Thank you to everyone who donated, shopped or volunteered to work at our Rummage Sale!

We also want to thank Lori and Bill for allowing us to hold the sale in their garage and yard.

With everyone's help, we raised $1792.51! This money will help to pay some of the many expenses we incur while caring for the dogs.

 

4 Luv of Dog Rescue volunteers will be hosting a booth at the Wheelmobile event to be held at the Urban Plains Center this weekend. The Wheelmobile is a 39-foot Winnebago that tours nationwide in search of contestants for television’s #1 game show - Wheel of Fortune. There is no charge for parking or admission to the Wheelmobile event. Check out the Valley News Live website for more info. Come on out, audition for the show or watch the auditions, and be sure to stop by our booth.

4 Luv of Dog Rescue would like to offer a BIG THANK YOU to State Bank & Trust employees, Kristy Wurgler and June Radke, who together generously donated their $1500 'Pay it Forward' gift to 4 Luv of Dog Rescue. For the last few years, State Bank & Trust has been giving their employees money to donate to individuals, families or organizations in need as part of a giving back to the community program.

We gratefully appreciate any monetary donations we receive whether large or small. Without these donations, and our wonderful foster homes, we would not be able to rescue and rehome these dogs in need. If you would like to 'Pay it Forward' by making a monetary donation, please see our 'How to Help - Donate $ ' page.

4 Luv of Dog Rescue is one of eight area non-profit organizations that have been chosen to participate during the May 24th home game against the Lake County Fielders. We will be hosting a informational table on the concourse of the Newman Outdoor Field throughout the evening. Show your support of our organization by attending the game and wearing your 4 Luv of Dog Rescue shirt. The game starts at 7:02pm. For more information, please see the FM RedHawks website.

Saturday, May 8 has been designated National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Citizen Corps as a day to encourage pet owners to plan for their animal’s safety before an emergency strikes.

Do you have a preparedness plan for your family? Does it include your pets? With the potential for flooding, tornados, blizzards, etc. in our area - preparation is key! Check out the below links for more info.

FEMA's Prepare for a Disaster- Information for Pet Owners
Preparing Your Pets for Emergencies Brochure
Pet Preparedness Instructional Video

Just Released - April 2010 Edition of the
4 Luv of Dog Rescue Newsletter

Click the image (left) to read the latest edition of our newsletter - The Daily Bark: Pleas From the Pound and Other Happenings.

We anticipate to publish a newsletter on a quarterly basis. If you would like to receive future newsletters via email, sign up here.

 

4 Luv of Dog Rescue Wins Animal Shelter Challenge
for the State of North Dakota!

The Animal Rescue Site hosted a special challenge for eligible Petfinder.com member shelter and rescue groups. Thanks to the many supporters who clicked and voted for us, 4 Luv of Dog Rescue has won the $1000 grant award for the state of North Dakota. You can view the offical announcement of winners of this contest here.

Thank you to everyone who voted for us!
We appreciate your support!

Mother's Day Puppy Bouquet, Pre-Order Now!

4 Luv of Dog Rescue is offering an original Puppy Floral Bouquet to the public just in time for Mother´s Day, May 9th!

Our first puppy bouquet debuted at our 1st Annual Silent Auction and Gala (held October 24, 2009). The response was overwhelming, no one had ever seen a dog or puppy bouquet in the FM area! We are so happy we can again partner with Balloons, Etc. They have created a new floral puppy bouquet that we are offering to the public.

This white mum puppy has a black nose and big dark eyes just like his real counterpart. He holds a doggie biscuit (look at that little pink tongue) in his mouth. Colorful flowers surround his roly poly body and chocolate treats with a "To Mother" floral pic finish out this whimsical doggie bouquet. Keep him watered and he will be sitting pretty for several weeks.

Get a bouquet by pre-ordering. Call Balloons, Etc. at 701-280-1986. Cost: $39.95 for a bouquet. Pick up your bouquet or add $7.95 for delivery. They will take orders now through Mother's Day. Balloon's Etc. will donate a percentage of the cost of each bouquet to 4 Luv of Dog Rescue. Thanks Balloons, Etc. Happy Mother´s Day!

