Pawparazzi

The Associated Press wire service distributed a heartwarming story on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011 about a dog that survived a gas chamber at an Alabama animal shelter. Named Daniel by the shelter employees, the beagle mix now has a home in New Jersey.

NUTLEY, N.J. (AP) -- The dog that survived an Alabama dog pound's gas chamber has found a permanent home in New Jersey.

Daniel, a beagle mix named by animal control workers in Alabama after the biblical figure who survived the lion's den, joined four other rescued dogs last Thursday at the home of Joe Dwyer and his family in Nutley, about 10 miles west of New York City.

"He's in extremely good shape, especially in light of what he went through," Dwyer said Wednesday after returning from a trip to the veterinarian. "His attitude is just incredible."

Daniel surprised workers at the Animal Control facility in Florence, Ala., on Oct. 3, the day he was supposed to be put down with several other animals in a stainless-steel box roughly the size of a pickup truck bed that was filled with carbon monoxide.

The dog emerged frightened but unscathed, and was eventually flown to New Jersey by
Eleventh Hour Rescue, a nonprofit that saves dogs slated for euthanasia.

The organization received more than 100 requests to adopt Daniel, its president said last month. Dwyer said he and his family had two "meet-and-greets" with Daniel before
being approved for adoption.

Dwyer said Daniel has become fast friends with the Nutley family's other four pooches
-- two dachshunds, a beagle mix and a pit bull mix.

"By Thursday evening they were all lying down together," he said. "It was wonderful
to see."

Now, Sweet Pea, pictured top left, lives with us and has become quite a character. She is still shy with strangers but is getting better every day. Last night (11/10/11), we went to the gym for 90 minutes and she knocked over her water and food bowls. And she pulled the stuffing out of a decorative pillow upstairs. It's always an adventure!

My colleague C.J. Lin wrote a story that ran in today's (Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011) Los Angeles Daily News about a dog named Hank, who was abused by its owner, rescued and can now be adopted.

Hey everyone! Just posting here to let you know that the Valley of the Dogs blog has moved. Come on over HERE to read all about the animals, laugh at funny animal-related videos and keep up on the latest in animal products, news and much much more. The blog isn't completely up to speed just yet but I'm getting there.

See you at another place in cyberspace!

Simone

This is just a brief farewell until we meet again somewhere else in cyberspace. Unfortunately today is my last day working at the Daily News. Through it all I have met and worked with some of the most amazing people. And I can't express just how much I loved doing this blog. Through this blog I got to meet and help out so many people and animals. In fact I just heard that Lucky got adopted!

I have learned so much in these past seven years and I will definitely take that experience wherever I go.

And just so you know...I have every intention to continue blogging about pets. I'm not sure what the blog will be called or when it will start. It may still be called Valley of the Dogs or I may call it something else. Who really knows! All I know is this blogging thing is extremely fun and rewarding at the same time.

If you'd like to keep in touch please email me HERE!

Lucky! The Golden Retriever!

Here's another email forwarded to me about yet another dog that needs a home. Take a look at it. I realize that this dog is in Orange County, but if you're looking for a Golden then here's your chance.

Hello All,

Susan

India, the first cat died this weekend.

Okay I know the Bush presidency ends in two weeks (no comment on how I feel about that) but this is very sad:

First Cat Runs Out of Lives

"The President, Mrs Bush, Barbara and Jenna are deeply saddened by the passing of their cat, India," Laura Bush's press secretary, Sally McDonough, said.

Wow! Was she ever beautiful! And what a great long life!!

It's already Jan. 6, 2009 and chances are you may have broken a resolution or you may have not started them up yet (like me with my plan to go back to weight watchers and to continue training for that marathon in March). Why not make goals instead of resolutions?! And what better way than to learn lifetime goals from your dog.

"Dogs have a lot to teach us about reaching our goals," says New York Times best-selling author Peggy McColl. Her book Be a Dog with a Bone (Hay House; January 2009) is out this month. Here are the Top Ten Suggestions for reaching those resolutions as suggested by our four-legged friends:

1. What is your bone--what is your goal? A dog knows a good bone when he sees one and goes for it. As you consider each of your New Year's resolutions, chomp on your goal, chewing it over, then grab hold and ignore that little voice that says you can't. Be a dog with a bone!

2. Be a little dog with a big dog attitude. Don't think small. Dream big! Be excited about your goal, feel entitled to achieving it, and experience the feelings you'd feel if you'd already reached it. Confidence, knowing that you can feel like a winner, will help you achieve your goal. Think about how those little lap dogs are so quick to bark at a big German shepherd!

3. Get out of the doghouse. Be courageous and believe in yourself. See challenging times as a terrific opportunity to leave behind the security of what you once knew and look again at what you might create for yourself. Dogs like to have their own, cozy doghouse, but they also are willing to explore new places and new things, and sniff around!

Got this email from my friend Connie from dream dogs.

Hi Everyone,

Herman the English Bulldog is sitting in the South LA shelter just waiting for a new home. His ID number is: A1001103. Visit LA Animal Services for more information (Click on the south central shelter). PLEASE CONTACT THE SHELTER FOR INFO ON HIM. CALL FIRST BEFORE GOING DOWN TO SEE IF HE'S STILL AVAILABLE.

His email plea was forwarded to me so I know nothing about Herman other than he needs a whole lot of love in his life right now and a fabulous forever home. So, go and do the right thing....adopt him if your able and give him the loving, caring home he needs or please pass this email on to all you know with the hope that someone out there is looking for a dog like Herman.

Here's his information from the website:

HERMAN - ID#A1001103
My name is Herman and I am a neutered male, brown and white English Bulldog mix.
The shelter thinks I am about 6 years old.
I have been at the shelter since Dec 11, 2008.

Got this email from someone at Dream Dogs LA. If you know someone who would like to adopt a beautiful Weimaraner then look no further!