Walk for the Rescues
Walking the dogs? Did you know, just by downloading a free app and loading it up when you head out, you could be raising much-needed funds for the rescue? Check out these apps to get started!
Raffle/Auction Items Needed
We will be hosting several raffles/auctions in the coming months, both online and in Georgia. We could really use some items to help raise funds for the rescues. We need everything from small items, to big prizes, to handmade goodies.
Photography Help Needed
How great would it be if our rescues could take their own selfies? Unfortunately, they lack those things we call “thumbs.” We really need some photography help right now.
The Queen is Back in the Castle
Happy Sunday, everyone. Wow, what a week that was with our Queen Eleanor going on a big adventure (across the street) for a couple of days. Before we move on with rescue as usual, we wanted to give a huge shout out to a very special dog named Charlie.
Angel Tree 2018
We have officially kicked off our 2018 Angel Tree Drive! We will begin posting each rescue dog and his/her needs. If you live in the Atlanta area, you can purchase and leave these items at Dog City II, 6309 1-D Roswell Road in Sandy Springs. Our elves will pick up the goodies in time for Santa’s delivery.
Goodbye, Lucy
We are saddened to announce that our little Lucy went to the Rainbow Bridge over the weekend.
Foster a Dog This Winter
Make a difference in the life of a rescue dog. Foster a dog this winter!
Angel Tree 2017
We have officially kicked off our 2017 Angel Tree Drive! We will begin posting each rescue dog and his/her needs. If you live in the Atlanta area, you can purchase and leave these items at Dog City II, 6309 1-D Roswell Road in Sandy Springs. Our elves will pick up the goodies in time for Santa’s delivery.
We Love Lucy
Lucy’s before and after photos show it all. Learn how you can help make a difference in the life of a rescue dog.
Jack Calendars for Sale
The 2017 For the Love of Dog calendars have arrived and they look fabulous, thanks to your wonderful photos. Because of you, we raised more than $3,800 for the dogs! Order yours now!
Angel Tree 2016
We have officially kicked off our 2016 Angel Tree Drive! We will begin posting each rescue dog and his/her needs. If you live in the Atlanta area, you can purchase and leave these items at Dog City II in Sandy Springs. If you are outside of Atlanta, you can shop using our Amazon Wish List.
Shop ‘Til You Drop!
Black Friday? Cyber Monday? Whether you’re joining the crowds or shopping online this weekend, every purchase you make could mean a donation to the rescue … for FREE! Here’s how …
Fall Vol Day 2016
Today marked another amazing vol day. They just keep getting better, each and every time. This time, we had both an amazing group of Emory volunteers out, along with members of our regular Team Russell, to get the job done. The weather was perfect. The chili was amazing. The camaraderie, exercise and TLC for the dogs? Beyond fabulous!
Penny’s Peeps
There is nothing that makes us happier than seeing the right dog find the right home, even if it takes awhile … Well, actually there is something we love more — amazing parents who keep us updated!
Fall for the Jacks Online Auction
We’ve just kicked off our latest online auction, which will continue for two weeks through Nov. 11. It’s been awhile, so we have a lot of auction items!
3rd Annual Friends & Family JRT Reunion
Our 3rd Annual Friends & Family Jack Russell Reunion at the ranch on Saturday was wonderful! It was great to see so many of our “adopted” and foster parents, volunteers, sponsors and supporters come together for an evening of food, fellowship and, of course, adorable dogs wearing adorable costumes!
We Have a Winner!
Another calendar contest has come to an end and what an end it was! The last few hours were pretty intense among our top three winners, going paw to paw and knocking it out of the park for the dogs, i.e. we ended up going above and beyond our $3,000 goal! Wow!
Yankee Candle Fundraiser Fun
Fall has returned and so has our Yankee Candle Fundraising campaign! Bring all the scents of the outdoors indoors with tons of fabulous Yankee items – everything from candles and warmers, to tea and popcorn!
Jake Goes Home
Sometimes “happy tails” aren’t just about great dogs. They’re about great kids as well.
Emory Law Student Vol Day
What a wonderful day at the ranch! A group of 11 awesome students from Emory Law School came out to volunteer at the rescue. They didn’t hesitate to jump right in and get busy, from the grunt work of scooping poo, cleaning water bowls and refurbishing kennels with fresh hay, to walking and playing with each and every dog.
Lola Goes Home
So small, so sweet, so cute and petite … It took months to announce Lola’s adoption, but what a great way to do so! A lesson in patience for all prospective rescue parents.
For the Love of Dogs Calendar Contest
It’s back! Last year’s calendar contest/fundraising drive was such a success, we’re doing it again this year. The fun has officially kicked off and will run through midnight on Sept. 30. This year’s theme is “For the Love of Dogs” and all breeds of dogs, including those beautiful mutts, are encouraged to enter.
Dog Days of Summer GivingGrid
Do you have an awesome photo of your dog(s) enjoying the summer? Share it with the world and help out the rescues.
Fun Under the Sun
We’re putting another fabulous volunteer day to rest … and what a great day it was!
Lady Goes Home
Ready for a feel-good story to kick off your short work week? Lady has found a human as special as she is.
Joe Goes Home
Who needs a happy tail for a Monday? We knew sweet, little Joe wouldn’t be with us for long … and we were right.
Attention: Jack Russell Artisans
We are in need of unique Jack Russell items to auction at the Summer Classics Trials in July. We will promote your works on our social media outlets and at the event.
Help Us Help Spuds
Spuds (fka Raleigh, now affectionately called “JD”) ended up at Walton County Animal Control last week. His owner was contacted, but had to surrender him because he is going through cancer treatments.
Please, Select a Winner
This is your opportunity to vote for your favorite wine label photo! It’s fast, it’s free and it’s easy. Vote now!
Congratulations!
Congratulations to the top five winners in our wine label photo contest!
Adopt Us While You Shop!
Our rescue lives by the motto and hashtag AdoptDontShop. We always encourage people to adopt Terriers over purchasing puppies, especially those from puppy mills. This holiday season, however, we’re going to mix up the message just a little bit and ask you to adopt us while you shop … online, that is.
Scents(y) Year Round
We had a great response to our Scentsy fundraiser in February, so we’ve decided to keep it available year-round.
Tipsy Terrier: Wine Label Photo Contest
It’s time for some fundraising fun again! We’re bringing back our Benefit Wines from 2014 and, this time, we thought we would put your dogs on the labels.
Fun Day Under the Sun
Saturday was such a beautiful day for a fun day at the rescue ranch. It was also a mini-reunion of sorts.
Goodnight, Pretty Boy Floyd
Floyd was so amazing to so many people. His story was truly one of triumph over tragedy. No matter what happened to him, he was “all Terrier” and determined to overcome anything and be the JRT he was born to be.
Emily Goes Home
We had so much going on last weekend, we didn’t want this awesome news to get buried in the other stuff. We casually mentioned it on a photo of her at vol day, but here’s the official scoop — Emily, now known as Twiggy, has gone home!
Give a lot? Wag-a-Lot!
Mama Donna received an award and grant for the dogs last year for “giving a lot” from WAG-A-LOT. She wanted to pick up the award in person, but given her work and rescue schedule, that just didn’t happen until one of our vols picked it up for her a couple of weeks ago. She insisted that members of the team (some of us ran) be in the photo with her. It’s because of everyone in this photo and many, many more, that we continue to do what we do everyday for the dogs.
Spring Vol Day
Saturday’s Spring Vol Day was sensational! The winter wraps “flew” (sometimes literally) off the kennels quickly, leaving a lot of time for volunteers to spend with dogs, walking, playing, teaching commands/agility, and, most importantly, just giving them some TLC while they wait for new homes.
Joey Goes Home
The third time really is the charm for this special boy—Joey has gone home … for good, this time!
A Celebration for Eli
several members of our Team Russell volunteer team decided to pack up our adopted dogs and head out to the rescue to celebrate the lives of the dogs we just lost, plus the new lives these rescues have found, thanks to Eli (and Eleanor’s) legacy.
Goodbye to Our Rock Star
Tributes to our rescues who cross to the Rainbow Bridge are never easy to write, but this one, by far, has been the hardest. We said goodbye to our beloved rock star, Eli, today after a battle with lung cancer.
Penelope Goes Home
Guess who has “left the building” … and won’t be coming back … Miss Penelope! She joins a fabulous family of former GA JRT rescues, including Pumpkin, Susie and Chuckie.
An Ode to Odie
You came into our lives and left so quickly, Odie. We knew you were never quite comfortable, but hope we did what we could to make you be, sweetheart.
Emory Vol Day
EPIC from Emory achieved some “epic” duties around the rescue ranch on Saturday, but it was the dogs who were the real winners with all of the TLC and playtime.
Prayers for Eli
So, everyone … this is not a post we ever want(ed) to write, much less on Donna’s birthday. Life just isn’t &*($ fair sometimes. But we did want to keep you in the loop as so many of you love the legacy that is Eli and Eleanor and you watch their cam everyday.
School of Dogs
What a great way to start the day! Former GA JRT rescues Maxie, Cooper, Oscar and Kennedy headed to a local Atlanta middle school today with their adopted moms to spend some time with some wonderful students. The students are part of the Pet Rescue Club, which meets every week to find ways to get involved with rescue work in the community.
Our Hearts Are In It Auction
It’s long overdue, but it’s finally here — our new online fundraiser called “Our Hearts Are In It.” Today is Valentine’s Day, and February is Heart Month, so it seemed only applicable to call it that. But what’s more applicable? All proceeds from this auction will go to help cover the costs of our many dogs currently receiving heartworm treatments.
Slick: Goodbye to a Legend
It is with much heartbreak that we announce we lost our long-time sanctuary sweetheart, Slick, to cancer yesterday. Although some may feel sad that he “never found a home,” he actually did. It was with us.
Pepper Goes Home
Happy Saturday, ev’rybody! Hot on the heels of John John’s happy tail, we have another one to share. Pepper has gone home! We knew it wouldn’t take long for this precious, sweet and loving little girl to find a home. We were actually surprised it took five months, but she’s found her new family and they are wonderful.
Happy Anniversary, Katie!
Katie arrived at rescue in spring of 2011, looking as cute as can be. She was petite ’n sweet and was adopted within no time. She was gone for several months, but, unfortunately, things did not work out with the children in the home, so she was returned. She was starting to develop some serious skin allergies and other health issues, so we kept her to heal her up.
SweetWater Scrabble
Former GA JRT rescue, Ricky (that’s him passed out on the right), and his friend, Isis Maria, recently indulged in an all-night board game marathon. Things got a little carried away … and they took selfies. But now they’re using that selfie to promote their favorite rescue in hopes of bringing home a $2,000 grant for vet bills.
John John Goes Home
Are you ready for a bright spot to end your wind up another manic Monday? It’s been too long since we’ve been able to announce and adoption … and this is a fabulous one — John John has found his forever home!
Earn Kroger Rewards for Rescue
Want to earn money for the Jack Russells just by shopping at Kroger? Now you can!
Flaps for Fido
If you order from PetDoors.com via the Flaps for Fido program, you’ll not only get 10% off your pet door, PetDoors will also donate a portion of your purchase to the Georgia Jack Russell rescues!
Get Out and ResQwalk
Did you make a New Year’s Resolution to get outside and walk your dog(s) and/or yourself more? Now is the time to get to it! You can even help the rescues at Georgia Jack Russell Rescue, Adoption & Sanctuary while you do it!
We’re Going ON the Grid!
We just launched a GivingGrid with a goal of raising $6,000 for the rescues by the end of next year. What’s so cool about this? You can donate any amount, at any time, during the year and upload a fabulous photo of your own Jack(s) or even yourself to fill your square and share with others. Yes, we’ll remind you about it periodically.
Happy New Year!
Make a toast, friends! What a year it’s been! These are just a few of the moments that made 2015 such a great one. Thank you to all of the volunteers, fosters, adopted parents, and sponsors who make this rescue a reality everyday!
Hannah … Goes … Home!
Talk about saving the best for last! We have an adoption to announce that will make you want to celebrate tonight, even if you weren’t planning to …
Angel Tree Drive 2015
We are officially kicking off our 2015 Angel Tree Drive today! Woohoo! You can pick up items for a special dog or any of the dogs in Atlanta at Dog City II or online via our Amazon Wish List.
Year in Review 2015: March
Spring always arrives with great anticipation at the ranch. The days get longer and warmer, and the dogs absolutely love the weather. We typically have a Spring Vol Day to remove the plastic from the kennels, but this year, we had an extra-special “fun day.”
Goodbye to Edgar
Tonight, we say goodbye to our beloved Edgar, who passed Saturday night. You may be wondering who this handsome guy is. He was never posted, never shared. That’s because we fell in love with him early on … and he had a purpose much greater than we knew.
Toys for Spot Kicks Off
City Dog Market kicks off its Toys for Spot donation drive today! Between now and Dec. 23, you can purchase a toy to donate to our rescue for 20% off. They’ll put it in Santa’s sack, and Santa will deliver the goodies for Christmas. Visit their store at 4244 Peachtree Rd NE in Atlanta or call in a donation from anywhere at 404-816-8050.
Let’s Russell it Up!
OK, friends, we have yet another wonderful way to help earn a grant for the dogs this month and this, personally, is one of our favorites! We were one of Dogly’s first recipients of their “most loves” grants a year ago; then we won it again in the spring and also took home a creative grant with Brigit. WOOF!
Holiday Direct Deposit
We’ve shared with you some ways to help the dogs this holiday season, including ways to shop online and how to foster. We know some of you prefer to “deposit directly” and make an instant impact, especially at year-end for tax deductions. We are a 501(c)3 and any monetary donation to us does apply, so … Here’s what we really (really, really, really) need — help with our vet bills!
‘Tis the Season for Giving
‘Tis the season for giving and, even though so many of you give to the rescues year-round, you are still asking how best you can help the dogs this holiday season. Oh, let us list the ways! We have so many opportunities for everyone in every capacity and every location. Please, feel free to pick your favorite way. Every bit helps.
Urban Paw Holiday Give Back
Starting Tuesday, Dec. 1 and lasting throughout the entire month of December, it’s holiday give back time! You will receive a 10% discount on your order from their line of stylish beds, huts, blankets and carriers. They will generously donate 40% of our purchase to the rescues! Hot-diggity-dog!
Terrier Thanksgiving
It’s Thanksgiving weekend, and we at rescue have so much to be thankful for this year. Like every year before it–and any year in dog rescue, to be quite honest—it has been both a fulfilling and a challenging one. We’ll start recapping 2015 soon enough, though, in separate blog entries. For now?
Fal Vol Day 2015
Thank you to everyone who made another Fall Vol Day a hard-working and highly-productive day!
In Memory of Treasure
It it with much sadness that we share that Treasure did not make it.
It it with much sadness that we share that Treasure did not make it.
You didn’t know this sweet girl well, but we did. And, sadly, we knew when we first welcomed this girl last month after spending her 15 years(!) in a breeding kennel, that the chances of her survival were slim. You didn’t know this sweet girl well, but we did. And, sadly, we knew when we first welcomed this girl last month after spending her 15 years(!) in a breeding kennel, that the chances of her survival were slim.
Penny Goes Home
Ready for some spectacular news? Here goes! If there was ever a match made in heaven, it’s this one — and we are giddy at the mere mention of it! Penny has been adopted!
When It Rains, It Pours
We thought it was time for an update on everything at the ranch. When it rains, it pours … and we mean that both figuratively and literally!
Russell Reunion Fun
Our 2nd Annual Friends & Family Jack Russell Reunion at the ranch was wonderful! It was great to see so many of our “adopted” and foster parents, volunteers, sponsors and supporters come together for an evening of food, fellowship and, of course, adorable dogs wearing adorable costumes! Congratulations to our three-way tie winners — Annie, Belle and Cooper!
Buy a bed. Save a life.
Today through 11/12/15, order any fabulous bed(s) from urbanpawpet.com, use the discount code “JRT” at checkout and 50% of your purchase will be donated to the rescues!
Mama Mia Goes Home
Mama Mia, who was dumped at the kill shelter in May while she was pregnant with several beautiful Blue Heeler babies (who have all gone to fabulous homes, thanks to Doggie Harmony), now has an awesome home to call her own … and is one spoiled baby to boot!
Lilly Belle Goes Home
You may be wondering what’s going on with Lily Belle, one of our best-kept secrets at rescue for the past year of so. It’s been a long haul—and a lot of learning to just be a “normal” dog—but we can now announce that her foster family has decided to make her their own!
In Memory of Roxy
Roxy left us for the Rainbow Bridge last night. We could paraphrase, but we think it comes best from her foster parents who have spent the last few weeks with her …
Limited Edition T-Shirt
You can’t buy love … but you sure can rescue it! Don’t we know it? We are having a special-edition, limited-run online sale of this awesome shirt. We hope to sell at least 30 by Oct. 10 to ensure printing and delivery for our JRT Friends & Family Reunion on Saturday, Oct. 24.
Holiday Wishes Grant Campaign
Calling all adopted parents! There’s no doubt, we have had some fabulous Happy Tails over the years. Now let’s share them for a chance to win a grant for the rescues!
In Memory of Jackson
We are all a bit stunned tonight as we say goodbye to Jackson tonight. This sweet man–who had been through so much the past couple of months–left us for the Rainbow Bridge this morning … and took a little piece of us with him.
We Have a Winner!
They don’t call her Boudica, the Warrior Queen for nothing! She came, she saw, and in the final hours of our first Year of the Jack Calendar Photo Contest, she “conquered” the top fundraising spot! This beautiful senior will now be the featured photo on our calendar cover and have her own month inside. She’ll also be bringing home a lot of toys and treats with a PetSmart gift card.
In Memory of Octavia
It’s never easy to say goodbye to the dogs we’ve loved … even after we’ve said goodbye once before. Octavia may have moved almost 350 miles away from us last year, but we she always remained–and will remain–a part of our rescue family.
JRT Brew Nights
SAVE THE DATES: Live in Atlanta? Want to sample craft beers from a couple of our most-awesome local breweries? Oh … and … want to help Jack Russells while doing so? Boy, are you in luck! We will be hosting two brew/social nights this fall.
Get Those Entries/Votes In!
There’s only two weeks left in the Year of the Jack Calendar photo contest! This is typically the time when votes start to heat up, so be sure to get your entry in, in time to solicit votes.
Update on Roxy
We never like these updates, but, unfortunately, it is a part of rescue and, inevitably, the cycle of life as we know it. We have confirmed what we knew to be a possibility when Roxy first arrived from the kill shelter in June: She may not have long with us.
Mavis Goes Home
Our sweet, kiss-missy, freckle-faced puddin’ pop, Mavis, has gone to her forever home! We were surprised it took her so long to find a home, but we know the Brewsters did a lot to “prepare” her for her next family during her foster stay with them. 😉
Chopper Goes Home
Chopper has gone from fighting off yellowjackets to lounging on yellow blankets! Thanks to you, we are able to pay off his vet bills incurred after those nasty YJs attacked him last month. And, thanks to Doggie Harmony (our sister rescue for whom we were fostering him), he has found an incredible home in New Hampshire with his older brother, Harley.
Nog Goes Home
Yes, sir, that’s his baby … We’ve been sitting on this for awhile, waiting for a pic of Dad and baby, but we’re going to go ahead and make it public … Nog has been adopted!
Hannah Needs Our Help
Hannah needs our help. We’ve said it before and, unfortunately, we’re saying it again. But we love her, and we’ll ask again and again, if we have to. Let’s hope we don’t have to after this time.
Rocky Goes Home
So, first of all … Happy Friday! Second of all … Rocky has (finally) gone home! YEP! Some of you have already figured out that he’s “mysteriously” disappeared from our websites after his debut on Susie’s Senior Dogs a couple of weeks ago. That’s because Mary McClughen of Ohio fell in love with him and drove down to get him!
Xena Goes Home
Are you ready for this? We certainly weren’t! But what a treasure find it has been — Xena the Warrior Princess (now Libby) has been adopted!
Hunter Goes Home
We’re about to start another rotation of “daily featured dogs,” which we do with every few weeks based on a theme or the time of year on our social media sites. Every time we kick them off, we always kick them off with the dog who was at the top of the last rotation and is still with us … and, for the past several rounds, it’s been poor Hunter … and every time we post him, we always wonder, “Why is this sweet boy still with us?!”
Year of the Jack Contest Underway
Enter your Terrier’s photo into our Year of the Jack 2016 calendar photo contest! Win a coveted spot on the cover and/or month or just reserve a spot for spot. All proceeds go to Georgia Jack Russell Rescue, Adoption & Sanctuary.
Dixie Goes Home
Mondays are rarely fun days for anyone, but here’s some fabulous news — Dixie has been adopted!!!
Rocky Gets a Day Away
Rocky enjoyed a “Day Away” today with his staff pick, Kim. This boy has been with us for way, way too long and we never understand why. He’s so amazing, sweet and smart.
J.R. Goes Home
J.R. arrived from Alabama back in April after two out-of-state rescues helped to network and transport him to Atlanta. He had been hit by a car, and his knees and hips were a bit out of whack. It looked like surgery was inevitable, but he had already started to heal and doc felt that he was going to heal just fine with medications and 10 weeks of rest.
Summer Vol Day Splash
We came, we saw, we sweated, but … we got stuff done. Everyone was ready to get down ’n dirty and do what needed to be done for the dogs today at Summer Vol Day on Saturday.
A Tribute to Jackie
It was with very heavy hearts that we said goodbye to one of our long-time sanctuary sweethearts this morning. Not a lot of people “knew” Jackie—even the volunteers who come to rescue every week—because she was an indoor dog … and that’s what made her so special. Over the last four years, she had become one of our own.
Decker Goes Home
Happy Sunday! We thought we’d start you out on a happy note and let you know that another one of our rescues has found his fabulous forever home.
Buster Goes Home
It’s been five months since our beautiful vol Pat saved Buster after being hit by a car in a busy intersection. It took that long to heal from his wounds and we wondered if this little Chi/Terrier boy would ever find his forever home because of his disability. But, on Thursday, the pin was removed from his leg … and he is Florida bound with his new and amazing mom, Mindy Underberger.
Maggie Goes Home
Our sweet girl Maggie has finally found her forever home! Mom Hilary and her husband grew up with dogs, but wanted to wait until their sons were older to bring a dog into their home. So when Hilary came to Whole Foods nearly two weeks ago, she fell in love with Maggie right when she saw her! She didn’t have her sons or husband with her, but she had a great feeling that Maggie would be a perfect addition to their family. And she was right! A few days after the Whole Foods event, Hilary’s sons and husband came out to the rescue with her to spend some time with Maggie and the rest is history.
Sweet Dreams are Made of This
We just wanted to give a very special shout out to Sweet Cream Co. of Columbia, South Carolina. They recently surprised us with an amazing donation check of $315 for the sales of their doggie pops in March and April.
Foster to Adopt? Our fave opp!
Our little lamb Barkley has moved from his medical foster home to his new (possibly permanent) foster home. Yay! For those wondering if fostering before adoption is a possibility, absolutely! We actually prefer this route to adoption. It’s a great experience for the dogs and the adopters all around.
Another Fabulous Fundraiser!
Last night was our 3rd Annual Paw Over Some Jack and Chow Down fundraiser, our “big” fundraiser with Chap’s Chow Rescue at Plants Creative Landscapes’ warehouse in Decatur. Thank you to everyone who came out (despite the heat) to support the rescues. Everyone was having such a great time, we even went beyond our usual 9 o’clock cutoff time. Thank you to all of our sponsors, volunteers and, of course, attendees for making this another great year that went to the dogs … literally!
Fundraiser Fun Saturday Night
Join us for our 3rd annual fundraiser for Chap’s Chow Rescue and Georgia Jack Russell Rescue, Adoption & Sanctuary this Saturday, June 13, in Decatur. It’s an event not to be missed! Food, drinks, live music, silent auction, raffles, wine wall and cool giveaways.
Chloe Goes Home
We were all a bit heartbroken for (big) little Chloe when she arrived at rescue last month. She had been through so much, having lost both the only family she knew since she was a baby after 12 years and her younger sister, who was adopted. She was very confused and understandably nervous about what was happening and what was going to happen next. Now, we know—she knows—she’ll never have to worry again.
JRT Fun Day in May
What a fabulous JRT Fun Day we had at the ranch Saturday with the Dogwood Jack Russell Terrier Club. All of the dogs (including some of our current and former rescues) had a blast participating in the lure course, steeplechase and barn hunt activities. Thanks to everyone for making it such a fabulous time.
Sparky Goes Home
Happy Hump Day! It’s definitely one for us as we have an adoption to announce! Just three days after leaving the ranch, we have already received word from Sparky’s new family that he will not be coming back. Woohoo!
Diamond Goes Home
We have had so many amazing adoptions lately, we almost don’t know what to say or think anymore. That may be “business as usual” for most “big” rescues, but for us? It’s almost beyond comprehension. Facebook, the internet and social media as a whole has changed our entire game the past five years. We’ve gone from tiny to mighty, and our dogs—several of whom weren’t even “adoptable” (Rocket and Nick, just to name a couple) by standards—have found their perfect homes.
Get Cabin Fever with Your Canine
Want to escape to the Great Smoky Mountains for a couple of nights with your dog(s)? Even better, want to do it for the possible price of a $5 donation, which goes directly to the rescue? Well, here’s your opportunity! We are thrilled to announce the return of our annual cabin raffle. A couple of our amazing volunteers/supporters are once again donating a two-night stay at their luxury cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Brooklyn Goes Home
What’s better than a positively gorgeous day in the ATL with former rescues and volunteers visiting, playing with the dogs and catching up on the wrap-around porch? Yep — a happy tail! And what a happy tail this one is! So many of our senior and sanctuary dogs have been adopted by so many amazing people lately! We are speechless. Brooklyn has now joined them.
Team Russell Takes 3rd
Congrats, Team Russell, on taking third place the corn hole tournament! $1,000 for the rescue! It was some tough competition, but Brad and Wonder Donna pulled us through to the semifinals. Woohoo!
Are you ready for a challenge?
Are you up for a Challenge? On May 4, CrowdRise will kick off a special fundraising challenge for animal shelters/rescues and other groups focused on benefiting companion animals. They are giving away a $50k(!) grant for the team who raises the most during the challenge, which ends June 5. There are also offering incredibly generous grants for second-fifth places, as well as bonus challenges and prizes along the way that total over $25K. Holy vet-bills-paid, Batman!
Hartley Goes Home
Guess who finally found his forever/retirement home! Yes, after years of waiting, Hartley will spend his golden years with his new mom, Bonnie Brehm, and sister, Ginger, a former GA JRT rescue, in Ohio.
JRT Fun Day
What an absolutely fabulous day yesterday was at the Rescue Ranch. Team Russell showed up bright and early to prepare for a day full of special guests and festivities.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from the rescue gang! All of these cuties are available for foster, adoption and/or sponsorship. Visit Our Dogs Page to learn more about each one.
Russell Madness
We had a wonderful morning at the #RussellMadness screening at Atlantic Station. We are so thankful to Fandango Family for inviting us to attend this special event to educate moviegoers about Jack Russells and spread the word about rescue. We met lots of wonderful families, savvy dog parents/bloggers and, of course, the lovely host, Mara Davis. We didn’t have a chance to watch the movie, but we heard it was great. It releases on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital HD on March 10. Check it out!
Daisy Mae Goes Home
What’s the sure cure for the cold Monday blues? Why, a happy story, of course! We are thrilled to announce that sweet Daisy Mae has found her forever home!
Smooch a Pooch Event
The kissing booth is back! Come meet some of our rescues … and get a smooch from a pooch for a small donation to rescue!
Buddy Goes Home
Let’s kick of the weekend on a high note—Buddy has gone home!
Pampered Chef Fundraiser
Want to pamper yourself in the kitchen and help the rescues? Now you can! Join us between now and 11pm Jan. 23 in our Pampered Chef Online Fundraiser for the rescue. Together, we can make a difference! Order Pampered Chef products through the Fundraiser Catalog Show and up to 15% of total sales will go towards our cause. Plus, an extra $3 is contributed from every show booked from the event.
Rusty Goes Home
Here’s a feel-good story for your holiday. Rusty has gone home!
Holiday Dogs
Help us share the holiday spirit and our rescues in their search for a forever home!
Year in Review 2014: February
February was the month of love! Our dogs kissed so many folks at Smooch-a-Pooch and we, unfortunately, kissed our sweet Skip goodbye.
Kennedy’s Wheels
There are two things you should know about this video … 1) This is Kennedy, getting used to his new wheelchair … and … 2) this is Kennedy, getting used to his new wheelchair after having had surgery yesterday to have six teeth extracted … We’d say he’s doing alllll right. 😉 And it’s all because of you!
Angel Tree Drive Underway
Our annual Angel Tree Drive has officially kicked off again! For the past two years, Intown Healthy Hound in Grant Park has graciously sponsored our tree and will do so again this year. Dog City II in Sandy Springs will also be hosting a tree, which we set up today (pictured). Thanks so much to Olive and Lily, owner Marcia’s insanely-adorable Boston Terrier rescues, for helping us get the job done!
Whole Lotta Fun at Whole Foods
“We’ve got sunshine … on a cloudy day … When it’s cold outside, we’ve got the month of May …” Rain, schmain! It didn’t stop any of us from heading out Saturday morning and enjoying the day at Whole Foods Market Buckhead.
Sasha Goes Home
Although Thanksgiving is over, we are still very thankful. For what, you might ask? So many things, but especially … drum roll, please … another successful adoption! This time, our little Sasha has found her forever home.
Kennedy Project: Mission Accomplished
Happy Thanksgiving! We are thankful for so many things today, but especially for all of you. Because of your concern and generosity, we surpassed our original fundraising goal for Kennedy in just a matter of days! Not only did we raise enough for his wheelchair and laser treatments/pain medications, he will be getting a much-needed dental/extractions and some paw protectors. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again — we could not do this without you.
Attention, Auction Winners!
AUCTION WINNERS: Our Home for the Holidays online auction has officially ended! Thank you to everyone who helped us raise $631.49 for the rescues!
Zeus Goes Home
Another day, another success story! How about that?! We have been so blessed lately. Zeus is the latest to join our success stories!
Kennedy’s Progress
Kennedy had the sixth laster treatment on Saturday. This is the final treatment of our “trial” period suggested by Dr. Smith, and we wanted to share an update … not to mention these adorable photos. He has managed to woo every vet and vet tech he meets.
Ernie Goes Home
We’ve been sitting on some great news for four days and now we can no longer hold it in: Ernie, the Mighty Snake Killer is now Ernie, the Mighty Forever Man! Yes, after being dumped at the shelter with his big brother, Bert, during Christmas week last year and waiting patiently while Bert moved north a couple of months ago and found his forever home, Ernie now has a family to call his own … and what a wonderful family it is!
Kennedy’s Next Steps
We’d love to share an update on Kennedy. As you may remember, this beautiful boy was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis of the spine a few months ago. He’s now in foster care and receiving additional evaluations, laser treatments, and drug therapies.
Joey Goes Home
We eluded to some possible adoptions on Fall Vol Day, but wanted to make sure everyone settled in before saying anything … So much for waiting! All is well! Joey has gone home!
Fall Vol Day Fun!
We’ve concluded another successful Fal Vol Day! A good portion of the kennels were wrapped/weather-proofed, all of the coat-clad dogs received a lot of attention and sunshine, the food was great and the teamwork even better, annnnnd … we may have a couple of adoption stories to share soon!
Home for the Holidays Online Auction
Our Home for the Holidays Online Auction is now underway! All proceeds from this auction will help us continue helping them until they get their second chance.
Chad Stays Home
Chad lived through so much heartbreak … and so much hope … and now it’s paid off. He’s not only home, he’s STAYING home.
Ruby Goes Home
Now known as Zubi, Ruby has left the rescue world behind and is living the good life with her Sara, Diane and her big sister, Morgan. Go, baby, go!
The Jacks Need You
If you have been wanting to volunteer, this is the time to do it! The weather is great, the dogs are happy, and the help is very much needed.
Doggone Costume Fun!
Here are the photos from our “photo booth” at Saturday’s JRT Reunion. They are available to the pet parents for free. Read more to find out how to download them or have them emailed to you.
Rowdy Reunion Fun!
Saturday’s Friends & Family Jack Russell Reunion at the ranch was an absolute hoot! It was great to see so many of our “adopted” and foster parents, volunteers and/or sponsors/supporters come together for an evening of food, fellowship and, of course, adorable dogs wearing adorable costumes!
Doggone Fun at Doggie Palooza
What a great day we had at Doggie Palooza yesterday! The weather was awesome, and it was great meeting so many new people and watching all the events. Thanks to everyone for coming out and stopping by our booth. Some awesome folks even “borrowed” Ruby and Eddie to parade as show dogs!
Izzy Supports the 3-Day Walk
Former GA JRT Isabella (aka Izzy) showed up with her (own) mama Donna to welcome and thank weary walkers at the halfway/lunch mark today and “high paw” them on their commitment to the cure. The mere sight of her in her cute hat and pink T-shirt lit up so many faces … and so many flashes! Expect to see her all over the Internet. Way to inspire, sweet girl!
Renny Goes Home
Leslye came to rescue on Sunday with her eye on this wild but wonderful, ball-loving boy. She wanted another dog to teach flyball. It was a match made in immediate heaven as they immediate hit it off, playing in the field! He also warmed right up to his new brothers, Jet and Rex. It’s a win for everyone.
Sparky Goes Home
Police officer Heather, her mom, and her “Teagle” mix Sadie drove all the way from Mississippi to speed date with our rescue boys on Sunday. They were all very open to whomever Sadie picked, but she and Sparky hit it off immediately. They spent a lot of time in the field with him, getting to know him and making sure it was a fit, but Sadie had made up her mind. “The boy is mine!”
Dirty Harry Goes Home … Forever
It’s another Sunday at rescue. Poop is getting scooped, water bowls are getting refreshed, and dogs are being walked. But there’s something that none of us can ignore: That empty kennel. It’s the first one we all see when we pull up to rescue; the one that housed Dirty Harry, who was notorious for welcoming everyone in his own way. He loved some folks; he warned away others. Whatever he did, however, he was Dirty Harry.
Julie Goes Home
Sweet, sweet Julie … oh, how we barely knew ye … Julie and her sister, Ruby, were born into foster care in late July. They spent the majority of those formative weeks with their beautiful mama, Gracie, before coming to rescue last weekend to be put up for adoption. With hours, this precious baby found her forever home!
Floyd’s New Outlook on Life
Sometimes we invite our online family to join us on difficult surgical decisions and ask for prayers … and sometimes we just have to make those difficult decisions and follow through. That happened recently with Floyd when both of his eyes had to be removed.
Eddie’s Successful Surgery
Our brave Eddie boy is back home at rescue and doing very well following his perineal hernia surgery last week … almost too well, in fact! He is his happy-go-luck self, ready to play and explore. Thank you for all of the support, prayers and donations.
We’re Now on Instagram!
You asked, we listened. It’s overdue, but you can now find and follow us on Instagram! This is one more wonderful way for us (and our supporters) to share our dogs visually and help them find their forever homes. We soft-launched on Friday and, thanks to some fantastic fist-bumps from fabulous folks like ginny_jrt, we now have more than 400 followers! Check it out!
Dodger Goes Home
Let’s kick off this chilly Atlanta morning with some wonderful news! We typically like to wait a couple of days before announcing adoptions, just to make sure everything works out, but it’s already worked out in this case! Dodger has gone home!
Fall into Fall Photo Contest
Fall is officially here! It’s time for hay rides, pumpkin pie, playing in the leaves and, of course, dressing up and photographing our dog(s) while we parade them around. 😉 Admit it, you know you like to do it. So why not snap a photo of your favorite pet(s) in their best costume and/or fall-like setting and share it with the world to vote on? You could have a chance at winning a brand new iPad Mini, plus tons of other great prizes. All proceeds from the votes will go to help cover the costs of vetting and caring for the dogs at our rescue.
Sell/Shop on eBay for Rescue
We are psyched to announce that we have been added to ebay’s Giving Works program. This will not only give us a way to sell some of the donated items we receive for rescue but anyone who sells on ebay can help as well!
Eddie Needs Our Help
Here we go again … We have another major medical issue with one of our rescues. We haven’t fully and financially recovered from Ernie’s snake-biting fiasco a few weeks ago. Now it’s Eddie. We noticed his little bum was swollen the other day and took him to the vet. It’s a perineal hernia … and he needs surgery immediately.
Lilly Goes Home
Kick off your Sunday with a smile! Lilly has officially gone to her forever home.
Hannah: Still Looking for Love
We recently posted Hannah’s profile and an urgent request to find a new foster or forever home for her. It’s been a week, and we are still avidly searching for the “right” person for her.
Millie Goes Home
Ready to get your weekend smile on early? The road home was long, but Millie has finally arrived!
Team Russell … Hustles
It was another busy weekend at the ranch with most members of Team Russell … well … doing the hustle – securing kennels, walking dogs, bathing and grooming the pups, mowing the acreage, you name it! Live in the Atlanta area and want to join the fun? We’d love to have you! Please, complete our volunteer application.
Ernie: The Mighty Snake Killer
If you follow our Facebook page, you already know this week was a bit of a stressful one for all of us … especially little Ernie. On Sunday night, Donna heard Ernie barking up a storm. He’s a laidback kind of guy, so she knew something was wrong. She walked up to discover a Copperhead had made its way into Ernie’s kennel, and they were both bowed up at one another. Yikes!
Happy National Dog Day
Happy National Dog Day! Eli, Elanor and Team Russell wish you and your pups a wonderful day. Celebrate the canine way!
Be the Change Campaign
It’s been awhile since we’ve ran a campaign, so … it’s time again! We’re kicking off our “Be the Change” campaign tonight for the next few weeks to share all of the ways you can help make a change in the life of a rescue dog. It ranges everything from sharing posts or voting online, to taking a dog into your home permanently. Every part you play makes a difference in the lives of our dogs, so we want to share that and encourage others to help “be the change,” too.
Pearl Goes Home
Want a feel-good story to start off your weekend? Our precious Pearl went home for a trial last weekend, and needless to say, it was instant love. Andrea has been following us for years and has donated to us in the past, but when she saw Pearl’s photo, she knew she had to meet her. So, Andrea and Jennifer made the long drive up from Florida with their two pups, 13-year-old JRT DaisyRae and 5-year-old chihuahua Lipton, to meet our little girl.
Daisy Goes Home
We are so happy to announce that little Daisy has been officially adopted! Her new parents, Dean and Meredith Rosenberg, came out last weekend with their wonderful 8-year-old JRT Abby, who was an absolute delight (as were her parents). Daisy took right to her big sister … and big sister immediately approved of this excited, little thing. 😉
Penny Goes Home
Let’s kick off the weekend early with a feel-good story! Mama Penny has left her ready-to-adopt puppies and will now be a spoiled baby herself for a change.
Soapbox Rant: Those Pesky Adoption Policies
All right, folks, time for a not-so-quick soapbox statement. (Hops up with megaphone) Many of you already know this spew by heart, so maybe it will be a good “share” for others who might not. We want to address some questions that continue to pop up in interviews, emails and on our social media sites. We know there have been countless articles written about this subject, both from the “be-a-stickler” to the “don’t-run-off-people” points of view, so here’s our stance on things. We try to take a middle ground whenever possible, but we simply will not when it jeopardizes the well-being of our dogs.
