Tag: BFF

Vet Sci 101 – The Scoop on Poop

As pet owners, we sooner or later will be subjected to cleaning up a very stinky mess left behind by our canine or feline friend. It’s important to learn how to interpret the language of poop so we can be an advocate for our animals who can’t necessarily describe their situation to the vet.
Did you know that a fecal sample is the window to what’s going on inside your pet? Knowing what different kinds of BM mean can help you save your pet from suffering; and a little bit of time spent being a “scat detective” can even save a life.
The AKC wrote a terrific article about this very subject. And although it’s written from the perspective of a dog lover, the general information it offers about the features of feces can be generalized to other species like cats and horses.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/doggie-diarrhea/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=yourakc-20161121

December 23, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 5 Comments Off on Vet Sci 101 – The Scoop on Poop

The Next Chapter – Update on Mitch’s Dogs

With 2018 nearly over, we realize what a challenging year this, our tenth year, has been. Losing Mitch Valerien in March was the worst thing that ever happened to our little group, and it was so totally unexpected, the cause still not fully understood, even the most optimistic of us probably felt like the floor was pulled out from under our feet. So it is easy to imagine how much worse that horrible event was for Mitch’s dogs. Without the ability to understand even what little we knew about Mitch’s death, these animals went through a life-altering change in 2018. Living alone, Mitch was everything to these dogs: mother, father, nurse, chef, janitor and UBER service….TASP owed it to Mitch to do our best to help her animals get to the next chapter in their lives as painlessly as possible. And thanks to the kindness of our community and the resilience of these dogs’ spirits, we have some very positive news to report to all of you.

Andy: “The Flower,” is now living a loved, safe and joyful life with Lea, a local veterinarian who has a soft spot for senior dogs. And BTW, she also has a very friendly, sweet black lab mix female for Andy to play and snooze next to. This gentle guy was very bonded to Midnight, Mitch’s little black lab mix female, so it was especially gratifying to have Andy find a home with another friendly female who resembles Midnight so much. Andy’s new Mom is a “foster failure,” just as Mitch was when she originally adopted Andy from Labs4Rescue so many years ago. The first time we contacted Lea to bring Andy to an adoption clinic, she asked to adopt him because he had grown so content in her home and she’d grown so fond of him. Lea writes in her latest update, “He’s doing great, a real sweetie and has adjusted to life with me very well. Everyone loves him. His sister is forever pestering him to play, sometimes he’s happy to and other times he just patiently ignores the biting at his head and feet (Hadley can be a pill!)” Andy’s new life is truly what Mitch would have asked for if she could.

Click on Andy’s portrait to watch a video of him and Hadley playing together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benjamin: “The Forever Puppy,” was the first of Mitch’s dogs to be adopted, and the oldest! Thanks to Tracy, Mitch’s childhood friend in Rhode Island, Ben lounges on the carpet next to Tracy’s desk while she’s working from home, just as he did at Mitch’s house while she worked from home. Ben’s got a family who adores him and makes him a part of everything they do. And he has a little girlfriend to snuggle up and flirt with whenever he wants to. Tracy’s latest report: “Ben is doing great. He has been a great addition to our family. We love taking him for rides and he loves just being with us. We are truly lucky to have him.” Can you imagine how happy this would make Mitch?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Billie: “Sweetheart,” Billie was the dog who seemed to suffer the most when Mitch passed away. For awhile, we couldn’t figure out why Billie was physically failing. But once she settled into Lynn’s home in farm country, just outside of Fort Edward, Billie’s condition began to turn around. We discovered Billie’s physical decline was just a symptom of her grieving! Lynn happened to be her Vet Tech at Borador Animal Hospital when Mitch was still alive. After Mitch’s death, Lynn’s heart went out to the old dog with the huge benign tumor on her back, who suffered so profoundly from the loss of Mitch. In a recent email, Lynn told us, “Everyone in my family just loves her. She fit in here like she had always lived here.
Although I am sorry that it was necessary to rehome her I am honored to have her as it is the only thing I could do for Mitch.” It’s clear Lynn adores Billie and Billie’s physical improvement since moving in with Lynn testifies to how happy she is there. Lynn even prepares home-cooked meals for this noble old dog! Now, Billie’s latest chapter is truly a happy tail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Midnight: “The Little Sister,” also hit the lottery. She was adopted by Ally, who works at Upstate Veterinary Specialties. Midnight has a much smaller pack now: just her and a dog-friendly cat, so she gets loads of attention and love, and doesn’t have to share her Mom with a lot of other dogs. She even gets to go to work with Ally, who tells us, “Midnight is doing wonderfully. And feels like she has always been a part of my life. I love her already!….. I am so glad that I found her. It’s been such a positive experience and I am looking forward to giving her a perfect home after going through so much. Her story truly touched my heart.” Ally’s update really touched all of our hearts at TASP. Little Midnight is surely blossoming in this new life of hers.

