouchers, and creating a program that will benefit senior animals.

Aside from the visible smiles and audible laughter radiating from the Bowl, numerous attendees came up to FoPAAS board members to commend us for our auspicious event. Many were delighted at winning raffle and contest prizes, while others simply enjoyed the festivities. Dog-O-Ween proved a profitable outing for both dog and owner, as the canines loved meeting and greeting new friends. “This was just so fun, my dog loved it,” commented one attendee. The judges arguably had the best time, as they all left the event laughing and thanking FoPAAS for inviting them. “I had so much fun, just seeing all of the costumes!” one judge remarked.

View the complete photo gallery »

Being an undeniable success, Dog-O-Ween will definitely be coming back next year — bigger, better, and just more “pawesome!”

Costume Contest Winners

Scariest Dressed

Winner   Itchy — devil	Honorable Mention Chico — mummy

Best Family Theme Dressed

Winner   Manina & Charlie — pig & cow owners — farmers (Old McDonald theme)	Honorable Mention Gypsy & owners — Hawaiian dancers

Best Couple Costume

Winner   Wellington — plane owner — flight attendant	Honorable Mention Mojo & Julia (owner) — bananas

Best Dressed

Winner   Ozzie — ballerina	Honorable Mention Oski — banana split

Cleverest Dressed

Winner Andnettie — racing horse	Honorable Mention Pepper — piñata	Honorable Mention Chase — Woody (from Toy Story)
	N/A

View the complete photo gallery »

Raffle Winners

Thanks again to all of our generous donors and sponsors!

Donors

Sponsors

About the Author
Joanna Tang, our Youth Board Liaison from Gunn
High Scool

The post Dog-O-Ween 2013 appeared first on Friends of the Palo Alto Animal Shelter.

We had dogs growing up in rural Michigan. Mostly hunting dogs. A beagle named Gyp for rabbits and a couple of English Setters (Lady and Bandit) for pheasants, partridge, and the occasional woodcock or snipe. The smartest and most special dog I ever had, though, was a little black terrier/scottie/poodle mix that I found abandoned alongside the road when I was 10.

We lived just outside a small town. Marion, Michigan. Population 800… then and now. One afternoon while riding my bicycle along the main road into town, I spotted a small black dog cowering in the bushes beside the road. Of course everyone in small towns knows everyone else… their kids, their business, and their dogs. So I knew right away he wasn’t a local.

I rode by, and he growled at me. Fifty yards later and curious, I turned around and rode by again with the same result. Undeterred, I parked the bike a few yards down the road and walked cautiously back. He was all black, dirty, skinny, and scared. Just on a hunch, I called out, “Blackie, is that you?”

He came bounding out of the bushes like his tail was on fire. Spinning around, jumping up and down on me, and trying to lick my face. A small hand-written note he had attached to his collar read. “My name is Blackie. Please give me a home.”

That’s why I volunteer. Same feeling.

The post The Gift of Volunteering appeared first on Friends of the Palo Alto Animal Shelter.

We met up in Marathon, Texas. I had cycled there from Corpus Christi, and my brother from San Diego, California. It was March, 2012, and the dreadful heat of the summer was still weeks away. That did not make our bike trip back to Corpus any cooler. Through Sanderson, Comstock, and Del Rio, the sun bore down in unrelenting tones of yellow.

We were on Highway 90, the southerly route trekkers use to cross the U.S. on bicycles. My brother was hauling his dog Raisin in a burley attached to the rear of his bike, and 25 miles outside of Uvalde, Raisin started barking. My brother spotted two puppies ducking under some high weeds that served as a poor shelter against the sun. One, a white and black-splotched creature, stepped forward and barked. The other, light brown, cowered behind. My brother fed food scraps to the starving puppies, and we got them into the burley.

Over the next few miles, the pups vomited and lay in the burley, exhausted. Raisin, herself a rescue, seemed to understand what was happening and tolerated their misery. We stopped intermittently and took turns removing clusters of ticks that obscured entire areas of the puppies’ ears, necks, and feet.

In Uvalde, the hotels we checked refused to accept dogs. When it looked as if we’d be crashing at a local park, a man introduced himself. He and his wife opened their home to us—strangers both. We and the puppies slept soundly. The next morning we bought food for the pups, bathed them, removed more ticks, and the effect was dramatic.

Over the next few months, I taught Spot and Sandy their new names, took them to the clinic for the usual round of shots, and escorted them on daily walks through the neighborhood. They loved running along the beaches and sniffing out the sundry odors thereabouts. Other walkers and runners became familiar with our rounds, and Spot and Sandy enjoyed a reputation as two of the friendliest puppies on the block. No one would have guessed the trauma of their early months.

Eventually, I moved back to the Palo Alto area, and about three months ago I drove Sandy the 2,000 miles from south Texas to California. He enjoys his new home and meets and plays with the neighborhood dogs at a local park. He is also a regular among the dogs who visit the downtown Farmer’s Market.

The post Sandy—A Texas Miracle appeared first on Friends of the Palo Alto Animal Shelter.

There is something in pumpkin that cures what ails you; good for everything—sort of like Grandma’s lye soap. Pumpkin added to your pet’s food keeps them regular. It helps with indigestion and upset stomachs. It treats diarrhea and constipation with equal effectiveness.

Dogs love pumpkin, and added to their meal, it fills them up and gives them a satisfied feeling. You find pumpkin as an ingredient in high quality kibble for good reason.

If your dog is little on the hefty side, this is the answer! Reduce a portion of their regular food and replace it with the same portion of pumpkin. (A half cup is only 40 calories.) They will thank you for the tasty treat mixed with their boring kibble. A few teaspoons a day for little doggies and pups; a couple of tablespoons for the bigger dogs.

Though cats can be more finicky, they usually love pureed pumpkin, too. I know a cat who likes to lick the spoon used to add pumpkin to the dog’s dish.

Unsalted, roasted pumpkin seeds (called “pepitas”) are high in essential fatty acids and antioxidants, which are good for healthy skin and fur. The oils of the pumpkin flesh and seeds support urinary health. Pumpkin is a great source of Vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium and iron and can even reduce the likelihood of cancer. And that’s it—the miracle of the noble pumpkin.

About the Author
Jeremy Lindston Robinson, our Vice President

Photo Credit: Scottie Zimmerman; jelene via Compfight cc

The post All Hail the Noble Pumpkin appeared first on Friends of the Palo Alto Animal Shelter.

We listen to stories about animal rescue, answer questions, and encourage comments and suggestions. We also learn how positive people are about having a beautiful and generous city shelter, where animals are welcomed and made to feel safe and loved while waiting for new homes.

If you leave your dog with us while you shop, let us snap his photo as he shares our shady spot. Then, with your OK, we’ll post the photo on the FoPAAS website. Just look for “Farmer’s Market Goes to The Dogs.”

October 24, 2015

September 12 and 19, 2015

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August 29, 2015

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May 30, 2015

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November, 2014

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November, 2013

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August, 2013

So please do stop by and visit us. Our A-Frame sign marks the spot. Encourage us, make suggestions, sign up as a FoPAAS member. If you have a skill or talent you would like to offer, sign up as a volunteer.  We are all volunteers ourselves and we share the same passion we hear expressed every Saturday morning.

About the Author
Jeremy Lindston Robinson, our Vice President

The post Farmer’s Market Goes to The Dogs appeared first on Friends of the Palo Alto Animal Shelter.