Jessie: It’s the Little Things
Jessie has been in foster care for a few weeks now … and her mom is keeping a journal we just love. She’s still available for adoption and, as you can see, is going to make someone an amazing forever dog. She’s loving, patient, funny, laidback and sweet as all honey …
Whole Foods Adoption Event
On Saturday, Whole Foods Market Buckhead tried something new and inventive and invited us out for an adoption event. They set us up in a high-profile spot for our dogs to meet and greet visitors as they entered and exited their busy location. Suffice it to say, it turned out fantastic!
Win a Condo in Cabo for the Dogs
If you weren’t able to make it to our June fundraiser and bid on the condos in Cabo San Lucas, here’s your chance to one-up both of those offers with a 7-night stay (September 20-27, 2014) in a Presidential Suite Condo at Hacienda del Mar.
Jessie: A First-Time Foster Experience
Fostering a rescue dog is about much more than just taking a dog into your home. It’s about teaching a rescue dog how to live in a home. Some dogs’ situations are more challenging than others, especially the ones who have spent most of or their entire lives living outdoors–in the backyard or in breeding kennels. And then there are other dogs who just leap into your arms and are ready to adjust to and learn everything. Jessie is the latter.
Our Girls: Once, Twice, Three Times the Ladies
Pippa came … with incredibly advanced heartworm disease. But then she conquered … with an incredible spirit. Now she’s brought two more beautiful girls into the pack.
Lunchtime with Nicki
Just a little fun with Nicki. He is actually a perfect gentleman, especially once he gets to know and trusts a person. Now that Rocket has been adopted, who knows what may be in store for our other fear-aggressive boy. Miracles DO happen.
Candy Goes Home
Candy was an immediate hit when she arrived at rescue a few weeks ago. No surprise there, given what an affectionate little puddin’ pop she is! Everyone is always looking for “shorties,” and this little girl couldn’t be “shorter” (and sweeter) if she wanted to.
Jax Goes Home
This may be the most amazing weekend ever! Fosters, fosters, adopters, adopters, everywhere … for us, at least. That meant 3-4 for other rescues’ 30-40. 😉 But we’ll take those small but huge victories.
Rosie Goes Home
We mentioned in an update last night that Rosie (now known as Ingrid) has found her forever home! Her mom, Annie Harris, picked her up from rescue a couple of weeks ago to foster her through spay/vetting and help us get her ready for adoption. She immediately hit it off with the family (including her two canine siblings) and the rest was history. Go, baby, go go!
Heartworm Help Auction Kicks Off Tonight
Join us for our latest online auction, Heartworm Help. This auction includes tons of great Jack Russell collectibles (mug, plate, statue, pin, books, etc.); several pieces of beautiful, hand-crafted jewelry; a swag bag for dog lovers; and a Keurig Vue V700 Brewing System with more than 130 pods for coffee, hot cocoa and tea. All proceeds help us cover heartworm treatment costs for our rescues.
Cobb: When a Rescue Dog Rescues Another
Mike and Lily Goldstein gave Carson his forever home in 2013–and have given more to rescue than we can ever thank them and their family enough for. With Carson’s approval, they became fosters for Cobb a few months ago. And now? We are thrilled to announce Cobb has joined the family permanently!
Sam and Ossa: Both Sides of the Foster Story
To promote our push for fosters, we are sharing some stories from our fosters throughout the years. They all have unique and wonderful experiences – some short-term, some long-term and, yes, some permanent.
The Brewsters have had a very unique experience in fostering: They fostered one dog (Sam) to the point of adoption, then took in another dog (Breeze) who was really down on his luck. They cared for him and nursed him from rescue, through the trials and triumphs of overcoming (and almost losing) a broken leg, to making the decision to add him to their family.
Walk for the Rescues
Want to improve your health and the lives of the rescue dogs? Just go for a walk!
Yes, it’s that simple. With the new ResQwalk app for iPhone (Android coming soon), you can log your daily miles walked (or ran) and every step you take will help raise money for the rescue! It doesn’t cost you a penny … and may even help extend your life. 😉
ResQthreads: Go Shopping, Go Walking
We are always looking for partnerships with great organizations who believe in giving back. It’s a win-win situation: You, our supporters, get great stuff that you probably buy anyway; the dogs get a percentage of your shopping spree, your efforts or your time. Our latest partnership is with ResQthreads.
Hannah 2.0: New and Improved
Just a little over a year ago, Hannah spent her days, pacing nonstop in her kennel, unable to look at or trust anyone. You may remember the story of how we finally “caught” her and, slowly but surely, began working with her. She had heartworm (or so we thought at the time; the records were incorrect) and needed to go to foster care for treatment, so Pam and Bonnie took her in, in January and began integrating her into their pack. By February, she was already showing improvement.
Chad: Learning to Trust
Over the past year, Kevin and Elisa Schwutke have been a “dogsend” to the group. They have fostered three dogs (Pebbles, Casper and Mr. Wiggles) to adoption and are currently fostering one of our more “difficult” cases named Chad. This is Chad’s third foster home. Although he did well with the others, he has some fear issues (especially around men) that needed to be addressed directly and overcome before he can move on to a permanent home. It’s been a long road, but he is finally learning to trust.
Confessions of a Foster Failure
To promote our push for fosters, we will be sharing some stories from our fosters throughout the years. They all have unique and wonderful experiences – some short-term, some long-term and, yes, some permanent. It is only fitting that we kick it off with one of our favorite stories over the years. Three times, Jennifer Roose came to rescue to foster and, yes, three time she allegedly “failed.” But what a beautiful way to fail.
New Leather JRT Jewelry Available
Lisa Tedeschi of Against the Grain hand-crafted more than 30 pieces of leather goods (keychains, cuffs and necklaces) just for us to sell for the dogs called the GA JRT Series (Limited Edition)! We are blown away by the detail and the time we know it took her to do this for us. Wow!
Gracie ‘n the Babies
Gracie and her babies were saved from the kill shelter in early June. They all need to be spayed and receive some TLC … and we need your help in finding them fosters.
Frazier Goes Home
After years at the rescue, Frazier has a forever home! He’s been with us for so long that we can barely remember when he arrived … Five years ago? Seven? He was always overlooked by potential adopters, but we all knew (especially after what a gent he was during his barn hunt classes) what a special, easygoing, loving boy he was outside the kennels. When Anne first visited the rescue last year, he even tried to jump into her car. Yesterday, he did … forever.
Jack/Chow A Smashing Success!
What can we say, Saturday night was absolutely amazing! The doors were barely open when the crowd showed up, ready to go to town at the silent auction and raffle tables. With so much great stuff this year donated by local merchants and supporters, it was hard to resist. We won’t have the final tallies for awhile, but we can safely say that it was a smashing success!
In Memory of Blizzard
Our hearts are heavy, but our spirits are light. Let’s celebrate in Blizzard’s memory Saturday night.
‘Chow’ Down for the Jacks
Come join us this weekend! The raffles and silent auctions are packed full of amazing stuff, from gift cards and pet baskets, to a Braves suite and a week-long condo in Cabo San Lucas or Puerto Vallarta. A $20 ticket gets you free drinks, food, entertainment and a chance to win any of these amazing prizes (some for just $1!). Best of all? All proceeds go to the dogs.
Get tickets now while you still can >>
Dog City Celebration
We would like to thank Dog City Bakery for letting Jax, Cobb and Team Russell meet and greet customers at their Sandy Springs location last weekend. We had such a wonderful time! Join them this weekend to celebrate their one-year-anniversary of the Sandy Springs location opening!
Jack Pack BBQ
Some of our current/former GA JRT rescues had a big old BBQ party yesterday!
Plan G: Shop for the Jacks!
Plan G: Shop online or order for store pickup … and support the rescues without spending another dime!
Paradise Ice Done Doggone Good
Thank you so much to Joe and Jessica Kastner of Paradise Ice in Columbia, SC. Paradise Ice is a small mom and pop shop that makes artisan sorbets and frozen custards, but also offers frozen doggie pops for their furry visitors.
Gettin’ Groovy for the Dogs
We’re getting groovy for the dogs at Dog Days of McDonough today! Team Russell is bringing back the ‘60s and ‘70s in participation with the Done Gone Amazing Award for most creative/decorative booth among the nonprofits.
Festival Weekend Fun
Last weekend was such a blast! We had great turnouts for the three days at the Spring Dock Diving Event at Rucker Pet in Cumming and at Woofstock 2014 in Suwanee on Saturday. A lot of fosters and former rescues came out to say hello and make our day(s). We made a ton of great contacts and, hopefully, wooed some future adoptive parents. 😉 Here’s a few photos of the weekend.
Rocket Goes Home
OK, long-time GA JRT supporters, you are not seeing things … Yes, this IS Rocket and, yes, he was out and about in public and in the arms of someone who loves him. In fact, he’s been in a home for the very first time in his long kennel life this past week. We were keeping things tight-lipped to see how they went and they are going wonderfully, so we can spill the beans …
Subaru Showdown
So, you say you want to help out the JRT rescues from the comfort of your home and computer? Here’s a great opportunity … Subaru of Gwinnett is sponsoring a Facebook contest for rescue organizations that offers us the opportunity to win a donation of either $700 for 1st place, $500 for 2nd place or […]
Come Out and See Us
Spring has sprung and we’re havin’ fun! Hot on the heels on Sweetwater 420 Fest on Easter weekend, we are ready to hit the festival trail again this weekend. And guess what? There’s no rain in this festival forecast! It’s nothing but beautiful, sunny skies ahead …
Octavia Goes Home
Octavia was only supposed to be at our rescue for a few days last August. That plan drastically changed … for the better. 🙂
A Rescue Dog’s True Cost
Think a rescue’s adoption fee is a little steep? See what the true costs (and rewards) are of changing a rescue dog’s life with this illustration from Lili Chin and GA Jack Russell Rescue, Adoption & Sanctuary.
Give $5 to a Jack … and Then Get it Back!
Give a homeless Jack $5 … and get it back. Purchase tickets for Belk’s Charity Sale on Nov. 3 and get your money back. All proceeds benefit Georgia Jack Russell Rescue, Adoption & Sanctuary.
The Wine Wall Returns
The Wine Wall, a smash hit at last year’s Jack/Chow Fundraiser, is returning this year! For a $10 donation, you could pick the mystery number for a yummy $10 wine (minimum) or a fine wine priced at $50 or above! It’s a grab bag of fun – all for the rescues!
Spring Vol Day a Smashing Success!
What can we say? Saturday’s Spring Vol Day was nothing short of perfect! The weather was beyond beautiful, the food was fantastic, and the teamwork was beyond amazing.
Big Bucks from BarkBox
This April only! Support our rescues and get $5 off when you use our special code: GJRRBBX1. Help us raise some serious bones – we get a $15 donation with every order and a chance to win $2k each Wednesday!
Fundraiser Fun!
We are in full swing, planning for our 2nd Annual Paw Over Some Jack and Chow Down fundraiser! The event is scheduled for Saturday, June 14, in Decatur, and we need plenty of help in getting things up and rolling. Last year’s event was a smash with all proceeds going to the dogs at Chap’s Chow Rescue and our rescue. We hope to make this year’s celebration even better. Here are some ways you can help us help the dogs …
Spring has sprung!
We have so much planned for the rescue this spring, it’s mind-boggling. Mark those calendars now! Let’s see if we can remember everything …
Rock On, Sweet Jerry Lee
Our hearts are heavy tonight as we say goodbye to our sweet senior boy, Jerry Lee. He was close to Mama Donna’s heart for years and was a very special dog to his “forever foster” family. Rock, on, sweet Jerry Lee. Rock on.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
An oldie, but a goodie – Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Eli and the gang! Stay safe out there.
Fling into Spring Photo Contest
We would like to invite everyone to join us in our online “Fling into Spring” photo contest. Whether you are an amateur or a professional, a contestant or a voter, your efforts will help us raise some much-needed funds to keep doing what we do: Rescuing those rascally Russells. (Say that 5x really fast!)
Team Russell Needs You
We are in full swing, planning for our 2nd Annual Paw Over Some Jack and Chow Down fundraiser! The event is scheduled for Saturday, June 14, in Decatur, and we need plenty of help in getting things up and rolling. Last year’s event was a smash with all proceeds going to the dogs at Chap’s Chow Rescue and our rescue.
Calli Goes Home
After tons of follow-ups and phone calls, Callie went home with Jerry and Kelly McGilvary yesterday. Mom has already posted two pics of her and says that she is settling in well. Have a great life, little one.
What a Difference a Year Can Make
It was a year ago that we heard the news no one ever wants to hear: An out-of-state rescue was busted and more than 50 neglected dogs were seized. Many of them were Jack Russells, and the local shelter was desperately reaching out to all rescues across the country to save some of them.
Hannah: Learning to Be Happy
It’s been about two months now since Hannah went to live in foster care. Several of our dogs have found wonderful foster homes since the first cold spell hit Atlanta, but this one was extra special. Hannah didn’t just need a foster home; she needed to learn how to love.
Goodbye, Sweet Skip
We had only one goal when you arrived at our little rescue last May, Skip: To love and comfort you every day of your life; to receive the TLC and medical attention you never had been given in your 12 years on earth.
Happy Birthday to Mama Donna!
Could it be another year has passed? Tomorrow, Mama Donna celebrates another birthday … and another year of undying love to the dogs of rescue. We could spend an entire book writing about how much she loves and cares for each and every dog she mets … but we think the video says it all.
Happy birthday, Donna! The dogs and we love you more than we can say … but we’ll certainly try. Feel free to join us on Facebook is wishing her the best.
Want to give Donna a gift? Give it to the dogs!
Donna doesn’t like gifts for herself, but she always welcomes donations to the dogs. If you would like to honor her that way, please use the PayPal button below. You can leave her a message in the special notes.
Broken But Not Beat
Oops, we did it again – we brought home a little boy from the kill shelter who was down on his luck. He was in Cherokee County with a broken leg. A vet had splinted it and put him on 4 weeks of rest and pain meds. Suffice to say, the shelter was no place […]
Smooch a Pooch Kissing Booth
Pucker up! Valentine’s Day will be here before we know it. To gear up for this holiday of love, a few of our rescues have agreed to share their kisses for a donation to the rescue. They will be doling out pooch smooches in the kissing booth at City Dog Market, located at 4244 Peachtree Rd. NE, in Atlanta. Donations can be as small or as large as you’d like. They’ll still plant one on you!
The pups will be at the booth (outside, if it’s pretty; inside, if it’s not) between 10am and 2pm.
Stop by for a smooch, then do some shopping for some healthy, all-natural treats for your own pooch in the store. And, hey, if you fall in love with one of them, remember: They’re available! 😉
Hannah’s Big Ole Baby Steps
Hannah is moving mountains. Oh, sure, it may be a little tail stub wag here or a little sniff there, but every step she has taken this passed week has been huge.
Frazier Goes to School
Frazier went to barn huntin’ school today and, believe it or not, he wasn’t the class clown …
Don’t Got Jack? Keep Calm
L-R: Keep Calm, Got Jack, Jack Life
We made these cups for giveaways and our fans on Facebook wanted more. So … we’re making them available to everyone. All proceeds from the sale of the cups will go to rescue.
The cup on the left can be personalized to say “I have a Jack Russell,” “I have Jack Russells” or include a number you specify when ordering. The cup in the middle is a spinoff of “Got Milk?” and says “Got Jack?” The one on the right is a takeoff (they claim they like those) of “Salt Life” and says “Jack Life.”
When ordering, please select which one you want from the drop down menu below. It will take you to the Paypal site, where you can select quantify and “Continue Shopping” if you want to order additional types.
If you select “Keep Calm,” please enter the number of Jack Russells you would like printed on the cup in the “Special notes to seller” area of Paypal.
Please note that these are custom-made as we receive orders, so allow a couple of weeks for delivery.
Impromptu Vol Day
We had a last-minute/unplanned “vol day” this morning. About half of Team Russell showed up to take all of the dogs out for a little while to eat and do their business before tucking them back into their warm crates (on fresh blankets) indoors.
Local Volunteers Needed
Baby, it’s cold outside – and it’s only going to get colder! And we really need local help. As many of you know, we only have a handful of volunteers and we all have full-time jobs and/or families. The majority of us also live some distance from the rescue. We have kennel help during the week, but it’s an all-day thing on these ultra-cold days like today and Monday and we have some gaps in coverage, particularly around 11:30am and 5pm when the dogs have had to stay in (and stay warm) and each need to go out and do their business. Everyone is still at work, including Donna.
If you live in the Conyers/Snellville area of Atlanta, Georgia, and would like to help us on these “extra special” days, please email us. We will be in touch to see what we can work out. Thank you so much in advance!
Bert and Ernie Fundraiser
Bert and Ernie were surrendered at the shelter five days before Christmas. We’d only planned on rescuing Ernie, but were later informed that he came in with his (much bigger) brother, Bert.
We couldn’t bear to leave his brother behind, so we rescued both. It wasn’t until they arrived at the rescue that we realized how neglected they’d been. Both have been eaten by fleas, underfed, worms and mouths full of broken and rotting teeth.
Ernie has been to the vet, but Bert (a.k.a. Big Boy Bert) still needs to get his shots and heartworm test. Bert refused to get in the car for his vet appointment, and Donna couldn’t pick him up on her own. He is a little more confident and happy now, so we will attempt to take him again on Saturday.
Both of our boys are on antibiotics, have been wormed and are recieving dietry supplements to improve their overall health.
And, as you might expect, Ernie is heartworm positive. We expect Bert to be as well.
If you would like to help with the medical needs of these gorgeous souls, we have set up an online fundraiser and would really appreciate the support. We have a copy of Ernie’s bill and should be able to provide one for Bert … as soon as he lets us take him for a ride 😉
For now, the boys are starting to thrive for the first time in their lives.
2013: The Year in Photos
2013 was such a monumental year for us! Even though we’ve been around for a decade, our little rescue has never known such an outpouring of love – from volunteers, adopted/foster parents and supporters around the globe. We are so thankful for social media and the Internet to help us spread our mission and find JRT lovers around the world.
Here’s a collage we put together for our holiday party (and somehow lost during the celebration!) for everyone attending to sign for Donna. We may still print it out and take it out to the rescue for everyone who visits to sign. For those who don’t live in Atlanta and/or can’t make it out, please feel free to post your comments for Donna/the rescue here.
THANK YOU to everyone for such an incredible 365 days! It has truly been a year of miracles. 
Happy New Year!
Happy new year, everyone! The new year has officially begun, and we wish everyone a wonderful one! We didn’t want to move ahead without looking back on the incredible year that was 2013, though. Read our month-by-month roundup in the JACK FLASHBACK 2013 series.
Success Stories of 2013: Lorelee
Lorelee is a phoenix: She rose from a tragic fire in 2012 and found her triumphant home in 2013.
In Memory of Nathanial
You didn’t know him. We barely did. But we will never forget him.
Nathaniel’s Shelter Pics
His name was Nathaniel, and he somehow ended up at Fulton County Animal Services last week. He was a “blind senior wirey JRT,” very sweet with a cut on his foot. He was not eligible for adoption or foster. Only a rescue could save him. They posted him on Christmas Eve, and the shelter’s volunteers worked tirelessly to network him before his time was up.
We saw him and you know how that story goes … We have a huge place in our (financially-bankrupt) hearts for guys and gals like him. We weren’t really in a position to take on another senior, much less a blind one, but we couldn’t stand the thought of him dying in that shelter alone without humans around to assure him everything was OK.
His time was up on the 29th (a Sunday), so we knew we had to act fast. With Mama Donna’s approval, one of our volunteers pulled him on Saturday morning and rushed him straight to the vet. He was very distressed and anxious and couldn’t breathe properly. We shot some video of his “freedom ride,” but decided, in hindsight, it was just too disturbing to share because he was having such a hard time breathing.
Our vet did a thorough evaluation and found numerous health issues. He had extensive neurological/nerve damage, which was the cause of his difficult breathing; had an enlarged heart with a heart murmur; rotting teeth; kidney issues; and, on top of his blindness, he was also deaf. All of these factors were contributing to his anxiety and making things worse and, unfortunately, the prognosis was not good.
We told our vet to do whatever he could to make him comfortable, even if it meant we would only have a few days or weeks with him. We wanted him to know what it felt like to be loved and cared for, just as we did for Chloe, Skip and many seniors and/or special-needs dogs before them.
Unfortunately, it was not meant to be this time.
Our vet assured us that most compassionate thing we could do for this sweet boy was to let him go; to help him cross to the Rainbow Bridge. We hate letting go without a fight, but we also believe in giving every Jack his or her dignity and, most importantly, never letting any sweetheart with an incurable diagnosis suffer under any circumstance.
Nathaniel with us at the vet.
Nathaniel’s “Freedom Ride”
So we said goodbye to this sweet old man whom we had only known for a few hours but felt like we had for a lifetime. Our wonderful Dorien built him a special box, and he was laid to rest at the rescue next to Chloe.
Rest in peace, sweetheart. We honor you and your memory and wish we could have gotten to know you better and spoil you in your final days.
And, yes, as heartbreaking as this has been, we can, with confidence, say this: He passed surrounded by humans who assured him everything would be OK.
And we know everything is OK.
We are not really asking for anything for Nathaniel. We were “happy” to pull him and intended to do everything we could to save him. We have just heard some volunteers of the shelter are asking what happened and where they can send donations, so we wanted to provide them with that information.
If you would like to donate in his memory, you can use our general donations page and put that it’s in Memory of Nathaniel in the special notes. We will use this to cover his euthanasia and any extra to help our own senior/special needs dogs in the sanctuary.
“The risk of love is loss, and the price of loss is grief. But the pain of grief is only a shadow when compared with the pain of never risking love.” – Hilary Stanton Zunin
Angel Tree Donations
How do we say thank you? With a lump in our throats and happy tears in our eyes, that’s how.
Intown Healthy Hound in Atlanta offered to host our Angel Tree in their store for the second year in a row this month. Every day in December, we posted one of our dogs and his or her special needs or wants on our Facebook page. We accompanied the local request with online requests via our Amazon Wish List … and you guys came through ten-fold!
We have been posting all of the amazing online donations and in-person/mailed donations on our Facebook page and now we would like to recognize IHH for their participation.
Not only did our local supporters help our rescue this season with tons of food, treats and toys, you also supported a wonderful local business that offers natural food and treats that are unbeatable.
Thank you to IHH and to all of our local supporters for doubling the cause this season. You are amazing, and we thank you!
Billy Stalker, IHH employee, with the Angel Tree and some bags of food that were donated.
Your awesome lot of toys, treats and food!
Gone Gone Gone
We debuted several new videos at last night’s holiday party to not only celebrate the year but the years of rescue work. Here is the first one – dedicated to all of the amazing volunteers/supporters who keep this machine running and the costs and efforts everyone goes to, to make sure these dogs get the second chance they deserve.
Merry Terrier Good Time!
We celebrated our first Merry Terrier Holiday Party last night in Atlanta and had a terrier of a time! What started as a year-end celebration with just a few volunteers grew into a big gathering of our extended family at rescue, including volunteers, supporters and foster/adopted parents … and, of course, Mama Donna.
It was a great evening of incredible food (so much food!), drinks, music, new rescue videos (debuting shortly), raffle giveaways, an adorable custom JRT ornament tree, and good old conversation about all of our four-legged kids.
We also hosted a raffle drawing for a barnhunt donated by Meredith Minkin with Canine PhD and B.D. Malone from Beastie Darlings. One of our volunteers won the drawing and donated it back to the rescue!! It looks like little Frazier (who knows how to “go to ground” like no one you’ve ever seen) will be enrolled in the class! We can’t wait to follow his progress.
Thank you to everyone for making 2013 such an incredible year. As Mama Donna briefly said before the tears kicked in, everyone brings something special to the table that makes this thing work and we couldn’t do it without you.
Special thank you to Sheryl Cherico and MD Tech Pro/Tier 3 for loaning us the beautiful space!
The Angel Tree Returns
December has arrived, and we are excited to announce that Intown Healthy Hound is hosting another angel tree for us this year in their store. Beginning tomorrow, we will feature a dog or two a day on our Facebook page who is looking for an angel like you this season. Some like toys or treats, while some could use specialty foods or collars.
Amazon Smiles … and So Do We
Shopping on Amazon this holiday season? Sign up with AmazonSmile and .5% of every purchase you make will go the rescue! Just sign out of Amazon, then go to AmazonSmile. Sign in and search for Georgia Jack Russell Rescue. You will see our name pop up, then click Select. That’s it! You’re all set to shop now and give without giving another penny.
Merry Terrier Holiday Event
It’s been a big year for the rescue, so we’ve decided to celebrate the year with an end-of-year holiday bash: The Merry Terrier Holiday Party!
Scheduled for 5-9pm Dec. 14 at MD Tech Pro/Tier 3 (3580 Pierce Dr., Suite 160 in Atlanta), this potluck event is open to all volunteers, foster parents, adopted parents and supporters who have made 2013 (and the preceding years) such a great success. We would also like to invite potential adopters, supporters and/or volunteers to come out and meet everyone.
We’ll have music, food, drinks, holiday items and more. We are also hoping to have a raffle and/or silent auction. (If you have items you would like to donate, feel free to PM us or email us at jrtadoptions@gmail.com).
Admission is free, but because the rescue has no entertainment budget (except the volunteers’ personal pockets, which are pretty lean this time of year), we ask that everyone bring a dish or drinks for the evening.
If you plan to attend, please RSVP and fill in a potluck slot. Can’t wait to see everyone there!
Thank you so much to MD Tech Pro/Tier 3 for loaning us their beautiful space to celebrate!
Message from Mama Donna
By now, you’ve read about and seen the photos from our Fall Vol Day last Saturday. Donna was blown away from the turnout and commitment of so many to help her with the dogs. There were a couple of years after Jimmy passed that it was just her and another friend/volunteer or two wrapping kennels. Suffice it to say, it took forever – and there wasn’t anyone around to walk and spend time with dogs. She wanted to thank everyone personally. Here goes ..
Join Us in the Shelter Challenge
You helped us win 25 beds in the first Shelter Challenge and 100 vaccinnations in the second. Let’s do it again – bigger and better this time by taking state and bringing home a $1,000 grant for Mama Donna’s rescues.
The Celebrations Shelter Challenge (hosted by the Animal Rescue Site and PetFinder Foundation) is an amazing opportunity for shelters and rescues across the country to earn thousands of dollars in grant money every year to help us all keep doing what we do. They are at it again with a grand prize of a $100,000 going to the winning eligible shelter. That’s not all, though – there are hundreds of other prizes that we are eligible to win and any single one of them would be a welcome gift!
How to Help
There are two ways to help: 1) a simple, anonymous daily vote and/or 2) by taking a few minutes now (and a few seconds each day or as you have time) to join Team Russell, voting and recruiting others to join you in voting as well. The more we recruit, the better shot we have!
Here’s how to do both:
Vote for Us
Point your browser to shelterchallenge.com. In the search section, enter “georgia jack russell” and select “ga” from the state drop-down, then click the Search button. This will bring up our rescue to select. When you click our name, you will automatically vote for us.
It will take you to this page that shows you have voted and can vote again tomorrow. That is literally all you have to do to help! Bookmark the page and visit it again in 24 hours to vote.
Vote for Us AND Join Team Russell
So you say you want to do more? Awesome! You can join Team Russell and help us recruit others to vote and/or join as well. Who knows, if you recruit the most, we may just have a special Georgia JRT gift for you. 😉
From the voting verification page, click the Join button.
This will take you to the next screen, where the site will ask you for your user name and email. You can use whatever you want as your name, but you’ll need to use a legitimate email address or you’ll never receive the initial password to log in and participate.
After you’ve entered this, click the Choose Your Shelter button. (Yes, unfortunately, they ask you to enter it twice at initial registration; you’ll never have to do this again.)
Once again, search for “georgia jack russell” and “ga” in the fields and click the search button. When we pop up, click the choose link.
This will take you back to the Create Account screen and you should see our name under the Choose Your Shelter button and Default Nominee Name. Next, check the required checkboxes and click the Create Account button to create your account.
This will take you to the login screen and send a password to you via email. Copy and paste the password from your email to log into your account.
If you would like to simplify things and make logging in easier to do/remember, you can instead choose to use your Facebook, Twitter of Google+ account on the right side of the screen. Here’s an example of signing up with your Facebook account. This will retrieve your profile pic and make recruiting a little easier.
It will ask you for a password reminder after that to make sure you’re really who you say you are.
Whatever route you take, you’ll end up back at this screen. This time, however, you should see a welcome banner at the top and show your votes, recruiting efforts, etc.
From here, click the Your Totals & Rewards button to take you to an overview of your recruiting efforts and how you have helped so far. To recruit members, click the Recruit button. You can share the link to our voting page via Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or email. If you’re logged into any of those services in your browser, it will connect you automatically; otherwise, it will ask you for authentication.
Write something if you want, then share on your wall. You can do this as often as you like through the deadline on March 30.
Photo Contest Winner
CONGRATULATIONS! Our “Jack” O’Lantern Photo Contest has officially ended! Sue Graziani won with her wonderful photo of Witch Milly & Witch Milo at a whopping 445 votes! Thank you to Sue and all 32 participants for taking the time to submit your beautiful photos and ask for votes. It was great to see all of the creativity and, of course, cuteness! View all of the entries >>
Witch Milly & Witch Milo
Although we did not have enough donations to offer a second place prize in our photo contest, we wanted to give an honorable mention to Cathy Frost and Cleo for coming in a very close second place by a mere 8 votes!
Happy Halloween from Cleo
Daffy’s Day
Looking for something fun to do this Saturday in Atlanta? Grab your two- and four-legged babies and head out to the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds for the 6th Annual Daffy’s Day Celebration. We will have a booth and some dressed-up dogs of our own for this awesome annual event, which boasts food, live music, a car show and more.
There are tons of events on tap, including a costume contest for both pets and kids, a petting zoo and a bounce house. There will be pet adoptions, as well as dog agility and training demos. Julie Gribble will be making special live appearance from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm
Admission is free; however, a donation of food for Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen is requested. Hours are 10 am to 5 pm. The fairgrounds are located at 2405 Sugarloaf Pkwy in Lawrenceville (use the Sugarloaf entrance).
Fall Vol Day!
Join us for our fall volunteer day! We will be cleaning and weatherproofing kennels and trying our best to get the indoor kennel ready for winter. We could really use some handymen and women for this one!
If you’re ready to sign up, please visit our Facebook event and “join,” so we can get a headcount. If you’re not on Facebook, just email us and let us know you’re coming.
Then head over to our sign-up sheet (don’t worry, we won’t do anything bad with your email) and sign up for the “duties” you’d like to handle, plus any goodies you’d like to bring for the crew. We definitely need help with wrapping the kennels and cleaning out the indoor kennel – not fun jobs, but high-priority jobs for the fall!
If you’re a new volunteer and need directions to the ranch, please email us.
Newspapers Needed
Remember when having leftover newspapers around the house was a regular thing? Well … thanks to technology (which we love because we’ve “met” you!), that’s not the case anymore … but rescues like us still need them for boys like Skip (as well as wee pads available on our Amazon Wish List).
If you’re old-school and still “get the paper,” save them up after your Jack has read them and send them, deliver them or drop them off with a volunteer for us to give to the dogs.
Also, if you have old towels and/or blankets you no longer need, we will definitely need them for winter when the dogs are inside in their warm crates more. Laundry runs are no fun …. as several of our vols know …
Ready to donate? If you’re in the immediate Atlanta area, email us and we’ll give you our address and/or schedule a pickup with a volunteer. If you’re outside the area, email us for the address to ship them. We can’t pay for shipping, but we will send you a tax letter for your costs.
Thank you, everyone!
Paw Prints: Memorial Donations
We know several of you have donated to our rescue in honor of your babies at the Rainbow Bridge over the years. We are thankful for everything you have given in their memory and would love to honor them on our website in a new section we are working on. If you are one of […]
“Jack” O’Lantern Photo Contest
It’s October again and you know what that means: It’s time for another Halloween costume pet photo contest! Want to play?
Just upload your photo and description below. Don’t forget to tell your friends and stop back every day to vote. Deadline is October 29.
This year’s prize is an awesome goodie bag of human treats (candy and a $25 Starbucks card); dog treats (the good stuff!); a long-sleeved GA JRT rescue shirt (your choice of color and size); and  GA JRT coffee mug for your coffee.
We may be adding additional winning slots/prizes as well, but we are currently relying on our volunteers/supporters to donate them, i.e. we are not using and will not use any rescue donations for this contest. It’s just something we wanted to do for fun. If you have something you’d like to donate as a prize (gift cards are always awesome!), please contact us.
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Be Negative, Stay Negative: Pippa’s Story
By Kasey Perritt Pippa came to live with us as a foster 4 days before Christmas. She was only a foster until around New Years because we knew she was supposed to be ours. She had been with mama Donna since August, battling one of the worst cases of heartworms the rescue had ever seen. […]
Be Negative, Stay Negative: Dixie and Scruffy’s Story
Dixie and Scruffy’s story is a lesson in not only giving your dog(s) monthly heartworm preventative but in making sure they are tested regularly. Tests can be negative when worms first appear. This is why your vet insists that tests must be done yearly before doses are prescribed. The earlier it is caught, the better chance they stand to overcome them completely.
By Janeen Langley
Shortly after adopting these two wonderful dogs from Donna in 2006, we learned they were both positive for heartworms. Although they had tested negative during their stay at the rescue and even though we never missed a dose of their preventative, they still came down with them. It is possible that the original test was done when the heartworms had just started and were not bad enough yet to cause a positive test. Whatever the reason, and without blaming anyone or anything, we began treatment with our vet. We loved these two and wanted to save their lives.
The hard part was keeping them relatively quiet. Our vet is excellent and advised us we could take them for their usual daily walks in the neighborhood, but said they should not extend longer than 10 minutes. They were not to run or get excited, which could increase their heart rates. This was not an easy task with two energetic Jack Russells who were used to being active.
After a series of treatments and an extended period of being somewhat quiet, we were given the okay by our vet to turn them loose to do whatever they wanted- run, jump, chase squirrels and take long walks. It was a great day and one we will never forget.
How to Help
Help us spread the word about the plight of our dogs and many more. Please, feel free to share the stories in this series with others.
If you would like to help more, please feel free to donate towards our heartworm treatment fund. Just click the Donate button below and enter an amount of your choice. Please, know that every penny counts.
Win an iPad at Suwanee Day!
We will celebrate the last day of summer this Saturday, Sept. 21, by participating in Suwanee Day. This is a little different venture for us, but it’s a huge event with a great way way to meet people and spread the word about our dogs and our rescue efforts. We can’t bring any dogs with us, but we will have our usual merchandise for sale, along with some gorgeous custom- and hand-crafted items made just for us by supporters. We will also be raffling off a brand-new iPad Mini!
This festival is always a hit, and this year promises to continue that legacy. There will be arts and crafts exhibitors, inflatable rides, children’s activities, and free entertainment with a parade to kick things off and fireworks and a concert by Fastball to end the day. Woo-hoo!
If you live in the Atlanta metro area, please come out and enjoy the day. Drop by our booth, say “hi,” pick up a sticker or tattoo, and enter our iPad raffle. You’ll find us in prime real estate to the left of the stage and along the center circle. The festival will take place in Town Center Park in Suwanee.
>> Get directions and parking information.
How to Enter the Raffle
We are absolutely floored to receive an incredible, last-minute donation for this weekend’s event: An iPad Mini! Yes, you read that correctly and, yes, we are absolutely blown away and so thankful to our donor, who prefers to remain anonymous. (Can we just say we love you?!)
The iPad is new-in-box, 16GB, and white with WiFi compatibility. Cost to participate is a $5 donation for one ticket or a $20 donation for 5 tickets. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the rescue to cover vet and food costs. Please, stop our the booth before the drawing at 4pm to get your tickets.
Can I still play if I can’t make it out on Saturday?
We know that not all of our Georgia supporters can make it out to the festival this weekend, but we don’t want to leave you out of this opportunity! So … If you would like to participate, you can donate using the button below to secure your ticket(s). Before you do, though, be sure to read on …
Only Georgia residents can participate in this raffle. Although we are a 501(3)c nonprofit group and have a license for this raffle, it is for a physical product and, therefore, all participants must reside within our state. We apologize to our friends outside of Georgia, but we have to keep everything completely legal to protect you and, of course, Donna and the dogs.
Also, because this is such a wonderfully-unexpected circumstance, we are literally in the process of designing and rush-printing tickets right now to have on hand by Saturday. As such, we cannot physically email/mail you your numbered raffle stubs as we have in the past. What we can do is take down your information provided by PayPal and fill the tickets out for you at the event on Saturday when we have them printed and in our hands.
If you need a little extra assurance, the volunteers can take photos of the populated tickets with our smartphones and email them to you from the event before the drawing. It’s obviously not as ideal as putting those tickets in the drawing bucket yourself and walking off with the stub in hand, but we want to give you some kind of proof that your donation truly went to the raffle and you have been entered to win.
We definitely do not want to dissuade anyone from donating, but if you are not comfortable with this, then please do not participate. If it sounds fine to you and/or you don’t need a photo/email (we are fortunate that our friends, family and co-workers tend to trust us), please let us know in the PayPal special comments. We expect the festival to be hoppin’, so we will need all hands on deck to greet people.
We will draw the lucky winner around 4 o’coock. You do not need to be present to win. If you are present, the iPad goes home with you then. If you are not, we will contact you to arrange pickup or shipping. And, of course, we will announce the winner on our Facebook, Twitter and Google+ pages immediately.
Good luck and thank you for your continued support!
Please click the button below, then enter $5.00 for one ticket or $20.00 for five (5) tickets!
Auction to Help Hartley’s Hearing
The shelter photo that broke our hearts …
Dale and Regi Polk delivering the special care package from the shelter to rescue …
We are kicking off our newest online auction tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. All items (mostly jewelry, handbags and JRT items) have been donated and every penny raised will go directly towards the $5,000+ vet bill we owe towards Hartley’s surgery, cleanings, treatments, medications and special diet.
Hartley’s History
We all knew there was something very special about Hartley the first moment we laid eyes on him in his shelter photo back in August of 2012. Maybe it was his gray mask. Maybe it was curled-over nails. Maybe it was the fact that he was sick with a terrible ear infection; had been hit by a car on his leg, which was never treated; and had arthritis.
Maybe it was knowing that this sweet, old man had very little hope to make it out of the shelter alive at his age and in his condition.
Somehow, someway, everyone was determined not to let him spend his last days in the shelter. He deserved better than that in this lifetime.
Our sister site, Georgia Jacks, posted him on their wall. The shelter had him listed as a Jack Russell (every brown and white dog seems to be a Jack Russell these days), but he was really a Blue Heeler/Cattle Dog/Terrier/anything-else mix. We just could not stand to see this boy suffer anymore. Immediately, the shares began to blow up. Within days, he had more than 200(!) people stepping up to spring him, transport him and sponsor him
We were already flooded with dogs at the time after a huge intake over the summer … and, of course, the last thing we needed was another sick senior. (You know we say that with all the love in the world; we were just over-budget and struggling to take care of our sanctuary dogs.) Several options came up, but as it was, nothing panned out. Neither Mama Donna nor the volunteers could stand to see him suffer, soooo … Dale and Regi Poke stepped up to pull him from Warner Robins at the last moment and brought him to us.