Mallory: While the “Little Mama” is waiting for her own forever home, she’s fostering with the Plasse’s, sharing the front zone of the house with Hammond (Rich & Melinda’s senior Rottie mix) and Desi, the deaf senior Jack Russell Terrier from TASP’s hospice program. Mallory enjoys her role as the only chick in the crowd, and the male dogs seem very willing to have Mallory direct the day’s activities. Rich tells us, “Mallory’s showing us every day what a terrific gal she is by walking to and from the play yard without even being leashed. She barks when company comes and loves lounging on the self-heating dog bed Hammond loaned to her. She’s such a cheerful girl…. her tail wags so hard when she sees me, it sounds like she’s beating a drum. She’s a really good dog!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sadie: “Cover Girl” is now officially a Canine Good Citizen thanks to her foster Mom, Lucinda. While she waits to be adopted to her forever home, Sadie shares the foster home with two cats and two male mini dachschund mixes. She enjoys the daily walks Lucinda takes her on in their quiet neighborhood and one of her favorite things to do is to snooze with her dog and cat friends on Lucinda’s big front window seat. With her good manners and her magnetic personality, it’s just a matter of time before Sadie finds her special person to adopt her; but in the meantime, she’s thinking foster life is mighty sweet at Lucinda’s. “Sweet Sadie is an eager-to-please girl. She relishes car rides and outdoor walks and hikes, but is also content to nose around the back yard or sit by the window to watch the world go by,” according to Lucinda. Sadie  certainly has matured and is nothing like the wild-child she was years ago when Mitch took her in. She’ll make someone a fantastic companion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zach: The dog we were most worried about being adopted was our “Wingman.” With his separation anxiety, Zach presented a big dilemma for anyone who worked outside the home. Fortunately for him, Bill came with his family to the Petapalooza adoption event at Curtis Lumber in Hoosick Falls earlier this year. Bill had just suffered the devastating loss of his wife. And being retired, he found himself with way too much alone time. Zach’s larger-than-life personality caught Bill’s eye from the get-go and before long they both knew they needed each other. The rest of the story is better than anything we could have written for Zach. Bill and Zach are a team now, doing everything together at home and on the road. Bill’s minivan is the perfect vehicle for these two bachelors to cruise to the park for a nice walk or to run errands in town. And Bill says Zach is like his shadow, always right behind him and ready to participate in any activity, especially climbing into bed at the end of the day. Bill says, “Sometimes he even beats me to bed and I have to ask him to move over so I can get in!” Bill’s daughter, Dawn adds, ” I would like to thank you for giving my Dad the opportunity to adopt Zack. I believe they are a perfect match! They are inseparable, great therapy for each other.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time only moves in one direction and no amount of money on earth can buy time back once it’s spent. The old adage says, “Change is good.” But some changes are so sudden and irreversible, they can upset even the most level-headed of us. All of us at TASP are glad that Mitch’s dogs are finding their own lives now. It wasn’t easy for them to adapt after all the years they shared with Mitch, but thanks to the commitment of Mitch’s circle of friends and the response from the community, all of her dogs are safe and loved. We hope to report on the final placements for Sadie and Mallory soon, and with that, we will all know Mitch can finally rest in peace knowing her “kids” are going to be alright.