4 Luv of Dog Rescue, an all-volunteer run, non-profit animal rescue group in Fargo, ND, has been awarded a $1000 grant by the Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Hugs Foundation. The grant money will be used toward veterinary expenses. 4 Luv of Dog Rescue is a supporter of Build-A-Bear’s charitable efforts supporting local animal rescue organizations. Build-A-Bear Workshop® donates one dollar from the sale of each full-sized Bearemy’s Kennel Pals stuffed animal to the Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear Hugs Foundation to support domestic pet programs including local animal shelters, stray pet rescue and rehabilitation organizations, pet education programs, and other direct pet care initiatives. Money raised through the sale of these toys is directly granted to shelters and animal programs in the United States and Canada.

"Hotdogs for Dogs" Fundraiser
Saturday, April 17th, from 11am - 2pm

Chasing Tails Canine Daycare/Boarding will be hosting a "Hotdogs For Dogs" fundraiser on Saturday, April 17th, from 11am - 2pm. A good will donation will be accepted for the hotdog lunch. Proceeds will be given to 4 Luv of Dog Rescue. Some of our dogs available for adoption will be there. A big THANK YOU to Chasing Tails for holding this fundraiser!

Chasing Tails Canine Daycare/Boarding has large and clean play areas, and socialized boarding. Cats and other pets are also welcome. Daycare Pass Discounts and multiple pet discounts are available. For more information you can check them out on Facebook.

Location: 176 East Main Avenue, Unit G, West Fargo. Hours of operation: 8am - 7pm Mon-Fri, and 8am - 5pm Saturday. Phone: 701-281-6185

West Fargo Parks 16th Annual Gigantic Rummage Sale!
Saturday, April 10th, 7am-2pm
Rummage Sale Donations Needed!

Our organization will be participating in the West Fargo Parks 16th Annual Gigantic Rummage Sale at the Veterans Memorial Arena, 1201 7th Ave E, West Fargo. Admission to this event is $1/person (17 & under free) and parking is free.

Please stop out to visit with us! We’ll have rummage sale items and would love to answer any questions you have about the rescue. See you there!

Donations of good, useable household items are needed for the rummage sale. Please no clothing unless it is good condition baby clothing. Small items can be dropped off at either Natural Pet Center, 3037 13th Ave S, Fargo, OR Waggy Tail Treats, 1541 S Univ Drive, Fargo. If you have more than a couple boxes of items to donate, please make arrangements with Julie at 281-7233 or donate@4luvofdog.org. If you have large items, ie furniture, please deliver them to the Veteran's Arena on Friday April 9 after 12 noon.

The goal of 4 Luv of Dog Rescue is to care for every dog, even those that have medical needs. Over the past few months, we have been confronted with the challenge of funding the veterinary expenses incurred for two more dogs (Petey and Gracie) with a life-threatening disease known as canine parvovirus, two dogs (Joe and Tasha) with a serious and painful eye condition called entropion, and another dog (Teddy) in need of immediate amputation of one leg.

With all of our other recurring expenses, these vet bills, which totaled over $2800, are significant costs for a small rescue group made up of unpaid volunteers. Unfortunately, it is not the first and it will not be the last time we struggle to pay our bills due to excessive veterinary expenses.

We believe that all of these dogs can and will live very good, productive lives in their forever homes. Any financial support you can provide to help us make this happen would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Click here for additional methods of providing financial assistance.

Financial donations as of 1pm on April 10th

Best Friends Studio for Pets will make a $5 donation to 4 Luv of Dog Rescue for every appointment made when mentioning this ad on the 4 Luv of Dog website.

Sandbag for Fargo AND 4 Luv of Dog Rescue!

4 Luv of Dog Rescue is participating in the "Denny's Bucks For Bags" program. The City of Fargo will contribute $75.00 to qualified organizations that provide 100 hours of sandbag-filling effort and an additional $75.00 for each 100 hours provided. Sandbagging continues to March 17th or until one million bags have been made. When you sign up to sandbag tell them your hours should go to 4 Luv of Dog rescue.

A great way to help Fargo and 4 Luv of Dog Rescue, thanks Denny!

February is National Pet Dental Month

The American Veterinary Medical Association has declared February as National Pet Dental Month. Not only does proper dental care prevent bad breath it is vital in maintaining your pet's general health. If teeth are not properly cared for, pets can develop many diseases from bacteria entering the bloodstream through inflamed, bleeding or infected gums. Additionally, gum disease and abscessed teeth can be very painful for your pet.

We would like to encourage all dog owners to properly care for their dog's teeth. Also, check with your regular vet clinic as they may be offering free dental screenings or other discounts during the month of February.