We knew it was going to be a long road to recovery for this little man … We just didn’t realize how long … or how difficult for him … or how expensive for the rescue.
A New Hope
Those nasty nails were cut and what we thought was just an ear infection was immediately treated. Unfortunately, it never went away. We tried several things, for several months, with little improvement. His ear canals were closed. Finally, the vet recommended ear canal surgery as the end-all to his woes. We knew it was risky, but he was such a spunky, sweet guy with a smile that just killed us. We hadn’t rescued him just to let him suffer more.
After ear canal surgery … It hurt us as much as him …
The surgery took place in December 2012 and was pretty intense. It required parts of his ears to be cut and reshaped. Restitching of the inner ear to the outside of his ear was also required. He was quite miserable in the days and even weeks following the surgery, but started showing improvement, thanks to antibiotics. Unfortunately, the latter were taking a toil on his liver and kidneys and we had to stave off on them. He had another laser treatment in February and, once again, he seemed to be showing improvement. But, once again, he started scratching at his ears and crying by early spring.
Thinking it may be allergies, we had him tested for those. Unfortunately, he had plenty, including barley and potatoes. Intown Healthy Hound worked with us to find a diet free of all of these things and, once gain, he seemed to improve considerably … but continued scratching. No more crying, though … thank goodness.
The next recommendation was to close/remove his ear drums. We know it’s been done with success, but it just seemed too drastic to us. So we took him to more vets for more tests.
One vet started him on a low dose of steroids to help with the swelling and a low dose of antibiotics to stave off the ongoing infections, but spare his other organs. He also went in for a thorough cleaning of both his ear canal and his teeth. He came back home, bright-eyed and ready to eat!
The Road Ahead
This time? We are keeping him on his special, allergy-free diet, deep cleaning his ears once a week and keeping him on his low-dose steroids/antibiotics. Once again, it seems to be working … and we hope, more than anything, this truly is the end of suffering for this poor man. We really don’t want to think about removing his ear drums.
That brings us to the here and now … and the incredible financial strain it has put on our already-strained budget. We, of course, would have it no other way. We’ve had many “million-dollar dogs” before … We’ll have many more.
If Hartley is, indeed, stable now (and we think he finally is), we would love nothing more than to find him a foster or forever home. If you are interested in either, please complete our foster application or our adoption application.
Thank You for Your Support
We know this is long-winded (especially for “Jack people”) and we apologize. But we wanted to truly explain and show you why we have to charge a $250 adoption fee (every dog costs us at least $150 in pull, spay/neuter, vetting and food – and that’s only if they stay a month or two) … and why we have to continually beg for money, put together fundraisers and launch auctions like this one.
We aren’t one of those rescues who “picks and chooses” the creme of the crop to turn an easy buck. Hartley is just one of many senior and/or special needs dogs in our care. We knows it’s not practical or economical. We also know that the life of any dog, of any age or any disability, is priceless.
Speaking of priceless … You know we prefer to focus on the positive, so …. Check out this little man’s smile now …
Hartley feeling good … for the first time in a long time …
We Are Here for Them
We are here for them …
We won’t go into details, but there have been some scandals lately in the dog rescue world about where money is going and what rescues around the country are doing. We know that every one of those stories can cause people to lose faith in donating.
And that debauchery saddens us.
We strive hard on our website and our Facebook page to show you through pictures that we receive your donations, how we use them, how they benefit the dogs, etc. We also welcome you to call our vet (whom we are in debt to for thousands) and donate to them directly, if you don’t trust us to do pay them. And we invite you, if you’re in the area or passing through, to come out to the ranch and see how we are putting your donations to use.
You have all been such great supporters and never given us reason to think otherwise. We hope we have done the same for you and we just want you to know that every single penny you spend (via purchases, auctions, fundraisers, donations, time volunteered, etc.) goes directly to our dogs. It does not benefit anyone or anything else. Our volunteers donate all their time in online activities, vet runs, kennel care, scooping poop, etc. There are absolutely no salaries here.
If you’ve met Mama Donna, you know she lives well below her means and, sometimes, the volunteers have to get onto her for that: Take care of yourself before the dogs, Donna. She, of course, does not listen. She works a full-time job 40-50 hours and then spends 40-50 hours taking care of these dogs to give them the best homes possible.
The volunteers will hop off the soapbox now. We just want to assure you that we do everything and anything within our means to take care of these babies. We get nothing but joy seeing each and every one of these dogs arrive down ‘n out and then become down ‘n dirty like any JRT should be. They each mean something to us and always will until the day they are adopted … and we still cry our eyes out when that happens, let us tell you.
Thank you all for your ongoing support, donations and love for the dogs. If you ever want to “call us to the table,” please do. We’ll invite you that table … for a barbecue.
As always, if you need proof, view our video … 😉
Hartley is Feeling Hearty!
We are so happy to report that Hartley is doing great following his ear canal cleaning and dental surgery a couple of weeks ago. He went back for his follow-up today, and things look good for the first time in … well, the first time ever since he arrived here last year!
We/his forever human will have to deep clean his ears once a week as his issues will be lifelong, but he is definitely feeling and looking better! It was so nice to see his silly, little smile again instead of watching him groan and roll his head on the floor. He may finally be ready to find his forever home with just the right loving and responsible human(s) to give him the attention and love he deserves in his golden years.
We will be kicking off an online auction to pay for all of Hartley’s surgeries and procedures soon. This auction focuses on jewelry and purposes (more Coach bags!), ladies, so get your charge cards ready! 😉 P.S. Did we mention Hartley is quite the ladies’ man?
We Need Your Talents
Love arts and/or crafts and Jack Russells? We really need your talents to help us raise money for the rescues!
We will be participating in Suwanee Day on Sept. 21. This is a HUGE event of artisans who know how to model, make, shape and create just about anything! It is also a great opportunity for us to share your talents with others – and your support of rescue.
If you would like to donate your works of art, please call us at 770-918-8582 or email us at jrtadoptions@gmail.com and let us know what you would like to donate. We will work with you on pickup or let you know where to ship things. Let us know what your works are worth (and shipping, if applicable) and we will send you a nonprofit letter of receipt for your taxes!
Help Us Win $5,000 by Sunday
Are you on Facebook? Want to help out our rescue in a huge way with just a couple of clicks? If so, we need you!
We are working hard and fast on winning a $5,000 grant from Tractor Supply by Sunday. We know, we’re a little late to the game, but that’s OK: We’re Jack people! We don’t mind a little challenge.
All you need to do is click the link to the story about our sweet Skip below, Like the page to access the contest and then scroll down and hit the Vote button! (Please note, it’s very important to click the Vote button; Likes are not being evaluated, votes are.)
Here is the link to our story >> http://bit.ly/17Lly5t
You can revisit the page every 24 hours until the contest ends on Sunday to vote.
We need to secure about 3,500 votes by Sunday and we cannot do this without you! Please, share with everyone you know! We can guarantee you every penny of this money will go towards taking care of dogs like Skip to enjoy their golden years.
You have helped us win before in the Petco Foundation Photo Contest. Can you do it again?
Update on Hartley’s Health
We sure hope to see less of this (taken before his procedure) from Hartley in the near future … and more of his funny smile.
Sweet Hartley went for a teeth cleaning yesterday. (Thanks for taking him, Debbie!) It was a two-fold procedure as Dr. Sewell wanted to thoroughly check out his ears as well. The sweet, old man lost four teeth and his ears were thoroughly inspected and cleaned out. We were elated to hear that his ear drums are still intact and not ruptured, but they were definitely full of gunk.
We are going to try a once-a-month antibiotic maintenance/preventative to see if his condition improves. Although it’s not ideal, it’s still less drastic than our other alternative of completely removing his ear drums.
Aside from that, we are happy to report that he is doing well. Losing teeth has not slowed down this little man’s appetite in the least, and he seems to be feeling better … of course, that could be the pain pills. 😉
We are putting together another online auction, which will be devoted entirely to Hartley and recouping some of his extensive vet bills over the past year since he’s been in our care. So, get ready to bid!
If you would like to donate now, you can do so by visiting his profile.
Welcome to the Our Website/Domain
Welcome to our new website/domain! For years, we have been hosted at and promoted jackrusselladoptions.com. We inherited it from our original web designer, but the truth is: We are by no means a commercial or for-profit rescue. We are completely nonprofit, and it only seemed appropriate that we should have a .org domain instead.
In addition to that, we wanted to create a new but similar website that really showcased our dogs better. We wanted to make it easy for visitors to find our dogs and, if needed, to filter them by sex, age and/or special needs. We wanted to share more about who we are, how we take care of our dogs and what the processes are for adoption, foster, volunteering, sponsoring and donating.
We feel we’ve accomplished these goals and hope you agree.
With that said, please note that the site is currently in “soft launch” mode. We are sharing with our loyal following as we fine-tune things. We still have lots of photos on older blog posts to migrate, so you may see some missing galleries. Some links may be outdated as well. We are working to update all of those before broadcasting to all the search engines. Please, bear with us as we wrap up the fine details. For now, you should be able to get all of the information you need on our dogs and the adoption process.
The .com site will continue to exist for some time; it was just no longer be updated. Eventually, the domain will transfer directly here.
If you are a frequent website visitor, please update your bookmarks/favorites and begin to visit this site only. It will always have the latest news and our available dogs.
Thank you to everyone for your ongoing support. We couldn’t do this without you. And, please note, all design services were donated by Soccer Dog Design. This redesign did not cost the rescue, the dogs or our supporters a dime.
Darn Good Dog Days
What a wonderful day at the “Dogs Days of Summer Event” at the Buckhead Westin yesterday. We are so honored to have been invited to take part in this magnificent event to raise funds for Ahimsa House and our rescue.
Zara’s New Purpose
She was terrified when she arrived at the kill shelter in spring. She was scared of everyone who worked there, so they labeled her for “rescue only.” She just happened to be there when we came to pick up another dog … and we fell in love with her.
Dog Days of Summer Event
We would love to invite all of our volunteers and supporters (and their four-legged babies!) in the Metro Atlanta area to celebrate the Dog Days of Summer Event this Saturday, July 27, at the Westin Buckhead (3391 Peachtree Road NE). This is a great opportunity for adopted parents to bring out some of our former rescues to say “hi” to Mama Donna. We would also love to meet some of our local online supporters who can’t make it out to the ranch to see us. But that’s not even the best part … Keeping reading!
Plan on a fun-filled afternoon with your little ones and help us raise money for both our rescue and Ahimsa House, which is a wonderful group that helps human and animal victims of domestic violence reach safety together. All proceeds from the cash bar and awesome raffle will go towards our two organizations.
The raffle items are a pampered/pampering pet parent’s dream, including:
- Pampered Pooch Package from Barking Hound Village
- Pet photography session with Jessica Luce
- “Skinny Margarita” gift basket
- Maui Jim Sunglasses gift basket
- Dog walking service from Atlanta’s Pick of the Litter
- Ahimsa House Annual 5K Run and 1 Mile Fun Run
- Westin Heavenly Dog Bed
- All-inclusive dog boarding package to Pampered Pet Care of Atlanta
- Astral Brands gift basket
- Four wine glasses from Tommy Bahama
- “Dark ‘n Stormy” gift basket
- Lake Lanier Islands Resort stay
Just this Westin Heavenly Dog Bed alone is, well, heavenly …
Westin Heavenly Dog Bed
There will also be 100 gift bags given out with great items and gift certificates from Atlanta Dog Spa, Big Daddy Biscuits and Barking Hound Village.
The event is free to attend, but please RSVP 404-688-1466 or email rsvp@lizlapiduspr.com. We would also love it if you joined our Facebook page event, so we can count numbers as well.
Can’t wait to see everyone for an afternoon of fun!
New JRT CafePress Shop
We have had requests for special items over the years with our logo on it, but just never had the funds to invest in their creation. As such, we’ve wanted to set up shop at CafePress for awhile and, thanks to Carson’s special T-shirt kicking things off, we got busy and got it done!
Choose from hundreds of products, including clothing for you and your four-legged babies, home decor, office items, drinkware, cases, bags, wallets and much, much more. All proceeds from the sale of items goes to taking care of our special-needs, senior and sanctuary babies, as well as adoptable JRTs while they wait for their forever homes.
Thank You from Mama Donna
Mama Donna doesn’t have time to go online and do much, but she asked that we share her direct thank you with all of the volunteers who came out and busted butt last Saturday during Volunteer Day … and on any given day. We really do have a rockin’ group of volunteers – and can always use more! If you live in the Atlanta area and would like to help out, please complete our volunteer application.
Mama Donna hugging Sadie
I want all of you to know how much I appreciate what all of you do for me and the dogs every day. Saturday was over and beyond the normal things you do for the rescue but all of you are appreciated every day.
Auctions, t-shirts sent out, taking applications, Facebook, PayPal, driving dogs to the vet, taking care of sick dogs we find, begging for donations, raising money, scooping and water on the weekends – all the weekday/weekend warriors! So much is done for the rescue I just get a little emotional when I have to talk about it.
There are no words that could ever express my gratitude for all you do for me and the dogs and ask for nothing in return. The rescue could not operate without all of you! This year has been the best year ever for the rescue, thanks to all of you, and we have more good things coming our way.
Then the others who have come to the rescue who just jumped right in! … Sandy,who I felt she has been there forever! Abby, who has been out several times and may be thinking, ‘What have I done,’ but even talked someone into coming with her! The K’s, as we call you, with our little Pippa. Lily, Mike and little Carson, who is so adored. Jennifer, who brought Susie, who Terry spoiled rotten … as if she already wasn’t … along with Pumpkin and Chuckie. Morgan, who made a special trip to see Oscar!
The weekend warriors – thanks to all of you!
(You are) so loved and, because of all of you, there are so many more in great homes that would never have made it out of the shelters. Each of you should be so proud for being a part of saving so many dogs from the shelter.
When I see all the dogs who are so loved, I know why I do this.
The food was great; all of you worked so hard. I am eating leftover fruit and salad today for lunch! Peach cobbler – how good was that! The ice cream man in my driveway! Yum!!!!!!!
Sally – a special thanks to you for helping with the inside dogs! Letting them lay in your truck! The grilled food was the best! I know you are recovering (and) that was a long day.
The clean up crew, who helped me take down the tent and throw away garbage and letting Skip have a little bite of burger. Skip now runs to the spot where the grill was! Please tell Britt thanks so much. We need to have adjustments at the next event.
Keep ‘Em Healthy Auction
Are you ready for another awesome online auction? “Keep ‘Em Healthy” kicks off Monday morning (July 15) at 9 and runs through Sunday, July 21.
We have everything from JRT items to home decor to jewelry to blankets. We even have our own GA JRT “Jack Pack.”
As a incredible bonus, artist Lili Chin, author Heather Whittaker and astrologist Louise Edington have donated their amazing artwork, writing talents and spiritual gifts to help us raise funds for the pups!
Proceeds from this auction will go directly towards monthly heartworm preventative, flea medication and annual vaccinations for our rescues. We’re still adding items, but you can get a sneak peak of what’s up for bids here.
Dog Days of Summer Event
The volunteers had such a great time yesterday, working hard … Now it’s time to play a little.
We would love to invite all of our volunteers and supporters (and their four-legged babies!) in the Metro Atlanta area to celebrate the Dog Days of Summer Event Saturday, July 27, at the Westin Buckhead (3391 Peachtree Road NE). This is a great opportunity for adopted parents to bring out some of our former rescues to say “hi” to Mama Donna. We would also love to meet some of our local online supporters who can’t make it out to the ranch to see us.
Plan on a fun-filled afternoon with your little ones and help us raise money for both our rescue and Ahimsa House, which is a wonderful group that helps human and animal victims of domestic violence reach safety together. All proceeds from the cash bar and pet-friendly raffle will go towards our organizations.
The raffle items are a pet parent’s dream, including:
- Barking Hound Village will donate a $175 Pampered Pooch Package that includes boarding for the weekend, baths, etc.
- Pampered Pet Care of Atlanta will donate a gift certificate for the raffle
- Westin Heavenly Dog Bed
- Skinny Margarita gift basket
Just this Westin Heavenly Dog Bed alone is, well, heavenly …
Westin Heavenly Dog Bed
There will also be 100 gift bags given out with great items and gift certificates from Atlanta Dog Spa, Big Daddy Biscuits and Barking Hound Village.
We will have a couple of our adoptable rescues with us as well. We’ll let you know who soon closer to the event.
We are trying to get a headcount, so please RSVP 404-688-1466 or email rsvp@lizlapiduspr.com. We would also love it if you joined our Facebook page event, so we can count numbers as well.
Can’t wait to see everyone for an afternoon of fun! We promise, no one has to break a sweat or get dirty at this gathering. 😉
Volunteer Day is Tomorrow
Tomorrow’s the day to work and to play at Volunteer Day! We have a lot of people signed up for a day of kennel cleaning, dog washing/walking, general repairs and a yummy cookout!
People will be coming and going all day at the ranch between 9 am and 6pm (or dusk). Feel free to come out at any time that’s best for you and stay however long you want or can. If you want to be there for the cookout, it is scheduled for 12:30.
If you haven’t signed up for volunteer duties or cookout goodies, please do so ASAP:
Things to Bring
We will have most supplies on hand, but here are some things you will want to bring:
- Your goodies for the cookout
- Work or rubber gloves (depending on what duties you’re doing)
- Lawn/foldable chairs
- Umbrellas
- Old towels
You’ll also want to bring a pair of “poop shoes.” We try to clean up as much as possible, but with this many Jacks … well, poop happens.
If you still need the address/directions, please email us at jrtadoptions@gmail.com
Dog Day Events on Tap
We’re headed into the dog days of summer, but we’re not going to let that slow us down. In fact, we’ve got two big events scheduled for the dogs in July alone.
Volunteer Day
It’s been awhile since we’ve had our last volunteer day, so we’ve scheduled another one for Saturday, July 13 from 9am-6pm. For those volunteers who have attended in the past, you know this is a fast-paced, full-day schedule of doing all the stuff we don’t normally have time to do, as well as the much-needed seasonal upgrades. This includes washing doghouses; cleaning out all of the kennels and replacing hay; fixing or installing new tarps; repairing, extending or building onto kennels; and mowing grass. The dogs need out of their kennels while all of this is going on, so there’s fun stuff to do, too, like walking the dogs, playing ball in the field and working on agility with them.
And there’s always great food. This time, we’re doing a cookout!
We’ll rally at the ranch around 9 in the morning to discuss tasks and see who wants to do what, but we plan to be busy most of the day, possibly until sundown. If you can’t make it all day, come out whenever you can and stay for however long you like. Wear your old clothes and your “poo shoes.” We’re gettin’ dirty for the dogs!
If you plan on joining us, please visit our event page on Facebook and “join” us. If you’re not a Facbeook user, email us and let us know. We will provide everyone with the address and directions to the ranch offline. (Just know that it’s outside Conyers, Georgia, in case you’re wondering.)
Also, if you’re coming, please sign up on the volunteer duties sheet and the cookout sheet.
Dog Days of Summer
We are proud to take part in celebrating the Dog Days of Summer event with Ahimsa House and the Westin Hotel in Buckhead. Scheduled for 2-4 pm Saturday, July 27 at the Westin (3391 Peachtree Road NE in Atlanta), this special event invites you to bring your canine companions to help raise money for Ahimsa House and our rescue.
Mix and mingle in the hotel’s pet-friendly event space with light bites, specialty cocktails and pet-fun activities. All proceeds from the cash bar and pet-friendly raffle will benefit Ahimsa House and our rescue.
The event sponsors have asked everyone to RSVP by calling 404-688-1466 or emaling rsvp@lizlapiduspr.com. If you’re on Facebook, we would also love it if you visited our event page and “join” us.
Great Plumber, Great People
Last week, we posted a shot-in-the-dark for help on our Facebook page. We weren’t able to wash blankets, beds, etc. because all of the recent rain had backed up our septic tank.
Kelsey Davis of Advanced Plumbing & Drain Cleaning in Athens immediately stepped up to help. He came out that night to assess things and he and his son, Colin, came back today (on a Sunday!) to get the job done. As if that wasn’t enough, they helped put up a new tarp for Eli and Elanor (the recent rains destroyed theirs along with many others) while Mama Donna was dealing with other stuff and played with some of the pups,
Not enough for you? Their family adopted a wonderful JRT from a kill shelter who had been hit by a car and had a broken leg and detached retina. They spent thousands on surgery to help him and could not love him more if they tried.
Thank you beyond words, guys, for helping us when we needed it most. If you live in the Athens area and need plumbing services from some great folks who support the JRT rescue cause, please share/consider them first and call 706-613-9325.
Kelsey and Colin Davis of Advanced Plumbing
Mm-mm, That Smell …
So, you say the JRT line o’wines is really nice, but you’re not a drinker? We bet you love the wonderful smell of Christmas, fresh cotton and hot apple pie, though, don’t you? Well, guess what? We’ve got that now, too!
We are excited to introduce our new line of Jack Russell candles at charitywicks.com. You can select from six wonderfully-scented varieties, a four-pack sampler or collect all six unique candles – or six of just one scent, depending on your preference! Just order online or via fax, mail or phone call to have them delivered to your door; a portion of the proceeds above the distributor’s cost will go directly to the rescue.
Every 16-oz. candle is made with all-natural, kosher, 100% soy wax with a lead- and zinc-free self trimming cotton wick. The burn time for each candle is approximately 150 hours. Spoil yourself, your family, friends or co-workers while benefiting a great cause.
Those Lovely Labels
We love covering up the smell of wet dog as much as you do, but our favorite part is the beautiful custom labels of our senior and sanctuary babies. You can see all of them on selection sheet, including:
- Cotton Fields (pictured above) – Harry (adult dog who has so much potential, but has sadly stayed with us for several years now … He’s always dirty and never smells like cotton fields, but he looks beautiful on the label. We loved the irony.)
- Eucalyptus & Spearmint – Nicki (sanctuary adult dog who has fear-aggression issues after growing up with a hoarder … but is a doll once he trusts you)
- Fireplace – Hartley (senior dog with ongoing ear canal issues)
- Hot Apple Pie – Lorelee (adult dog who was a breeder dog until a couple of years ago … she’s just too cute not to be on something)
- Lavender – Cobb (senior dog with cataracts and skin allergies)
- Unscented – Jackie (senior dog who is allergic to anything and everything … She knows there are people out there just like her, so we granted her the unscented version)
How to Order
There are three ways to order these scented delights …
Order Online
Go to our online store and shop for your selections, adding them to your cart. Check out using any major credit card and their secure server.
Download Order Form
Download the candle selection sheet and the order form and print them out. Complete the order form and either mail or fax it to the address at the bottom of the order form. Please note: We are not handling the distribution.
Call the Distributor
View the the candle selection or visit our online store and decide what you would like to order. Then call BenefitWines.com at (978)297-5477 and tell them you are ordering wines from Georgia Jack Russell Rescue.
Keep Us Updated
We will receive a quarterly statement from the distributor on sales, but it will probably not include who purchased what. We always love to know who is supporting us, though, please feel free to email us or post on our Facebook page a pic of you enjoying your Jack’ed up wine … just make sure your Jack doesn’t get any. 
Rescue Photos for Sale
Our volunteer photographer, Soccer Dog Design, has snagged a few keepers of our rescues throughout the years. Some folks have asked for prints, so we are making them available now. Pick out and order yours now!
Good Dog. Good Wine.
As a Jack Russel fan/owner, you obviously appreciate the finer tings in life – like wine! Or maybe you just need something to steady your nerves after your Jack’s latest adventure … 😉
Whatever the case, we are excited to introduce our new line of Jack Russell wines at benefitwines.com. You can select from six savory varieties, a four-pack sampler or collect all six unique bottles. Just order online or via fax, mail or phone call to have them delivered to your door; a portion of the proceeds above the distributor’s cost will go directly to the rescue.
Those Lovely Labels
We appreciate wine, too, but our favorite part is the beautiful custom labels of our senior and sanctuary babies, including:
- Malbec – Rocket (sanctuary adult due to fear-aggression)
- Pinot Noir – Skip (senior with mobility issues)
- Merlot – Lelah (senior female; no health issues)
- Chardonnay – Elanor (senior with heart murmur)
- Cabernet Sauvignon – Eli (senior extraordinaire … with a wife with heart murmur)
- Sauvignon Blanc – Slick (super-shy senior)
How to Order
There are three ways to order wines. Please note that they all require you be over 21 and show your ID when you sign for the package, i.e. your Jack can’t sneak behind your back and order it!
Order Online
Go to our online store and shop for your selections, adding them to your cart. Check out using any major credit card and their secure server.
Download Order Form
Download the wine selection and the order form and print them out. Complete the order form and either mail or fax it to the address at the bottom of the order form. Please note: We are not handling the distribution.
Call the Distributor
View the the wine selection or visit our online store and decide what you would like to order. Then call BenefitWines.com at (978)297-5477 and tell them you are ordering wines from Georgia Jack Russell Rescue.
Keep Us Updated
We will receive a quarterly statement from the distributor on sales, but it will probably not include who purchased what. We always love to know who is supporting us, though, please feel free to email us or post on our Facebook page a pic of you enjoying your Jack’ed up wine … just make sure your Jack doesn’t get any. 😉
Second Life’s Grant
It has been a crazy two weeks around rescue – then again, when is it not? – but we didn’t want to waste another day without publishing a huge THANK YOU to Second Life Atlanta for helping us help the dogs.
A Chance at a Grant
Several weeks ago, one of our volunteers noticed that this wonderful local thrift store was giving grants to local, needy rescues such as ourselves. Another one of our volunteers, who lives in the area of the store and has supported/frequented this awesome business venture over the years, immediately went to work on the paperwork.
In addition to our ever-accumulating vet bills (these guys and gals just can’t seem to stay out of trouble), we are always in need of supplies, indoor/outdoor kennel improvements and repairs, crates and weatherproofing year-round to keep our rescues safe and comfortable. We rely solely on personal donations and grants to be able to do this.
Winning!
Toby Tobias, right, and Second Life staffers/volunteers celebrating the dogs with us at our Jack/Chow fundraiser last weekend.
Imagine our excitement when owners Tanya and Toby Tobias (and several of their staff/volunteers) showed up at our Jack/Chow fundraiser last weekend to personally tell us that our application had been received – and approved! The check was in the mail! We cannot tell them thank you enough and feel so fortunate to have been chosen.
You know us – we’ll be taking plenty of photos and giving reports on how the money is being used to improve the lives of our JRTs.
We want to make sure that Second Life keeps giving second lives to other dogs, so …
About Second Life
Their Amazing Mission
For those who may not know, Second Life is an amazing, upscale thrift store in Avondale Estates that was created with the mission of giving homeless pets a second chance at life. They sell gently-used clothing, home decorations and furniture and, in turn, use those proceeds to support animal rescue charities and programs like ours with much-needed cash donations.
Our volunteers have donated to and shopped at their store (located at 1 N. Clarendon Avenue in Avondale Estates) many times and highly encourage you to do so as well. There’s nothing like saving money while shopping for a cause!
Donate to the Dogs
Second Life needs donations to keep doing what they do and we encourage our friends, family and supporters to help them keep helping others. They are in need of gently-used clothing, household items, furniture, books, CDs, DVDs and more – almost anything in good condition. See their donations page for more details!
Bid to Win for the Dogs
Now that our major Jack/Chow event has been put to bed for the year (thanks again, everyone!), we can turn our attention to our next round of fundraising fun: Online auctions!
We have received so many wonderful, donated items throughout the years to benefit the dogs. We sell many of them at our various adoption events throughout the year, but our target participation is obviously limited just to Atlanta, Georgia, when we do that. We have so much amazing support from our online community around the world that it only made sense to start auctioning off some of these items online.
Auction Kicks Off Friday
We will be kicking off our first round of 20 auction items entitled “Support Our Seniors” on Friday morning at 9. They will run through Thursday, June 20. We have a wonderful selection of items, including purses (two of them are genuine Coach, baby!), pet items (collar, hemp bed, toys, etc.), jewelry, home decor and more. Every penny after shipping costs will go straight to the dogs to help with food, medications and, of course, that ever-rotating vet bill.
Although bidding doesn’t start until Friday morning, you can take a peek at all of the items here.
Donate Auction Items
We are always looking for items to “go to the dogs” and are open to donations of all kinds to auction off or sell at our events. If you have something you would like to donate, please contact us.
Seniors for Seniors Program
If you are a senior interested in adopting one of our seniors, we have a special Seniors for Seniors program. Learn more about it. Want to meet our sexy senior dogs? Here they are.
Hannah Needs Help
Hannah needs help. She arrived in early April with the other five Exodus Six dogs. She was scared senseless of Mama Donna and all of the volunteers. She would allow us to enter her kennel to clean and feed/water her, but she would never allow us to get close and would always make sure she […]
Paw Over Some Jack and Chow Down!
“Paw Over Some Jack and Chow Down” is just a few days away!
Scheduled for Saturday, June 8, the night should be an amazing one with great food and beer/wine, live music, a wine wall, a silent auction of amazing items, luxury log cabin raffle and so much more! Tickets are $15 in advance/$20 at the door and includes your drink tickets for the evening. All proceeds will go Chap’s Chow Rescue and our rescue. The fun will go down at Plants Creative Landsdcapes‘ headquarters, located at 425 E College Avenue in Decatur.
Our Sponsors and Supporters
Thank you to the following for making this evening possible:
- Plants Creative Landscapes
- Morgan Rowe
- Red Brick Brewery
- Paws, Whiskers & Wags
- Dennis Dean Catering
- Laura L. Miller
- Jennifer B. Jacobs Marketing
- Red Rhino Promotions
- Jabula Dog Academy
- Milner
- Dr. Karen Jordan/Compassionate Care Veterinary Service
- Atlanta Acne Specialists
- Dr. Q Cosmetics
- Tucker Pet Supply
- Briarcliff Animal Clinic
- Watershed Cabins
- LeAnn Christian
- For All Seasons Tree Service
- Leesia Teh Photography
- Pets Playhouse on Ponce
- Frogs to Dogs Pet Services/Behavioral Training
- Michael Nelson
- Delia Cochran
- Karen Bennett
- Jeana Nolen/Soccer Dog Design
- Deanie Augustine/DPS Prints
- Sheryl Cherico
- The volunteers at Chap’s Chow Rescue
- The volunteers at Georgia Jack Russell Rescue
How to Get Tickets
Tickets are no longer online because of snail mail delays. If you know Donna or a volunteer, you may buy them from us. Otherwise, they will be available at the door.
Help Us Promote the Event
If you live in the Atlanta area and would like to help us promote the event, please download and print out flyer.
Silent Auction Items
We have had so many people donate such amazing items, we are blown away. Here’s a list of items up for bids – incredible stuff! We will also be using some of the donated prizes as door prizes.
Artwork
- “Fiesty JRT” by artist Angela Bond
- Mosaic glass art items by Leann Christian
- Original floral watercolor painting by Australian artist Linda Bridges
Home Goods
- BBQ grill (18.5″) from Home Depot
- Set of 4 solar landscape lights from Home Depot
- Set of 4 tiki torches from Home Depot
- Ceramic Jack Russell cookie jar donated by Kathy White
- Faulkner Zero Gravity padded recliner
- Gift card from Pike Nursery
- Gift certificate for 1 load of firewood from For All Seasons
- Landscape cleanup services from Plants Creative Landscapes
- Landscape sesign services from Plants Creative Landscapes
- Ricoh Aficio SP C242DN color laser printer from Milner
Personal Merchandise & Services
- Accupuncture sessions (3) from Mary Cook
- Autographed copies (2) of “A Dog’s Purpose” by W. Bruce Cameron
- Cadillac accessory bag from Hennessy Cadillac
- Certificate for general house cleaning (1 visit) donated by Terry Packard
- Gift certificates for dermatology services from Atlanta Acne Specialists
- Gift basket of hair products from Cut Ups
- Gift card for ladies’ haircut from Lux Studio
- Gift certificate for haircut from Rutabega Salon
- Gift certificate for haircut from Soge Hair Salon
- Gift certificate for haircut/color or highlights from Grow Salon
- Jack Russell handbags donated by Kathy White
- Mary Kay cosmetics basket/gift card donated by Kimberly Samson
- Microdermabrasion treatment from Dr. Q Cosmetics
- Oxygen Facial Treatment from Dr. Q Cosmetics
- Maui Jim certificate donated by Laura Miller
- Oral B Smartseries 5000 Electric Toothbrush from Jeffrey C. Blankenship DMD
- Personal Training – “10 Days to a New You” from Lisa Anderson
- Photography: One 2-hour lesson or 2-hour portrait session from Becky Rentz
- Tattoo gift certificate and shop T-shirt from Kingdom Tattoo
- “Walk in the Park” by A Tail of Two sterling silver earrings donated by Jennifer Fernandez
Pet Merchandise & Services
- Doggie playcare (10-day pass) from K&B Elite
- Doggie playcare (10-day pass) from Rex & Roxy’s
- Gift baskets (2) from Tucker Pet Supply
- Gift certificate for home visit and vacs from Compassionate Care Mobile Vet
- Gift certificate for 5 days’ boarding from Pet’s Playhouse on Ponce
- Gift certificate for basic obedience training classes from Frogs to Dogs
- Grooming session from The Fur Side
- Group obedience training session (6 weeks) from Jabula Dog
- Academy Pet portrait session from Parker Pet Portraits
Restaurants
- Gift card from Avellino’s Pizza Pub
- Gift card from Edible Arrangements
- Gift card and 64-ounce growler from the Beer Growler
- Gift card from Sweet Dee’s Bakeshop
- Gift card from Sugo’s Restaurant
- Travel coffee mugs and gift cards (2) from City Lights Café
Sports and Entertainment
- CNN gift bag and 4 CNN Studio Tour tickets
- Gift card for dinner and a movie donated by Laura Miller
- Golf lesson package from Edwin Watts Golf Academy
- Mexican Party Basket donated by Laura Miller
- Plane ride (1-hour/1 person) donated by Briarcliff Animal Hospital
- Plane ride (1-hour/4 people) donated by Briarcliff Animal Hospital
- Road or mountain bike tune-up from Bikeways of Tucker
- Tickets (5) for Friday/Saturday show from Village Theater Comedy Theatre
- WNBA Dream Team Suite with 20 tickets donated by Laura Miller
Travel
- Condo in Cabo (1-bedroom) for a week donated by Briarcliff Animal Hospital
- Condo in Cabo (2-bedroom) for a week donated by Briarcliff Animal Hospital
- Condo in Sandestin (4-night stay) donated by Milner
- One-night stay at Chateau Elan
- Weekend stay in a luxury Smoky Mountain cabin from Watershed Cabins
Paw Over Some Jack and Chow Down!
“Paw Over Some Jack and Chow Down” is almost here!
Scheduled for Saturday, June 8, the night should be an amazing one with great food and beer/wine, live music, a wine wall, a silent auction of amazing items, luxury log cabin raffle and so much more! Tickets are $15 in advance/$20 at the door and includes your drink tickets for the evening. All proceeds will go Chap’s Chow Rescue and our rescue. The fun will go down at Plants Creative Landsdcapes‘ headquarters, located at 425 E College Avenue in Decatur.
Our Sponsors and Supporters
Thank you to the following for making this evening possible:
- Plants Creative Landscapes
- Morgan Rowe
- Red Brick Brewery
- Paws, Whiskers & Wags
- Dennis Dean Catering
- Laura L. Miller
- Jennifer B. Jacobs Marketing
- Red Rhino Promotions
- Jabula Dog Academy
- Milner
- Dr. Karen Jordan/Compassionate Care Veterinary Service
- Atlanta Acne Specialists
- Dr. Q Cosmetics
- Tucker Pet Supply
- Briarcliff Animal Clinic
- Watershed Cabins
- LeAnn Christian
- For All Seasons Tree Service
- Leesia Teh Photography
- Pets Playhouse on Ponce
- Frogs to Dogs Pet Services/Behavioral Training
- Michael Nelson
- Delia Cochran
- Karen Bennett
- Jeana Nolen/Soccer Dog Design
- Deanie Augustine/DPS Prints
- Sheryl Cherico
- The volunteers at Chap’s Chow Rescue
- The volunteers at Georgia Jack Russell Rescue
How to Get Tickets
Advance ticket sales online have now ended. You can get your tickets are the door!
Help Us Promote the Event
If you live in the Atlanta area and would like to help us promote the event, please download and print out flyer.
Silent Auction Items
We have had so many people donate such amazing items, we are blown away. Here’s a list of items up for bids – incredible stuff! We will also be using some of the donated prizes as door prizes.
Artwork
- “Fiesty JRT” by artist Angela Bond
- Mosaic glass art items by Leann Christian
- Original floral watercolor painting by Australian artist Linda Bridges
Home Goods
- BBQ grill (18.5″) from Home Depot
- Set of 4 solar landscape lights from Home Depot
- Set of 4 tiki torches from Home Depot
- Ceramic Jack Russell cookie jar donated by Kathy White
- Faulkner Zero Gravity padded recliner
- Gift card from Pike Nursery
- Gift certificate for 1 load of firewood from For All Seasons
- Landscape cleanup services from Plants Creative Landscapes
- Landscape sesign services from Plants Creative Landscapes
- Ricoh Aficio SP C242DN color laser printer from Milner
Personal Merchandise & Services
- Accupuncture sessions (3) from Mary Cook
- Autographed copies of “A Dog’s Purpose” and “A Dog’s Journey” by W. Bruce Cameron
- Cadillac accessory bag from Hennessy Cadillac
- Certificate for general house cleaning (1 visit) donated by Terry Packard
- Gift certificates for dermatology services from Atlanta Acne Specialists
- Gift basket of hair products from Cut Ups
- Gift card for ladies’ haircut from Lux Studio
- Gift certificate for haircut from Rutabega Salon
- Gift certificate for haircut from Soge Hair Salon
- Gift certificate for haircut/color or highlights from Grow Salon
- Jack Russell handbags donated by Kathy White
- Mary Kay cosmetics basket/gift card donated by Kimberly Samson
- Microdermabrasion treatment from Dr. Q Cosmetics
- Oxygen Facial Treatment from Dr. Q Cosmetics
- Maui Jim certificate donated by Laura Miller
- Oral B Smartseries 5000 Electric Toothbrush from Jeffrey C. Blankenship DMD
- Personal Training – “10 Days to a New You” from Lisa Anderson
- Photography: One 2-hour lesson or 2-hour portrait session from Becky Rentz
- Tattoo gift certificate and shop T-shirt from Kingdom Tattoo
- “Walk in the Park” by A Tail of Two sterling silver earrings donated by Jennifer Fernandez
Pet Merchandise & Services
- Doggie playcare (10-day pass) from K&B Elite
- Doggie playcare (10-day pass) from Rex & Roxy’s
- Gift baskets (2) from Tucker Pet Supply
- Gift certificate for home visit and vacs from Compassionate Care Mobile Vet
- Gift certificate for 5 days’ boarding from Pet’s Playhouse on Ponce
- Gift certificate for basic obedience training classes from Frogs to Dogs
- Grooming session from The Fur Side
- Group obedience training session (6 weeks) from Jabula Dog
- Academy Pet portrait session from Parker Pet Portraits
Restaurants
- Gift card from Avellino’s Pizza Pub
- Gift card from Edible Arrangements
- Gift card and 64-ounce growler from the Beer Growler
- Gift card from Sweet Dee’s Bakeshop
- Gift card from Sugo’s Restaurant
- Travel coffee mugs and gift cards (2) from City Lights Café
Sports and Entertainment
- CNN gift bag and 4 CNN Studio Tour tickets
- Gift card for dinner and a movie donated by Laura Miller
- Golf lesson package from Edwin Watts Golf Academy
- Mexican Party Basket donated by Laura Miller
- Plane ride (1-hour/1 person) donated by Briarcliff Animal Hospital
- Plane ride (1-hour/4 people) donated by Briarcliff Animal Hospital
- Road or mountain bike tune-up from Bikeways of Tucker
- Tickets (5) for Friday/Saturday show from Village Theater Comedy Theatre
- WNBA Dream Team Suite with 20 tickets donated by Laura Miller
Travel
- Condo in Cabo (1-bedroom) for a week donated by Briarcliff Animal Hospital
- Condo in Cabo (2-bedroom) for a week donated by Briarcliff Animal Hospital
- Condo in Sandestin (4-night stay) donated by Milner
- One-night stay at Chateau Elan
- Weekend stay in a luxury Smoky Mountain cabin from Watershed Cabins
Ready for Woofstock?