December 23, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 5 Comments Off on The Next Chapter – Update on Mitch’s Dogs

Testimonials – In Their Words

I want to say thank you so much for all your help that you have been doing for my cat Lucy it means a lot to me. Thanks again….. Jean

Thank you for all you did for Raymond’s “Pups.”  …..Pat

I don’t know what we would have done without your compassion and support. Your organization is truly a Godsend and I would be proud to say I am affiliated with it…….Although Smoaky most definitely had a better “vacation” than I did, I am recovering well……I’m sure my peace of mind and not having to worry about Smoaky contributed greatly to my recovery. At a (very rare) loss for words for thanks, I’ll just say a million and one thanks for all your help!…….Sincerely, Pam

Thank you for talking to me last night. I appreciate your advice and look forward to having you over …..Alice

I was just filling my cats’ food bowl and I was just thinking how wonderful you were to help me both times and I just want to let you know that I really appreciate it, especially the litter cuz I really would be in a pickle right now if it wasn’t for you…because I literally have no income. So I just want to thank you again, I really, really, really appreciate it. I’m hoping if I do get my Social Security maybe I can help someone else and pass it forward. Just had to say it again, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much!……..Tina

 

 

September 19, 2017 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 3, Testimonials Comments Off on Testimonials – In Their Words

This Quarter’s Featured Project – Keepin’ It Together

Best Friends for Life: Gail and Puppy

Thanks to all of you from Puppy!

My name’s, “Puppy.” I’m a 13 year old Yorkie & Chihuahua mix. Everyone is surprised to find out how old I am when they hear my name and meet me….frisky and lively and full of energy, I guess I’ll always look and act like a pup, and that’s just fine with me!                                                         When I was younger, Mom, Dad, Bro and I all lived on a modest little farm in the country. We raised dairy goats; Nubians and LaManchas were our specialty. I really liked the way they smelled and I enjoyed going to the barn each day with the folks to help with milking and caring for my caprine “cousins.” My favorite thing to do was to steal a piece of the trimmings when the goats had their hooves clipped…..have you ever tasted goat hoof? It’s the caviar of doggie cuisine, y’know.

About two years ago, things all of a sudden changed ALOT! First, Bro got really sick…… the kind of sick that means hospital trips, chemo, and weeks and weeks of pain medicine. After that, Bro never really looked the same; and soon, he just completely disappeared. Mom and Dad walked around like zombies after Bro left. They looked scared.

We moved to a smaller place because Mom’s health wasn’t very good anymore. She has a lot of trouble breathing. Soon, she was wearing a leash attached to her nose (she called it her oxygen) and she was never able to walk off-leash again. That seemed bad enough, but then, all of a sudden, Dad got sick like Bro. And less than a year after Bro disappeared, Dad disappeared, too. Mom says both of them went to live in heaven. I can’t understand why they left Mom and me here alone, but Mom says they got invited and we didn’t. But she says we will be invited to heaven soon enough. She says Dad and Bro are not coming back, either. So now, it’s just Mom and me scraping by on her Social Security check.

With things going so badly in Mom’s life, I didn’t want to tell her that my mouth hurt. But as time went on, it REALLY got sore and I couldn’t chew my food. She noticed and started calling around to see if a vet would fix my mouth on credit…….but none of the vets agreed to let Mom pay on time; not even the one we’ve been going to all these years!

But ya know what? Mom didn’t give up. She kept asking around and eventually she found out about TASP: The Animal Support Project. She talked with a volunteer there and they hooked us up with a vet named Dr. Nicole, who actually fixed my mouth for FREE! Dr. Nicole had a grant from the ASPCA to help animals belonging to poor people…..and since nobody’s poorer than Mom and me, I was able to get the care I needed. But that’s not the end of the story!