Just Released - 2nd Edition of the
4 Luv of Dog Rescue Newsletter

Click the image (left) to read the 2nd edition of our newsletter - The Daily Bark: Pleas From the Pound and Other Happenings.

We anticipate to publish a newsletter on a quarterly basis. If you would like to receive future newsletters via email, sign up here.

 

2009 - What a Year!

We started off the year with an average of 20 dogs in foster homes, a few more in boarding, and averaged about 14 adoptions per month. Within two to three months, those numbers had nearly doubled. We rescued dogs from local and regional pounds, received calls from owners who could no longer keep their pets, and from owners who needed help feeding their pets.

The year ended with a very busy month of taking in dogs from the pounds that were filling up and from many owners wanting or needing to surrender their pets. We were at an all-time high of over 70 dogs in our rescue, and approximately 65 foster homes. We never imagined we would have this many dogs to care for at one time.

We placed 301 dogs in new homes in 2009 and rescued even more that are still awaiting their forever home. Approximately 57% of the dogs have come from pounds, where they would have been euthanized if we had not rescued them. The remaining 43% were surrendered by owners who could no longer provide for their continued care.

Read more about the year 2009 for us in our most recent newsletter.

Entropion - An Uncomfortable Eye Condition!

Most people are aware of how irritating it is when you have something like a loose eyelash in your eye. Can you imagine what it would be like if your eyelid was turned inwards and all your lashes were constantly rubbing against your eye? Ouch! Entropion is exactly that - a medical condition in which the eyelids fold inward causing the eyelashes to scratch the surface of the eye's cornea. If left untreated, entropion can result in enough damage to the cornea to cause loss of vision in the affected eye.

Recently our rescue took into our care two Shar Pei dogs (Joe & Tasha). It was quickly noticed that both dogs had eye issues which the vet diagnosed as entropion. In Shar Pei dogs, the weight of the folds and tissues around the eyes can easily lead to entropion. The vet recommended surgery for both dogs in order to correct this condition.

Both Joe and Tasha received the necessary surgery to correct their entropion condition along with their neuter and spay surgery. Now we wait for healing to occur before it can be determined if either dog has any permanent vision loss. Regardless of any permanent damage, we are happy that Joe and Tasha are at least now relieved of this constant eye irritation.

As always, we appreciate any financial assistance you can provide to help us pay for Joe and Tasha's surgical expenses.

4 Luv of Dog Rescue Wins Animal Shelter Challenge
for the State of North Dakota!

The Animal Rescue Site hosted a special challenge for eligible Petfinder.com member shelter and rescue groups. A $20,000 grand prize is to be awarded to the organization with the most votes and a $1000 state prize will be awarded to the organization in each state with the most votes.

You can view the announcement of winners of this contest here.

Thank you to everyone who voted for us!
We appreciate your support!

4 Luv of Dog Rescue Receives Grant from the Pedigree Foundation

4 Luv of Dog Rescue, an all-volunteer run, non-profit animal rescue group in Fargo ND, has been awarded a $656.53 grant by the Pedigree Foundation. The grant money will be used to help cover costs associated with providing care for dogs in foster care and boarding. Some of the expenses incurred are for veterinary care, boarding, food, treats, kennels, beds, blankets, leashes, collars, toys, bowls, brushes, grooming, etc.

Through no fault of their own, more than four million dogs end up in shelters and breed rescue organizations every year, and nearly half of them never find a place to call home. The Pedigree Foundation's mission is to help those dogs by providing grants to 501(c)(3) shelters and rescue groups—and by encouraging dog adoption. For more information, please visit www.pedigreefoundation.org.

THE PEDIGREE FOUNDATION Logo is a trademark of Mars, Incorporated and is used with permission.

4 Luv of Dog Rescue Receives $2000 Grant from ASPCA

4 Luv of Dog Rescue, an all-volunteer run, non-profit animal rescue group in Fargo ND, has been awarded a $2000 grant by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). The grant money will be used to help fund spay/neuter procedures for non-sterilized dogs that have been rescued from area pounds or surrendered by their owners. 4 Luv of Dog Rescue is a firm supporter of the ASPCA’s conviction that all pets should be spayed or neutered to help diminish pet overpopulation, which in turn will help decrease the number of homeless animals that end up in local and regional pounds.