Looking for something to do this weekend? Grab your pooches and head out to Star 94’s Woofstock 2013 in Suwanee. We will be joining tons of other rescue groups and pet-related vendors to celebrate the 8th annual event on Saturday from noon-7 pm. Be sure to stop by our booth and say hello! We’ll have some of our dogs for adoption with us, as well as merchandise and raffle tickets for the June cabin raffle. See you there!
Fundraiser Fun!
We are so excited to announce our forthcoming fundraiser – “Paw Over Some Jack and Chow Down. Scheduled for Saturday, June 8, the evening promises to be a fantastic one with plenty of great food and beer/wine, live music, silent auction, luxury log cabin raffle and so much more! Tickets are $15 in advance/$20 at the door and includes your drink tickets for the evening. All proceeds will go Chap’s Chow Rescue and our rescue. The fun will go down at Plants Creative Landsdcapes‘ headquarters, located at 425 E College Avenue in Decatur.
Our Sponsors
We would love to thank our sponsors, who are making this whole thing possible. If you would like to join this wonderful list and help save the lives of homeless dogs, please contact us.
- Plants Creative Landscapes for the use of their beautiful new warehouse.
- Morgan Rowe for sharing her vocal talents.
- Red Brick Brewery for providing the beer.
- United Distributors for providing wine.
- Paws, Whiskers & Wags for covering the costs of our giveaways/takeaways.
- Laura L. Miller with for catering and planning.
Silent Auction Donations
We have some great donations towards our silent auction so far, but need many more. This is a great opportunity to give your business some great exposure while doing an even greater thing. If you would like to donate your services, products, hand-crafted or rare items, gift certificates, season tickets or anything else of value, please contact us.
If you have something small you would like to send, you can mail it to the following address. Please, let us know the approximate price of your donation, so we can make sure you send you a letter for your taxes.
Georgia Jack Russell Rescue
Box 305
Avondale Estates GA 30002
How to Get Tickets
Tickets are available by clicking the Buy Now button below. They are $15 in advance and you will receive your tickets by regular mail. You can also send a check or money order to the following address and we will mail them to you. If you know Donna or a volunteer, you can purchase tickets directly from them. Tickets are $20 at the door.
Georgia Jack Russell Rescue
Box 305
Avondale Estates GA 30002
Help Us Promote the Event
If you live in the Atlanta area and would like to help us promote the event, please download and print out flyer. If you know of businesses or individuals who may be interested in donating items or services, hit ’em up! 😉
Stop by at Sweetwater
The weather looks great in the Atlanta area this weekend – sunshine, mid-60s’ and zero chance of rain! Not too hot or too cold; juuuussstt right!
Come on out to the Sweetwater 420 Fest in Candler Park and enjoy some great music, food and home-grown brew. While you’re there, be sure to stop by our tent and say “hi!” We’ll be there Saturday and Sunday from 10am-6pm. We can’t bring any of our dogs with us, but we’ll have our adoption book, as well as our T-shirts, cabin raffle tickets and other great JRT- and dog-related merchandise for sale. As always, all proceeds go to take care of our rescues.
Get a Raffle Ticket … Then Getaway!
We are thrilled to announce the return of our Great Smoky Mountain Getaway raffle. For $5, you could win a two-night stay in this luxury cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains. The best part? You can bring your four-legged babies!
Visit our raffle page for all the details.
Journey’s End Cabin
Blazer: A Champion Rescue Story
On nights like tonight, we all need a little pick-me-up; something to make us feel less helpless to help and to keep our faith in mankind. Nothing does that better than a story about a rescued dog who done good – and then some!
Meet Blazer
If you’ve been following our entries in the Petco Photo Contest, you inevitably saw “the Jack Pack” (plus Border Collie) entered by Laura Miller. It’s a wonderful photo, and we just have to include it here, as well as the link to vote for it …
One of those beautiful dogs is Blazer, a little superstar who has entered his own posthumous photo for the contest. This wonderful boy was adopted from our rescue more than a decade ago, before Jimmy and Donna even took over the reigns. Mom shared such a great success story about him, along with some amazing photos, that we just had to share. Although he left this world for the Rainbow Bridge last December, his memory and his story as a second-chance dog live on.
Here’s Mom’s story …
In 1998 I had 3 JRT’s of my own, Polo, Jake and Polly. I was involved with the Peach State JRT Club and competed mostly in agility. Blazer was owned by a couple that belonged to the club and the husband died unexpectedly. The wife was overwhelmed with several dogs and horses, and being forced to move from her home, was unable to keep them all. Blazer was being kept “temporarily” by GA JRT Rescue while she tried to work things out. He had been there about 3 months, and they couldn’t get her to agree to release him to be adopted out.
She wanted him to go to a performance home, so I agreed to take him and foster him until a performance home could be found. He was almost 2 at the time, and well trained, but had also been hunted so he was very prey driven. He went to a couple of prospective homes briefly, but they didn’t work out. Then he went to a high-profile agility home in Chicago. He was there 7 months, but kept escaping and couldn’t get along with the Chow mix in the hom, so they returned him to me. At that point, I decided to keep him.
Blazer was an amazing athlete. He and I competed in agility on a national level in USDAA, NADAC, AKC and TDAA, earning Agility Championships in each of these four venues. He was ranked in the Top Ten in the country in USDAA agility in 2003, 2004 and 2006. We were invited and competed in the Purina Incredible Dog Challenge, as well as national championships in USDAA and AKC, making it to the Finals of the USDAA Performance National Championship in 2006.
In addition to his agility career, he was a registered Therapy Dog with TDInc. and through the “R.E.A.D.” program we volunteered in after-school programs and libraries, reading with children as his “retirement” job until he was 16.
Blazer’s acting career started when he auditioned for the role of Sandy in “Annie” at the Decatur Playhouse in 1999. He was live on stage for 7 weeks, 4 nights a week+Sunday matinee. Following this, he had a number of acting jobs in commercials and such. He was the “Bellsouth” Dog in an ad campaign in about 2006(?). He also did a fun ad for the Children’s Museum of Atlanta. All of the money earned from his jobs went to pay for vet care for the other foster dogs that came through our home. I often just had checks made to our vet to pay them directly for our rescue bill.
I lost Blazer in December, on the Saturday before Christmas. He would have been 17 in March. He inspired me to rescue and foster, as here was this dog that no one wanted, yet he was a Champion in every sense of the word.
Fabulous Photos
If his story alone didn’t inspire you, take a peek at these wonderful photos. The pics of his BellSouth ads and appearance with the “Sandy” cast were too small to share for now, but we hope to get some higher res pics soon. Just wanted to share his story for now … because we all need them.
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Vote for Blazer
If you would like to vote for Blazer in the photo contest and help rescue dogs like him, you can do so here.
Thank you to Laura for sharing this wonderful story and for giving Blazer (and many others) such a wonderful home. And thank you for the wonderful Martingale collars for our rescue group and desire to help us with our big fundraiser in June. We couldn’t do this without people like you.
April Specials on BarkBoxes
After several suggestions from some great friends of ours, we have joined the BarkBox program to see how things go. So, what, exactly, is this?
When you sign up for BarkBox, every month you will receive a box in the mail with four or more carefully selected products and presents for your dog – anything from toys, bones and all-natural treats to hygiene products and innovative new gadgets!
We have not personally seen one of these boxes, but have heard good reviews. The best part about the program is that they donate at least 10% of their profits to shelters, rescues and animal welfare organization like us. To make sure we receive the 10%, be sure to use this code when ordering: GJRRBBX1.
April Specials
This month, they’re offering a really cool special to customers and rescues. They are donating the usual $10 they donate to rescues for every unique $10 coupon redeemed by our Jack-lovin’ community. In addition, they are giving you, the customer, $10 off your order and us, the rescue, 5 free BarkBoxes with every 10 coupons redeemed!  This not only provides goodies to our rescues that we can’t always afford, it also gives us something nice to auction at fundraisers or to thank some of our very special sponsors for all your support.
Every day this month on our Facebook page, we’ll be featuring a special dog at rescue (see the photo at right) who you can “sponsor” through your purchase of a BarkBox. If you haven’t Liked us, please be sure to do so and keep your eyes peeled for this daily deal.
As always, thank you beyond words for your ongoing support. We couldn’t do any of this without you.
I asked for a dog …
Sometimes, we get so wrapped up wanting to do the right thing and adopt a rescue dog that we forget that none of them are perfect … and neither are we. And sometimes we still think we get to pick them … when any rescue parent knows they pick us. They find us when we need them and they teach us what we need to know.
Please note: Someone sent us this poem and we could not find any accreditation. If you are the author of this adaptation, please let us know and we’ll be happy to give you credit.
Spring Flings on Tap
Spring has officially sprung … and brought its showers with it. But that’s OK – soon the sun will be out, the weather will be warmer and you know what that means: Spring festivals! We now have big events scheduled for April, May and June. Woo-hoo! Here’s a brief overview, so you can plug these dates into your calendars:
SweetWater 420 Fest
First on tap (pun intended) is the SweetWater 420 Fest at Candler Park April 19-21. We were the only rescue group there last year, and it was an absolute blast! We met so many great dog lovers (show us your smartphone pics!) and hope to do so again. We can’t bring dogs to this event (no one can), but we will have all of our merchandise and information on the dogs with us.
WoofStock 2013
Second up is the annual WoofStock festival at Suwanee Town Center on May 11. This will be the fourth year we have participated. If the weather is nice (not too hot like last year), we will definitely bring some of our adoptable babies. Bring your own babies out for live music, food, pet contests and more. And, of course, don’t forget to stop by our tent and say “hello!”
June Fun(d)raising Event
Last but not least is a very special fundraising event that we are working on for June. We can’t release the details until they’re ironed out, but mark you calendars now for the evening of Saturday, June 8. You’re going to want to be there!
Go, Team, Go!
Join Team Russell! Enter your pet’s photo in Petco’s contest and help us win money for the rescue.
Thanks to everyone who has joined Team Russell in Petco’s “Life Together is Better” photo contest. We’ve only been at it a few days and already have 17 great photos posted and 100 votes in the bank. Only 1,400 more to go! We know it sounds daunting, but it’s still very early in the game. We can do this!
How does this work again?
To answer some of the questions you’ve asked …
- Yes, we do have to raise 1,500 votes. When we do, we automatically get the $1,500 in grant money. If we raise more, we get that, too. If we raise $500, we will be entered into a drawing for a $1,500 grant.
- If we don’t win (we won’t even talk about that possibility), the money will still go to the Petco Foundation, which has been very generous to us in the past when we needed them most. We are actually working on a writing another grant right now, but as you know, that can take a lot of “finangling” and red tape.
- Yes, you can enter as many photos as you’d like. The more we have in circulation, the more likely we are to get votes and raise funds.
Where do I go to vote?
We have been individually posting the photos on our Facebook page, but if you would like to look at all of our photos at a glance, visit this link and select Georgia Jack Russell Rescue Inc. from the drop-down menu.
Attention: Parents Posting of our Dogs Adopted Before 2011
We have several photos posted of some of our “older” rescues who the current volunteer team did not have the pleasure of meeting or knowing. We are going to ask Donna for the scoop, but you know how busy she is. If you have time, please send us the story of your rescue – anything you know about their past and how you came to adopt him or her. This will help us tell their story … and pick the perfect team position for them. 😉
Join Team Russell!
Join Team Russell! Enter your pet’s photo in Petco’s contest and help us win money for the rescue. Get the scoop!
Have a great photo of your precious pup and want to help out the rescue from your recliner? Here’s your chance!
Petco Foundation kicked off another photo contest today. Titled “Life Is Better Together,” this is a fundraiser that is open to everyone and benefits homeless pets. There are three basic steps:
- Enter
- Choose “Georgia – Georgia Jack Russell Rescue Inc.” from the category partner list
- Win!
When you select our rescue, you will immediately become part of our fundraising team. Each team member will seek votes for their baby’s photo. This can easily be done online and every vote will raise $1 towards the goal. When–not if–our team gets $1,500 in votes by the contest end on April 29, our rescue will receive a grant in that amount! When we raise $500, we will be entered into a free drawing to win a single grant of $1,500. The top three individual fundraisers will win an additional $2,500 in grant money for their chosen partner.
You can also win some personal gifts for yourself, and 12 lucky photos will be selected by a panel of judges to be included in the 2014 Petco Foundation calendar.
Put Me In, Coach!
Are you ready to join the team? Visit Petco’s page, which will give you all the information you need to know to get started.
Once you’re signed up and have a link, please email it to us. We’ll share on our Facebook page, so we can help raise some votes!
Cast Yer Votes!
Don’t have a photo to upload, but want to support the cause and vote ‘n donate? View all the entries here.
Tessa Takes Off
Saying goodbye is never easy … Some rescues say that, but we truly mean it – and have the tear stains to prove it. We are small but mighty and we grow to love each and every one of our silly Terriers.
Tessa arrived with a huge intake of dogs last summer. She was small, adorable and full-bred … and we thought she would go quickly. Slowly but surely, every one of her co-arrivals was adopted and she was ultimately left alone. Why? She had these silly little blemishes on her face and body. They turned out to be nothing but little cosmetic annoyances; warts caused by the papilloma virus with no threat except to affect her overall beauty. Nothing cancerous, thank dog!
Canine Commitment in New Hampshire had no problem with this, though. One of our volunteers has known one of their volunteers for decades and knew that they instill the same beliefs and the love of dog that we do. They are an amazing group with an even more amazing reputation for finding forever homes for dogs from the south … and providing them with just-as-amazing foster homes until they find their permanent one.
After some delays, our sweet girl left the ranch this morning destined for greatness. We dressed her up (she loves her hoodies/sweaters) and drove her to meet the Ruff Riders Transport with a blankie and food. (We hear it’s cold up there.) With tears in our eyes, we said goodbye and she is now on her way to her foster home, where we will enjoy all the comforts of a real home and family until her forever one is found.
We will keep you posted on her progress. We know we have plenty of supporters up north. If you are interested in giving her a forever home, please contact us and we will make sure to connect you with Canine Commitment and the adoption process.
Good luck, Tessa! We will miss your sunbathing smile, but know you are going to wonderful things. We’ll stop crying soon … we promise.
Help Needed for Survivors of Rescue Bust
It is a loving rescue’s worst nightmare: The bust of a rescue-turned-hoarder situation and the abuse, neglect and senseless demise of dozens of dogs who had trusted someone to save them. Unfortunately, it happens a lot … and it just happened again. This time it hits way too close to home.
Orangeburg County Animal Control and Shelter in South Carolina raided a “rescue” over the weekend. They seized 53 dogs … most of whom are Jack Russells. 🙁 Many of their rescue mates were not so lucky to be saved. We will spare you the horrific details.
Donations of Items
Several Russell rescues in the south and across the country are bonding together to help the shelter, asking all of our supporters to do what you can. Orangeburg is a very small shelter and was not prepared for a huge intake like this. They are desperate for items to help house and, of course, care for the survivors, including:
Clorox- Laundry Detergent
- Blankets
- Cedar Shavings for Bedding
- Blankets
- Towels
If you are in the area, please call them and coordinate a drop-off. If you are outside the area, you can FedEx or UPS goods to the following address:
Orangeburg Animal Control
1596 Ellis Ave
Orangeburg, SC 29116
Phone: 803-534-0045
If you are in the Atlanta area and would like to donate, we are planning a run up there early next week to deliver items. You can call us at 770-918-8582 or email us at jrtadoptions@gmail.com.
Monetary Donations
And, of course, monetary donations are greatly needed. All of these babies will need to be vetted and many are in very poor condition. Send donation Made payable to: Dr Wayne Harley Please make sure you put on your check that it is for: Animal Control Jack Russell Rescue
Harley Wayne Jr DVM
Attn Megan
254 Meeting Street
Orangeburg, SC 29115
Earmark Check: Animal Control Jack Russell Rescue
Phone: (803) 534-2488
Their Hours are: 8:30 – 5 pm Monday thru Friday
To stay informed of the situation, please visit Orangeburg’s Facebook page.
Happy Birthday, Donna!
Eli and Elanor, the rescues and the volunteers would like to wish Donna, our fearless leader, a very happy birthday! May your every wish come true today. If you haven’t wished Donna a happy birthday, you can do so here. If you haven’t watched the birthday video we created, check it out now!
The Birthday Video
Tomorrow is Donna’s birthday. We tried to keep this video under wraps until then, but just couldn’t …
Here’s the personal home video the volunteers put together for her for her birthday. It’s a short glimpse into the life of the rescue she and Jimmy founded more than 10 years ago and that we, the volunteers, are so proud to be a part of. We are missing so many dogs and will probably create more of these, but … for now … Welcome to our world and thank you for supporting us.
If you would like to wish her a happy birthday or leave her a gift (donations to the dogs only, please), you can do so by signing her page and/or visiting our donations page and mentioning “Happy Birthday” in the special notes.
Amelia’s Angels
Oops, we did it again … We had a few dogs in holding arriving today and were in absolutely no shape, financially or space wise, to take on more … but we did.
On Thursday, the horrifying photo and story of a down’n’out litte JRT boy at Clayton County was circulating the rescue boards. He had been stabbed and was going to be put down Friday.
Try as we might not to take on any more vet bills right now, “his” story made its way to us and, try as we might, and we couldn’t look away. We showed up at the shelter Friday morning, and they literally had to get “him” from the euthanasia room. We signed the papers and they brought him out … Much to our surprise, we discovered he is actually a she … and he isn’t a little JRT. We, of course, weren’t about to say no. We were there for a reason, and she was out of there!
Her name is now Amelia (“Millie” for short), and she is a big ole 39.6-lb. Terrier mix of love and kisses. We took her straight from the shelter to Dr. Wright to check out her wound. He bandaged her up and said, besides that nasty little boo-boo, she is a healthy young (1 or 2 years) girl who is as sweet as punch and will heal up nicely. He also says it doesn’t appear to be a stab wound; thinks she probably got hung on something and wrestled herself loose.
She has been with us for a couple of days and is still healing. She is still limping a bit and will go back to the vet this week for a check-up, but she is positively gorgeous and full of love. We don’t really have a lot of accommodations (or a food budget) for another 40-lb. dog (have a couple right now), so we want to find her another rescue, foster or forever home where she can recoup and move forward into her new life.
We can honestly say she is a very special girl with wonderful angels around her. She is going to make someone an amazing dog.
If you are interested in fostering her, please complete the form here. If you are interested in adopting her, please complete the form here . And, if you are a rescue more geared towards her size or potential adopters, please contact us at jrtadoptions@gmail.com or call 770-918-8582.
She already has some wonderful pledges, which we will use towards our ever-growing vet bill. But if you would like to donate and help her out, you can do so online via PayPal. Just note that it’s for Millie in the special notes.
A Tribute to BB
Healing has been hard the past few weeks. First, we lost Abigail unexpected on Christmas Eve, then Chloe on Jan. 4. These were both heartbreaking and hard to recover from, but today we had to say good-bye to the king: BB.
BB wasn’t just a rescue; he was the rescue. He was in such bad shape when he arrived many years ago, riddled with heartworms, that he quickly became a house dog. He belonged to Jimmy and Donna and he wasn’t going anywhere.
An amicable, little soul, he would always greet the new arrivals with a smile that said, “Don’t worry, little one, you’re safe here.” He did the same for all of the volunteers, giving us more than a good laugh throughout the years as he “patrolled” the grounds and made sure every dog was in their place.
Like any senior, he had his troubles. His hearing was gone and his vision was following it. His damaged heart struggled sometimes, but if there was food or fun to be had, he was up and at ’em like a newborn Jack. Unfortunately, that spring in his step began to fade recently, and he had troubles going up and down the special ramp our volunteers built for him. He was ready and he let us know. This morning, we kissed him on the forehead and made the decision not to let him suffer. He had been so good to us and, as hard as it was to let go, we knew he deserved peace and joy.
This is a huge loss for all of us. Donna has lost one of her own personal babies, and we have lost that little bright spot who always greeted us. He will be missed beyond words, but we know that Jimmy and Abigail are happy to see him again.
Here are some photos of a wonderful, little man who changed the lives of many.
A Tribute to BB
Healing has been hard the past few weeks. First, we lost Abigail unexpected on Christmas Eve, then Chloe on Jan. 4. These were both heartbreaking and hard to recover from, but today we had to say good-bye to the king: BB.
BB wasn’t just a rescue; he was the rescue. He was in such bad shape when he arrived many years ago, riddled with heartworms, that he quickly became a house dog. He belonged to Jimmy and Donna and he wasn’t going anywhere.
An amicable, little soul, he would always greet the new arrivals with a smile that said, “Don’t worry, little one, you’re safe here.” He did the same for all of the volunteers, giving us more than a good laugh throughout the years as he “patrolled” the grounds and made sure every dog was in their place.
Like any senior, he had his troubles. His hearing was gone and his vision was following it. His damaged heart struggled sometimes, but if there was food or fun to be had, he was up and at ’em like a newborn Jack. Unfortunately, that spring in his step began to fade recently, and he had troubles going up and down the special ramp our volunteers built for him. He was ready and he let us know. This morning, we kissed him on the forehead and made the decision not to let him suffer. He had been so good to us and, as hard as it was to let go, we knew he deserved peace and joy.
This is a huge loss for all of us. Donna has lost one of her own personal babies, and we have lost that little bright spot who always greeted us. He will be missed beyond words, but we know that Jimmy and Abigail are happy to see him again.
Here are some photos of a wonderful, little man who changed the lives of many.
Tough New Beds for Teethy Terriers
Animal Rescue Aid has done it again! They have managed to offer a top-rate dog bed at an affordable price.
Many of you donated more than 20 beds back in 2011. Thank you again! The dogs absolutely love them. Some have loved them so much, they have made snacks of them and chewed up the corners. No problem – ARA offers affordable replacement toppers for those beds. A couple of our dogs, however, have unfortunately had to “lose” their beds altogether (don’t worry, they all have doghouses with straw and blankets) because they simply won’t stop chewing on the corners, potentially harming themselves.
Once again, ARA has the answer to that. They have designed and are offering some new “heavy-duty” beds to detour even the toughest terrier. The material is durable PVC nylon (the same kind Kuranda uses) and the frame includes “corner caps” to prevent the chew fiends from getting at them. They are offering these upgraded beds for just $22.50 each (includes shipping).
Check out the great design below:
ARA’s new heavy-duty pet bed with corner caps.
How to Donate a Bed
Donate Online
It takes a couple of steps, but it’s online and it’s easy. Go to ARA’s donations page and note the big Paypal button in the righthand corner. Click the Donate button. Once Paypal takes you through the sign in, just type in special notes that “This donation is towards a pet bed for Georgia Jack Russell Rescue.” That’s it. Done.
Donate by Check
If you are not comfortable making a donation online, you can email a check or money order to the following address. Please, put “pet bed” in the memo line:
Box 305
Avondale Estates, GA. 30002
Donate a Crate Instead
ARA also has a wonderful donate-a-crate program. We picked up our first donated one (thank you, Linda Lange, for this wonderful donation) and we’ll be sure to share a photo with you soon. We can always use more as our older ones begin to wear out.
Update from Pippa’s Parents
What a weekend we had! Lots of visitors to the ranch on Saturday and, of course, the wonderful volunteer transport of Gracie and Katie from Atlanta to their new home in Michigan. If you are part of our Facebook family, then you will also remember that we announced Pippa has officially been adopted by her foster family. We did not want to overshadow her story with the others, so we waited until today.
As many of you know, Pippa has had various health challenges because of her previous neglect and major heartworm infestation. We know many of you have been wanting to know how she’s doing after her treatments, so here is an official update from her family after a follow-up appointment on Friday. Unfortunately, it’s not great news, but we cannot thank her parents enough. They knew her possible condition and they didn’t hesitate to fall in love with her and take her home. (Then again, it’s hard not to fall in love with this little girl and her amazing spirit.)
We have no doubt she will have the absolute best life ever. In fact, we know she already is; just check out the silly pic of her going to the vet with Mom …
Update from Pippa’s Parents
“We always say that you are a member of our house when we give you many nicknames. She’s known as Pippa, Pippa Pants, Pippalicious, and Pipster. 🙂
She went for her EKG, and I wish it was all good news, but I wasn’t shocked at what it showed either. She has right-sided heart failure solely from the heartworms. It’s insanely crazy that this is 100% preventable. The doctor could see heartworms still in there because her body is still trying to break the big ones down. Her right ventricle is enlarged, and her valves show a lot of inflammation, as well as a heart murmur can be heard. Her heart is just weak and, of course, has permanent damage.
She’s going to stay on Lasix, start Prednisone for the inflammation, and start heart meds. We’re going to watch her until around May to give her body about 6 months to rid the worms. We’ll probably have to repeat the EKG at that time and assess if her meds need to be tweaked or changed.
With all that said, the doctor called her spunky. I asked how she could be so happy and be so sick and she said, ‘Well, she doesn’t know anything else. It’s her norm. She doesn’t know she can feel any different;. I thought that was about the most heart-breaking thing I’ve ever heard but its true. She’s just happy to have people that kiss her, even if she has rank breath and food when she’s hungry and dog beds in just about every room in the house. I guess it’s all we all need to be happy really.
She’s precious and we love her. :)”
A Reminder About Heartworm
Please, everyone, let Pippa’s story be a reminder of how important monthly heartworm prevention is. They is 100% preventable and our responsibility.
Katie and Gracie’s Northern Adventure
We are thrilled to announce that Katie and Gracie have arrived at their new home in Michigan. What an amazing group effort it was to make this transport happen for two special girls who have been through so much.
So many thank you’s are in order …
- Kim Davis for organizing the volunteer drivers and travel arrangements so quickly and so thoroughly. We could have never done this without you!
- WAG-A-LOT Decatur for the complimentary spa treatments for the girls.
- Super Sal for stepping up as always and driving the Atlanta to Knoxville leg.
- Anne Ross for opening up her home for a slumber party last night and driving them with friend, Dana, from Knoxville to Cincinnati this morning.
- Emily Messenger for driving them from Cincinnati to Deb’s doorstop in Michigan this afternoon.
And, of course, we want to thank Deb Zarish beyond words for adopting these sweethearts. We knew that it was going to be challenging to place the girls. Even the most savvy JRT lover isn’t up for the adopting two at a time, much less older girls. Many people won’t even look twice at a dog over 3 years old. None of this meant anything to her. She was more than ready to give the girls a wonderful second chance. We knew after talking with her that they were getting a great home … and her friends backed that up in emails, testifying what an amazing person she is and a great life they will have. What a wonderful group of JRT lovers up there!
Here are the photos from the journey we posted to Facebook as it happened. Enjoy!
Gracie and Katie are Headed North!
We are happy to announce that the details have been worked out for Katie and Gracie’s transport up north to Michigan! They will leave rescue on Saturday for the obligatory spa treatment and slumber party, then head out early Sunday to meet their new Mom. We will, of course, share plenty of photos and updates on their journey. Thank you to everyone who offered help!
Transport Help for Katie and Gracie
We have a great opportunity to place Gracie and Katie into an amazing acreage home with lots of room to play and a very experienced JRT mom, who is also a vet and who has worked with other rescues. The only problem? She is located near Ann Arbor, Mich., and we do not have a transport system from Atlanta. She is working on transport for the northern leg, but we will need help for the southern leg and beyond.
If you are located anywhere along the route from Atlanta to Ann Arbor and would like to help for any portion of the trip, please email us at jrtadoptions@gmail.com. We are still in the early stages of planning, but want to secure as many options as possible.
One way or another, we’ll make this happen. What a great life this would be for the girls! They are not liking rescue life, and we can’t wait to get them into a wonderful home again.
In Memory of Chloe
We do everything we can to save lives and provide/find the best homes possible to as many JRTs as we can physically and financially handle. Sometimes, however, everything just isn’t enough. Our hearts are still heavy from the the unexpected loss of Abigail of Christmas Eve. Last night, in the middle of the night, Chloe also left […]
Dog Lessons for the New Year
Happy New Year’s Day, everyone! To heck with resolutions; just learn from your dog(s) this year.
Help Donate a Crate
A little over a year ago, we participated in Animal Rescue Aid’s wonderful dog bed program. You guys came through (and then some!) and helped purchase an off-ground, soft bed for every one of our outdoor kennels. Once these jumping Jacks realized these weren’t mini trampolines (you know how these guys can be), they fell in love with them and use them every day they are outdoors. We will always need replacement toppers, but the frames are solid.
This winter, it’s colder than usual in the South and many of the dogs are spending more time in the indoor kennel. We have “just enough” crates of all shapes, sizes and models to house them, but many of them are old. Some are chewed and patched; some are beginning to rust. They were all donated, so … you can imagine. We appreciate every donation, of course; we also know crates are not cheap and we use them to their maximum. We do, however, need to replace a few soon.
The awesome 3-door crates from Animal Rescue Aid
So, how “grate” is it that ARA once again comes through and launches their National Pet Crate Donation Program. Like their beds, these are rugged and ready for our tough l’il Jacks. They are extra large (42x28x30) to give them plenty of room to stretch out; made of 6-gauge wire to detour those more “determined” new arrivals from escaping; and have 3 doors, which allows us to position them more efficiently in the indoor kennel. As you might expect, this puts the cost at $85 each with shipping or $60 each to pick up in Atlanta, which our volunteers are more than willing to do.
But, wait! We don’t expect anyone to donate that much of your hard-earned money. We all know you have your own four-legged kids to take care of, so guess what? You can give a little bit and it will go towards the purchase of a crate. That’s right, for just the price of a pizza, you can make a big dent towards buying a rescue dog a cozy home for the winter and, inevitably, the hot summers here when we put them back indoors to beat the heat.
So … how do I help?
It takes a couple of steps, but it’s online and it’s easy. Go to ARA’s donations page and note the big Paypal button in the righthand corner. Click the Donate button. Once Paypal takes you through the sign in, just leave in special notes that “This donation is towards a crate for Georgia Jack Russell Rescue.” That’s it. Done.
In Honor of Bentley
Bentley Beam, RIP 12/10/12
We have met so many wonderful people throughout the years … and some we’ve never actually even met. 🙂 One of those people is Christi Beam of Missouri, who found us online through our Facebook page. She and her husband, Brian, had a a beautiful Jack Russell named Bentley, who was having several health issues. He left them for the Rainbow Bridge shortly before Christmas Day on Dec. 10. To honor him, they have done one of the most wonderful things possible: They are sponsoring one of our special-needs rescues, Elanor, and helping to give her the gift of life. As you may know, Elanor has a heart murmur and requires monthly medication.
We are so thankful to the Beams (as well as all of our sponsors and supporters) and wanted to pay homage to Bentley … especially after hearing the story of how Mom and Dad saved him from a shelter fate. (We all know what happens to older dogs, especially ones with health issues.)
Here is their wonderful Christmas story they shared with friends:
12/25/12
“Today is the anniversary of the day Brian and I found Bentley while we were out walking our dogs on Christmas Day 2006. Bentley was walking down the sidewalk in our neighborhood, we rang the doorbell of the house he was in front of and asked if they knew this dog and they said no (turns out he actually lived in the house right next door). We took him home and brought him in the house and he jumped up on our sofa and sat down next to me. I told Brian I wanted to keep him, but he said ‘We can’t just keep someone’s dog’, so we decided to leash him up and walk the neighborhood. As we walked around, a car full of people stopped and they rolled down the window and said ‘You found Bentley!’ We were so happy that we were able to return him to his family and it turned out Brian had worked with the owner years ago.
Weeks later, Brian ran into Bentley’s owner at the grocery store and asked how he was and his owner said they had just taken him to the animal shelter because they wanted to ‘do some traveling and he had Epilepsy.’ Brian was so upset and came home and told me about it and I asked if we could get him and he said, ‘I’m going right now.’
Bentley came home, and the rest is history. I never dreamt that I would ever have a Jack Russell and now I can’t imagine my life without one. It was hard to see Bentley have seizures and to have him go through multiple surgeries, but I know that we took care of his medical issues and loved him unconditionally the same way he loved us.
I believe every thing happens for a reason and the day Bentley came into my life was the greatest gift I could have been given. Merry Christmas, little angel.”
– Chris and Brian Beam
Bentley, top left, with mom Christi and pack
How to Sponsor a Dog
Would you like to sponsor a dog? You can do so for as little as $10/month. All money will go towards food and vet care for one our rescues. You can donate to any dog or you can choose one to sponsor. We recommend sponsoring one of our special needs or senior dogs first, as they have a less likely chance of being adopted.
To donate to any dog and set up a recurring payment online, you can use the PayPal information below.
If you prefer to send a check or money order, you can make it payable to Georgia Jack Russell Rescue and mail it to:
Box 305
Avondale Estates, GA. 30002
Please put in the memo it is a sponsorship and for which dog, if applicable.
Happy Holidays from the Rescue Gang
Happy holidays from BB and the rescue gang. Thank you to everyone who made a difference this year. Whether you volunteered, adopted, fostered, donated and/or shared our posts, you have changed the lives of several Jack Russell rescues. Let’s make 2013 even better!
Katie and Gracie Have Arrived
How about this duo of adorableness? We would call them double trouble, but they are just too sweet! Gracie and Katie have made it through some tough times together the past few months. They lost both of their people parents in a matter of months. The family could not keep them, and our rescue was full. They spent a few weeks in foster care until we had room. They finally arrived this week … and we are smitten by them both.
Now it’s time to find them a second start – together. They have spent their entire lives together, and we are going to make sure they stay together. They are around 6-7 years old, socialized, sweet and house trained. They are UTD on shots, spayed, heartworm negative and ready to roll to their forever home.
Thanks so much to Ray and Linda for giving these guys another chance!
If you are interested in fostering or adopting them, please give us a call at 770-918-8582 or complete our application.
Super Pet Adoption Event
Make plans to drop by our booth this weekend at the Home for the Holidays Super Pet Adoption. Sponsored by Atlanta Animals Alive, this big event will be held at North Atlanta Trade Center from 10am-6pm Saturday. We will be selling grab bags and merchandise to benefit the dogs. Best of all, we will have some of our adoptable dogs with us!
Pets are welcome, and admission is free. Tons of fun stuff are planned, including Santa Paws photos, raffles, face painting and more.
Operation Maggie: Oklahoma
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Little Miss Maggie Mae arrived at our rescue in July 2012. A big ole powder puff, she was happy and sprite and ready for a second chance in life. She came from the shelter as a surrender, and we didn’t have much of a back story on her. It was, however, obvious she had been someone’s baby as she loved to be held and wanted desperately to be with people. She was so darn adorable and sweet that none of us imagined she would be with us for long.
Sadly, months passed and Maggie was still at the ranch. She is an older gal of 5 or 6 and fairly mellow. Most people looking for that kind of dog aren’t looking for a Jack Russell. Not saying Jacks can’t be tame, too, but … well, we all know. 😉 She needed someone who was going to be home a lot; to hold her and play with her and keep her company. She needed the perfect senior.
As much of a home as we try to make it here for these guys and girls, some dogs simply do not adapt to kennel life. We have been fortunate that it hasn’t happened very often, but like Ginger before her, Maggie was an exception. She cried so much to get out of her kennel and with people that she strained her trachea and she was starting to obsessively lick. Worst of all, she was beginning to chew on the bars and hurt her little teeth. We had to get her into a home, temporary or permanent, immediately and a couple of our amazing volunteers, who already have five dogs of their own, stepped up to foster her this week.
Meanwhile … 800 miles away in Oklahoma, that aforementioned “perfect senior” was about to appear. She had just lost her rescue of five years, was understandably heartbroken and needed a new baby to love. It was a darn good thing, then, that her daughter is one of our volunteers and knew just the perfect dog. The wheels were in motion to connect these two.
It took a team of volunteers and family working furiously for a few days to make it happen: Cara and Donna rushed to get her to the vet for a final check and get her ready to go. Kim picked up the precious cargo on Thursday and took her for a complimentary beauty treatment at WAG-A-LOT Decatur. (Thank you, guys!) After a night of playing with a pack of Jacks and Doxies (including one of our former rescues, Maxie), she was westbound to Tupelo, Miss., with Sally first thing Friday morning to meet her big brother, Stephen. Another eight hours and roadside site-seeing, she arrived at her new home and met her forever mom, Betty, last night. And this morning? The two of them are playing in their backyard together.
We will all miss our little Maggie, but it warms our hearts beyond words to know she is going to spend her days relaxing in her sunroom, watching squirrels and chasing birds on an acreage in the country. That may sound too good to be true, but it’s the absolute truth. How do I know? Maggie is now my baby sister. 🙂
Thank you to everyone who made this happen for this little girl and my mother. I don’t usually get personal in these posts as none of this about me, but this one was personal … and it meant the world to my family and me. I am so proud to be part of such a wonderful group.
Raise a Paw ‘n Get Grinched!
UPDATE: Please note, the Beer Night originally scheduled for Thursday has been postponed. In light of the theft of $30,000 in food from Intown Healthy Hound’s warehouse, they are very much in need of a benefit of their own right now. As such, one has been scheduled for this Thursday night at the following:
Hodge Podge Coffee House
720 Moreland Ave SE
Atlanta, GA
404-622-8525
Hodge Podge will have food, beer, live music, etc from 7-9pm. A $20 donation at the door will go towards helping the store recoup their losses and keep the doors open. We encourage all of our local fans and friends to support them during their time of need.
——————–
Want to enjoy an evening of homebrew-crafted beer away from the kids? Or a morning of holiday Grinch photos with the kids? Want to make a difference in the life of a homeless dog, a needy child and a struggling local business hit by thieves while doing it? Want no more!