The vets also said I needed medicine to help my heart work better. So TASP took me to a specialist and got me the tests I needed to get the right medicine. Now, a TASP volunteer visits Mom and me twice a month to count out pills into my trays. The trays have little compartments in them and each morning and evening, Mom takes the pills from a compartment and folds them into some tasty canned dogfood that I find just irresistible.  TASP even found me a sponsor who donates my pills so Mom doesn’t have to use food money to buy them.

The volunteer says Mom and TASP have “joint custody” of me so I can remain at home and still get the special care I need.  They say I will be happier at home with the Mom I’ve known all my 13 years than to be uprooted and sent somewhere else. They know I am only at peace when I’m on Mom’s lap, watching the cooking shows on cable. And Mom is SO HAPPY to know she doesn’t have to spend the rest of her life alone! Mom and I sometimes look at each other and wonder which of us will be the next one to disappear. But at least now Mom knows that if SHE gets invited to heaven first, then I still have my friends at TASP to care for me until my invitation arrives.

CLICK HERE to watch Puppy & Gail’s video

 

 

September 19, 2017 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 3 Comments Off on This Quarter’s Featured Project – Keepin’ It Together

The Next Chapter – Project Outcome Followup

Update on Bria

If you follow our facebook page, you know Bria returned home to live with her family back around January. As soon as she went home, Bria was enrolled with her family in Basic Obedience training through Crawmer’s Animal Training, courtesy of TASP, just to give her a leg up on moving back to home life. With three active kids, Dad recovering from major surgery and Mom adapting to her new job, it was extremely gratifying to know that the whole family was so devoted and committed to bringing Bria back into their lives.
The nicest update about Bria just came from her Mom!
“It’s been a whirlwind of a year but this is us and we got this… we are settling in and as I write Bria is laying by my bed. I would take a pic but she is a girl always in motion! Allana graduated yesterday and she will be off to St. John’s University in the fall to study Bio with a concentration in pre-med. We will never forget your kindness and would love to visit before she leaves! You are so special to our family!”
This family is still struggling to make ends meet since the fire took their home nearly two years ago. They are STILL waiting for the insurance companies to settle. But they’re a family of survivors and they’re all working hard to move on with life. They are an inspiration to everyone who knows them and it has been a joy to play a part in their recovery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Update on Copper and Charlie:

Who says two giant old dogs can’t find a home together? Well, if this happy ending doesn’t make you believe in Santa Claus, I don’t know what will. You met Charlie and Copper in our last newsletter. On their way to the euthanasia room, these two bonded senior dogs made a detour to TASP foster care with Kat. And not long after that, just in time for Christmas, BOTH of these old guys hit the lottery and were adopted by Allison and her wonderful family. Used to giant breed dogs, the family’s home was ideal for our old buddies. And what a great way to start the new year: loved and safe with folks who treasure them for the gems they are!
At their ripe old ages, there is no telling how many Christmases Copper and Charlie will see. But knowing they will spend the rest of their lives being loved and spoiled is enough to make anyone want to celebrate. Thanks to everyone who had a part in this miracle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Update on Bucky:

Three dentals, two leg surgeries and TWO YEARS in foster care! That’s what it took for Bucky to find the home he was meant to have. Although the little cowpoke was always a hit at adoption clinics and events, he never seemed to get the followthrough from potential adopters, and those who DID apply to adopt him had other animals who didn’t care to have Bucky in the family portrait. But that all changed in July when JT came into the picture. With a circle of friends who all own dogs, JT was looking for a little compadre who would work out well in her apartment and who would get along with the rest of her friends’ dogs. Circle Bucky for that! Living in Boston near a wonderful network of parks, trails and dog-friendly businesses, JT and Bucky now are seen frequenting all the best spots for reading and posting p-mail. And since JT works from home, the Buckmeister has his very own full-time relationship; the kind of lifestyle we think he always dreamed of and deserved. From a discarded, crooked-legged waif to a healthy, beloved companion with a real live bedfella and a social life to rival that of any Boston bachelor, this little Urban Cowboy is finally home!