The ASPCA was the first humane organization in the Western Hemisphere. It's mission is “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.” The ASPCA works to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws and share resources with shelters nationwide. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org.

Thanks to all the people who donated for Rocky's care!

4 Luv of Dog Rescue would like to thank all the people who donated for Rocky's care. It means so much to us and Rocky that so many people sent in donations. We are happy to report Rocky is doing well. We are sure he would like to give everyone a big doggie kiss for helping him recover and giving him a second chance to find his forever home.

 

Poor Rocky Diagnosed with Parvo, Financial Help Needed!

Update: Thank you to everyone who has donated and sent Rocky positive thoughts. We have found Rocky a foster home!

We have some urgent news about Rocky, the sweet Pitbull mix we recently rescued from a regional pound. He has been diagnosed with canine parvovirus . This can be a fatal disease in puppies and dogs.

Luckily we got Rocky into the Red River Animal Emergency Clinic Sunday afternoon once his foster noticed his symptoms. Rocky received IV fluids, antibiotics and around the clock care at the emergency clinic. Monday morning he was transported to a local veterinary clinic for continued care. Rocky is considered stable and will be kept on IV fluids and antibiotics until the Veterinarian determines he is healthy enough to go home.

Rocky's vet care bills will be large. His emergency vet clinic bill was close to $800. We estimate his bills will reach over $1,000. We are asking for donations to help pay for his care and recovery. Please consider helping with Rocky. He is an extremely sweet dog and deserves the chance to find a loving home.

Black Dog Adoption - Reasons to Adopt Stormy

November - Pet Diabetes Month

Lethargy, excessive thirst, frequent urination - Did you know that these are all symptoms that may indicate that your pet has diabetes? Intevert/Schering-Plough Animal Health is sponsoring November as Pet Diabetes Month in order to create a greater awareness of this disease among pet owners. Although there isn't a cure for diabetes it is a condition that is can be managed with proper treatment. Treatment usually consists of insulin therapy, controlled diet, and regular exercise. If diagnosed early and treated properly, diabetic dogs can be expected to have a normal life expectancy.

Bumper is a dog in our rescue that has been diagnosed as being diabetic. As you can see in this picture Bumper is showing a common long-term complication of diabetes - cataracts in both eyes. This possibly may be due to his previous owner not providing adequate veterinary care to have his condition diagnosed and properly treated.

Bumper is currently being treated with insulin and a controlled diet. He will be visiting the vet again soon for a recheck of his condition.

Bumper is in need a loving forever home. Please fill out a pre-adoption application if you would like to provide this sweet dog a home.

For more info on pet diabetes, please check out the following websites:

Pet Diabetes Month

Canine Diabetes

Fostered Italian Greyhound Needs Financial
Assistance for $4000 Veterinary Bill

Note: This dog is not in the 4 Luv of Dog Rescue program. This plea for assistance is being posted as a courtesy to one of our volunteers.

Update: An online auction has been started to help raise money for Sean's vet expenses. Check it out here.

One of our volunteers also does rescue work for Italian Greyhound Club of America. We refer all rescue assistance requests for Italian Greyhounds to her. She recently went on a mission to get the local pet stores to stop selling Italian Greyhounds, as many that were being sold were eventually surrendered to rescue organizations. The local pet stores agreed and notified the breeder that they will no longer purchase her puppies. The breeder agreed to stop breeding them and to surrender 4 adult dogs and 5 puppies to this volunteer. We congratulate our volunteer on the success of her mission!

Unfortunately, while in foster care, one of the dogs broke his leg. The dog received appropriate veterinary care, but in doing so has acquired a large vet bill - over $4000! The dog, Sean, has been adopted to a new family in the Hillsboro area but he still needs help in paying off his vet bills.

If you would like to assist in paying off Sean's vet bills, please contact the Inver Grove Heights Animal Hospital, by calling (651) 451-4404, to make a donation towards his vet expenses. If you have any questions or comments, call DeeAnn at (701)318-1191 or Michelle at (218)329-6087. Thank you very much!

Our organization will be selling Herberger’s Community Day coupon books in the Fargo Herberger’s store for $5 each on the following days:

Wednesday, November 11, 6-8pm
Thursday, November 12, 6-8pm
Friday, November 13, 4-8pm

Coupon books are also available for purchase at Natural Pet Center. Each coupon book contains one $10 coupon, good toward any item of $10 or more, one 30% off coupon, and six 20% off coupons (exclusions apply). Coupons are valid for the Herberger's Community Day One Day Sale on November 14th.

