Misha May's Grey puts his heart into playing!

Grey was rescued several years ago from a local shelter. He needed rare expensive heart surgery which neither his owners nor the shelter could/would provide. Fortunately Misha May was able to assemble a team of veterinarians and donors who made it happen.

Grey has been happily adopted for several years. Many of us see him and his family often.

Every time we see his beauty and grace; every time we see his happy life in a caring home; every time we think of what could have become of him - we are so grateful to have been a part of his story and others like it.

So many sweet animals find themselves in precarious situations through no fault of their own. The answer is not to dispose of them in shelters but to work harder to get them the medical care or behavior training they need to live within human society. Misha May's goal, through rescue and education, is to render the shelter system unnecessary, except for its founding purpose, which was to reunite lost dogs with owners. And every now and again there might be a truly dangerous dog who is a public menace.......every now and again, not daily.

A Sudden Behavior Change in Your Dog Often Indicates Pain or Illness - Meet some terrific owners!

Dear Misha May Volunteers,

Thank you, in advance, for all you do for animals and for being here when my family needs you. I don't know where to turn!

Years ago, my daughter felt that a dog was being mistreated in her apartment complex. One night, she heard screeching and screaming that sounded like a person. She called the manager who helped her investigate. The dog’s family had moved out and left the dog behind. The dog was in bad shape and was snapping at everyone. My daughter knew that if she took her to a shelter she would have likely been put down.

We have had her for almost 3 years. We have worked hard to rehabilitate her. We have been through 3 rounds of obedience training and she is a little star at it. We had felt like she had come around. Unfortunately, out of nowhere, she bit my 10 year old son today. He was just walking by her on the stairs. I was following right behind him, so I saw that this came completely out of the blue and unprovoked. What do I do????

My son is distraught and crying because he thinks he is going to lose the family dog and it will be all his fault. My husband will not even think of keeping her here (as sad as it makes him feel) because he feels like it is choosing a dog over our son. I have to be honest with any future owners, but any future owner from Craig's List etc. doesn't have to be honest with me about themselves or aware of their limitations in dealing with a dog like this. If I take her to a shelter, info about her bite history will be the first question they will ask.

Please, please, please call me or reply back with advice.
Bless you and thank you!!!
Worried Parent



Response to Worried Parent from Lorraine May, Executive Director and Head Trainer:

First, let me say how wonderful it was that you took in this poor abandoned dog. She is probably traumatized from that experience and not completely over it.

ALL dogs will bite under the right circumstances. I'm not condoning, just saying that something triggered this bite. Most bites happen in this age group. In general kids scare dogs.

If it is truly out of the blue, you need a vet evaluation for possible pain or illness issues.

Please write back and describe the bite: where on the child, bruise, broke skin, stitches required?

You are correct about taking her to shelter - she would most likely be put down. You are correct about Craig's List - creeps follow that list for free animals to resell for experiments and fighting.

We have no foster homes open at this time. We have no facility unfortunately.

Here is what we can offer:
1) We do in-home behavior evaluations if you are in our service area. We can assess the situation and help you avoid a repeat.
2) We can post her on our website where potential homes are screened through application and home visit. You would have to keep her in the home or pay to board her.

Also I am letting someone know about this from her Breed Rescue group. Perhaps they will have an idea but I know they just took in many dogs from a puppy mill situation. I will let them know I would help with her rehabilitation.



Dear Lorraine,

Thank you very much for getting back to me and for supporting us through this. Saturday, after I emailed you, I took our dog into the vet to have her checked out for perhaps some physical cause to her aggression. Unfortunately, we found that she has advanced liver disease.

We have decided to keep her and treat her as best we can for as long as she is with us. Perhaps with treatment she will improve in temperament, but the vet we saw was not optimistic. Even if she doesn't improve, we are committed to giving her every chance possible and loving her through this next challenge in her life.

Thank you, and the Breed Rescue folks, for being there for people and animals like us. Your understanding support kept me from making a snap decision that we would have regretted forever.
Best regards



Lorraine’s response:

Thank you so much for updating us. Bless you. I know how scary it can be when the dog we know and love suddenly doesn't act like the dog we know and love! I'll forward your note to the Breed Rescue people as well. All the best to your family and pup - she's lucky to have you!

Rainy Day Dog Report from the Yard

Brinx, Yellow Lab x: Where's the tennis ball? Where is it? Who wants to play? Where's all the dogs? But seriously, who wants to play?

Buddy, 100 pound GSD: I'm allergic to rain. It makes me little and vulnerable. I have to hunch my shoulders and pucker my lips and close my eyes. I must hold everything as long as I can.