September 19, 2017 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 3 Comments Off on The Next Chapter – Project Outcome Followup

Grrrrreat Reads – Not about Dogs and Cats

This issue, we’re bringing you some books that are a departure from the subject of dogs and cats. After all, TASP is an All Species intervention group, so it’s only fair that we give some attention to some of the less commonly owned species. It can help us grow our knowledge of animal husbandry and maybe even tempt some of you to venture out and begin a relationship with some of these fascinating members of the animal kingdom.

Part of the True Horse Stories series, Gunner – Hurricane Horse by Judy Andrekson introduces us to a rude, unwanted colt who evolves into a treasured family member. The story follows this southern farm family before, during and after Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent circumstances that change all their lives forever. Inspiring, insightful and difficult to put down, the book can be enjoyed by youthful and young-at-heart readers who appreciate the value animals bring to our lives.

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With “A Chicken in Every Yard,” Robert and Hannah Litt provide a helpful guide to backyard chicken husbandry geared toward urban and suburban dwellers, yet helpful even to those who live in the country. After posing and answering the question, “Why raise chickens,” this book offers a comprehensive collection of advice covering things like planning the financial side of chicken-ownership, proactively researching legal restrictions, selecting breeds, coop design and building, chicken health and feeding, and even a collection of recipes for dishes based on home-grown eggs. Plenty of great photos, tips and a list of resources to use as a launch pad for turning oneself into a responsible and successful chicken aficionado!

 

Karen Patry has written a very useful collection of information about raising rabbits in “The Rabbit Raising Problem Solver.” It’s mostly organized in question & answer format and really helps people who have been thinking about owning rabbits determine whether this is the right commitment for them. So different from other species in their physical and nutritional requirements, rabbits and their peculiarities can be baffling to those new to rabbit husbandry. The Rabbit Raising Problem Solver does a good job of unwinding the mysteries surrounding rabbit care, feeding, health, and management. With more and more apartment dwellers recognizing the value of keeping rabbits as pets, Patry’s book can educate and entertain, with the hope of encouraging successful bunny ownership for even the beginner.

 

 

 

 

September 19, 2017 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 3 Comments Off on Grrrrreat Reads – Not about Dogs and Cats

Can I Come, Too? Pet Friendly Community Activities

Click on the smiling Pooch for the Capital Region Pet Friendly Guide.

 

September 19, 2017 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 3, Newsletter 5 Comments Off on Can I Come, Too? Pet Friendly Community Activities

We Make It Happen – Volunteer Profile

Barbara Myers, “Robin’s Mom”
If you’ve ever been to one of our pet photo clinics at Benson’s or Pet Supplies Plus, or if you’ve come to one of our tag sales, chances are you’ve met the pretty, soft-spoken lady we all know as “Robin’s Mom,” Barb Myers.

Barb has been one of our most dependable volunteers for years now; and it brightens up our events to have her cheerfully signing folks in for photos or striking a bargain with a tag sale customer.  She’s always one of the first to arrive on the scene to help with unpacking the van and setting up an event, and she is always the last to leave after helping get everything torn down and ready to roll out. In short, she is solid gold to our little organization!

According to Barb, “My journey with The Animal Support Project began when I happened upon a photo clinic at Benson’s while shopping with my dog, Robin.   Soon we became regulars and are now proud owners of a collection of pictures from various events.  It seemed a natural transition to go from a photo clinic patron to a volunteer as I learned more about the organization and all the wonderful support given to pets and their families.  I thoroughly enjoy working the photo clinics at Benson’s and Pet Supplies Plus as well as working the tag sales.  It is such a pleasure greeting every pet family that participates in the photo clinics as well as taking in the pet fashion.  It is so much fun viewing the pride and pleasure each family takes in their special animal whether it is a dog, cat, pig, bunny or even a snake.