Beer Night
Intown Healthy Hound will host Beer Night at 7pm Thursday, Dec. 13. This is a recurring social event that is usually free, but this time owners James and Bridget Galloway respectfully request a $5 donation to our rescue to participate. You can also donate an unwrapped toy to the Toys for Tots program. And, if you really have the holiday spirit, you can donate both! Whatever you give will make some little dog or child very happy this holiday season. The homebrew will be crafted by brewmaster Crawford Moran. Please, leave both the two-and four-legged children at home for this event.
Angel/Bone Tree
Intown Healthy Hound will also be hosting an Angel/Bone Tree throughout the month of December in their store, located in the heart of Grant Park at 891 Cherokee Avenue in Atlanta. The tree will feature “ornaments” of each one of our rescues. You can “adopt” a dog simply by choosing one from the tree and purchasing that dog’s unique wish. You can also buy locally-made and decorated bones at $3 for 1 or $5 for 3. All proceeds will go to our babies in need … and to help pay our enormous vet bill, so we can get back to rescuing.
Photos with the Grinch
Hang on, there’s more! This Sunday beginning at 10:30am, they are hosting a Grinch Event at Grant Park Farmers Market. That’s right, the Grinch will be on hand for story time and photos. So, grab your little ones (the two-legged ones; leave the four-legged ones at home this time) and head out to have a photo of your family taken with the Grinch by photographer Kelley Klein. Cost is $20, but if you bring an unwrapped gift for Toys for Tots or an item to donate to us, the price for a photo is only $10.
Wish List for the Rescues
Small but significant donations on our wish list include the following:
- Blankets and towels (gently used are welcome; no fraying, please, since some of our guys and gals like to floss with them)
- Martingale collars
- Leashes – six feet and strong; no retractable leashes, please!
- Flea and tick treatments (any kind)
- Laundry detergent, dryer sheets and/or bleach (these guys dirty up stuff like you wouldn’t believe)
- Dog chews or chew-related toys (please, be sure they are safe/easily digestible)
- “Fetch” toys (these guys and girls love to play ball!)
- Heavy-duty tarps for the kennels (10’ by 10’)
- Gift cards to Home Depot or Lowe’s to keep the kennels in good condition
If you are in the Grant Park or Atlanta area, we highly recommend you pick up any of the dog items above from Intown Healthy Hound. 😉
Let’s Support Those Who Support Others
We are so honored and blessed that the Galloways have reached out to us for this wonderful fundraiser, especially given that they are going through their own financial challenges right now. You may have seen them on the news today after $35,000 worth of Pet Chef Express food was stolen from their warehouse. Not only does this food provide a specialty nutritional option to patrons of Intown’s retail store and delivery service, it has also been donated to rescues like us. Whoever stole this food stole it from all of us. Not cool.
What’s done is done, unfortunately. Now, we ask that our friends be on the lookout for the food being sold or distributed elsewhere. It comes in a white bag with black labeling that says Pet Chef Express.
Let’s also support these small local business owners who have gone out of their way to support others. If you can’t make it out to any of the events in December and/or are already strapped for cash this shopping season, please take a moment to visit their website, “Like” their Facebook page or sign up for their mailing list to keep in the loop. They are always up to something fun while striving to keep your pets safe, happy and healthy. They also believe in products and practices that treat our Earth kindly, too. It ain’t easy being green.
Eli’s Holiday Wish List
The new year is almost here and some of you have mentioned you would like to help the dogs and asked us what they need. We are a 501(3)c nonprofit and that means your donations are tax-deductible.
We put little Eli to work (hey, he needs a job besides just being an adorable rock star) on a list. He interviewed all of the rescue residents and has come up with a plethora of options to fit any budget, geographical location and desire to do good. We are, of course, always open to anything you want to do to help as well. Anything and everything helps.
Money, Money, Money
Yeah, yeah, we know: That sounds like a greedy teenager’s holiday wish, but it is what it is. With a vet bill spiking in the thousands, we need money more than ever right now. Please, do not feel like $5 does not make an impact. It does! There are several ways to donate. You can do so online via Paypal or you can mail a check or money order to the following address:
Georgia Jack Russell Rescue Donations
Box 305
Avondale Estates, GA 30002
Please note: The above P.O. box belongs to our volunteer who handles our donations. If you know Donna and want to make sure this is legitimate, please feel free to do so.
If you feel more comfortable donating directly to our vet, we more than welcome that. The information is as follows (just mention it’s for Georgia Jack Russell Rescue’s vet bill):
Lithonia Animal Hospital
2015 Rock Chapel Rd.
Lithonia, GA 30058
770-482-2966
Amazon Wish List
Eli spent a lot of time interviewing our rescue residents and then clicking around to update the wish list on Amazon. This is an easy way for our online and out-of-town/out-of-state friends to contribute and make a difference. We have a little bit of everything on the list, from cheap toys and treats to bags of food and dog houses. If you enjoy giving toys, please do so! Just because we are worried about vet bills does not mean the dogs should be. They still need to play and enjoy life as much as they possibly can while waiting for their forever homes.
Best of all, if you are signed up with Socialvest and shop on Amazon, an additional 4% of your purchases will go straight to the rescue!
The Year-Round List
And, of course, there is the year-round list that we are always in need of. Jacks are tough and they are tough on everything they touch, so we never run out of needs from this list.
- Blankets and towels (gently used are welcome; no fraying, please, since some of our guys and gals like to floss with them)
- Martingale collars
- Leashes – six feet and strong; no retractable leashes, please!
- Flea and tick treatments (any kind)
- Laundry detergent, dryer sheets and/or bleach (these guys dirty up stuff like you wouldn’t believe)
- Dog chews or chew-related toys (please, be sure they are safe/easily digestible)
- “Fetch” toys (these guys and girls love to play ball!)
- Heavy-duty tarps for the kennels (10’ by 10’)
- Gift cards to Home Depot or Lowe’s to keep the kennels in good condition
If you are local, we highly encourage visiting a local pet store to purchase these items. Give us a call at 770-918-8582 or email us to arrange a pickup or dropoff time and location or a physical address to send the the items.
Get Letter for Uncle Sam
If you donate through Paypal, you will receive a thank you letter with donated amount for your taxes. If you gave items or sent checks or money orders directly to us or Donna and have not received a letter, please email us at jrtadoptions@gmail with your with your physical address, date of donation and type/amount of donation and we’ll make sure you get your letter for your taxes. Thank you for a wonderful year, everyone!
Adopted Parents: Send Us Updates!
You did one of the noblest things in the world: You opened up your home and took in one of our rescues in 2012. Now, we want to know how you (and they) are doing.
Every year at the end of December, we do a year-end roundup of things at the rescue on the Dog Blog. This has definitely been a big year for us, full of plenty of changes, challenges and, best of all, adoptions!
If you adopted any of our rescues this year and have a few minutes to spare, we would love it if you emailed us a recent photo and paragraph to let us know how he or she is doing. We will then add them to our big update, so everyone can share in the happy tails – and Mama Donna can see how her babies are doing. 🙂
If you adopted one of our rescues before 2012, we still love to see photos of how our former sweethearts are doing. You can post them to our Facebook wall or email them to us at any time.
Thank you for everything you have done to make a difference in a dog’s life – and, for some of you, two dogs’ lives! 😉
Hartley Needs Hearing Help
Our poor little Hartley has struggled a lifetime with issues. Now he needs an ear canal surgery.
Our poor little Hartley – trouble just seems to find and follow him, despite his wonderful disposition, huge heart, gratitude and love for humans and animals.
He was neglected his entire life and inevitably ended up in a kill-shelter in August. Several wonderful people stepped up to raise the funds to sponsor and vet him and transport him to our rescue. He has been battling ear issues since his arrival and, after many treatments, it’s official: His canals are closed and need to be opened. This will happen within the next week after a round of antibiotic shots and rest to battle his current infection.
What’s that mean? You guessed it! Another surgery and vet stay … After this procedure, however, our little man will (hopefully) not know what suffering means … ever again. He is so spunky and vivacious, despite his hearing problem.
If you originally helped Hartley or have just met him and want to help us help him, we could use your help … once again. Our vet bill is already enormous. Just visit his profile and scroll down to the Donate button. If you want to sponsor him on a monthly basis on your budget, you can do that, too …
Hartley Needs Hearing Help
Our poor little Hartley has struggled a lifetime with issues. Now he needs an ear canal surgery.
Our poor little Hartley – trouble just seems to find and follow him, despite his wonderful disposition, huge heart, gratitude and love for humans and animals.
He was neglected his entire life and inevitably ended up in a kill-shelter in August. Several wonderful people stepped up to raise the funds to sponsor and vet him and transport him to our rescue. He has been battling ear issues since his arrival and, after many treatments, it’s official: His canals are closed and need to be opened. This will happen within the next week after a round of antibiotic shots and rest to battle his current infection.
What’s that mean? You guessed it! Another surgery and vet stay … After this procedure, however, our little man will (hopefully) not know what suffering means … ever again. He is so spunky and vivacious, despite his hearing problem.
If you originally helped Hartley or have just met him and want to help us help him, we could use your help … once again. Our vet bill is already enormous. Just visit his profile and scroll down to the Donate button. If you want to sponsor him on a monthly basis on your budget, you can do that, too …
Volunteer Day: December
Yesterday marked our quarterly Volunteer Day – and what a day it was!
At least a dozen volunteers showed up to prep the rescue for winter. We weatherized the outdoor kennels, worked on the indoor kennel, dug trenches to lay down pipe (the indoor kennel was flooding) and, of course, gave the dogs some much-needed attention and training. We still have plenty to work on and complete, but we took some great strides this weekend.
We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful group; everyone brings an amazing skill/talent and passion to the table that, together, makes us mighty. It is literally a small group of friends, family and (previous) strangers working together to make life better for the dogs and Donna – who is always right there in the trenches with us.
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If We Had $550 Million …
Everyone is abuzz with Powerball fever tonight, but we can only think of one thing: Imagine what that money could do for homeless dogs everywhere! Alas, we aren’t millionaires and don’t forecast becoming one overnight. As such, we must publicly address something that has, unfortunately, been coming for some time and can no longer be avoided.
Adoptions & Sanctuary … for now
This was not an easy decision for us, but one that we, unfortunately, can no longer avoid. We are being forced to suspend the “rescue” part of our rescue, adoption and sanctuary mission for the time being. It’s not something we want to do this (quite the contrary) and we hope it’s very temporary, but it’s something we must do for now in order to survive and continue doing what we are doing. We still have a couple of dogs in holding, though, so don’t expect the new arrival photos to end any time soon. 😉
Why are we doing such a horrible thing?
Winter is almost here, and all of our kennels are full. We received a huge intake of dogs over the summer, while only adopting out a few. We are not a business by any means (and, if we were, we would be bankrupt), but we are practical and know there must be a balance in order to move forward.
We are very low on operating funds at the moment after incurring a massive amount of vet bills in recent months. Our vet is wonderful and very thorough, but he cannot work for free and we would never expect him to. We have openly shared the trials that Chloe and Pippa endured in October, but there were many more we didn’t talk about a lot or at all, including several respiratory infections, an emergency abscess removal, an unforeseen tiff between a couple of dogs (it happens) and (surprise, everyone!) the delivery of a litter of beautiful puppies to one of our latest arrivals. (We’ve been keeping that under wraps in respect of Mom, but will have news and photos for you soon!)
With dropping temperatures in the evenings, all 25 dogs currently in our care must be moved inside to the indoor kennel to be kept warm and safe. We want to make sure that everyone gets outdoors and exercises as much as possible during the day, so you guessed it: That means all 25 dogs must come back out in the morning. Sometimes we have help, but oftentimes we don’t—and our owner and almost all of the volunteers work full-time jobs.
Most importantly, though, we need to focus on the beautiful dogs we have committed to right now. They are and must remain our first priority, and we will not do anything to risk their care. They have each been through so much already. It is our hope that all of them will eventually find forever homes, but we are aware that several of them will probably spend their golden years in our sanctuary due to health or behavioral issues.
Nicki is one of our “lifers” at rescue. As gorgeous as he is, he came from a hoarder situation and has a lot of trust and fear-aggression issues. Many people said to put him down, but we refused – and don’t regret a moment with him. He is comfortable with our volunteers, but we cannot adopt him to just anyone. He (along with Rocket, Eli, Elanor, Slick, Hartley, Jackie and others who have behavioral or health issues) must be our first priority.
Any threat to the priorities listed above can shut down a rescue in a heartbeat. As much as we would love to save every homeless Jack on the planet, we simply cannot take that risk right now.
Rescue Alternatives
Although we cannot accept any dogs at this time, we can’t stand the thought of any Jack being put down for being, well, a Jack. If you have arrived at our website looking to surrender a dog, below are some online alternatives to try while we are embargoed from rescuing. We may eventually try to put together a forum/posting of our own for third-party rescues, but we are busy getting things done in other areas right now.
- Our Facebook Page
You may post the dog to our page, but please be clear that you have the dog and include your contact information. It must be clear to visitors that the dog is not at our rescue; otherwise we could both face legal issues. Please, do not spam our wall. We are trying to find homes for many dogs as well. - Georgia Jacks
This wonderful Facebook page is run by one of our volunteers, who spends her free time (after taking care of rescues and children) posting available Jacks in shelters throughout the state of Georgia. If you came here to ask us to save a shelter dog, please check Georgia Jacks. He or she may already be listed. If not, you can post on their wall and share the information with the group. - RescueMe.org
This far-reaching website is open to everyone (not just rescue groups) to post dogs needing homes. We have had a couple of adoptions from here ourselves and highly recommend it. - There are also several of other Jack- and terrier-oriented rescues in our state, though we cannot speak for their ability to take dogs in, either. Please check with them individually.
If you know of other places online, please feel free to comment below and share. If you need tips for listing a dog, please read this article. You must be perfectly honest about a dog’s temperament.
How You Can Help
If you want to know how you to help us through our current challenges and help us keep our doors open to keep on rescuing, here are some of the things we need.
Donations/Contributions
Yeah, we know: Rescues are always asking for donations. Beggars! It’s sad but true. Yes, we are a 501(3)c nonprofit, but, no, that doesn’t mean we receive any type of funding. (Just so you know, all the stuff you see online is “pro-bone-o”; our web designer /photographer works for puppy kisses.) We rely completely on donations from supporters and friends like you. We have managed to make it for 10 years and hope to do it for another, but we literally survive month-to-month based on donations and contributions.
You can donate to the dogs online using Paypal or directly to our vet (please, note that payment is towards Georgia Jack Russell’s outstanding bill).
If you can’t afford to give much or don’t like to give money, we have plenty of other options. And, of course, we live with Jacks who are pretty rough ‘n tough on everything, so we are always in need of goodies. The less we have to buy/replace, the more we have to spend on vet care and the well-being of our dogs. We firmly believe that all dogs need toys and activities to develop and stave off kennel depression; unfortunately, those “fun” items often get moved to the bottom of the list for bigger priorities.
Winter jackets and sweaters don’t just make our rescues eye candy for photo ops. They really do help keep them warm during the cooler days outdoors.
Help Us Find Forever Homes
As simple as it sounds, adoptions are the key to our survival. Although we do have some sanctuaried dogs, it is our mission and hope to find all of our dogs (regardless of age) the forever homes and second chances they deserve. Even if you can’t adopt, you have a powerful tool: Your computer. Sharing our adoptable rescues on your own network also helps us reach a larger audience and increase our adoption rate as well.
Susie and Pumpkin were both neglected, high-risk rescues. Thanks to the power of the Internet, their mom found us – and we found an amazing friend/volunteer.
You can find a complete listing of all of our adoptable dogs at the following links. They should all have the same information, but some have more photos or sharing options than others.
- Our Website (Includes all of our rescues, including ones not currently adoptable – but can be sponsored)
- Petfinder
- Adopt A Pet
We would really like to spread word of our Seniors 4 Seniors program. We have some wonderful dogs who do not have any “issues” besides a little less spring in their step. Jacks being Jacks, this can be a good thing, i.e. they have a “normal” dog energy. 😉
Sponsor a Dog
If you can’t adopt, you can sponsor one. This money will go to cover food, vetting and care for the dog(s) of your choice. You can sponsor to any dog and we will put it towards the most needy dog or you can donate to an individual dog by visiting our available dogs on our website.
Foster a Dog
If you aren’t in a position to adopt but have a dog-friendly home, consider fostering. Freeing up our kennels right now will allow us more time to dedicate to urgent needs of others. Many of our foster parents take on the cost of their foster dog (this is not standard practice, but it has happened many times), providing us the opportunity to save another dog. Most important, however, it gives our babies what they need most: Daily interaction and guidance in a home, making them much more adoptable than life in a kennel.
Volunteer
Last but not least, we are always in need of volunteers. We have a wonderful group on board right now, but as mentioned before, most of us work full-time jobs during the week. We are always in need of help during the weekdays, including moving/walking dogs, making vet trips, writing grants, helping with fundraisers, doing yardwork – you name it! It’s not always glamorous, but it’s the reality of rescue and every bit helps.
Thank You and Good Luck Tonight!
Sorry for the novel, but we wanted to make sure we addressed our situation with everyone. We have not stopped rescuing because we don’t care; it’s quite the opposite and we hope it’s very temporary.
Thank you for your continued support … and, hey, if you do happen to win the Powerball tonight, you know where to find us! 😉
If We Had $550 Million …
Everyone is abuzz with Powerball fever tonight, but we can only think of one thing: Imagine what that money could do for homeless dogs everywhere! Alas, we aren’t millionaires and don’t forecast becoming one overnight. As such, we must publicly address something that has, unfortunately, been coming for some time and can no longer be avoided.
Adoptions & Sanctuary … for now
This was not an easy decision for us, but one that we, unfortunately, can no longer avoid. We are being forced to suspend the “rescue” part of our rescue, adoption and sanctuary mission for the time being. It’s not something we want to do this (quite the contrary) and we hope it’s very temporary, but it’s something we must do for now in order to survive and continue doing what we are doing. We still have a couple of dogs in holding, though, so don’t expect the new arrival photos to end any time soon. 😉
Why are we doing such a horrible thing?
Winter is almost here, and all of our kennels are full. We received a huge intake of dogs over the summer, while only adopting out a few. We are not a business by any means (and, if we were, we would be bankrupt), but we are practical and know there must be a balance in order to move forward.
We are very low on operating funds at the moment after incurring a massive amount of vet bills in recent months. Our vet is wonderful and very thorough, but he cannot work for free and we would never expect him to. We have openly shared the trials that Chloe and Pippa endured in October, but there were many more we didn’t talk about a lot or at all, including several respiratory infections, an emergency abscess removal, an unforeseen tiff between a couple of dogs (it happens) and (surprise, everyone!) the delivery of a litter of beautiful puppies to one of our latest arrivals. (We’ve been keeping that under wraps in respect of Mom, but will have news and photos for you soon!)
With dropping temperatures in the evenings, all 25 dogs currently in our care must be moved inside to the indoor kennel to be kept warm and safe. We want to make sure that everyone gets outdoors and exercises as much as possible during the day, so you guessed it: That means all 25 dogs must come back out in the morning. Sometimes we have help, but oftentimes we don’t—and our owner and almost all of the volunteers work full-time jobs.
Most importantly, though, we need to focus on the beautiful dogs we have committed to right now. They are and must remain our first priority, and we will not do anything to risk their care. They have each been through so much already. It is our hope that all of them will eventually find forever homes, but we are aware that several of them will probably spend their golden years in our sanctuary due to health or behavioral issues.
Nicki is one of our “lifers” at rescue. As gorgeous as he is, he came from a hoarder situation and has a lot of trust and fear-aggression issues. Many people said to put him down, but we refused – and don’t regret a moment with him. He is comfortable with our volunteers, but we cannot adopt him to just anyone. He (along with Rocket, Eli, Elanor, Slick, Hartley, Jackie and others who have behavioral or health issues) must be our first priority.
Any threat to the priorities listed above can shut down a rescue in a heartbeat. As much as we would love to save every homeless Jack on the planet, we simply cannot take that risk right now.
Rescue Alternatives
Although we cannot accept any dogs at this time, we can’t stand the thought of any Jack being put down for being, well, a Jack. If you have arrived at our website looking to surrender a dog, below are some online alternatives to try while we are embargoed from rescuing. We may eventually try to put together a forum/posting of our own for third-party rescues, but we are busy getting things done in other areas right now.
- Our Facebook Page
You may post the dog to our page, but please be clear that you have the dog and include your contact information. It must be clear to visitors that the dog is not at our rescue; otherwise we could both face legal issues. Please, do not spam our wall. We are trying to find homes for many dogs as well. - Georgia Jacks
This wonderful Facebook page is run by one of our volunteers, who spends her free time (after taking care of rescues and children) posting available Jacks in shelters throughout the state of Georgia. If you came here to ask us to save a shelter dog, please check Georgia Jacks. He or she may already be listed. If not, you can post on their wall and share the information with the group. - RescueMe.org
This far-reaching website is open to everyone (not just rescue groups) to post dogs needing homes. We have had a couple of adoptions from here ourselves and highly recommend it. - There are also several of other Jack- and terrier-oriented rescues in our state, though we cannot speak for their ability to take dogs in, either. Please check with them individually.
If you know of other places online, please feel free to comment below and share. If you need tips for listing a dog, please read this article. You must be perfectly honest about a dog’s temperament.
How You Can Help
If you want to know how you to help us through our current challenges and help us keep our doors open to keep on rescuing, here are some of the things we need.
Donations/Contributions
Yeah, we know: Rescues are always asking for donations. Beggars! It’s sad but true. Yes, we are a 501(3)c nonprofit, but, no, that doesn’t mean we receive any type of funding. (Just so you know, all the stuff you see online is “pro-bone-o”; our web designer /photographer works for puppy kisses.) We rely completely on donations from supporters and friends like you. We have managed to make it for 10 years and hope to do it for another, but we literally survive month-to-month based on donations and contributions.
You can donate to the dogs online using Paypal or directly to our vet (please, note that payment is towards Georgia Jack Russell’s outstanding bill).
If you can’t afford to give much or don’t like to give money, we have plenty of other options. And, of course, we live with Jacks who are pretty rough ‘n tough on everything, so we are always in need of goodies. The less we have to buy/replace, the more we have to spend on vet care and the well-being of our dogs. We firmly believe that all dogs need toys and activities to develop and stave off kennel depression; unfortunately, those “fun” items often get moved to the bottom of the list for bigger priorities.
Winter jackets and sweaters don’t just make our rescues eye candy for photo ops. They really do help keep them warm during the cooler days outdoors.
Help Us Find Forever Homes
As simple as it sounds, adoptions are the key to our survival. Although we do have some sanctuaried dogs, it is our mission and hope to find all of our dogs (regardless of age) the forever homes and second chances they deserve. Even if you can’t adopt, you have a powerful tool: Your computer. Sharing our adoptable rescues on your own network also helps us reach a larger audience and increase our adoption rate as well.
Susie and Pumpkin were both neglected, high-risk rescues. Thanks to the power of the Internet, their mom found us – and we found an amazing friend/volunteer.
You can find a complete listing of all of our adoptable dogs at the following links. They should all have the same information, but some have more photos or sharing options than others.
- Our Website (Includes all of our rescues, including ones not currently adoptable – but can be sponsored)
- Petfinder
- Adopt A Pet
We would really like to spread word of our Seniors 4 Seniors program. We have some wonderful dogs who do not have any “issues” besides a little less spring in their step. Jacks being Jacks, this can be a good thing, i.e. they have a “normal” dog energy. 😉
Sponsor a Dog
If you can’t adopt, you can sponsor one. This money will go to cover food, vetting and care for the dog(s) of your choice. You can sponsor to any dog and we will put it towards the most needy dog or you can donate to an individual dog by visiting our available dogs on our website.
Foster a Dog
If you aren’t in a position to adopt but have a dog-friendly home, consider fostering. Freeing up our kennels right now will allow us more time to dedicate to urgent needs of others. Many of our foster parents take on the cost of their foster dog (this is not standard practice, but it has happened many times), providing us the opportunity to save another dog. Most important, however, it gives our babies what they need most: Daily interaction and guidance in a home, making them much more adoptable than life in a kennel.
Volunteer
Last but not least, we are always in need of volunteers. We have a wonderful group on board right now, but as mentioned before, most of us work full-time jobs during the week. We are always in need of help during the weekdays, including moving/walking dogs, making vet trips, writing grants, helping with fundraisers, doing yardwork – you name it! It’s not always glamorous, but it’s the reality of rescue and every bit helps.
Thank You and Good Luck Tonight!
Sorry for the novel, but we wanted to make sure we addressed our situation with everyone. We have not stopped rescuing because we don’t care; it’s quite the opposite and we hope it’s very temporary.
Thank you for your continued support … and, hey, if you do happen to win the Powerball tonight, you know where to find us! 😉
Volunteer Saturday
Winter will be here soon and that means one thing: Lots of work to do.
Current Volunteers/Supporters
To tackle the forthcoming weather changes, our volunteers and supporters will be gathering this Saturday at the rescue ranch for another Volunteer Day. This time, we will tackle a plethora of quarterly and annual tasks in addition to taking care of the dogs. Some of the projects include weatherproofing the outdoor kennels, replacing tarps, constructing the indoor kennel runs and cleaning up yard debris, just to name a few. And, of course, the dogs always need attention and care. These are time-consuming and cumbersome tasks, but they are going to make a world of difference to Donna and the dogs.
We will meet the ranch at 9am and encourage everyone to bring your own gloves and any tools or yard equipment you may have that will help us accomplish our goals. Grab breakfast before you come, but don’t worry about lunch: Debbie is spoiling us with chili (meat and veggie) and fixins, bread and desserts to keep us going. Yum!
Want to help out?
If you are a not a volunteer, but would like to help out, this is a great opportunity to meet everyone and help. We are a very small rescue with one owner and a handful of volunteers. Everyone works full-time jobs, so the more help, the merrier. It is also a great time to come out and meet the dogs and see how things operate.
If you are in the Atlanta area (we are located in Conyers) and want to help, don’t hesitate to let us know. Email us with your email address and phone number and let us know how you would like to/can help. We’ll contact you with directions and more information.
Help Win $1,500 for Rescue
As many of you know, October was a “ruff one” for us. We had several rescue babies in and out of the animal hospital, some for more than a week at a time. We are still recouping those unexpected expenses, on top of trying to maintain our regular operating budget. (Please note, we rely completely on donations. We do not receive any type of government funding of grants.)
We have reached out to you for your help and you have came through in so many ways, from yard sales, to dog beds and blankets, to online donations. We’re asking for your help once again. This time? It’s a chance to win $1,500! It’s fast. It’s free. And it’s just in time for your online holiday shopping sprees.
Shop online this holiday season and help us win $1,500 for the dogs!
If you have not joined Socialvest yet and opted to give a percentage of your online purchases to our rescue for free, now is the time! This great local gateway for giving is launching an online sign-up campaign Monday, Nov. 12. The nonprofit who signs up the most individuals between Nov. 12-27 will receive $1,500! Second and third place winners will also receive a gift for $500 and $250, respectively.
This is not a contest in which you have to vote everyday. (Honestly, who of us has time for that?) You simply follow this link to sign up once and that’s it! You’re done and we are one step closer to paying off our vet bill! Then, as you shop at your favorite online stores for the holiday season and beyond that, a percentage of your purchases will go towards your account and you can elect to have that sent to the dogs.
Socialvest works in all of the major browsers (IE, Firefox, Safari and Chrome) and, yes, there is an app for it. Below are the step-by-step instructions for signing up and installing the extension.
Let’s get some money for the dogs!
Sign Up for Socialvest
First things first, you’ll need to sign up. Follow this link to our sign-up page. You’ll know when you see our logo and sweet, little Eli that you’re in the right place.
You have two options to sign up. For the easiest registration, you can click the Facebook button and use your Facebook account (you simply give the App access to Facebook and it doesn’t ask for any information you haven’t already provided). If you don’t have a Facbeook account or don’t want to use it, you can fill out the form and submit it. Either option will get you signed up.
You will also be given the option on how much you would like to donate to our rescue. We all chose 100%, of course, but if you have other charities you support, you might want to look for them after sign-up and see if they are available.
Getting Started
Once you’re signed up, you’ll be taken to the install screen. (In this example, we installed it on Chrome on a Mac., but it works in all major browsers on Mac and PC.) They promise no spying, stealing or other mischief. In short, it’s just going to install its web assistant to look for store URLs that match its partners’, so you don’t have to.
If you’re OK with that, click the Install for (Your Browser) button, confirm that you want to add it and let it install its add-on to your browser.
Go Shopping
That’s it – you’re done! Now you’re ready to go shopping. You don’t need to access this site again. The shopping assistant will alert you when you are browsing on one its hundreds of companion sites and how much of your purchase will be “earned.” This amount costs you nothing, but translates into donations for us. Sure, 2% or 4% of a small purchase may not seem like a lot, but we definitely mean it when we say every dollar helps.
Hint: Even if you prefer to shop locally, you can still use this and earn. Just order online and select in-store pickup. It counts!
Help Win $1,500 for Rescue
As many of you know, October was a “ruff one” for us. We had several rescue babies in and out of the animal hospital, some for more than a week at a time. We are still recouping those unexpected expenses, on top of trying to maintain our regular operating budget. (Please note, we rely completely on donations. We do not receive any type of government funding of grants.)
We have reached out to you for your help and you have came through in so many ways, from yard sales, to dog beds and blankets, to online donations. We’re asking for your help once again. This time? It’s a chance to win $1,500! It’s fast. It’s free. And it’s just in time for your online holiday shopping sprees.
Shop online this holiday season and help us win $1,500 for the dogs!
If you have not joined Socialvest yet and opted to give a percentage of your online purchases to our rescue for free, now is the time! This great local gateway for giving is launching an online sign-up campaign Monday, Nov. 12. The nonprofit who signs up the most individuals between Nov. 12-27 will receive $1,500! Second and third place winners will also receive a gift for $500 and $250, respectively.
This is not a contest in which you have to vote everyday. (Honestly, who of us has time for that?) You simply follow this link to sign up once and that’s it! You’re done and we are one step closer to paying off our vet bill! Then, as you shop at your favorite online stores for the holiday season and beyond that, a percentage of your purchases will go towards your account and you can elect to have that sent to the dogs.
Socialvest works in all of the major browsers (IE, Firefox, Safari and Chrome) and, yes, there is an app for it. Below are the step-by-step instructions for signing up and installing the extension.
Let’s get some money for the dogs!
Sign Up for Socialvest
First things first, you’ll need to sign up. Follow this link to our sign-up page. You’ll know when you see our logo and sweet, little Eli that you’re in the right place.
You have two options to sign up. For the easiest registration, you can click the Facebook button and use your Facebook account (you simply give the App access to Facebook and it doesn’t ask for any information you haven’t already provided). If you don’t have a Facbeook account or don’t want to use it, you can fill out the form and submit it. Either option will get you signed up.
You will also be given the option on how much you would like to donate to our rescue. We all chose 100%, of course, but if you have other charities you support, you might want to look for them after sign-up and see if they are available.
Getting Started
Once you’re signed up, you’ll be taken to the install screen. (In this example, we installed it on Chrome on a Mac., but it works in all major browsers on Mac and PC.) They promise no spying, stealing or other mischief. In short, it’s just going to install its web assistant to look for store URLs that match its partners’, so you don’t have to.
If you’re OK with that, click the Install for (Your Browser) button, confirm that you want to add it and let it install its add-on to your browser.
Go Shopping
That’s it – you’re done! Now you’re ready to go shopping. You don’t need to access this site again. The shopping assistant will alert you when you are browsing on one its hundreds of companion sites and how much of your purchase will be “earned.” This amount costs you nothing, but translates into donations for us. Sure, 2% or 4% of a small purchase may not seem like a lot, but we definitely mean it when we say every dollar helps.
Hint: Even if you prefer to shop locally, you can still use this and earn. Just order online and select in-store pickup. It counts!
Slick is Home
Slick returned to rescue today. He has recovered from his bacterial infection, but … it may take him a little longer to recover from disrupting his normal routine. He does not like change.
I no happy with y’all …
If you would like to donate towards Slickie’s bill, you can visit his profile and make a donation or you can make one directly to our vet at:
Lithonia Animal Hospital
2015 Rock Chapel Rd
Lithonia GA 30058
770-482-2966
Slick Needs Some Love
Little Slick … hating every moment in the cone of shame.
What would a week be these days without rushing one of our babies to the vet? (sigh)
Our precious boy Slick was showing signs of dehydration the other day and feeling a little nippy and warm, so off he went to Lithonia Animal Hospital. It appears he may just have a bronchial infection, but is still running a fever, so he is staying under Dr. Wright’s care with antibiotics, fluids and TLC. We will keep you posted, but wanted to ask everyone to send this special boy some love. He wants to go home!
If you would like to donate towards his/our ever-growing, slowly-shrinking vet bill, you can do so on his profile page or by making a donation directly to the following:
Lithonia Animal Hospital
2015 Rock Chapel Rd.
Lithonia, GA 30058
770-482-2966
Slick Needs Some Love
Little Slick … hating every moment in the cone of shame.
What would a week be these days without rushing one of our babies to the vet? (sigh)
Our precious boy Slick was showing signs of dehydration the other day and feeling a little nippy and warm, so off he went to Lithonia Animal Hospital. It appears he may just have a bronchial infection, but is still running a fever, so he is staying under Dr. Wright’s care with antibiotics, fluids and TLC. We will keep you posted, but wanted to ask everyone to send this special boy some love. He wants to go home!
If you would like to donate towards his/our ever-growing, slowly-shrinking vet bill, you can do so on his profile page or by making a donation directly to the following:
Lithonia Animal Hospital
2015 Rock Chapel Rd.
Lithonia, GA 30058
770-482-2966
Chloe Needs a Foster
Does want to take me home?
It was just three weeks ago that Chloe had her major dental surgery and was released from the hospital. She went to live with one of our volunteers and adopted/foster moms to recover and gain strength. She has now gained so much strength that the little Terrier in her has come out. 😉 Our sick, sweet girl has now become a little, old, feisty lady who needs her space.
We are in immediate need of another foster for her. She did not get along with her canine foster sister and is back with us now. The kennel life is no life for this girl who has fought so hard to survive.
We will be very straightforward about this situation: Chloe is a senior dog who is still healing. She has grown stronger, but hasn’t gained much weight. She does not have any teeth and requires a special diet. That doesn’t, however, keep her from eating very well. She would also do best in a home without any other dogs or cats or at least in a home where she can be separated from the others but still given attention. It is obvious she came from a one-dog home, and she does not hesitate to let other dogs know she is not happy about their presence.
That said, she is good with people and is house and crate trained.
If you are up to the challenge and would like to help us help this little girl enjoy her golden years until some big-hearted person steps up to make her their forever mom, we would appreciate it beyond words. Call us at 770-918-8582 and leave a message. Thank you!
Shop. Earn. Give.
Purchase on Purpose
What if you could change the world (and the life of a homeless Jack) just by doing something you already do everyday: Shop. From a new pair of jeans to movie tickets to the latest blockbuster, Socialvest puts your favorite brands at your fingertips. The difference? They all give you money back to give to the cause you support … like us! 😉
Now that we’ve tossed you the pitch, what does this mean to you and our rescue? Socialvest offers you the chance to “Shop, Earn and Give.” Some of our volunteers are already using this browser app. If you have Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox browsers installed, you can, too. And, yes, there is an iPhone app for that as well. It’s easy, it’s seamless and all of your purchases at participating stores (there’s more than 600 of them!) will drop a few pennies into the Jack Russell rescue bucket without any impact on your own finances.
Want to join us? Here’s how!
Sign Up for this (Free) Service
First things first, you’ll need to sign up. Follow this link to our sign-up page. You’ll know when you see our logo and sweet, little Eli that you’re in the right place.
You have two options to sign up. For the easiest registration, you can click the Facebook button and use your Facebook account (you simply give the App access to Facebook and it doesn’t ask for any information you haven’t already provided). If you don’t have a Facbeook account or don’t want to use it, you can fill out the form and submit it. Either option will get you signed up.
You will also be given the option on how much you would like to donate to our rescue. We all chose 100%, of course, but if you have other charities you support, you might want to look for them after sign-up and see if they are available.
Getting Started
Once you’re signed up, you’ll be taken to the install screen. (In this example, we installed it on Chrome on a Mac.) They promise no spying, stealing or other mischief. In short, it’s just going to install its web assistant to look for store URLs that match its partners’, so you don’t have to.
If you’re OK with that, click the Install for Chrome or Install for Firefox button, confirm that you want to add it and let it install its add-on to your browser.
Go Shopping
Now you’re ready to go shopping. You don’t need to access this site again. The shopping assistant will alert you when you are browsing on one its hundreds of companion sites and how much of your purchase will be “earned.” This amount costs you nothing, but translates into donations for us. Sure, 2% or 4% of a small purchase may not seem like a lot, but we definitely mean it when we say every dollar helps.
Set Your Alarms Now!
Set those alarm clocks now! Tomorrow is the big Belk Charity Sale ticket. If you donated $5 to our rescue and bought a ticket, you will be able to get that $5 back tomorrow at any Belk location from 6-10 am! If you haven’t bought your tickets yet but live in the Atlanta metro area and want to play, you can grab some last-minute tickets from us. We will be at the Belk at the Forum location for the entire sale, selling tickets. All proceeds will go directly to the dogs.
This is the huge sale that you may have seen commercials for this week. Tons of storewide products, including rarely-discounted brands, will be on sale for 20-75% off during this sale. The first 100 customers in each store on the morning will receive free Belk gift cards ranging in value from $5 to $100 and a chance to win one of three $1,000 store gift cards to be awarded company-wide.
Can’t wait to see you there!
Adopt-oberfest Roundup
October was both a challenging and uplifting month at rescue. There were a few heartbreaking moments when we all wondered why we keep doing this … but there were many more that reminded us exactly why we do this.
Fighting for Their Lives
The first week alone found both Chloe and Pippa literally fighting to survive and leaving us with huge life-and-death decisions to make.
Chloe went into near-renal failure and spent a week at the hospital. The decision was inevitably made to remove all of her rotten teeth. She wasn’t able to eat, and the teeth were causing one infection after another. She spent several more days in the hospital before finally going to her new foster home. She is still working on gaining weight, but is growing stronger and is “still very much a headstrong JRT,” according to her foster mom. She loves blankets out of the dryer, and her food slightly warmed.
Pippa’s WBC count soared to alarming rates and landed her in the hospital for several days, fighting off infections. She was already dealing with a heart full of worms that had grown to the size of a softball – again, thanks to former owners who neglected her. It took another two weeks for her to return to a stable enough condition to do what, unfortunately, had to be done: Serious heartworm treatment. It was a gamble with her advanced state, but she appears to be doing very well. She will go back this week for a follow-up and, if all checks out, she will be going to a wonderful foster home later next week.
In the midst of all of this, little Tyler had a bad reaction to his neuter and developed a terrible abscess, which landed him in the hospital for a couple of days as well. This baby needed a lot of attention, so one of our volunteers took him home after he healed to foster … and, as of Monday, announced that she has officially failed! 😉 Tyler has a forever home.
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Those were just the big ones. There were many other incidents we had not planned for … Then again, can you ever really plan for anything with a Jack, much less 30?!