Flash, Border Collie mix: I peed. Now what? Since Shadow is cowering under the chair, I should go there. But look, Lorraine is in the yard; I should go there. Here, there. Here, there. I forgot to go and now we are going inside. Darn!

Shadow, 10 pound Chi x: I peed. isn't that enough?

Sierra, Yellow Lab x: I hardly notice the rain although I can't remember if I went to the bathroom or not because I am worried about the weird thing Lorraine is holding over her head.

Tara, Black Lab mix who used to be terrified of thunder, and wouldn't go out willingly in the rain, before it rained or after it rained: I had a job to do. I went out. I peed, I pooped, and I'm proud. See ya!

Teddy, Aussie-Border Collie-Chow-Rottie: What in the world is wrong with Sierra? Doesn't she realize that rain is ba-a-a-a-a-a-a-d stuff? Uh-oh, Lorraine has my leash. Let me just dig my heels in until she gives up. Whew, safety, until she tries again later, which I know she will.

Twinkle, little Boxer / Lab: I can't go out there. I won't go out there. I shouldn't go out there. I'll hide under this table and no one will see me. What is Valentino doing out there? Has he lost his mind? But anyway, I can't go out there.

Valentino, Beagle / Pointer: There's a stick I can carry. There's stuff to pee on. Where's Twink? Under the table? There's more stuff to pee on. There's the birds to look at. There's another stick. More stuff to pee on.....

Zeb, Golden Retriever: Rain, what rain? Where Lorraine goes, I go.

Lorraine, Foster: mudmudmudmudmudmudmudmudmudmudmudmudmud

California Pizza Kitchen Rocks

California Pizza Kitchen in Cherry Creek rocks! I just picked up a $200 check from Misha May's fundraiser there. Thanks Brooke, Eileen, Jenny, Joan, John & Susie, Terry, and everyone who ate there!

Great food! Pizzas, sandwiches, soups & salads. Many vegetarian and vegan choices. Definitely gluten-free choices as well although they aren't a 'guaranteed kitchen' which some folks require.

Deaf Dog Picnic

by Lorraine May, M.A.

Executive Director and Head Trainer

The Misha May Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dog and cat rescue

mutts in safe homes always

http://www.mishamayfoundation.org/

mishamayfoundation@gmail.com

PO Box 151166

Lakewood, CO 80215-1166

303-239-0382



Deaf Dog Picnic



I have attended the Deaf Dog Picnic for many years as a holistic resource for owners. I am able to share helpful information about using Flower Essences, energy work like Reiki, and Animal Communication. I can offer positive solutions to training questions and behavior problems.



This year it was held again at Best Friends in Wheat Ridge, Colorado on September 11, 2010. There were so many wonderful deaf dogs including many adopted from rescues, such as Aussie Shepherds, Border Collies, Boxers, Bulldogs, Cattle Dogs (one from New Hope Cattle Dog Rescue that I had the pleasure of meeting), Chihuahuas, Chinese Cresteds, Dalmatians, Great Danes, English Cockers, English Spaniels, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and unique mixes.



Deaf dogs demonstrated Agility, Flyball and Frisbee with championship style and absolute joy. Other resources included Val & Tom Parks, Pet Psychic / Pet Astrologer, and trainers from http://www.onlinedogcoach.com/. One highlight was Indy, a sweet young white deaf mix, who demonstrated her many cute tricks including 'get in the box'! Indy had been rescued about a year ago from living locked in a closet - the people didn't know what to do with a young, stubborn, noisy dog. They had no idea she was deaf, and when they found out did not know what to do. Discovering her was truly like discovering a diamond in the rough.



Deaf dogs used to be routinely and unceremoniously destroyed. They were (and still are in unfortunate situations) often labeled stubborn, stupid, inattentive, untrainable, and hopeless. If you hear of a dog like this, please be sure to check their hearing.



Rhonda, Champion of Deaf Dogs, always says, "Your dog is a dog first, his breed second, his personality third, and being deaf last."



Today deaf dogs find their way into many people's hearts instead. Hundreds of deaf dogs are looking for committed, responsible owners. Please visit the Adopt page at http://www.SpiritofDeafDogs.org/.

If you want to know more about deaf dogs, want to help deaf dogs, or know a deaf dog in danger, please refer to the following websites.

www.SpiritofDeafDogs.org

http://www.d2care.org/

www.pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/deafdogs

http://www.handspeak.com/

http://www.deafdogs.org/

http://www.deafdogatlas.org/