Anyone who knows me knows that my pets are my babies.  I do not think of them as just a pet, they are part of my family.  I feel like my love of pets has found its niche with the Animal Support Project and with the wonderful group of people I have the pleasure in volunteering with.”

When circumstances permit, Robin still tags along on a photo shoot, posing for his latest Fantasy Photo. The little guy shows all the signs of a well-loved, impeccably groomed companion and it is clear his life with Barb is one enormous bowl of gravy. Barb’s devoted to Robin and he to her.

TASP is very fortunate to have so many solid, talented individuals among our volunteers and Barb is a prime example of the exceptional quality of our people. Always polite, professional, thoughtful and genuinely compassionate, is it any wonder why we’re so proud to have her on our team?

 

September 19, 2017 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 3 Comments Off on We Make It Happen – Volunteer Profile

Message from the President: TASP’s Position on the 2017 Gulf Hurricanes

TASP has received many enquiries about our plans for responding to the Gulf hurricanes this season.   At this time, several of our key people are massaging our schedules to comply with requests received from ASPCA and RedRover. As an all-volunteer organization, we have to be sure that when we, as individuals, are planning travel across the country to support animals victimized by a natural disaster, the needs of our own families, jobs and animals are provided for. So will TASP people be traveling to the gulf to help? Based on our individual situations, several of us are planning to respond with the national groups who have been invited in by the local jurisdictions, and with whom we already have relationships.

In the meantime, for those of you who want to help the animals and people currently under duress in the gulf, please consider making a financial donation to any one of the NARSC (National Animal Rescue and Sheltering Coalition) organizations who are responding. If you aren’t sure who’s really a part of this qualified  coalition, CLICK HERE for a link to the list of the current NARSC membership: . And remember that the well being of pets depends on the well being of their owners.  Don’t underestimate how important pets are to the people who were evacuated from their homes in Texas, Louisiana, Florida and surrounding areas. These people need to get back on their feet asap and get their families back to something like normal. Organizations like The Salvation Army are the vital link to that. Your donation, made specifically for Harvey or Irma (or Jose? Maria?) Response, will go a long way toward bringing people and pets home.

Just a reminder to all of you who have been worrying about this: The south is used to bad storms and flooding and they have learned a lot from past experiences. Don’t forget that there are many qualified rescues and national animal welfare organizations who have an abundance of trained, qualified staff and volunteers located within driving distance of the disaster. Animal disaster response is handled much differently now (thank God), compared to the way things were handled after Hurricane Katrina. If you watched any news footage of the human rescues for Harvey and Irma, there were many images of animals and their people all leaving the home together. Thanks to lessons learned, many human shelters now allow pets in the same or a nearby separate shelter, so pet owners and pets can remain connected until they can all go back home. This works very well and has been used for years very successfully. Ever since George W. Bush’s PETS Act went into effect, local SARTs/CARTs (State/County Animal Response Teams) in the gulf have been drilling regularly in preparation for something like a Harvey or an Irma. They have had trailers filled with supplies and volunteers with go-bags already packed, ready for deployment when the call comes. Starting this August, the call came and came again; and all that preparation was put to work for the good of the pets in the gulf.

All the major states and cities in the gulf (and around the country, for that matter) have advance contracts called, “Memoranda of Understanding” already established with all sorts of non-governmental organizations for situations like hurricanes and other disasters. When the local jurisdictions feel they can’t manage the animal situation on their own, they contact the animal welfare organizations they’re already contracted with and invite them to enter the disaster zone to help the locals rescue and/or care for the displaced animals. The same “Incident Command” protocol used by fire, rescue and military is used now by all the bona fide Animal Disaster Response organizations in the NARSC coalition. This way, there is mutual accountability, communication and tracking that will sustain the mission and ensure the best possible outcome for pets and people.