Fun with Photos
We kicked off the Jack O’Lantern Photo Contest on our Facebook page earlier in the month. The contest ended last night with Ranger Joe taking first place (his mom donated the $25 Petsmart card back to rescue – thank you!) and Aladdin and Phoenix taking second. We didn’t raise any donations beyond the returned prize, but we did raise awareness and had a lot of fun.
Here are all of the wonderful entries for our non-Facebook friends to enjoy. Thanks to everyone for participating.
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We also had some fun dressing up our own rescues, thanks to costumes donated by volunteers and sponsors, including Amanda Dannemiller. (Check out her own dressed-up Doxie in the photos above.)
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Special Events
Blessing of the Animals
We were honored to take part in the Blessing of the Animals for the second year in the row. Pippa and adopted Shooter (formerly known as Breeze, who has undergone surgery in recent weeks) joined several others at St. Martin-in-the-Fields to receive much-needed blessings.
Belk Charity Sale Ticket Promotion
Jack donned his Superman costume and adopted poster pups Pumpkin and Susie joined us at Belk at the Forum the last weekend of the month. We were on-site to sell advance tickets for the big Charity Sale this weekend. You can still buy tickets if you’re in the Atlanta area. Join us back at the Forum location from 6-10am this Saturday, Nov. 3, to pick them up before you shop. If you already have tickets in hand, you can use those at any Belk location in the country.
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Last but Never Least: Adopt-oberfest Rings True!
Nothing keeps us going more than succeeding at our biggest goal: Finding homes for our rescues. And what a success we have had this month! We had six adoptions this month! That’s monumental for a rescue our size. Jack, Patch, Ringo, Linus, Tyler and Tasha all found their forever homes. It doesn’t get much better than that.
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Emotional, Extraordinary … and Expensive
All in all, it was a very emotional and expensive month, filled with heart-breaking and heart-soaring moments. We want to thank everyone who stepped up to help us with donations, prayers and just kind words. Every bit of it touched us and kept us positive during some difficult times and decisions.
We are still very much in debt to our vet for all of this. If you would like to help and know it will go directly towards the bill, you can send a check or money order to the following address or call in with a credit card number. Just mention on the check or in the phone call that it should go towards our outstanding bill.
Lithonia Animal Hospital
2015 Rock Chapel Rd
Lithonia GA 30058
770-482-2966
With that said, we would like to express our incredible gratitude to Dr. Wright and his amazing staff for all of their help, insight, experience and TLC this past month. You have been amazing.
You can also make donations directly to us, if you would like.
Have a safe Happy Halloween! Here’s to a successful November.
Belk Ticket Sale
Are you looking for something to do this weekend? Have you been wanting to buy tickets to the Belk Charity Sale on Nov. 3, but just haven’t had a chance? Most importantly, would you like to meet one of our most eligible bachelors who is up for adoption? Mark your calendar now!
We will be at Belk at the Forum in Norcross this Saturday, Oct. 27, from 1-4 p.m. to sell tickets for the big nationwide Belk Charity Sale, scheduled for Nov. 3. We will have the $5 “give a Jack and get back” tickets for sale, and will be holding a donation auction for a beautiful doggie goodie basket donated by Paws, Whiskers and Wags in Covington. (Thank you so much for your wonderful gift!)
And best of all? Our little Superman, Jack, who recently overcame heartworm, will be with us. He is doing fantastic and is ready to go to his forever home. This is a great opportunity to come out and meet him. If you are interested in adopting him, you can download our adoption application, complete it and bring it with you.
We look forward to seeing our friends, family and supporters and meeting some new fans as well!
The beautiful basket donated by Paws, Whiskers and Wags from Covington for this weekend’s event! Join us for a chance to win it.
Our little Superman, Jack, will be joining us at this weekend’s event. Come out and meet him … and maybe take him home. 😉
Jack O’Laughter Photo Contest
Are you the kind who loves to share the Halloween spirit with your dog and dress ’em up? Have a photo of your Jack in his or her greatest holiday get-up? We want to see it – and vote on it!
Requirements?
You don’t have to be a photographer; you just have to be a fan of our Facebook page. We want to see some fun, creative costumes that capture the heart and spirit of the Jack. (Yes, it’s perfectly OK if your dressed-up doll is not a Jack … We love the spirit of all dogs and, we promise, it will not have any impact on your chance of winning!)
Prizes?
First-place winner will receive a $25 Petsmart gift card donated by one of our volunteers. Second-place winner gets a free Georgia Jack Russell Rescue, Adoption & Sanctuary T-shirt in your size to wear with pride! If you would like to donate and step up the pot, we are open to it! Email us and let us know what you have to offer to the winner.
Entry Fees?
This contest is purely for the appreciation of dogs, engagement of our “fans” and supporters and some good ole Halloween fun. That said, we will gladly accept any donation you would like to make in your dog’s honor. Just let us know in the Paypal special comments that it’s for your baby and the photo contest. All donations will go towards our enormous vet bill in the wake of treating Chloe, Pippa and Hartley.
Got stuff? Help Jacks!
Got stuff to sell? Don’t have the time or energy to organize your own yard/garage sale? Even better, want that stuff to go to a nonprofit? We can help!
We will be hosting a yard sale Nov. 9-10 for the rescue. All proceeds will go to help pay our enormous vet bills. We have plenty of stuff sitting around that we no longer have a need for. We figured it was time to share it with others and get some change for the dogs.
If you live in the Atlanta metro area and would like to donate items, you can either bring them to us or we will have a volunteer pick them up. If you live outside the Atlanta metro area, you can bring it to us or ship it (if it’s small). Sorry, we don’t have funds to cover shipping, but did not want to alienate our out-of-state friends.
If you are interested in participating, please call us at 770-918-8582. Leave us a message and let us know what you would like to donate and how you would like to make arrangements.
Thanks in advance to everyone who wants to help! Let’s lighten our loads while loading up the Jacks!
An Angel Among Us
Whew! What a week it has been. As you know, Chloe has been on our minds nonstop since she was admitted to Lithonia Animal Hospital on Monday with possible kidney failure. That immediate threat was deterred, and she showed signs of stabilizing with lots of fluids and antibiotics. No sooner did we breathe a sigh of relief than we had to make a big decision: She needed surgery. Her rotten teeth were not only preventing her from eating, they were attacking her poor little body with ongoing infections. If they weren’t salvaged or removed ASAP, she was not going to make it. Period.
The Decision Before Us
It was a risky and expensive surgery, especially for an “old gal” in her condition. It meant giving her regular anesthesia from which she could easily be revived if things went wrong. Dr. Wright also noted that she is older than the 12 years we were originally told by another vet, so that made things even more difficult. Don’t get us wrong; we believe that every dog has the right to live and be loved, whether they are 15 weeks or 15 years old. We just knew it was a lot to put her through at her age. We couldn’t, however, say that this girl had, had a good life and let it go at that. She obviously had not. She deserved a shot at knowing what love and compassion was.
It was a very difficult decision, but it was Chloe who inevitably let us know she was up for it. Years of neglect and starvation have had no effect on this girl’s spirit. It is larger than life. She simply does not know the meaning of surrender and she wasn’t going down without a fight. After all, she hadn’t survived her past and then death row at the shelter only to throw in the towel like this.
The Surgery
Chloe resting after surgery.
We held our breaths during her two-hour surgery Thursday morning. We were disheartened to hear that she had to surrender all of her teeth (some were so infected, it spread to her sinus cavity), but we were overjoyed to hear she came out from being under within two(!) minutes. By last night, she was up on her feet and creating messes for the poor vet techs to clean up! Poop, glorious poop! This morning, she was so happy to see us, she yanked out her IV. It’s a darn good thing she has been drinking and eating (yes, eating!) and didn’t seem to need that thing for the time being anyway.
She is obviously still in some pain, which is being addressed. She has a long road ahead and lots of healing on tap, but as the work week comes to a close, we are all resting a little easier.
And we don’t regret a thing. She has definitely become a little angel among us.
A Huge Thank You
Thank you to everyone for helping us to save this little girl. There have been so many people involved in funding and supporting this effort, and we want to thank each and every one of you. We were already drowning in concerns and vet bills from Pippa (update coming soon) and Hartley when this little girl arrived a few weeks ago. It has been a very emotional experience full of ups and downs the past month. With that said, please know that every prayer, donation, email, etc. has made all the difference in this fight. We could not have done it without you.
We would especially like to thank Cara Thomas, who works tirelessly to help network and rescue Jack Russells on the Georgia Jacks page. She was the one who picked up this starving baby from the shelter on a Sunday and has been with this girl almost every day of her journey with us. Chloe lights up like a little candle when she sees her. Cara is like the rest of us; she doesn’t really want accolades or attention. She just wants to help dogs, period. But we have all been so touched by her generosity and compassion, not only for Chloe but for our rescue in general the past few weeks, that we couldn’t help from putting it into words. Thank you, Cara. We promise we won’t embarrass you again. 😉
Even with some much-needed and promised help, we will be paying on this hefty vet bill for a while. It turned out to be larger than we expected, and we had another emergency this week with little Tyler that we’ll tell you about later. One dog at a time … If you would like to help us reimburse Dr. Wright and his staff for all of their care and consideration on this one, you can send a check directly to his office below. Please note that it’s for Georgia Jack Russell Rescue’s account. You can also donate to Chloe online using one of the buttons below.
Lithonia Animal Hospital
2015 Rock Chapel Rd.
Lithonia, GA 30058
770-482-2966
More Prayers for Chloe
Chloe is ready to go home!
Tomorrow is a big day for our little Chloe. We are all a little worried, but even more hopeful.
She has spent the week under the supervision of Dr. Wright and his staff at Lithonia Animal Hospital. She is still not eating, and her terrible teeth are causing infections, issues with chewing, etc. They have to come out … and they have to come out now.
The caveat is her condition: She is still underweight and trying to get strong. Unfortunately, she can’t do so with this these teeth. Surgery is a risk, but we will definitely lose her if we don’t take it. That being the situation, she will be given the same anesthesia that humans receive. If there are any complications or she appears to be at-risk, they can bring her out quickly.
Despite that consolation, we are all a little nervous. We have all fallen in love with this little fighter, who refuses to give up. She just wants to get it over with and out of there – and she’s not hesitant to let us know. We swear she gave us the evil eye to let her go out and play when we saw her today. 😉
Surgery is scheduled for the morning. We will have volunteers at her side to be with her and keep us updated.
As you might expect, her vet bill has soared. We are so thankful to those of you who have reached out to us. Please, know that every dollar truly makes a difference and we thank each and every one of you. (You will all receive a thank you letter/receipt soon.) If you would like to help us pay for Chloe’s surgery, you may donate online using the Donate or Sponsor buttons below. You can also pay our vet directly (please note that it is for Georgia Jack Russell Rescue/Chloe).
Lithonia Animal Hospital
2015 Rock Chapel Rd.
Lithonia, GA 30058
770-482-2966
More Prayers for Chloe
Chloe is ready to go home!
Tomorrow is a big day for our little Chloe. We are all a little worried, but even more hopeful.
She has spent the week under the supervision of Dr. Wright and his staff at Lithonia Animal Hospital. She is still not eating, and her terrible teeth are causing infections, issues with chewing, etc. They have to come out … and they have to come out now.
The caveat is her condition: She is still underweight and trying to get strong. Unfortunately, she can’t do so with this these teeth. Surgery is a risk, but we will definitely lose her if we don’t take it. That being the situation, she will be given the same anesthesia that humans receive. If there are any complications or she appears to be at-risk, they can bring her out quickly.
Despite that consolation, we are all a little nervous. We have all fallen in love with this little fighter, who refuses to give up. She just wants to get it over with and out of there – and she’s not hesitant to let us know. We swear she gave us the evil eye to let her go out and play when we saw her today. 😉
Surgery is scheduled for the morning. We will have volunteers at her side to be with her and keep us updated.
As you might expect, her vet bill has soared. We are so thankful to those of you who have reached out to us. Please, know that every dollar truly makes a difference and we thank each and every one of you. (You will all receive a thank you letter/receipt soon.) If you would like to help us pay for Chloe’s surgery, you may donate online using the Donate or Sponsor buttons below. You can also pay our vet directly (please note that it is for Georgia Jack Russell Rescue/Chloe).
Lithonia Animal Hospital
2015 Rock Chapel Rd.
Lithonia, GA 30058
770-482-2966
“Ruff” Week for Chloe and Pippa
It’s been a “ruff” week for our two special needs girls, Chloe and Pippa. We know some of you have been wondering about them, so here’s the latest …
Chloe
Chloe enjoying her car ride to the vet yesterday. (Hey, a car ride is a car ride!)
Chloe has been eating and showing some typical JRT feistiness the past week, but she hasn’t been gaining weight like we had hoped, so we took her back to the vet yesterday.
Another fecal exam was done and showed negative for parasites. The doctor thinks perhaps her pancreatic enzymes may be off or possibly her liver is not functioning properly. Either issue could cause her not to absorb the nutrients from food and, basically, just pass it through her system. They are running blood tests to look at both areas and will also run a general blood chemistry panel and a heartworm test. We will know more in a few days.
As reported before, her teeth are beyond terrible. The vet literally pulled one of her teeth with her fingers. Yikes! She tried to scrape a bit of the tartar off her teeth and had a little success with that. She is in no condition for a dental, so she gets the pleasure of having ointment applied to her gums twice a day. Believe it or not, she’s being a very good girl about it, even though they are obviously hurting her. No one has lost a finger yet! 😉
Pippa
Pippa has been spending the week at the vet after an alarming white blood cell count during some routine tests. Our vet said she has the worst case of heartworm he has ever seen and, without treatment, she will not be with us much longer. 🙁 Slow-kill is not an option at this advanced state and the regular option is tough on even young, healthy dogs. That said, x-rays showed that there is no damage to her lungs, which is wonderful news.
It was a hard decision, but with the good news about her healthy lungs and Pippa’s incredible will to overcome anything (i.e., she has no idea she’s sick), we opted to move forward with the heartworm treatment. This, however, is on hold because of the bloodwork findings.
So, for now, our little trooper is hanging out at the clinic, getting some high-dose antibiotics and lots of TLC. The clinic staff has fallen in love with her. They say she runs around the office, brightening their day and wondering why everyone is so concerned about her. 😉 We are taking things day by day. Whatever happens, we will make sure this girl gets a ton of love and knows what a wonderful dog she is.
Want to help?
As you have probably assumed, the vet bills are wracking up. Thanks to your donations, we have been able to cover some of the care for these little girls, but we are definitely in the red. That, of course, won’t stop us from doing everything possible to save and heal these sweethearts. If you would like to to help, you can donate to the girls using the Paypal button below. Thank you to everyone for your questions and concern over these two, as well as your prayers, thoughts, etc. That means so much to us. We will continue to keep you posted on their progress.
Ginger’s Big Adventure
Ginger arrived at our rescue in July with a group of Jack Russells who had all been pulled from Gwinnett County. She was short, sweet and smiling and we all fell in love with her immediately. She loved us, too, but she did not love the kennel lifestyle. It was obvious she had been someone’s lapdog and, through no fault of her own, had somehow ended up being abandoned. As the weeks passed, her smile faded and she began to spend most of her time in her doghouse, moping. She only lit up when it came time to play with people.
Ginger began looking sad a few weeks after her arrival. The rescue world was not for her.
We were desperately trying to find a foster home or, better yet, a forever home for this girl. Her disposition was sweet and cuddly, but the vet guessed she was around 8-10 years old and, well, we all know how these beautiful seniors often get overlooked in favor of the young ones. So, imagine our surprise when we received an email from Bonnie Brehm in Ohio. She saw Ginger on RescueMe.org and thought she would be the perfect fit for her family. She had just lost her 16-year-old Jack Russell and her Russell’s 14-year-old son was lonely. Ginger was the perfect low-key “little sister.”
Everything sounded great, but one obstacle remained: She was in Ohio; we are in Georgia. Gas prices are through the roof right now, and our funds are focused primarily on vet care and food instead of transport. How would we get her there? We put a shout out on our Facebook page for help with transport and within hours, we received a response from some great samaritans in Georgia. They said they would be more than willing to transport her for part or even all of the journey.
And this past Friday, that’s exactly what they did.
On Thursday night, our dedicated volunteer Kim Davis picked Ginger up from rescue and took her home for a good scrubbing and a sleep over. They were up bright and early the next morning for the hand-off to Kasey Perritt and Kimberly Rooney, the awesome women who volunteered to drive her. Ten hours and several rounds of vomiting (Ginger is lapdog, not a car dog), they arrived at Ginger’s new home and delivered her to Bonnie, her JRT brother and three cats(!).
Here are the photos that chronicle her venture up north.
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We cannot thank Kasey and Kimberly enough for stepping up and volunteering to do this with their own vehicle, funds and time off. We could not have done this without you! You have made a world of difference in the life of a wonderful rescue dog.
Ginger’s Big Adventure
Ginger arrived at our rescue in July with a group of Jack Russells who had all been pulled from Gwinnett County. She was short, sweet and smiling and we all fell in love with her immediately. She loved us, too, but she did not love the kennel lifestyle. It was obvious she had been someone’s lapdog and, through no fault of her own, had somehow ended up being abandoned. As the weeks passed, her smile faded and she began to spend most of her time in her doghouse, moping. She only lit up when it came time to play with people.
Ginger began looking sad a few weeks after her arrival. The rescue world was not for her.
We were desperately trying to find a foster home or, better yet, a forever home for this girl. Her disposition was sweet and cuddly, but the vet guessed she was around 8-10 years old and, well, we all know how these beautiful seniors often get overlooked in favor of the young ones. So, imagine our surprise when we received an email from Bonnie Brehm in Ohio. She saw Ginger on RescueMe.org and thought she would be the perfect fit for her family. She had just lost her 16-year-old Jack Russell and her Russell’s 14-year-old son was lonely. Ginger was the perfect low-key “little sister.”
Everything sounded great, but one obstacle remained: She was in Ohio; we are in Georgia. Gas prices are through the roof right now, and our funds are focused primarily on vet care and food instead of transport. How would we get her there? We put a shout out on our Facebook page for help with transport and within hours, we received a response from some great samaritans in Georgia. They said they would be more than willing to transport her for part or even all of the journey.
And this past Friday, that’s exactly what they did.
On Thursday night, our dedicated volunteer Kim Davis picked Ginger up from rescue and took her home for a good scrubbing and a sleep over. They were up bright and early the next morning for the hand-off to Kasey Perritt and Kimberly Rooney, the awesome women who volunteered to drive her. Ten hours and several rounds of vomiting (Ginger is lapdog, not a car dog), they arrived at Ginger’s new home and delivered her to Bonnie, her JRT brother and three cats(!).
Here are the photos that chronicle her venture up north.
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We cannot thank Kasey and Kimberly enough for stepping up and volunteering to do this with their own vehicle, funds and time off. We could not have done this without you! You have made a world of difference in the life of a wonderful rescue dog.
A “JReaT” Gift for Mom
We are still in awe at the outpouring of support and donations we have received lately, especially in special deliveries. They just keep coming and we are so blessed.
Amanda and Devin Dannemiller stopped by yesterday with a trunk load of goodies, including towels, bleach, harnesses, collars, food and toys. It wasn’t just a fantastic donation to us, it was a wonderful way to honor her mother for her birthday. Her mother has two beautiful Jacks (see/click photo below).
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Amanda’s story of her mother was too great not to share verbatim, so here it is:
“I would be remiss not to include a picture of my mom and her dogs. We hired a photographer to take family Christmas photos last year and Mom insisted that she get one with her little guys (you’ll notice my brother and I were not allowed in the picture!). Mom’s name is C. Ann Gittings and her dogs are Shalom (the JRT) and Pax (the mutt who thinks he’s a JRT). You may not be able to tell from the picture but Shalom has a crooked smile. Both of Mom’s dogs were rescued from Metro Animal Services in Louisville, KY; we’re not sure what exactly happened to Shalom, but we know he was removed from an abusive home and was stuck at the shelter almost two months before Mom got him. Now he is in an extremely loving home and getting all the loving he missed out on with his former owners. :-)”
Thank you, Amanda, for seeking us out and giving not only your mother such a great gift but us as well!
How This Helps
When we receive items we are always in need of like food, detergent, leashes (these seem to mysteriously disappear a lot … hm), toys and blankets/towels, it allows us to use monetary donations to pay off our lingering vet bills and focus on the ongoing needs of our special-needs babies without worrying where the next dollar is coming from for other things. Amanda also made a good point: She and Devin spent all weekend hunting down clearance sales to get these supplies. They were able to stretch their dollar and double their donations without breaking their budget.
Want to help?
There are so many ways to help our rescues that meet any budget or schedule. In fact, we have more than a dozen ways to make a difference! Check them out!
A “JReaT” Gift for Mom
We are still in awe at the outpouring of support and donations we have received lately, especially in special deliveries. They just keep coming and we are so blessed.
Amanda and Devin Dannemiller stopped by yesterday with a trunk load of goodies, including towels, bleach, harnesses, collars, food and toys. It wasn’t just a fantastic donation to us, it was a wonderful way to honor her mother for her birthday. Her mother has two beautiful Jacks (see/click photo below).
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Amanda’s story of her mother was too great not to share verbatim, so here it is:
“I would be remiss not to include a picture of my mom and her dogs. We hired a photographer to take family Christmas photos last year and Mom insisted that she get one with her little guys (you’ll notice my brother and I were not allowed in the picture!). Mom’s name is C. Ann Gittings and her dogs are Shalom (the JRT) and Pax (the mutt who thinks he’s a JRT). You may not be able to tell from the picture but Shalom has a crooked smile. Both of Mom’s dogs were rescued from Metro Animal Services in Louisville, KY; we’re not sure what exactly happened to Shalom, but we know he was removed from an abusive home and was stuck at the shelter almost two months before Mom got him. Now he is in an extremely loving home and getting all the loving he missed out on with his former owners. :-)”
Thank you, Amanda, for seeking us out and giving not only your mother such a great gift but us as well!
How This Helps
When we receive items we are always in need of like food, detergent, leashes (these seem to mysteriously disappear a lot … hm), toys and blankets/towels, it allows us to use monetary donations to pay off our lingering vet bills and focus on the ongoing needs of our special-needs babies without worrying where the next dollar is coming from for other things. Amanda also made a good point: She and Devin spent all weekend hunting down clearance sales to get these supplies. They were able to stretch their dollar and double their donations without breaking their budget.
Want to help?
There are so many ways to help our rescues that meet any budget or schedule. In fact, we have more than a dozen ways to make a difference! Check them out!
Hope for Chloe
Please, bear with us: This one is going to hurt a little, but it has to be done. We would like to believe the worst is over now. No sooner did a kennel open up this afternoon with Pongo’s adoption (yay!) than it was filled.
This little girll, who we are calling Chloe, is a very special case and needs a lot of help. She was dumped at the shelter and was going to be put down this week. Weighing only five pounds (yes, five pounds!) from malnutrition and neglect, she didn’t stand a chance at being adopted. Several volunteers saw her photo and couldn’t stand the thought of her dying like this. They rallied with the shelter (thanks to Gwinnett for working with us) and she was pulled today. She is now safe at our rescue. They took some photos of her journey to share.
As you can clearly see, she is in terrible shape. We are hoping the malnutrition is due to the fact that her teeth are nothing short of horrible and it’s too difficult for her to eat. That can be addressed. We gave her some fluids and baby food, which she ate with gusto. She was also peeing and pooing, which is a very positive sign. We are taking her to the vet this week for a thorough check-up.
If you would like to help us help this little girl get well and find the life every dog deserves to lead, please visit our donations page. State in the special notes that it’s for Chloe. Thank you for all your support and prayers. This little one is going to need it. You know we will keep you posted on her progress.
Got Yer ‘Backs, Jacks!
Fall kicks off tomorrow and that means plenty of special events, festivals and other holiday fun, online and in person, to come! We would like to engage people to participate while raising awareness and/or much-needed funds for the rescue. To accomplish this, we are kicking off a “Got Yer ‘Back$, Jack$” promotion. What is this, you ask? In short, we would like to invite local businesses/companies, artists, craftspersons, trainers, groomers, etc. who would like to donate their products, services and/or creations for raffles, auctions and contests to join us in our efforts.
Not only will you be donating something awesome for homeless Jacks, you will also enjoy plenty of free exposure, promotions and word-of-mouth references on our website, social media outlets, promo materials and/or other rescue networks. (Now we’re scratchin’ backs – and we know how Jacks love that!) All of our supporters/visitors are huge dog lovers and are always looking for great products and services for their four-legged little ones … or goodies and services for their home, families and sanity, i.e. we auctioned off a pet-friendly cabin last spring to wonderful success.
And, yes, we are a 501(3)c nonprofit, so you know what that means. 😉
If you would like to participate, just drop us an email and tell us a little about yourself and your business/skill and what you would like to offer. We’ll work with you from there in putting something together that benefits everyone: You, our supporters and the rescues. Win-win-win!
All Jack’ed-Up on Donations!
We are overwhelmed by the wonderful donations we have received in the past few days.
The monetary donations have been wonderful. You should all be receiving letters or emails confirming receipt of the donations and records for your taxes. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Did we say that enough? Nope!
Shirley Terrier really went above and beyond with a trunk load of goodies, including toys, treats, grooming supplies, towels, blankets, winter apparel, leashes and more. Wow!
The Gay family also donated a large batch of very-much-needed laundry supplies for crate blankets.
Lisa Matthews of Pawsitive Practice and her awesome team donated a couple hours out of their Sunday to assess Rocket, one of our fear-aggressive dogs.
Last but not least, Nylabone sent us several boxes of amazing bones recently. Our rescues are absolutely loving them! We hope to have some pics of the dogs devouring them soon. For now, we just wanted to give a huge shout out and thank you to Nylabone for a fantastic treat – literally!
Thank you for everyone who has reached out to us recently with donations of money, time/skills and items. You don’t know how much this means to us in such tight times. Thank you so much!
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Rocket Man’s Pawsitive Experience
Rocket went on a field trip today that was different than his usual trips to the field. He went to the Barker Lounge to meet Lisa Matthews, owner of Pawsitive Practice Training, and two of her great trainers: April and Hector.
A few weeks ago, we put a call out on our Facebook page to find a qualified trainer who might be willing to assess him and see what we can do to make him adoptable. He is one of two of our rescues who has severe fear-aggression issues that prevent them from being adoptable. He is very fearful of new visitors to the rescue, but once he gets familiar with a person, he does very well. Our volunteers find him irresistible and love playing ball with him. Sadly, training is not something we can normally afford, but we all felt this handsome, six-year-old man deserved a chance to find his forever home just like everyone else.
Lisa responded to our request almost immediately. We had met her at several adoption events and were impressed with her, yes, “pawsitive” methods (via Victoria Stilwell). After some scheduling delays, we were able to make it happen today. Unfortunately, the rescue was awry with activities this morning and we were late arriving, but the assessment was very thorough and a great experience for all of us. Lisa and her team were all very professional and encouraging, and Rocket quickly began to work through his initial fears and trust them.
He is definitely going to require training and socialization and he probably will not be adoptable to a family with young children as sudden movements are quick triggers. But there definitely is hope! We are going to review our schedules and budget and see what we can do to help him work through his fears. If you would like to sponsor Rocket, we will use it towards his rehabilitation and, of course, will keep everyone posted on what happens next and his progress.
Thanks so much to Lisa and her team for taking time out on a Sunday to do this for him. Thanks for your patience waiting on us and, even more, for the wonderful way you made Rocket (and us!) feel comfortable.
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Lola Update
Lola at the vet this morning with her incredible foster mom, Antoinette.
Little Lola went to her vet appointment this morning with her wonderful foster mom and one of our volunteers. Here is the update from our volunteer:
“The vet said her blindness is congenital; while her pupils dilate normally, the blood vessells are deformed. One eye is worse than the other, and she can only see shadows.
Her anxiety was observed and clearly evident due to no socialization. It was highly recommended that she gets behavioural modification training as soon as possible. A prescription was given for Prozac, but we want to try something natural first.
Her kneecap is causing issues, but not major. It is possible that it is an old injury that hasn’t mended properly. It isn’t affecting her walking, but an X-ray in future may be helpful if she shows signs of pain.
It was so obvious that Lola loves and trusts her Foster Mommy. I held Lola for a good 15 mins and she started to go to sleep in my arms … yep, I love her!”
What’s Next
The next step is arranging a consultation with a local training group to see what can be done to help her adjust and to receive socialization. We all agree the Prozac is a little much for this baby and would love to address her anxiety with something natural and positive, if possible. The family is going to try a natural supplement first to help her sleep better. The donated Thundershirt and Through a Dog’s Ear CDs have been helping as well.
 We will keep you updated on what happens next.
How to Help
Thanks to you, we were able to arrange this appointment while we still struggling to pay vet bills for Hartley and, now, Pippa. If you would like to help us cover the bills for these precious babies, please see the ChipIns below. If you cannot view them because they are in Flash, you can donate on our general donations page. You may also donate directly to the vet bills at the addresses below each dog.
As always, we will keep you posted on their progress and the differences your donations are directly making in the lives of dogs who need it most.
Donate directly to vet:
Conyers Animal Hospital
c/o Donation to Georgia Jack Russell/Lola
1425 Klondike Rd SW
Conyers GA 3009
Donate directly to vet:
Lithonia Animal Hospital
c/o Donation to Georgia Jack Russell/Pippa
2015 Rock Chapel Rd.
Lithonia, GA 30058
Lithonia Animal Hospital
c/o Donation to Georgia Jack Russell/Pippa
2015 Rock Chapel Rd.
Lithonia, GA 30058
Lola Update
Lola at the vet this morning with her incredible foster mom, Antoinette.
Little Lola went to her vet appointment this morning with her wonderful foster mom and one of our volunteers. Here is the update from our volunteer:
“The vet said her blindness is congenital; while her pupils dilate normally, the blood vessells are deformed. One eye is worse than the other, and she can only see shadows.
Her anxiety was observed and clearly evident due to no socialization. It was highly recommended that she gets behavioural modification training as soon as possible. A prescription was given for Prozac, but we want to try something natural first.
Her kneecap is causing issues, but not major. It is possible that it is an old injury that hasn’t mended properly. It isn’t affecting her walking, but an X-ray in future may be helpful if she shows signs of pain.
It was so obvious that Lola loves and trusts her Foster Mommy. I held Lola for a good 15 mins and she started to go to sleep in my arms … yep, I love her!”
What’s Next
The next step is arranging a consultation with a local training group to see what can be done to help her adjust and to receive socialization. We all agree the Prozac is a little much for this baby and would love to address her anxiety with something natural and positive, if possible. The family is going to try a natural supplement first to help her sleep better. The donated Thundershirt and Through a Dog’s Ear CDs have been helping as well.
 We will keep you updated on what happens next.
How to Help
Thanks to you, we were able to arrange this appointment while we still struggling to pay vet bills for Hartley and, now, Pippa. If you would like to help us cover the bills for these precious babies, please see the ChipIns below. If you cannot view them because they are in Flash, you can donate on our general donations page. You may also donate directly to the vet bills at the addresses below each dog.
As always, we will keep you posted on their progress and the differences your donations are directly making in the lives of dogs who need it most.
Donate directly to vet:
Conyers Animal Hospital
c/o Donation to Georgia Jack Russell/Lola
1425 Klondike Rd SW
Conyers GA 3009
Donate directly to vet:
Lithonia Animal Hospital
c/o Donation to Georgia Jack Russell/Pippa
2015 Rock Chapel Rd.
Lithonia, GA 30058
Lithonia Animal Hospital
c/o Donation to Georgia Jack Russell/Pippa
2015 Rock Chapel Rd.
Lithonia, GA 30058
Volunteer Day at the Rescue
What a wonderful day we had this past Saturday at rescue! For the first time ever, (almost) all of the volunteers got together for breakfast on the porch to meet one another and put faces to names, to bring some of our adopted babies back for a visit, to share our stories about how we found the rescue and to see what projects need to be tackled and events to be scheduled in the coming months.
Immediately after, we went to work with the first task at hand: Early fall cleaning! Everyone kicked into gear to clean all 22 kennels – pressure-washing doghouses, bowls and toys; raking out old straw and putting in new hay; mowing and weed-whacking the field and grounds; and, best of all, giving each and every rescue a chance to go for a run, play in the field and catch some balls.
And, oh, yeah … one of our young babies met her potential forever family and went home with them for a weekend trial basis while all of this was happening. We’ll keep you posted! 😉
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Pippa Deserves Her Puppyhood Back
We know we ask for your help a lot, but we don’t apologize: It’s always for the dogs. And this one really has our hearts heavy with concern.
Pippa arrived at our rescue last week and we were able to take her in, thanks to an open kennel left by Matilda’s wonderful adoption (yea!). This little girl is simply precious. We can’t think of another word more suitable for this pint-sized body of love and affection—which is amazing given the way she has been treated.
Her owner pretty much ignored her, her first few years of life. She was thrown into a concrete kennel with other dogs who traumatized her and was never given the fundamental things every dog deserves, including play time on grass, human affection and, yes, heartworm preventative. This neglect has left her little feet deformed (although it doesn’t slow her down) and, yes, her tiny body ridden with heartworms.
The Situation
We had her vetted the other day and the forecast isn’t good: She literally has a heart the size of a baseball because of heartworm disease. We have rescued and treated more than one Jack with this condition, but this is the most advanced—and the scariest—case we have ever faced.
The good news is she’s fairly young: Only 5 or 6 and has an awesome fighting spirit. She was coughing incessantly when she first arrived, but is doing better on some beta blockers. We are trying to get her healthy enough for the vet to consider heartworm treatment.
Despite her past, she is an absolute doll who loves everyone, human and canine. She is starved for TLC and a chance to be a puppy … and that’s exactly what we intend to give her.
How You Can Help
We truly need everyone’s support in giving this baby the fighting chance to survive, overcome and go on to make someone an amazing forever dog. We are still overwhelmed with vet bills and know this one is going to be huge. Someway, somehow, we will make it happen, but must once again turn to our incredible support system to help us.
If you would like to donate to help us help Pippa recover from her past and start over, please donate using the ChipIn below. If your device does not display Flash, you can visit our general donations page and note that it is for Pippa. If you would rather donate directly to our vet, you can send a check or money order to the address below. Please make sure to note on the check or MO that it’s for Pippa.
Lithonia Animal Hospital
c/o Donation to Georgia Jack Russell/Pippa
2015 Rock Chapel Rd.
Lithonia, GA 30058
Lola Needs our Love
Blind Baby and Her Foster Family Need Our Help
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This sweet baby was only 7 months old last month when she was surrendered by her owner to Paulding County Animal Control. The wonderful volunteers at Georgia Jacks discovered her in early August and began blasting her on their page, hoping to find her a home and avoid her being put to sleep within days. She was a young, gorgeous Jack Russell. Why on earth was she given up?
Within hours, volunteers and our ally in rescue rallied together to pull her. She was picked up on Aug. 10 and it quickly became apparent that this little baby may have been abused. She was way too timid and shy. She was too young developmentally to go to either of our rescues, so she was placed in foster care with a family who was interested in adopting her. Unfortunately, the family noticed and began to fear from her actions she was blind from brain damage. This sweet, shy girl also began to show some signs of aggression, mostly around small children, so they could not keep her.
She was moved to the Mitcham family on Labor Day. These wonderful dog lovers are no strangers to dogs with disabilities, but this is a whole new ballgame for everyone: She’s a puppy, she’s a rescue and she’s blind. Lola loves her canine pack, but barks, cries and doesn’t relax much. She bumps into things, cannot climb stairs and is very distressed when crated, despite positive associations. Being a baby and not being able to do what babies do (i.e., run like the wind!), she is showing anxiety and frustration, which inevitably projects as aggression.
We have already had a couple of people step up for in-person/phone guidance, donations of essential relaxation methods such as a Thundershirt, relaxation CDs, etc. Even though she was originally vetted, these issues were somehow not found or disclosed. We are now working with a couple of vets to conduct a full examination and assessment of her situation, including a brain scan. This will not come cheap and is not something any of us have budgeted for. One way or another, it will happen, though.
In the meantime, we are reaching out to all of our networks for help with this baby and this wonderful foster family, not just with donations but also with recommendations and experienced help in dealing with such matters. We want Lola and her fosters to know they are not alone in this ordeal and that Lola has a wonderful life ahead of her.
If you would like to donate to the vet bills, please use the ChipIn box below. If your device does not display Flash and you cannot see it, you can use our general donations page. Please, be sure to note that it’s for Lola in the Special Notes in Paypal. If you prefer to send a check/money order to us or to the vet who does her examination and tests, or if you would like to offer your advice or experienced skills in helping, please email us for information.
Bed Toppers Needed
First and Foremost – Thank You!
We recently received some more pet bed donations and wanted to thank everyone who gave. For those who haven’t heard about the program, Animal Rescue Aid is in a partnership with a manufacturer of dog beds, who allows them to purchase their beds at cost for needy rescues and shelters. They are $17.50 and have a rust-proof aluminum frame and polyester topper, which can be hosed down with disinfectant. If you own dogs or have ever worked with rescue, you know how important that is. Most importantly, it gets them off the ground or the crate and gives them a comfy, dry place to lie.
We could still use a couple more beds for winter, but what we really need now are some replacement toppers. As you know, Jacks are tough little guys and gals and can cause a lot of wear ‘n tear on anything. This includes these wonderful semi-indestructible beds. Fortunately, the aluminum frames are holding up great, so we just need to replace a few polyester toppers … and, fortunately, they are only $3.95 each. But, of course, multply that small amount times several dogs and, well? Vet bills and food must come first.
Photo: Tasha is one of several of our dogs who lies on her bed a lot. As you can see, the corners of the bed are starting to fray because of it.
Donate Online
To donate a bed or a topper, simply go to ARA’s donations page and scroll to the end of the page. Fill in the amount you would like to donate and put Georgia Jack Russell Adoptions in the Comments field. The last part is very important, so they know who to ship it to. If you are buying replacement toppers, please multiple $3.95 by how ever many you want to donate and note that in the Comments box as well. Then click the Donate button, which will securely take you to the Paypal website, where you can pay with your Paypal account or with a credit card. Walk through the process like any purchase and woof! You have made a major difference in a little dog’s life.
Donate by Check
If you are not comfortable making a donation online, you can contact us and we will email you a form to print and mail with a check.
Thank You, Thank You
Thanks to everyone who helped out the first time. If you have been wanting to help the dogs, but don’t feel comfortable just giving money, this is a way to know it’s going to the right place. We will continue to share photos of the dogs enjoying their beds (and toppers), so you can see exactly where your hard-earned money is being used.
Happy Labor Day Weekend!
Eli is firing up the grill and breaking out the Bowser Beer at the rescue. (Shh, don’t tell Mom!) We wish everyone a safe, fun holiday weekend! We would love to see our adopted babies in action with you this weekend. Don’t hesitate to post on our wall!
Happy Labor Day Weekend!
Eli is firing up the grill and breaking out the Bowser Beer at the rescue. (Shh, don’t tell Mom!) We wish everyone a safe, fun holiday weekend! We would love to see our adopted babies in action with you this weekend. Don’t hesitate to post on our wall!
Seniors for Seniors
Our sanctuary realizes and respects the wisdom and beauty of all seniors, not just our four-legged babies but our two-legged friends and family as well.