Many months from now, when the gulf’s inhabitants are back on their feet and the emergency pet shelters and boarding facilities begin to deactivate, there may be a need for animals who were not reclaimed to be sent to foster care or to pre-qualified municipal shelters and rescues. Some may even be sent as far north as our back yard. But until that emergency sheltering/boarding period is over, the NARSC animal welfare organizations will not likely be sending owned hurricane animals anywhere. One of the primary purposes of emergency animal sheltering is to hold the animals until they are reclaimed by their owners. We are obligated to allow the owners to have their pets back once they are able to take them. You would expect the same courtesy if you were in their shoes, right? Animals who were already in the shelter prior to the hurricane’s arrival ARE being moved out to other shelters outside the disaster zone, and one local shelter, Mohawk Humane Society, actually just received 23 animals from a Texas shelter and is taking another 30 from Florida shelters. But if someone asks you to finance their trip to the gulf today to bring back animals and they’re not affiliated with one of the authorized member organizations, you might want to ask a lot more questions before opening your wallet.

Thank you all for caring and praying about this situation. Having worked plenty of disasters in the past, I can tell you there are few sights that compare with the look on a displaced person’s face when they are with their beloved pet, no matter what else they may have lost. As the hurricane season continues to evolve, we will be bringing you our own personal accounts of what we find when we deploy to wherever we’re needed. Until then, take comfort in knowing it’s a blessing for something like a Harvey or an Irma to happen in 2017 instead of 2007; animal disaster response has come a long way since then.

 

 

 

September 19, 2017 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 3 Comments Off on Message from the President: TASP’s Position on the 2017 Gulf Hurricanes

Update: Will Bria Be Home for the Holidays?

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Hi again, everybody! It’s me, Bria! I’m still in foster care with TASP, and pretty soon it will be a whole year that my family and I have been apart. We’re still keeping tabs on each other and the rumor is, we might have a new home by Christmas. It seems like so long ago that the fire wiped out our old house and put me here in foster care. Ever since then, Mom and Dad have been working their hearts out, trying to save up enough for a down payment on a house while they’re still waiting for the insurance companies to stop arguing with each other. I love them for keeping their promise to Allana and me to reunite all of us again for good and forever, and I’ll wait patiently until they are ready to bring me home.

This is Allana’s first year in college and I have been praying for her to be as successful as I know she can be. It must be hard to concentrate on your studies when you’ve lost your home and your BFF isn’t beside you to keep you smiling, don’t you think?

While I’m waiting, I’ve got a nice young fella to play with here at my foster home. His Mama has been very sick so while she is getting better, Nicholas the German Shepherd puppy lives in my zone. When he first showed up, I thought he was kinda goofy….all feet and ears and always jumping on everyone and chewing anything he could fit into his mouth. But now, he’s been here for a few months and he’s been growing into a handsome young dawg. He’s become my favorite playmate and best friend (next to Allana, of course).

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Nick and I like playing Capture the Wubba and Steal the Antler outdoors in the yard and we wrestle like a couple of Olympians for hours on the kitchen floor. At night, after last outs, we like chillin’ with our peanut butter Kongs while Mom and Dad are finishing up the day’s chores. Thanks to all the exercise and play with Nicholas, I am staying in great shape and losing some of my own goofiness, gaining some more manners and maturing into an adult Lab Lady.

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I still spend most of my day carrying things in my mouth….old habits are the hardest to break. But heck, we all have our fetishes, right? And at least you always know where to look for the Kong Wobbler: it’s right here, in my mouth!

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You don’t have to worry about me because I am safe in TASP foster care. But would you please pray for Mama and Dad, Allana and the kids? They have lost so much but they still keep trying to rebuild their life. If our prayers come true, this Christmas, I’ll be sleeping next to my Allana again.

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December 4, 2016 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 2 Comments Off on Update: Will Bria Be Home for the Holidays?