It is a sad reality that senior dogs can be difficult to adopt out. Even though Jacks typically live 14-16 years (and some many more), most adoptive parents are looking for young dogs they can train and with whom they will have a long time. We understand that and we have several young guns available for adoption. Being a sanctuary, however, we also have a wonderful group of senior sweethearts who need and deserve homes just as much, if not more, than the babies do. A lot of these dogs are trained, calm-submissive, low-maintenance and would love nothing more than a lap to sit on every day.
We also know of many two-legged humans who are retired and would love nothing more than to have a dog, but may be living on a fixed income. While they long for the companionship, friendship and health these beautiful creatures can bring to any stage of our lives, the financial burden of food, vet bills and costs may be more than they can handle.
We hope to resolve both of these issues with this new program.
About the Program
Anyone who is over 65 years old is potentially eligible to adopt one of our senior dogs (typically 7 years or older) at a highly-discounted rate. We will also assist with food costs. In addition, we would like to find some local vets to work with us on offering medical discounts.
If you are over 65 and are interested in participating, please visit our Senior Dogs page or our Adult Dogs page (look for any dog 7 and older) to see which dog speaks to you; then give us a call at 770-918-8582 for more details and arrangements. As with every adoption, we will need a completed application and potential home inspection.
Vet? Sponsor? We need you!
If you are not 65 and/or looking to adopt, you can still participate in the program. As you know, we rely solely on donations and adoption fees to run our rescue. We do not receive any type of funding whatsoever. Although we do work with local vets and food banks to help provide services and food at discounted prices for this Seniors for Seniors program, we will still have costs associated with it.
If you would like to help us help them, you can do so by making a contribution to the program or donating food, toys, crates, blankets, etc. Just cilck the Donate button below.
Wish List for the Rescues
Do you want to donate to the Jacks, but are a little hesitant about how the money will be used? No problem! Click on Eli below and shop from our Wish List on Amazon. You can pick out what we need most/whatever fits your budget best and have it delivered straight to our door, assuring both you (and us!) that all your hard-earned money goes to the dogs. (And you know us – we’ll post those goodies once we receive them to assure you even further.)
Treat yours. Help others.
We are excited to partner with another pet-related company who aims to help rescues. Pawlee’s Treat Co. offers all-natural, U.S.-made, wholesome treats at affordable prices online. On top of that goodness, they give 10% of each purchase to the rescue of your choice.
How to Help Our Jacks
If you would like to help our homeless babies, simply visit their site and choose from a variety of snacks for your Jacks. When checking out, you will be given the option to donate 10% of your purchase to our rescue. Just look for it at the bottom of the registration or checkout page. It looks something like this:
All Jacked Up!
Whew! What a busy week (month!) it’s been at rescue lately. So many dogs coming in and, fortunately, going out to forever homes.
New Arrivals
We took in seven(!) dogs within a matter of days, mostly due to sponsors, fosters and volunteers working together to pull shelter dogs. It was a little overwhelming at first, but we are already starting to place some. Sasha went to her new home yesterday, leaving behind her baby, Tasha, who is looking for her home. Other newcomers include Opal, Pig-Pen, Sassy, Maggie (foster care), Tessa and Ginger. Please, check out their profiles or our Facebook page for more information on each of them.
Fancy’s Story Comes to an End … with a New Beginning
The summer-long story of Fancy came to an end last week when her official sponsor, who has been fostering her the past couple of weeks, decided she fit well with their pack o’three Jacks and made her a permanent resident. She now spends her days dozing at feet, playing with her new family and enjoying all the good things in life. Congratulations, Fancy! You deserved the best.
Fancy (center) with her new Jack Pack, including Benny, Brodie (another one of our rescues from 2011) and Brigit.
Ellie is Outta Here!
Our active little Ellie found her forever home over the weekend. The best part? They are a very active family who likes to run and never gets tired of throwing the ball! We cannot wait to see photos of her enjoying life to its fullest.
Furever Homes Found at Furever Fit
Thank you to everyone for coming out yesterday to the grand opening of Furever Fit in Johns Creek. We had a great time meeting everyone and hanging out at this wonderful new store. Best of all, three of our babies were adopted! Chip went home with the Moore family and Jocelyn, one of Susie’s puppies, went home with the Ramsey family. One of Susie’s brindle babies was adopted as well, but we are still waiting on information about their new family.
Thanks to all of the volunteers for rallying at both the store and at rescue to cover things. We look forward to participating in more events (with more dogs on hand!) in the very near future.
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Fairytales ‘n Fabulous Foster Failures
Something magical is in the air. It must be. We have had more positive stories in the past few weeks than we have had in years! It began with Peyton in May, followed by Mars in late June and continues this week with two more forever-home announcements. This may be small bones for some rescues who do four in a day, but it’s monumental for us.
In a rescue world full of horror stories and sad endings, we revel in sharing our most recent happy tales, both of which have officially transpired in the past 24 hours!
Troy
Troy (aka Little Ricky)
Troy arrived at our rescue late last year with Gilbert. Both were scheduled to be put down in a South Carolina shelter before we made the trip to get them. They were young, sweet as candy and ridiculously adorable, but they were both heartworm positive. No one wanted the responsibility or costs associated with treating that … no one but us, of course. Gluttons, we are.
Unfortunately, their rescue occurred at the same time there was a heartworm treatment shortage in our area. We had to put them both on slow-kill meds, which, unfortunately, did not work as effectively as the regular stuff. That did not matter to Amy and Allen Grames, who snatched Gilbert up in March and treated him after adoption. And it didn’t matter to the Biddingers of Augusta, who came to meet Harry last weekend … and took Troy home instead. (No offense, Harry, your family is out there.)
They immediately fell in love with this wonderful clown and decided to take him home on a trial basis (something we offer all potential adopters). Within the first three days of taking him home, the couple paid the enormous fee to have the heartworms killed off, once and for all. Last night, they called to tell us, “He’s not coming back. He has a home.†Those are the most bittersweet, beautiful words one can ever hear in rescue, especially for a boy who has been passed over a few times because his previous owners did not put him on preventative medicine.
We are so happy for this handsome man, who was never short on energy, Kong-eating stunts or gymnastic skills during his stay with us. We knew he needed some one-on-one attention, positive guidance and room to roam, all of which he has now, i.e. he lives on a farm and spends a lot of time with his new family. He even has a Collie brother, William, who he gets along with wonderfully.
Last but not least, he has a new name to go with his new start: They call him Little Ricky. Why? He has friends named Fred and Lucy. We kid you not. Leslie, his new mom, promises to send some photos of Little Ricky in the near future. We can’t wait to see him outside a kennel, living the life he has always deserved.
Thank you so much to the Biddingers, not just for paying those heartworm treatment bills and giving Troy/Little Ricky a new home but also for the kind words about our rescue and the way our dogs are treated. We operate on a shoestring budget with a small band of volunteers helping an incredible woman who has lost both her husband and son in the past five years. It feels futile sometimes, but we remain positive and somehow, someway, we seem to make it work and the dogs always come first. When someone acknowledges that, it gives us strength to move forward.
Susie
By now, everyone is probably familiar with Pumpkin’s story; how she went from rags to riches last summer, thanks to her foster-failure parents, Jennifer and James Roose. Well, guess what? The Rooses have “failed†again … (We prefer two-time adoption success, thank you.)
Long story short: Susie and her six puppies were dumped at Elbert County Animal Control back in March and left to die. Terri, one of our tireless volunteers, could not stand the thought of anything happening to them and agreed to foster them and raise the babies for us. No small feat as anyone who has had a puppy (much less six of them!) knows. Mom was also malnourished and had worms. We had to get her healthy to keep them healthy. Thanks to some donations, we were able to do that.
Once the babies were old enough to let go of mama, Terri brought all of them to an adoption fair, where our beloved poster-girl Pumpkin and mom, Jennifer, were making an appearance. Jennifer and her own mother met Susie and, well, it was all over already … They loved her. (We all did.) Fast forward a few more weeks: Terri left Susie with us to treat some of our other rescues to the comfort of a foster home and Jennifer asked to fail, er, foster for us again.
There were already thoughts of adopting her, but it really depended on how Pumpkin, who is a dominant female, reacted with her. Fortunately, Susie is a laidback sweetheart, and Pumpkin had no problem welcoming her into her new car, forever home/farm and even her bed! The Rooses have spent the past couple of weeks not only bonding with Susie, but teaching her necessary skills and challenges like sitting, greeting stangers and, yes, some agility. (Look out, Pumpkin!)
Today, they announced they can’t stand the thought of letting her go. They’re keeping her. Here are some photos of her story from peril to paradise. Thanks to Jennifer for all the foster pics!
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Funds for our Foster Failures
It’s not all sunshine, butterflies and dog treats just yet, though. Susie has to have surgery on July 31 to have her teeth worked on and some buckshot removed. Yes, before someone dumped her and the pups at the shelter, they shot at her. She has three — lodged under her skin. The surgery is going to be costly. The Roose family (who paid a fortune out of pocket to “fix†poor Pumpkin a year ago) is once again footing the bill. We are helping with what we can.
We wanted to share the story of this amazing foster family with everyone and, yes, once again ask for help for a deserving dog. If you have a spare few bucks and want to help this big-hearted, generous family pay for Susie’s surgery, please click the ChipIn link below. Every penny will go towards her surgery, and we will keep everyone posted on how things go. (If you are using an iPad/iPhone and cannot see the Flash ChipIn below, you can visit our general donations page. Just let us know it’s for Susie’s Surgery in the special notes.)
Living the Dream
What an amazing month it has been so far for adoptions – and there’s already more in store! (tease) We cannot thank our group of incredible volunteers, sponsors and fosters enough for making all of this happen. After so many tragedies and challenges over the past few years, the past few weeks feel like a fairytale. It keeps us moving forward when we need it most and the dogs and we thank you for everything.
Peyton’s Paradise
He spent five years patiently waiting in his kennel for the family he knew would someday come. When they did, we discovered he had a cancerous lump.
But all that is behind Peyton now. He’s found paradise. He has healed from his surgery and settled into his wonderful home with the Childress family. They sent us a few pictures to show us how well he is doing. We couldn’t wait to share. This is the part of rescue that keeps us going.
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Let’s Find Fancy a Forever Home
Fancy has had a whirlwind two months.
The Rescue
A photo of her sad, sweet face graced our Save a Jack wall in early May. She was an owner surrender, and there was something about her eyes that haunted us. After 6-7 years with her family, she had been abandoned and was scheduled to be put down. (Our guess is that her owner may have died and the family did not want to take care of her.) One of our volunteers decided to sponsor her on her PTS day, and another volunteer pulled her within minutes. Her demeanor was very sweet, and she loved to cuddle. It was hard to imagine anyone letting her go.
She wasn’t perfect, though … she was sick.
The Recovery
She was only at our rescue for a few hours when we heard the disheartening sounds of kennel cough. We kept her isolated and treated her for it, but it rapidly grew worse. She developed a fever, stopped eating and became a little “snot bomb.” This wasn’t just kennel cough; this was something more severe going on. We took her to our vet, where she stayed for almost a week on fluids while a plethora of tests were run and treatments attempted. She was taken to a second vet, who agreed with the first vet’s theory: A severe case of canine flu.
We couldn’t afford to board her at the vet and we didn’t want to subject her to the chaos of other dogs around at rescue. That’s when one of our amazing supporters, Jane Cox, stepped up to take her into her home during this difficult recovery process. We received daily reports on her progress, and she eventually made a full recovery and grew strong enough to be spayed, which happened last week. It took her a whole day to spring back this time. 😉
She has been celebrating her newfound health and happiness the past week in the Smoky Mountains with a couple of our volunteers who have a Jack pack of their own. (Yes, the same ones who were wonderful enough to donate their cabin during our spring raffle!) She has been on nature hikes, has gone for car rides through the mountains, has received some professional instruction on the fine art of sitting and being quiet and even went kayaking one day.
What more could any dog ask for?! Yes, that’s right: A permanent home.
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The Road Ahead
Fancy returns to Atlanta this weekend and is ready for adoption. She is healthy and up-to-date on her shots. She has plenty of terrier fire in her (see the photo under the deck), but she’s also very well-behaved, crate trained and will stay close to whoever she is with. She does well in a group because she loves company, but she would make someone a very faithful/solo dog as well. She definitely loves people – so much so that she wants to snuggle 24/7. Be sure you’re up for some serious puppy love! 😉
It will be hard to let go of our “million dollar shelter dog,” who has graced the homes and hearts of so many of our volunteers/fosters the past few weeks during her recovery. But we are thrilled to see her healthy and we want nothing more than for her to find a real forever home. She beat the shelter and the flu; this girl has a purpose!
If you are looking for a happy, easy-going lapdog to love on, look no further. Give us a call at 770-918-8582 if you would like to meet her and/or download and complete our application and we’ll get the process started.
Meet Our Mutts at Mutts & More
Want to meet the mutt puppies we have up for adoption? Didn’t get a chance to get out to the Animal Rescue Fair last weekend? Here’s another chance to meet them … and hug them and squeeze them (gently, of course)!
Join us Saturday at Mutts and More Festival in Cumming. The Humane Society of Forsyth County is sponsoring this second annual adoption event. It’s scheduled for 10 am to 4 pm at Fowler Park, located at 4110 Carolene Way in Cumming, Ga. A day of fun is on tap, including vendors, games, food, live music, the Rucker Dog Show and, of course, the Mutt Strutt, a chance to walk with your dog(s). Cost is absolutely free.
Best of all? You’ll get to meet and possibly take home one of our foster sweethearts below.
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Meet Our Mutts at Mutts & More
Want to meet the mutt puppies we have up for adoption? Didn’t get a chance to get out to the Animal Rescue Fair last weekend? Here’s another chance to meet them … and hug them and squeeze them (gently, of course)!
Join us Saturday at Mutts and More Festival in Cumming. The Humane Society of Forsyth County is sponsoring this second annual adoption event. It’s scheduled for 10 am to 4 pm at Fowler Park, located at 4110 Carolene Way in Cumming, Ga. A day of fun is on tap, including vendors, games, food, live music, the Rucker Dog Show and, of course, the Mutt Strutt, a chance to walk with your dog(s). Cost is absolutely free.
Best of all? You’ll get to meet and possibly take home one of our foster sweethearts below.
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Buy a Bed, Give a Bed
Need to buy a new bed for your baby? Want to help “buy one get one free” for one of our homeless Jacks? Here’s the perfect opportunity!
We are honored to be part of another pet bed donation program after such a wonderful response a few months ago with the Animal Rescue Aid program. (We are, by the way, still accepting outdoor beds through that program. After all, we have Jacks and, well, you know – they will destroy the indestructible … and some have.) These beds are provided by Alphapooch for Petfinder shelters/rescues. The beds are “shelter certified” and will work perfectly for the crates in the indoor kennel, which we are still working on. Right now, our rescues are sleeping on whatever blankets or towels we receive as donations. (Those donations are wonderful, though, so please keep them coming! What is trash to you is a warm blankie for a rescue.)
To participate in this program, please go to Alphapooch’s website and click the “Click here to purchase a pet bed now” link in the Buy One Give One section. Pick the bed you want to buy for your forever pooch (or, if you want, yes, we will gladly accept a paid-for one as well!), add it to your cart and then select Check Out. You will receive a notice telling you that your purchase qualifies for a free bed donation to a shelter. Proceed to Checkout and then select us from the drop-down menu that says Petfinder:
That’s it! They’ll take care of the rest. Your baby will get a new bed and so will one of our needy sweeties.
Thank you to all of you who do so much for us. We could not do it without you. Please share this with your friends and let’s get some babies some new beds!
Buy a Bed, Give a Bed
Need to buy a new bed for your baby? Want to help “buy one get one free” for one of our homeless Jacks? Here’s the perfect opportunity!
We are honored to be part of another pet bed donation program after such a wonderful response a few months ago with the Animal Rescue Aid program. (We are, by the way, still accepting outdoor beds through that program. After all, we have Jacks and, well, you know – they will destroy the indestructible … and some have.)
These beds are provided by Alphapooch for Petfinder shelters/rescues. The beds are “shelter certified” and will work perfectly for the crates in the indoor kennel, which we are still working on. Right now, our rescues are sleeping on whatever blankets or towels we receive as donations. (Those donations are wonderful, though, so please keep them coming! What may be trash to you is a warm blankie for a rescue.)
To participate in this program, please go to Alphapooch’s website and click the “Click here to purchase a pet bed now” link in the Buy One Give One section. Pick the bed you want to buy for your forever pooch (or, if you want, yes, we will gladly accept a paid-for one as well!), add it to your cart and then select Check Out. You will receive a notice telling you that your purchase qualifies for a free bed donation to a shelter. Proceed to Checkout and then select us from the drop-down menu that says Petfinder:
That’s it! They’ll take care of the rest. Your baby will get a new bed and so will one of our needy sweeties.
Thank you to all of you who do so much for us. We could not do it without you. Please share this with your friends and let’s get some babies some new beds!
Puppies at the Rescue Fair
Looking for something to do on this 80-degree weekend? Join us Sunday at the Animal Rescue Fair! It’s scheduled for 12-5pm at Wills Park Equestrian Center in Alpharetta. Admission is free, but food donations will be accepted for local soup kitchens, including Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen, who have been nothing short of wonderful to us. You can bring your dog(s) and even participate in the Walk of Fame Pet Parade at 2:30.
We will have a booth with our usual goodies annnnnddddd … the beautiful little Jack/Boxer mutts who have been in foster care for the past couple of months will be with us and available for adoption. Our wonderful foster and volunteer, Terry, sent us the photos below. Don’t they just make you squeal?!
If you are interested in any of them, please download our application, fill it out and bring it with you to expedite things. Susie, their adorable JRT mother, and foster friend Penny, who are both available for adoption, may be there as well.
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Peyton is Cancer Free
We received an update on the lump the vet removed from Peyton a couple of weeks ago. It was stage 2, but all potential harm was removed. Yea! He is now able to run around again.
Best of all, he is never alone and is constantly loved on. When his parents have to go to work, he spends the day with his (human) brother, where he gets to play with kids (his favorite!) until he gets picked up. Once again, we are so thankful to the Childress family for giving this beautiful boy, who resided almost five years with us, such a fantastic new lease on life. Thank you also to all of those who donated towards his surgery as well.
In closing, we just had to re-share this wonderful photo of that special boy shot last summer. Something tells us he wasn’t just enjoying a beautiful day; he was dreaming about his family. He never gave up hope … and neither should we.
Pumpkin Has Arrived
Pumpkin, the sweetest success story of 2011, visited us this weekend with her awesome mom, Jennifer Roose. She brought her portable agility set with her and showed us what we she can do in the field. Afterwards, she took a break while Jennifer worked with Ellie, our super-smart rescue. This is such a wonderful treat for any dog who needs focus and wants to work, but it’s especially good for the rescues, who spend a lot of time in their kennels with few challenges to occupy their time.
Thank you so much, Jennifer and Pumpkin, for making the drive out to see us and share what is possible for any of these so-called “unwanted” dogs. Here’s some pics of our little superstar strutting her stuff.
I’m a forever dog, not an until dog
This campaign has been around for awhile; kicks back up now and again, but always packs a punch. It’s in full swing on the social media networks right now, so our little Eli decided to donate his supermodel talents to the cause. Please share.
Fancy That
We are happy to report that Fancy has finally left the vet. She received a second opinion and both vets diagnosed her with the canine flu. She is now living with her potential “forever foster” Jane.
For almost the entire month of May, this poor girl has been abandoned by her family, scheduled to be put down, shared and sponsored by our Save a Jack group, taken to a strange rescue and then poked and prodded at the vet for a solid week – all while fighting off this stressful condition.
Despite all that, her tail has never stopped wagging and her trust has never waned. She is such a wonderful, patient, well-behaved sweetheart. She is now in a stable, loving environment and it is our greatest hope that this precious girl will finally find the chicken soup for her soul she needs to make a full recovery.
Thank you to Kim Davis, Sally Hall, Jane Cox, Cara Thomas and everyone else who has taken this girl from the gas chamber to the high life. We call her our “million-dollar shelter dog.” It’s a little exaggerated, but she has been worth every penny. We hope to have some updated photos of her soon.
Fancy That
We are happy to report that Fancy has finally left the vet. She received a second opinion and both vets diagnosed her with the canine flu. She is now living with her potential “forever foster” Jane.
For almost the entire month of May, this poor girl has been abandoned by her family, scheduled to be put down, shared and sponsored by our Save a Jack group, taken to a strange rescue and then poked and prodded at the vet for a solid week – all while fighting off this stressful condition.
Despite all that, her tail has never stopped wagging and her trust has never waned. She is such a wonderful, patient, well-behaved sweetheart. She is now in a stable, loving environment and it is our greatest hope that this precious girl will finally find the chicken soup for her soul she needs to make a full recovery.
Thank you to Kim Davis, Sally Hall, Jane Cox, Cara Thomas and everyone else who has taken this girl from the gas chamber to the high life. We call her our “million-dollar shelter dog.” It’s a little exaggerated, but she has been worth every penny. We hope to have some updated photos of her soon.
Peyton’s Recovery
We are so happy to report that Peyton is healing nicely from his surgery – and in his forever home. The removal of the cancerous tumors went well, and his family has been making sure he is getting plenty of rest. (No small feat with this energetic boy!) Thank you to everyone for your prayers and donations. It helped more than you could ever know.
And, of course, thank you more than words can express to the Childress family in Alabama for giving this awesome boy a second chance!
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The Bad, The Good, The Great
It’s been a challenging two weeks at the rescue ranch. Great news, good news and bad news … Bad news first.
The Bad News: Fancy is Sick
Fancy, the unwanted 7-year-old Jack who we pulled from Fulton County last week on her PTS day, is sick. We thought it was just kennel cough, but it now appears to be pneumonia and could possibly be distemper. She is dehydrated, running a fever and having severe respiratory problems. She is with the vet now and receiving plenty of fluids and care.
One of our volunteers is sponsoring her, but the x-rays and tests are going to hit deep. So we’ve started a ChipIn for her as well. If you can’t view the module below (it’s in Flash), you can use our general donations page and note it’s for Fancy in the additional notes.
The Good News: Peyton is Ready
Peyton is scheduled to have his cancerous lumps removed tomorrow. His forever home has worked out, and his family absolutely loves him. He even went to the beach for the first time over the weekend. We don’t have pictures, but we hear he wasn’t too sure of that water stuff. Wonder how many holes he dug in the sand, though?! 😉
We will keep you posted on how the surgery goes as soon as we hear from his family.
Thank you to everyone who has donated to his surgery and wished him well. We appreciate you beyond words. We now have a more efficient process in place to formally thank you (and provide you with our information for your tax records). You should be receiving something soon. We literally cannot do this without you!
The Great News: Ginger Has a Home!
Let’s end this post with the greatest news of all at rescue: One of our babies has a new home. Ginger, our “honorary” Jack mix-of-a-beautiful-mutt, is going to her forever home later this week. Best of all, she is destined to be snuggle buddies with the 10-year-old niece of one of our volunteers. It’s win-win! She gets a fantastic home – and we get updates. Check out this photo she drew. What parent couldn’t say no? We know we were sold! We’ll keep you posted on her wonderful new life. Congratulations to both of these sweethearts for finding one another!
Puppy Duo Looking for Home(s)
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Jack and Jill (formerly known as James and Jessie, the puppies who were abandoned in a Walmart parking lot) are growing like little weeds. They’re not full-blooded Jacks, but they are full-bodied fun!
They’re both about 12 weeks now. They still need another round of shots, but can go to a home or homes with someone willing to prove a final round. That goes for their spay/neuter as well. They do not have to be adopted together, but they are very close. It would be wonderful if they could, but, of course, we want forever homes for both of them and will work with you. They are both heartworm negative.
If you are interested in fostering or adopting them, please call us at 770-918-8582.
Sweethearts with Surgeries
We hate to share the negative, but this is the world of rescue: Sometimes it’s unavoidable.
We have two (former) rescues who desperately need our help right now. As you know, we never stop thinking or caring about our sweethearts once they leave. Whenever possible, we also keep our doors open for their return if things don’t work out. Whether they are with us for a couple of weeks or a few years, we grow to love each of them and can’t fathom them having to suffer in any way.
Peyton
First we have our wonderful Peyton, who was just adopted a week ago after spending five long years with us. Before he left, we had him checked out by a vet (not our usual one), who discovered a couple of lumps under his skin. It was biopsied and came back fine … but we found out today that the lab confused his results with another dog’s. What?!
Unfortunately, his lumps are cancerous and need to be removed immediately. His new JRT sister and he have not been getting along, either, so he will be coming back to Atlanta from Alabama this weekend to have his surgery … and to return to his kennel, which we were hoping would house someone new. It is unfortunate, but this is something we can handle … unlike our other beloved sweetheart …
Minnie P
Minnie P is in desperate shape. She was adopted from us a few years ago, but we just found out that she recently jumped out of the back of a pickup and was hurt badly. (We cannot stress enough: Never put your dog in the back of a truck.) Her pelvis was broken, and the family could not afford the surgery to repair it. They were crate resting her as alternative, but she wasn’t mending. We couldn’t stand the thought of her in pain, so we asked our vet to perform the surgery, which he did on Monday. She pulled through, but is having a hard time and is not out of the woods yet. (Please, say a little prayer for her this crucial first week.) We’re scared to know what the bill is going to be and do not know how it’s going to get paid. We just know we couldn’t let her suffer.
These are some photos of this beautiful girl before the accident. We didn’t want to share any of her right now, but we will as soon as she is doing a little better. 🙁
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So … now what?
With Fancy’s arrival yesterday, Peyton’s return this weekend and Minnie P’s long recovery ahead, we are once again struggling for funds and space. (Hey, we had a couple of good days!) So, once again, we are turning to our friends and supporters to help us help them and keep doing this.
We’ve started ChipIns for both surgeries. If you have some spare change in the couch, we could desperately use it to pay the medical expenses. (There are some discounts, but not many.) If you can’t view the ChipIns below (they are in Flash and not visible on iPhones or iPads), you can use the general donation page and mention that it’s for Minnie P or Peyton’s surgery in the special notes. Thank you for everything. We literally cannot do this without your help. We will keep you posted on their progress.
Sweethearts with Surgeries
We hate to share the negative, but this is the world of rescue: Sometimes it’s unavoidable.
We have two (former) rescues who desperately need our help right now. As you know, we never stop thinking or caring about our sweethearts once they leave. Whenever possible, we also keep our doors open for their return if things don’t work out. Whether they are with us for a couple of weeks or a few years, we grow to love each of them and can’t fathom them having to suffer in any way.
Peyton
First we have our wonderful Peyton, who was just adopted a week ago after spending five long years with us. Before he left, we had him checked out by a vet (not our usual one), who discovered a couple of lumps under his skin. It was biopsied and came back fine … but we found out today that the lab confused his results with another dog’s. What?!
Unfortunately, his lumps are cancerous and need to be removed immediately. His new JRT sister and he have not been getting along, either, so he will be coming back to Atlanta from Alabama this weekend to have his surgery … and to return to his kennel, which we were hoping would house someone new. It is unfortunate, but this is something we can handle … unlike our other beloved sweetheart …
Minnie P
Minnie P is in desperate shape. She was adopted from us a few years ago, but we just found out that she recently jumped out of the back of a pickup and was hurt badly. (We cannot stress enough: Never put your dog in the back of a truck.) Her pelvis was broken, and the family could not afford the surgery to repair it. They were crate resting her as alternative, but she wasn’t mending. We couldn’t stand the thought of her in pain, so we asked our vet to perform the surgery, which he did on Monday. She pulled through, but is having a hard time and is not out of the woods yet. (Please, say a little prayer for her this crucial first week.) We’re scared to know what the bill is going to be and do not know how it’s going to get paid. We just know we couldn’t let her suffer.
These are some photos of this beautiful girl before the accident. We didn’t want to share any of her right now, but we will as soon as she is doing a little better. 🙁
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So … now what?
With Fancy’s arrival yesterday, Peyton’s return this weekend and Minnie P’s long recovery ahead, we are once again struggling for funds and space. (Hey, we had a couple of good days!) So, once again, we are turning to our friends and supporters to help us help them and keep doing this.
We’ve started ChipIns for both surgeries. If you have some spare change in the couch, we could desperately use it to pay the medical expenses. (There are some discounts, but not many.) If you can’t view the ChipIns below (they are in Flash and not visible on iPhones or iPads), you can use the general donation page and mention that it’s for Minnie P or Peyton’s surgery in the special notes. Thank you for everything. We literally cannot do this without your help. We will keep you posted on their progress.
Fancy That: Another Chance at Life
It was her day to be put to sleep. After seven faithful years with her owner, Fancy was surrendered to Fulton County Animal Shelter on May 4. She spent a lonely week there with few inquiries – and plenty of speculation as to why. This was a sweet, adorable, little girl. It was hard to believe no one was interested in adopting or rescuing her … and even harder to believe she had been surrendered in the first place. We watched her story in the Save a Jack group and could watch no more: Someway, somehow, she was going to get a second chance.
A sponsor stepped up, so we called the shelter countless times this morning to make sure she was taken off the PTS list. Right as they were calling us back, one of our volunteers, Kim, walked in to get her. She was still there – and she will now get that second chance.
She spent the day with our volunteer, who reported countless times how incredibly well-mannered she is. She will even sit to let you pet her. She is heartworm negative, her teeth are in good condition and her tummy and coat show she was well taken care of by someone. She appears to be a Jack/Rat mix, but hasn’t shown any of the usual, um, “high energy” antics of this terrier combination.
She is now at our rescue and may be moving to a foster home soon because of our capacity issue. Of course, the ultimate goal is to get her into another home … forever, this time. She is being “checked in and checked out” right now, but if you are interested in adopting her, please call us at 770-918-8582. For now, here’s a couple of snapshots of this pretty-in-pink sweetheart.
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Fancy That: Another Chance at Life
It was her day to be put to sleep. After seven faithful years with her owner, Fancy was surrendered to Fulton County Animal Shelter on May 4. She spent a lonely week there with few inquiries – and plenty of speculation as to why. This was a sweet, adorable, little girl. It was hard to believe no one was interested in adopting or rescuing her … and even harder to believe she had been surrendered in the first place. We watched her story in the Save a Jack group and could watch no more: Someway, somehow, she was going to get a second chance.
A sponsor stepped up, so we called the shelter countless times this morning to make sure she was taken off the PTS list. Right as they were calling us back, one of our volunteers, Kim, walked in to get her. She was still there – and she will now get that second chance.
She spent the day with our volunteer, who reported countless times how incredibly well-mannered she is. She will even sit to let you pet her. She is heartworm negative, her teeth are in good condition and her tummy and coat show she was well taken care of by someone. She appears to be a Jack/Rat mix, but hasn’t shown any of the usual, um, “high energy” antics of this terrier combination.
She is now at our rescue and may be moving to a foster home soon because of our capacity issue. Of course, the ultimate goal is to get her into another home … forever, this time. She is being “checked in and checked out” right now, but if you are interested in adopting her, please call us at 770-918-8582. For now, here’s a couple of snapshots of this pretty-in-pink sweetheart.
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New Facebook Group for Crossposts
Our third-party posts on our websites and Facebook have become overwhelming. This is not a bad thing, of course; lots of little Jack lives are getting saved while we are at capacity and low on funds. However, many others are getting lost on the Facebook timeline, or confusion arises when adoptive parties think these Jacks are at our rescue.
To alleviate some of this, please join our new Facebook group, Save a Jack, and share all cross-posts, shelter dogs, found/wanted dogs, etc. there moving forward. We will continue to promote the group on our pages, so visitors know to look there as well for Jacks in need.
Thank you – and post on!
New Facebook Group for Crossposts
Our third-party posts on our websites and Facebook have become overwhelming. This is not a bad thing, of course; lots of little Jack lives are getting saved while we are at capacity and low on funds. However, many others are getting lost on the Facebook timeline, or confusion arises when adoptive parties think these Jacks are at our rescue.
To alleviate some of this, please join our new Facebook group, Save a Jack, and share all cross-posts, shelter dogs, found/wanted dogs, etc. there moving forward. We will continue to promote the group on our pages, so visitors know to look there as well for Jacks in need.
Thank you – and post on!
See You at SweetWater!
Looking for something to do in Atlanta this weekend? Come out to the SweetWater 420 Fest at Candler Park!
Not only does it offer three straight days of great music and food, but a chance to visit some great vendors as well. We are located in the non-profit neighborhood. Dogs aren’t allowed at the festival this year, but we have a book full of all our rescues who are available for adoption, foster and/or sponsorship.
Stop by our tent to buy a Smoky Mountain Getaway Raffle ticket, take home some unique JRT merchandise, make a donation and/or win a great doggie prizes! We’ll be there all day today and Sunday.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by last night. It was great to meet you! We sold quite a few tickets and brought home some greenies for the dogs.
Jack Russell Booth at SweetWater 420 Fest
See You at SweetWater!
Looking for something to do in Atlanta this weekend? Come out to the SweetWater 420 Fest at Candler Park!
Not only does it offer three straight days of great music and food, but a chance to visit some great vendors as well. We are located in the non-profit neighborhood. Dogs aren’t allowed at the festival this year, but we have a book full of all our rescues who are available for adoption, foster and/or sponsorship.
Stop by our tent to buy a Smoky Mountain Getaway Raffle ticket, take home some unique JRT merchandise, make a donation and/or win a great doggie prizes! We’ll be there all day today and Sunday.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by last night. It was great to meet you! We sold quite a few tickets and brought home some greenies for the dogs.
Jack Russell Booth at SweetWater 420 Fest
This Pretty Girl Needs a Home
This pretty girl needs a home! She was dropped off here and is staying with us temporarily until we can find her a family. She appears to be young and crate trained. She is very friendly, happy and energetic. 😉 If you would like more information about fostering or adopting her, please call us at 770-918-8582.
Weluvya, Weruva!
We are so thankful to Weruva for their recent donation of food. We are rarely able to give our sweethearts such high-quality soft food, so this was a wonderful and welcome contribution! Nom, nom, nom.
Weluvya, Weruva!
We are so thankful to Weruva for their recent donation of food. We are rarely able to give our sweethearts such high-quality soft food, so this was a wonderful and welcome contribution! Nom, nom, nom.
Give Us a Paw Up via PetFinder
Round two starts today – Monday, April 9! Let’s get started with those clicks again!
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We need your help and it won’t cost a thing. You don’t even have to get out of your chair or recliner.
The Animal Rescue Site and PetFinder.com are sponsoring the $300,000 Shelter Challenge of 2012. Seventy grants will be awarded for a total of $75,000 during the very first round of the challenge. The grand prize will go to the eligible Petfinder.com organization with the highest accumulative votes.
How can you help?
Click this link and look for the Search and Vote for a Shelter section.
1. In the Shelter Name field, copy and paste our name exactly as it appears after the semicolon: GA Jack Russell Rescue
2. Select GA from the drop down menu (you don’t need to fill in the city).
3. Click the Search button.
4. This should bring up our name below it. Click the Vote button.
It will take you to a confirmation screen that asks for a CAPTCHA. This is just a code that verifies you’re a person and not a machine. Enter it and click Confirm Vote. That’s it. All done!
We’re a little late in the game (it began in January) and the challenge ends in less than a month on March 18, so we can use all the help we can get. You can vote everyday! Don’t worry, we’ll remind you as often as we can.
Know of any other opportunities?
We are always on the lookout for challenges and contests like this that help us raise money for the rescue, as well as special adoption and awareness events. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any recommendations.
Weekend Wrap-up … All Jacked Up! :)
It’s been a super-busy weekend at rescue! We have a lot going on today around the grounds, cleaning up and repairing things, but let’s recap a couple of things from the past few days …
Goodbye, Gilbert
First and foremost, our beloved Gilbert has a new home. If you recall, he came to us several months ago from a kill shelter in South Carolina. He was heartworm positive and slated to be put down, but we took one look at his face and, well, that was that. Mama Donna made the trek to S.C. to pick him (and Troy) up. We all fell in love with his sad-happy face and giant, wagging tail every time we saw him. He was so sweet and loving, we never could figure out how he stayed with us as long as he did. We just assumed it was the heartworms, which we were treating with a slow-kill process.
Gilbert with his new parents, Allen and Amy
Unfortunately, that process did not prove to be effective as he tested positive for heartworm again last week. That didn’t matter to a wonderful couple, Amy and Allen, who came to visit us. They saw him, fell in love with him and that was that. They already had a Jack who had been through the treatment; they were prepared to deal with it.
So, yesterday, we delivered our precious cargo to them in Marietta. It sounds like he is going to have an amazing life. We wish all of them nothing but the best … as we wipe tears from our eyes. It’s hard to let any of them go (yes, we do get attached to all of them!), but some are more bittersweet than others.
Final Phases at Flashpoint
Five minutes after we said goodbye to Gilbert, we headed up north to the remnants of Flashpoint Kennels in Rome again to pick up more precious cargo – adoptable Jacks Lorelee and Spruce both came home with us. They are ready to go to their forever homes. In addition, one of the surviving Bostons, a beautiful brindle girl named Penny, made the trek back with us.
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We were also able to take photos of the “final five” Jacks (we’re rewriting March) who are there and needing relocation ASAP. When we met them a couple of months ago (just days after the fire), they were all visibly shaken, scared and a little fear-aggression, i.e., barking and shying away. They have all been spayed, spent time in boarding with hands-on care and have begun recuperating from the trauma of the fire since then. Because of that combo, they are already showing improvement. Still, they need to go other rescues or to qualified JRT owners/trainers who can help them overcome their past, give them guidance and socialization and help them embrace their future. Please, visit their profiles for more information.
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Pogo
Happy happy, joy joy!
On top of welcoming the three new girls (yes, we’re juggling kennels), we brought a new boy on board named Pogo. He had been in foster for a couple of months after someone threatened to shoot him for doing what he, as a Rat Terrier, was bred to do: Chasing prey.
He is a small, spunky, young (year or two), beautiful boy with a ton of energy who is, apparently, “trained” to jump straight into your arms. He would be great at agility and, of course, in a home without any small animals. Let’s see if we can find this little guy the home he deserves.
Mama and Babies
Last but definitely not least, the foster who was kind enough to take care of Pogo all those weeks is now fostering a Mama Jack and her five babies, who were slated to be put down at Elberton County Animal Control. For more information about them, please revisit this morning’s post. We definitely need help with them in many ways.
Mom and Babies in Need
The story of this precious mama and babies was circulating the rescue boards and, of course, made its way to us. They were at Elbert Co. Animal Control and on the list to be put down. We weren’t about to let that happen, so – breathe a sign of relief. She has been pulled! Mom and her five babies are now in foster care.
We are still finding out more information from our foster, but already know Mom is malnourished and has worms. We are working on ways to take care of this. We are also trying to find a puppy-based rescue to work with on finding the babies homes when they are ready to leave her. We know little about them at this point, but should have more information soon.
If you are with another rescue and would like to work with us on finding these babies homes, please call us at 770-918-8582. We will try to get more pictures and information soon.
If you would like to help us help Mom and her babies through this difficult time, we could sure use everyone’s help. Funds are already tight and we weren’t expecting this  … but we weren’t about to let them go, either. We are so thankful to our foster, Terri, for taking them on, especially with her own pack of rescues to take care of. If you cannot view the ChipIn below (Flash-based), you can visit our general donations page. Please leave a comment that it’s for the mother and puppies.
Got skills? We need a prize wheel!
We have several festival events coming up this spring and summer and, thus, several donated prizes (some absolutely fabulous!) to give away at raffles. We want to be completely fair on how we do this, so we think a prize wheel would be applicable. If you’ve ever looked for one for your organization, then you know they aren’t cheap. In fact, most are more than $100 and, well, we have other priorities … like vet bills.
So, we thought we would reach out to some of our talented friends and see if anyone has the skills it takes to build one, or if anyone has one they are no longer using. We need one with interchangeable or dry-erase options, so we can update it.
If you have any ideas, please give us a call at 770-918-8582 or drop us a line. If you have no idea what a prize wheel even is, here are some examples.
Got scavenger skills?
Got scavenger skills? We need help finding some cost-effective kennels!
We have mapped out level areas at the ranch to add a few outdoor kennels, but don’t have the actual kennels themselves. We have pieces and a couple of panels, but not enough to make a complete one. They’re very expensive and, of course, priorities like medical care and food always come first. We know some of you like to find good deals, though, so we’re turning to you to keep an eye out for some.
Here’s a photo of what the kennels look like:
They are 10x10x6. We have found this to be the best size for these little guys, giving them plenty of room to run and do their feisty Jack thing. Unfortunately, these run around $400. If you know of any fence company owners willing to sell to us at wholesale or if you run across any used ones in good shape in Georgia (we would have to transport somehow, so they need to be close), please drop us a line or give us a call at 770-918-8582.
New Logo, New Name … But the Dogs are the Same
It’s been several months in the works, but we’re ready to roll it out now: Introducing … our new official name and logo!
We have “answered” to various names in the past. Our official documentation has us listed as Georgia Jack Russell Rescue, but our forward-facing name, websites, etc. is Georgia Jack Russell Adoption(s). No biggie, we do it all. Rescue and adoption have always been and will always be our primary goals, regardless of any dog’s age or health.
However, the hard, cold fact is that we have had some dogs come to our rescue who, unfortunately, never left or may never leave. It’s certainly not their fault. They are spunky, happy, little sweethearts who we love as our own. But the reality is that few people want to adopt a senior dog, a sick dog and/or a dog with behavioral issues.The financial and emotional burden is too difficult for most of us to bear. We know – we live it daily. It’s not easy.
Because of that, we have become somewhat of a sanctuary in recent years for these dogs. It wasn’t really our plan and, if the right person under the right circumstances happens to show up one day to adopt them, then we will happily let them go.
Short story long, though, we just wanted to let everyone know that we now cover all facets in regards to Jack Russells … and, yes, a few not-so-much Jack Russells, who we just adore. 😉
- We rescue them.
- We adopt them.
- We provide a refuge/sanctuary for them.
As such, it was only appropriate that we let everyone know that by officially changing our name to Georgia Jack Russell Rescue, Adoption & Sanctuary. (Say that really fast 10x!) Sure, it’s a lot to bite off, but that’s OK: We’ll gladly answer to any of those names you refer to us as and we won’t be changing any website or social networking addresses any time soon. We will, however, be changing all of our branding on the social networks almost immediately. The website is a bigger beast (planning to make some great changes), so it will take a little longer.
Nothing else has changed. Mama Donna still runs the show; your donations still go to the same address and emails; the JRT ranch is still growing; and dogs are still being rescued, adopted and, in some cases, loved for the rest of their lives here. That will never change.
Pet Bed Program (Round 2)
We had such a wonderful success (thanks to you!) with the dog bed donation program the first round, we’re shooting for a second one. We’ll be finishing up the indoor kennel and runs this spring, which means concrete floors. We will, of course, make sure, one way or another, the dogs who need to stay indoors are not stuck lying on them without options, but the best way to do that is these fabulous beds. You helped us purchase 20 in the winter. They are now in the outdoor kennels and the dogs have been loving them.
Lelah Chilling on Her Comfy Bed
About the Program
Animal Rescue Aid is in a partnership with a manufacturer of dog beds, who allows them to purchase their beds at cost for needy rescues and shelters. They are $17.50 and have a rust-proof aluminum frame and polyester topper, which can be hosed down with disinfectant. If you own dogs or have ever worked with rescue, you know how important that is. Most importantly, it gets them off the ground or the crate and gives them a comfy, dry place to lie.
Donate Online
To donate, simply go to ARA’s donations page and scroll to the end of the page. Fill in the amount you would like to donate and put Georgia Jack Russell Adoptions in the Comments field. The last part is very important, so they know who to ship it to. Then click the Donate button, which will securely take you to the Paypal website, where you can pay with your account or with a credit card. Walk through the process like any purchase and woof! You have made a major difference in a little dog’s life.
Donate by Check
If you are not comfortable making a donation online, you can contact us and we will email you a form to print and mail with a check.
Thank You, Thank You
Thanks to everyone who helped out the first time. If you have been wanting to help the dogs, but don’t feel comfortable just giving money, this is a way to know it’s going to the right place. We shared the photos from the first delivery and installation and we will do so again, so you can see exactly where your hard-earned money is being used.
Donna’s Birthday Wish Response
Donna is at work today and cannot go on Facebook or the website to see all her birthday wishes. We shared a few with her in an email, but she wanted us to post this everyone:
“Thank you for sharing all of these with me. Ms Janeen and Scruffy sent me wishes today. Linda called along with some others.
WOW! You know I am sitting here in tears! All of you know how I wear my heart on my sleeve.
I love each and every one of you with all my heart! Without all of you to adopt all of those precious dogs, I could not continue with rescue! All of you have been there for the good, bad and the ugly side of rescue. Always sending donations, taking time to come out to help every weekend. Sponsor little dogs people have forgotten. Going over and beyond for dogs who need our help. I know all of you love them as much as I do.
I want to thank you for my birthday wishes! My life would not be the same without all of you. I have met wonderful, kind, generous and great people through rescue. I am so thankful for to be friends with all of you, who support us, volunteer for us, take care of the dogs when I can’t. Every one one of you have made our lives better at the Georgia Jack Russell Rescue.
I could not ask for a more wonderful group!”
Happy Birthday, Donna
If you have recently stumbled across Georgia Jack Russell Adoptions via one of the websites or social networks, you may be wondering who “we” are. If you have been there from the beginning about a decade ago, then you know quite well who that “we” is: It’s actually a she. Her name is Donna Durham, and she is an inspiration to all of the volunteers and supporters who have ever had the opportunity to work beside her.
She celebrates her birthday with the presidents on Monday and, if she cared about publicity, we would support her campaign to be one. As it is, she cares very little for that kind of stuff. Anyone who knows her knows she’s outspoken, feisty ‘n fun, but she doesn’t want or like attention or recognition for what she does. She just wants to help dogs. Period.
That being said, “we” (referring to the volunteers/supporters in this post) can’t help but acknowledge her and her genuine love and compassion for dogs, not just for her birthday but on any given day.
We hope she’ll forgive us for this little post, but hey: We’ll ask for forgiveness, not permission. That’s the Jack Russell way.
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Dog is Her Co-Pilot
We never cease to be amazed by Donna’s compassion and loyalty for dogs. Even after losing both her son and her husband within a couple of years, she never stopped or even slowed down with her dedication to the rescue they founded together. She kept the family’s love of dogs going and has given up almost everything to take care of them. If you’ve tried to get ahold of her, you know it’s not easy. That’s because she works two jobs to support the dogs.
Although she has a soft spot in her heart for Jack Russells (don’t we all?), she loves all dogs and it’s hard for her to say “no” to any of them. She takes in dogs that other rescues won’t touch because they’re difficult to get adopted. She doesn’t see age, illness or issues when rescuing a dog; she only sees a dog who needs help.
It’s not just her compassion and loyalty to these dogs; it’s her absolute, unconditional love for them and desire to help them. We can’t count how many dogs we have seen arrive with their spirits broken and their ribs showing. One week with Mama Donna and they are thriving! Another week and, well, they are puppies again, living the life on the JRT college campus. 😉 Even those who have been adopted into loving homes for years still come back to visit for a boarding stay or just to say “hello” at an adoption or fund-raising event. They all still literally light up when they see her. They never forget.
And neither do we.
So, thank you, Donna, for all you do without even thinking about it. Thank you for saving so many wonderful lives and for giving them a second chance. Thank you also for giving all of us a way to help and to genuinely make a difference in a dog’s life. We love you.
Wish Her Happy Birthday
If you would like to wish Donna a happy birthday, please scroll down to Add a Comment. An email is address is required, but it will not be displayed with the comments. You can also automatically Connect with our website now using your Facebook or Twitter account. Just click the applicable logo below to sign up.
Send Her Something
Donna never wants anything for herself. She only cares about the dogs. If you want to give her a birthday gift, there’s nothing more she could use and appreciate than a donation to the dogs. One of the rescues ate a Kong this weekend and had to receive emergency treatment; that single incident racked up a huge vet bill at a time when she is desperately trying to help the rest of the dogs at Flashpoint Kennels.
To send a birthday gift online, please use our online donation page. Please, mention her birthday in the Add special instructions to recipient box so she knows what it’s for.
Flashpoint Update: The Road Home
We know some of you are wondering about the Flashpoint dogs, so we wanted to give you a quick update.
The Remaining Girls … and That Cute Boy
There are still 12 Jacks (11 girls and 1 boy) at Flashpoint. Actually, they’re not at Flashpoint right now. They all went to the vet last week and are currently being boarded in a warm, wonderful place. Thank you so much, Jennifer Smith at Clippers ‘n Bows, for providing that opportunity.
We still have some spays to complete, but the word is that Logan (the boy) and a few of the girls with fear-aggression issues are already showing improved temperaments. Yea! We are scrambling to make room to take several of these sweethearts in ourselves, but we would love nothing more than to see them go to good homes instead. So please view their profiles on our website or Petfinder and share, share, share.
We will try to get updated photos as we know most of the pics we took of the dogs last month were soon after the fire and they were still suffering from post-traumatic stress. If you’re a fan of our Facebook page, you’ve already seen the incredible transformations the older girls who went to Florida have made. We are expecting the same beauty make-overs with the rest of the girls here in Georgia.
It’s Because of You
We can’t make any post about this effort without mentioning you and your generosity. Donna is putting together an official thank you list, so we can share with everyone. Please, don’t think we’re not thankful because we haven’t mentioned you yet. We absolutely are – beyond words. You stepped up when others wouldn’t touch this and you did it for the dogs. Donna just wants to make sure she includes everyone who has made this insurmountable task somehow surmountable. Your outpouring of concern, compassion and help has been overwhelming for her … but that’s a wonderful problem to have.
Want to Help?
If you want to be a part of this effort and help give a wonderful dog a second chance, it’s definitely not too late. You can help easily and effortlessly without leaving your chair by contributing to the online Flashpoint ChipIn. There are still plenty of things that need to be done for these sweet babies and, of course, plenty of bills that accompany those things. We have two dozen dogs of our own to feed and shelter, so every penny towards this “side effort” is significant.
Tessa and Westin’s Big Adventure
We received an email about Tessa and Westin, two beautiful JRTs about 5 years old, needing a new home in early January. It was the same week when we began working with Flashpoint to move all of the dogs after the fire, and we were already at capacity. As much as we would have loved to have taken these cuties and found them a new home, we simply didn’t have room or resources. Fortunately, they were currently living with a good family who was taking good care of them between homes.
So … we networked online and, within no time, a couple in Texas stepped up with open arms to take both of them together. That left only one obstacle: How best to get them there? Funds and time were limited for everyone involved. As mentioned in our previous post, we are a small, independent rescue and don’t have an official transport system. We knew Westin already had some anxiety issues and we didn’t want to put additional strain on him to fly him there.
So … we networked online and found some points-of-contact to weave the handoffs together. It took a couple of weeks of scheduling, but the duo finally made their trek from Atlanta to Texas this past Saturday.
They left Georgia with a couple of our poop-scoopin’ volunteers in the wee hours of the morning; jumped on board with a big-hearted, wonderful volunteer near the Louisiana/Mississippi state line who saw our Facebook post for help; and then met their new parents in Shreveport before heading back to Texas. They were well-behaved, wonderful traveling companions for everyone, but never were they (and we!) happier than when they realized they had hit the “Jack”pot: A home with a yard, endless tennis ball throws and welcoming laps. Woo-hoo!
Thanks to everyone involved, including Kelly Hamilton and family for providing the re-home opportunity for them, Anna Papadimitriou for being our much-needed go-between and, of course, to Quentin and Susan Mims for giving them a loving, forever home. Thanks also to the Mims, Sally Hall and Kim Davis for the donations to help pay for gas.
Here are some photos from their little trek across the Southern states:
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Hot Dog! The Beds are Here!
In November, we heard about this great pet bed donation program for rescues and shelters sponsored by Animal Rescue Aid. We were getting the indoor kennel ready for the winter and wanted to provide some comfy beds for our dogs during those long days they had to stay indoors in their crates. We have several seniors, so we really wanted to make sure they would be comfortable. We started a drive here on our website and on our Facebook drive and boom! Within a few weeks, we had reached our goal of 20.
It took the beds a few weeks to arrive, but they showed up on our doorstep a couple of weeks ago. One of our volunteers was nice enough to put all of them together, and we gave them to the dogs this past weekend. Even though they are the small size, they turned out to be too large for the crates, but that’s OK: The pups now have a comfy, dry, off-ground alternative in their outdoor kennels when they don’t want to be cooped up in their houses.
Oddly enough, some of the seniors who we really wanted them for are still trying to figure them out. The younger dogs took to them right away and loved them. We guess what they say about the younger generation being lazy is true. 🙂 The beds are made of tough, easy-to-clean material and should last these guys and gals a good while.
Keepin’ it Goin’
If you were not able to participate in the first round, but would like to donate a bed (they have increased from $15 to $17.50/apiece), we are going to keep it going. We are hoping to add more kennels soon and will need them. To donate a bed, simply follow this link. Scroll all the way to the bottom, fill in the amount and add Georgia Jack Russell Adoption in the comments field. (That part is very important and or they won’t reach their destination.)
We would also encourage everyone to check with your county shelters and see if they could use them. The dogs often have to sleep on concrete floors in these facilities.
The Official Thank You’s
Thank you to the following for the pet donations. We are obviously missing some people (a third party handled all of the donations), so please don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know who you are. We will be more than grateful to list you or even include you in the anonymous group, if that’s what you prefer. We just want to make sure everyone who gave is properly thanked.
- Pepper and Eddie, 2 beds
- Christine, Josh and Desmond Hoffman, 3 beds
- Sally Hall, Kim Davis and the four-pack Jacks, 4 beds
- Brodie, Benny and Brigit, 2 beds
- Anonymous donations, 2 beds
- Unaccounted for donations, 7 beds
Now here’s the real thank you – photos of the dogs enjoying their beds!
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Triumph Over Tragedy
What a whirlwind couple of weeks it has been! Since the Jan. 3 fire, which took the lives of 30+ precious dogs at Flashpoint Kennel in Rome, Ga., things have really snowballed at our rescue. It sounds strange and ironic to say, we know, but this horrible tragedy is quickly becoming a story about triumph.
Thank You, Thank You
First and foremost, we cannot thank you enough for the outpouring of donations, networking and overall support in the efforts to find the surviving 23 Jacks new homes. The donations alone have blown our minds. We have plans to thank each of you individually (don’t worry, we’ll keep it meaningful but cheap, so every penny goes to the dogs as intended). We know most of you will say that’s not necessary because that’s just who you are, but we believe it is. Whether you have given $5 or $100 to our From the Fire ChipIn or to our own rescue fund, you have made a direct impact on the life of a dog in need. As such, we will make every effort here and on our social networks to show you that impact, so you can see the difference it made. We know economic times are difficult right now, and your generosity during them is appreciated beyond words.
For those who have ordered calendars, we are quickly printing up more and they should go out to you soon.
We would like to ask everyone for your patience as we are a very small “Mom-sans-Pop” rescue. The volunteers are helping out as much as possible, but if you know Mama Donna, you know she likes to thank everyone personally who helps with not only her dogs but dogs in general. She sees something special in every dog she meets (not just Jacks) and she literally works night and day to make sure they are happy and healthy between their home transitions. That doesn’t leave a lot of time to answer emails, field phone calls, mail thank you cards, etc.
Mama Donna assures Lorelee the worst is behind.
A Second Chance
Second, thank you for understanding this sensitive situation and not stirring the angry pot on our websites. We want to reiterate that the Department of Agriculture visited this kennel many times and never found any violations. We know it’s hard to be silent when breeding (responsible or otherwise) affects us all so greatly. Many of you help with rescue and you know firsthand the horrible impact that large-scale breeding has on dogs. It’s heartbreaking. Try as we might to save them all, it becomes insurmountable at times and it’s just one more challenge we face.
There are no “sides” in this situation. This is one of those circumstances in which a horrible tragedy did what it often does: It changed lives and opened eyes. The kennel owner, who lost her home in the fire as well, has publicly announced that she will never breed again. She says she is dedicated to not only making sure these little girls and guy find forever homes but to helping existing rescues as well. She is working tirelessly with us and three other rescue groups to spay/neuter all of her dogs and prep everyone for free adoptions.
We will never condemn anyone who wants to make things right for dogs and we want to keep this goal positive and in motion without ongoing judgment of how we got here. Let’s practice what our puppies teach us everyday and stay in the moment. The past is done; the present and future are here. We must make sure that none of those precious puppies died in vain, and that the survivors find the homes and lives they deserve.
In short, we need to focus all of our energy on a positive outcome instead of wasting it on anger, frustration and judgment.
Keep Moving Forward
As mentioned above, we are no longer alone in this effort. Almost Home Rescue in Florida (check out their cool movie trailer!), Misfit Animal Haven in Rome and Last Chance Rescue in Waco have all stepped in to help. In addition, we have received enormous networking support from a plethora of Russell groups, including a story in the Savannah Examiner. Three dogs have officially been adopted, and arrangements are being made to transport more to other rescues.
As wonderful as all of this sounds, of course, the ultimate goal is get all of them out of there and into good homes as quickly but as cautiously as possible. The indoor kennel is completely burned; the survivors are currently in outdoor kennels, and winter is here (yes, Georgia has winters). We know that many of these dogs are older and/or have never been around other dogs, cats or kids. This makes it difficult to place them. We are realistic, but not detoured. We all love our senior babies and we believe there is someone out there for each and every one of these dogs. They just haven’t met one another yet. On that note …
Network, Network, Network
If you don’t have the financial funds or physical ability to volunteer but want to help with this effort and have a computer, you can make a potentially significant impact. Networking has been the biggest catalyst in this effort so far and it’s something we can never get enough of.
If you are on Twitter, Facebook or any other social network and know Jack lovers, prospective pet parents and/or other rescues who could possibly help, please visit our Adoptable Dogs page and click on any of the profiles that call to you. There are share buttons located at the bottom of each profile to make it easy. We are pushing adoptions for the Flashpoint dogs first, of course, but please donít hesitate to share and promote our dogs as well. If we are able to find some of our dogs homes, then we can resolve the “at-capacity” situation we have right now and take some of the dogs at Flashpoint. Win-win!
You can also visit our Tumblr blog and share from there as well.
Again … Thank You
Sorry to be so long-winded. We just can’t express how much everything everyone has done so far means to us and to Donna. We still have a long way to go, but the wheels are definitely in motion. We’ll continue to keep you updated as things transpire.
From the Fire …
UPDATE 1/20/12: All dogs have been posted to our Adoptable Dogs page.
Accepting What We Can’t Change
We can’t paint a pretty picture this time. This is the reality. On Jan. 3, the indoor kennel at Flashpoint Kennels in Rome, Ga., burned to the ground.
More than 30 Chihuahua and Boston Terrier puppies and their mothers perished. A few of these beautiful babies were able to escape to the outside runs, where they were scooped up and saved. We have visited the kennels twice and brought back a couple of females who were in heat to prevent any more pregnancies. They are being spayed. The Boston has a home; the Chi is looking for one. We will be posting her beautiful photo soon.
Although our priority is rescuing Jacks, we love all dogs and these visits were heartbreaking. We were all fighting back tears while we were there. The smell of smoke and carnage and the site of charred crates and bowls was almost too much to bear.
The remains of crates and bowls leave haunting reminders of what happened here.
You may have heard or read different stories in the news, so we’ll set the record straight: This was a licensed breeding facility with no violations from the Dept. of Agriculture. All dogs had food, shelter and daily care. In fact, many perished because they were trapped in their whelping pens with their heat lamps and toys.
Before we get bleary-eyed or angry over something we cannot change, let’s move on to something we can change and make sure none of these precious souls died in vain.
Changing What We Can
Jack Russells have not been bred at this kenel in years. We know this for a fact and have actually been working with the owner to re-home the retired breeders and non-adoptable puppies over the past several years. This has come with some backlash, of course, but we cannot stress this enough: We are not and never will promote large-scale breeding; we are making sure these dogs find the homes they deserve with warm beds, fresh grass and an endless supply of toys and treats, things most of them have never known. Our mission is and always has been about the dogs. Period.
Right now, that mission is more important and crucial than ever.
What Lies Ahead
The kennel will be closing. The rest of the Chis and Bostons will be spayed/neutered by a separate group and adopted out. We are helping with the Jacks and we have a huge task ahead.
There are 23 Jacks who survived the fire: 22 girls and one lone male. They are all retired breeding dogs with ages ranging from 5-10. Five have fear-aggression issues. All of them need foster/forever homes or other rescues immediately. We would take each and every one of them if we could, but we are already at capacity right now. We are working hard to make more space, but it takes time and we know these dogs do have shelter, food and water right now. They have all lived at the kennel their entire lives, so they only know their kennel mates. They have never been exposed to cats or other small animals. Some have met children; some have not.
We are talking with some other rescue groups/transports on ways to get these dogs out of there, but it’s not enough. We need individual help with adoptions, fosters, transport, etc. To assist with this, we will begin posting updated photos and bios on all of them to Petfinder and our Facebook page today. The five with fear-aggression issues (who are all gorgeous, by the way) will need to go a safe environment/rescue with someone who can work with them to overcome their fears.
"I still scared ... Can I go home with you?"
We are working closely with the owner to make sure any who aren’t spayed/neutered are fixed and are in good health. They all appeared to be healthy when we visited this weekend, but they are also suffering from post-traumatic stress. You may notice some boo-boos on their feet and legs and some worn-down claws in the photos; this is from stress-induced licking/pacing after the fire and will easily heal once they are removed from their current situation.
What You Can Do
If you are interested in helping with this monumental task in any way, please call us at 770-918-8582. No help is too small, especially given the fact that we are still trying to help our own 20+ Jacks find homes. And, of course, our own phones never stop ringing with surrenders and re-homing needs.
If you would like to donate to help with the preparation (spaying, neutering, etc) of these dogs or to provide food for them while they are still at the kennel, Regions Bank has set up a fund: 2101 Shorter Ave., Rome, GA 30165 and make the check to the Flashpoint Kennel Fund.
We have also established our online ChipIn dedicated to this effort.
Jacks in Need after Kennel Fire
We just posted three available dogs at Flashpoint Kennels to our Facebook page. This is the kennel in Rome, Ga., where the indoor kennel burned down last week. We visited last weekend to bring them some much-needed food, blankets, etc.
We will be making the trek to Rome again this weekend with our photographer to take more photos and get information on all of the adoptable ones.The remaining area of the kennels will be closing and these guys and gals need to find foster or permanent homes ASAP.
If you are a rescue (or individual) and would like to help, please call us at 770-918-8582. We are coordinating as many of these efforts as we can while they take care of immediate matters. Regions Bank has also set up a fund: Send to 2101 Shorter Ave., Rome, GA 30165 and make the check to the Flashpoint Kennel Fund.
In Honor of Those Who Were Lost
This post is from Donna, who wanted to express her condolences and sympathy in light of yesterday’s tragedy in Rome, Georgia:
As some of you may know, Linda Nash of Flashpoint Kennels lost her home yesterday, along with her kennels and more than 30 precious, innocent dogs. I talked to her today and she is devastated.
Regardless of whatever opinions some may have about her, we would ask that you put yourself in her place. She lost so many lives and years of precious memories that can never be replaced; all of the dogs’ records and those special memories of the dogs. She has cared for some of them for 18 years.
She is more upset the dogs did not make it than she is about her home, which was destroyed. She risked her life to pull them out of the building; the firemen would not let her go back inside after they arrived. She said the fire spread very quickly. She had to go back inside today and face all the poor innocent ones who did not get out. She took dogs that got out to the vet to make sure they would live. Some of them were not doing well today.
Linda has picked up stray cats and stray JR’s that people have moved off and left. Please, remember, none of us are perfect, so let’s just try to think about what we would do if it was us.
Regions Bank in Rome is setting up a account that people can make donations to. Please check with them if you would like to help. She still has outside kennels and will need food for those dogs. All the food she had was inside the kennel that the fire destroyed.
Thank you for thinking of the dogs!
Here Today … Gone Today?!
We can hardly believe what just happened …
For those of you on our Facebook page, you may remember Tia Marie. Actually, you probably should since it was just a week ago that she joined us and we introduced her. She was at a local animal shelter who chooses to put all of their animals down before Christmas, so no one has to work and take care of them. We, of course, find this heart-breaking (and unacceptable) and when we found out about Tia, a one-year-old Jack/pit/anything-else-goes mix, we just couldn’t let that happen to her. We were at capacity and, at the time, scrambling to find food for the next month, but we knew she was special.
We just didn’t realize how special.
We could tell that she had been treated badly. She was very scared and submissive, but inevitably incredibly sweet with a tendency to trust. We also noticed she was limping on her back right leg. We thought it might just be a socket issue, so we took her to the vet today. He delivered news we didn’t want to hear: Her leg had been broken some time ago and healed itself because her previous owners didn’t treat it. There was nothing he could do. She would be crippled for life. She was young enough now that it wasn’t bothering her, but it was inevitable she would develop arthritis later in life.
We had barely recovered from that blow when another blow (of the good kind) occurred: One of the employees at the vet’s office and her family had been looking for a sweet-natured dog for some time since losing their baby. She had met several of our rescues, but Tia just clicked. It didn’t matter what the vet did to her; she didn’t flinch. She seemed to be the perfect-mannered dog for children.
Sooooo: Tia is spending the weekend at her (more-than-likely) forever home in Covington, where she will finally learn to know what it feels like to be loved like she should be. Because her (prospective) mom works at the vet, she will receive the care she needs for her leg, plus the findings of mange and any other results from today’s tests.
To say that this is (yet another) holiday miracle is an understatement. In one week, she went from being a “throw away” mutt slated to be put down to the dog a family had been looking for, for months. What a perfect way to end the year.
Happy New Year, everyone!
Pumpkin
As the hours left in 2011 wind down, we wanted to post some stories this weekend that share the highlights at Georgia Jack Russell for 2011. We couldn’t help but kick it off with our best story of the year: The rescue, re-homing and rehabilitation of Pumpkin.
This sweet, little baby came to us in late July after being hit by a car. Although she didn’t incur any long-time injuries from the accident, she was terribly emaciated and dehydrated and could barely move or stand. She also had a terrible underbite and a botched tail from where her previous owner had tried to manually bob it with a rubber band. She wouldn’t eat and, for the first couple of days, we were very afraid she wasn’t going to make it.
Then, by some wonderful twist of fate, she realized she was in JRT heaven-on-earth and began to eat on the third day. Within a few days, she had found her strength and her funny howl for attention, which is why we named her Tyler (after Steven Tyler). We were overjoyed to see her settling in, but we knew her vet bills were going to be steep and we weren’t sure how we were going to cover them. After all, we were already swimming in them.
Enter a couple of awesome angels: Jennifer and James Roose. They had recently lost one of their babies and wanted to give a JRT a second chance through foster. They came to visit us and chose the most desperate dog we had. Wow! That’s dedication! Suffice to say, they went from fosters to parents within no time and christened her with the new name of Pumpkin.
These days, Pumpkin lives the (extra) good life (see Mom’s update below). She still has a few health challenges to overcome, but her spirit and recovery are a visual testament to what it means to give a dog a second chance.
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Update from Pumpkin’s mom Jennifer on 12/30/11
Pumpkin is doing awesome. Her tail has finally healed up, and she wags it nonstop.
She is enrolled in beginner agility training to start in February. She graduated from PetSmart Obedience intermediate level classes a few weeks ago. Her daddy and I feel agility may be her strong suit. Pumpkin knows all of her comands and loose leash heeling. She can be called back from long distances with the blowing of a coach’s whistle.
Her carriage driving career is doing wonderful. She even sat in the seat while I gave someone a lesson on how to drive. We have graduated to being able to stay seated while going on the cross country course at the barn.
Pumpkin is not as shy as she used to be. She goes everywhere with us,including visits to friends over the holiday. She is the life of the party.
We feel so lucky that Pumpkin chose us that day. She is a source of so much life and laughter in our house. Thanks, Donna, for helping us find her!
Thank you, Jennifer and James, for giving this little girl such a fantastic second chance! But thank you most, Pumpkin, for changing all of us and giving us hope. We love you.
It’s a Holiday Miracle … Literally
Do you still believe in holiday miracles? We definitely do after today!
We recently lost our somewhat dependable source of food donations. It was a huge blow and one that left us scrambling to make decisions we didn’t want to make.
As many of you know, we take in a lot of “unwanted” Jacks: Ones with medical issues who come from hoarders, breeders and/or abusive environments. And, of course, not all of them are purebreds. These are the Jacks no one (allegedly) wants. (Our adoption records by amazing people prove otherwise, but we digress.) We simply hate to see a terrier put down because they’re “inconvenient” or “undesirable” to some. We believe every dog has a purpose and, if we had unlimited funds and time, we would help them fulfill that.
Unfortunately, we don’t have either. Very few rescues do. With our supply of food dwindling and our kennels at full capacity, we were in a tough situation in which we would have to start forgoing some medical attention to make sure everyone was fed. That horrible dilemma has been appeased for now.
Several of our dedicated volunteers stepped up in a major way this past week and began making a ton of phone calls to find food. It was Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen and its wonderful founder, Tom Wargo. who made the miracle happen. He donated almost 500 lbs(!) of food, including high-quality Blue Buffalo needed for several of our highly-allergic dogs. The food was delivered to us this morning in two SUVs! Suffice to say, we are in absolute awe and gratefulness.
In addition to the Daffy’s donation, we also received a truckload of food, toys, treats, Martingale collars and laundry detergent (always needed!) from Kim Davis and Sally Hall, a couple of our amazing volunteers!
Please consider making a monetary or food donation to Daffy’s. It’s not really about helping rescues like us; it’s about helping to keep dogs whose families have fallen on hard times help them afford to keep them until things improve. We have all been hit in one way or another by economic challenges the past few years, and this program has helped so many jobless pet owners keep their babies during them. This means they stay in their forever homes, where they belong, and out of rescue or, worse yet, death row, where they don’t. Every rescue worth its salt knows that this is the ultimate dream: No more homeless pets.
Here are a few photos for now; more to come on our Facebook page.
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Bed Donations Deadline is Today!
Today is the last day to donate a bed! If you haven’t heard about it and would like to help, you can find all of the details here.
The ARA website is showing we have 14 (our goal is 20), but we were informed someone donated 3 over the weekend that may not have shown up yet. That means we just need 3! (Don’t hesitate if you want to donate; we can always use more.)
Because a third party is handling this, we do not have the donor list. Donna would love to know who gave, though, because she likes to thank everyone in traditional ways. Please don’t hesitate to use our Contact Form to let us know your names(s) and how many beds you donated in the Comments section. Also, if you wouldn’t mind, your snail mail or email address. We will never use this information to solicit anything; it is strictly for her to thank you personally. If you would rather not give out that information, we completely understand.
Also, if you don’t want to be acknowledged on the website as a donor, let us know and we will simply list the beds in the Anonymous Donor category.
ChipIn for Jackie
We have started a ChipIn for our sweet, little Jackie. If you’re not aware of her story, please take a moment to read it. She is still fighting allergies that are tearing up her skin. She is the only rescue we have not been able to help yet, but we are determined to do so. Unfortunately, that means more vet bills … and more money.
Give a Dog Long-Lasting Comfort for the Price of One Dinner
We won’t beat around the fire hydrant: We need your help. We know, we know: Everyone needs help these days. But this is easy, cheap and will make a huge difference in the life of a dog.
About the Program
Animal Rescue Aid is in a partnership with a manufacturer of dog beds, who allows them to purchase their beds at cost for needy rescues and shelters. They are $15 and have a rust-proof aluminum frame and polyester topper, which can be hosed down with disinfectant. If you own dogs or have ever worked with rescue, you know how important that is. Most importantly, it gets them off the ground or the crate and gives them a comfy, dry place to lie.
We have been working to get our indoor kennel ready for the winter, so our guys and gals will be safe and warm on cold nights and on days when it’s too chilly to go to their outside kennels. As you know, we also have a lot of senior dogs and/or pups with illnesses who deserve to be comfortable during any season.
Although $15 apiece is a sweet deal, it gets a bit expensive with more than 20 dogs and, unfortunately, we have more urgent needs like medications to purchase right now. So we are turning to our friends, fans and family to help us procure them while they are available.
Donate Online
If you can afford to spend a single dinner out to provide comfort to a deserving dog, we would appreciate it more than words. (And you know us: We will make sure to share your gifts with pictures, so you can see the impact your donations made.)
To donate, simply go to ARA’s donations page and scroll to the end of the page. Fill in the amount you would like to donate (each bed is $15) and put Georgia Jack Russell Adoptions in the Comments field. The last part is very important, so they know who to ship it to. Then click the Donate button, which will securely take you to the Paypal website, where you can pay with your account or with a credit card. Walk through the process like any purchase and woof! You have made a major difference in a little dog’s life.
Donate by Check
If you are not comfortable making a donation online, you can contact us and we will email you a form to print and mail with a check.
Our Name May Change, but our Mission Will Remain the Same
We just wanted to give everyone a heads up about this if you hear different versions of our name being tossed around. This has always been the case, but we will become more “official” over the next few weeks and months.
We will begin changing our branding from Georgia Jack Russell Adoption to Georgia Jack Russell Rescue & Sanctuary. That doesn’t mean we won’t have adoptable dogs and that we will not do everything within our power to find all of our dogs forever homes. That has always and will always be our goal.
That being said, we are well aware that many of our beautiful babies either have permanent medical issues and/or are gracefully aging. These are both realities which, unfortunately, make them “less adoptable” to the general pet parent public.
Changing our name to Georgia Jack Russell Rescue & Sanctuary will better identify us as to what we are doing right now, which is trying to provide a safe haven for these (previously) unwanted sweethearts.
As many of you know, we are a very small Mom and Pop organization who relies completely on donations and volunteers from the general public. We need all the help we can get. Changing our name will better position us to find financial means to help these guys and gals until some big-hearted humans adopt and take them home. With limited help and donations, this has been very difficult the past couple of years. We don’t want to have to close like so many rescues have and we don’t want to have to change the quality of life we have given these dogs. They deserve the best we can give them after what they have been through.
So, please, call us whatever feels appropriate to you – adoption, rescue or sanctuary. We do it all. Just know that our name may change, but our mission will remain the same.
Dog Walk Fundraiser
It was a beautiful day at the park for the dog walk, sponsored by Saint Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church. We had a “fun” turnout: Almost everyone who attended had adopted a Jack from us throughout the years and/or has volunteered with us. It was a wonderful chance to see how all the dogs are doing and meet everyone. We received some donations, raffled off some goodies and, most importantly, made some contacts that could lead to forever homes.
We’ll be posting photos to our Facebook page, our Tumblr blog and our Flickr gallery throughout the next couple of days. Check one or check them all!
Also, if you’re interested, please check out the church’s St. Francis Pet Ministry program. They will be hosting a Blessing of the Animals on Saturday, Oct. 1.
Dog Blog is Tumblin’
We will continue to update our static website as we can, but we have added a more frequently-updated blog at Tumblr. Follow us now!
Contact Us … Because You Can Now
Our contact form is working again. We apologize for any inconvenience, but it was an issue with our mail server. Unfortunately, you cannot upload photos for our Happy Tails using the new form. If you would like to submit photos, please upload them to our album on Facebook. We’ll add them to the website in the future.
Contact Us … Because You Can Now
Our contact form is working again. We apologize for any inconvenience, but it was an issue with our mail server. Unfortunately, you cannot upload photos for our Happy Tails using the new form. If you would like to submit photos, please upload them to our album on Facebook. We’ll add them to the website in the future.
Puppies ‘n Pumpkin
What a good month we have had at rescue! All six of the Doxie pups went to new homes within days. (Are your surprised?) We will be posting photos of the proud new parents soon. Thank you to all of the wonderful people who gave Annie’s babies forever homes. Now we just need to find Mama a home.
Pumpkin, formerly known as Tyler who was featured in our Hungry ‘n Hurt Baby post a few weeks back, is now living the life in her new foster home with Jennifer Roose and family. She has gained weight and enjoys everything from playing ball and taking daily walks, to going on horse-drawn carriage rides and hanging out with horses. Here are a couple of pictures Jen uploaded to our Facebook page to share her wonderful progress.
Ruff life of a Carriage Dog
Ball-Hungry Pup
Dog Walk Fundraiser
Georgia Jack Russell Adoption will be teaming up with St. Martin’s Pet Ministry for a Dog Walk on Saturday, Sept. 17. The walk will benefit GA JRT; donations will be accepted.
Bring your pups to the baseball structure in Murphy Candler Park at 10 am. After the walk, we’ll meet at Rita’s for frozen treats and raffle prizes.
Please feel free to download a flyer and share with anyone you know who would be interested in participating. We’ll have more information soon.
Dog Walk Fundraiser
Georgia Jack Russell Adoption will be teaming up with St. Martin’s Pet Ministry for a Dog Walk on Saturday, Sept. 17. The walk will benefit GA JRT; donations will be accepted.
Bring your pups to the baseball structure in Murphy Candler Park at 10 am. After the walk, we’ll meet at Rita’s for frozen treats and raffle prizes.
Please feel free to download a flyer and share with anyone you know who would be interested in participating. We’ll have more information soon.
Weeknight Volunteer Needed
Can you hold a hose and fill a few bowls up with water on a weeknight? Then you can make a difference in a dog’s life; several dogs, in fact.
We lost our weekday evening volunteer this week. If you or anyone you know can stop by any night during the week to give the dogs fresh water and attention, please let us know. If it’s just one night a week, that’s fine. It will still help. We can give you more details on where we are located. Call 770-918-8582.
Join us at Petsmart!
We’ll be at Petsmart this Sunday (July 24) with several of our babies. We were hoping to bring the Doxie pups, but they still need a little more TLC until they’re ready to go to new homes. If you have been thinking about adoption, this is the day! We’ll be at the Johns Creek/Suwanee location from 11 am to 4 pm. See you there!
Join us at Petsmart!
We’ll be at Petsmart this Sunday (July 24) with several of our babies. We were hoping to bring the Doxie pups, but they still need a little more TLC until they’re ready to go to new homes. If you have been thinking about adoption, this is the day! We’ll be at the Johns Creek/Suwanee location from 11 am to 4 pm. See you there!