Our organization receives 100% of the purchase price of the books. Purchasing one or more is a great way to help us raise money for paying expenses we incur while caring for the dogs in our rescue program.

Best Friends Studio for Pets will make a $5 donation to the 4 Luv of Dog Rescue for every appointment made when mentioning this ad on the 4 Luv of Dog website.

Announcing the 1st Edition of the
4 Luv of Dog Rescue Newsletter

Our organization has put together it's first newsletter - The Daily Bark: Pleas From the Pound and Other Happenings. Click the image (left) to read this first edition.

We anticipate to publish a newsletter on a quarterly basis. If you would like to receive future newsletters via email, sign up here.

 

Thank You Nativity 2nd Graders!

Over the past few weeks the 2nd Grade classrooms at Nativity school have been collecting dog treats to donate to the dogs in our rescue. We would like to thank them for their very generous donation. The dogs say "Woof , Thank You" too!

October 24th - National Pit Bull Awareness Day
Sponsored by Bless the Bully's Pit Bull Rescue & Education

The National Pit Bull Awareness campaign is a nationwide effort to bring positive awareness to the American Pit Bull Terrier. The need for a national day of awareness is clear... In light of the constant negative media publicity and sensationalized hype that surrounds pit bulls, Pit Bull Awareness Day was established as a day to focus on these incredible dogs and their devoted, responsible owners.

Raising awareness is the only way to bring about change, and we need to be vigilant in educating the public and reversing the damage done by irresponsible owners and the extremely unethical and far too unaccountable media.

Our rescue does not believe in breed discrimination and welcome all breeds of dogs.

Thank You Integrity Windows!

We would like to thank Integrity Windows for the monetary donation they provided our organization. They held a Papa Murphy's pizza fundraiser with proceeds going to our organization!

4 Luv of Dog Rescue Visits Nativity Elementary School 2nd Graders

We would like to thank the Nativity School 2nd Graders for selecting our organization to help for their class project. We also want to thank them for inviting one of our volunteers to come speak to the students about our organization and responsible dog ownership. Jake, the dog, enjoyed the visit very much!

Thank you to all volunteers and people who donated items for the West Fargo Parks Fall Rummage Sale. Our sale was a huge success and we raised about $750 to help the dogs.

Young Springer Spaniel Mix, Hit by Car, Enters Our Rescue
Financial Assistance Needed for Surgery Expenses

Update: Another Veterinarian believes that Misty will not need orthopedic surgery. From reviewing a second set of x-rays it looks like her elbow is healing nicely on its own. She probably won't have full range of motion in her leg once she is healed but should be OK. A new support cast has been put on her leg to stabilize it.

Misty is schedule for eye surgery on Thursday, September 24th, to fix her two cherry eyes.

We would like to thank everyone who has donated towards Misty's medical expenses. Thankfully, she doesn't need the expensive leg surgery so donated money will be used to pay for the surgery for her cherry eyes, xrays, pain medications and other veterinary expenses.

This sweet little girl was hit by a car on September 1st. A good samaritan brought her to the emergency vet clinic where they assessed her injuries and determined she had a broken elbow. Because her owner was unknown and for legal reasons, the emergency vet clinic sent her to the local pound. She spent 3 days there waiting for her owner to come get her. Sadly they never came looking for her.

Once her 3 day hold was complete, our rescue was immediately at the pound ready to accept her into our rescue. We were fully aware of her injuries and the potential that her leg may have to be amputated. Some rescues refuse to take in dogs with expensive to treat injuries....but not us!

A local veterinarian has determined that there is a quarter size chip off the tip of her elbow. She believes it will be very difficult to try to reattach with a pin and possibly the leg should be amputated. Another regional vet, who has more experience with this type of injury, is being contacted for a second opinion. Regardless of the type of surgery needed, our organization must once again ask our wonderful supporters for financial assistance to help pay for this surgery.

We have named this sweet girl Misty. You may see more info about and pics of Misty here.

Rosie's foster parents thought it would be a good idea to give Rosie a bath prior to her appearance at our most recent 'Meet the Dogs' event at PetSmart. Few people know that Rosie LOVES to roll around in the grass. Well, recently she did just that - shortly after the lawn had been mowed. Rosie ended up with green grass stains all over!

 

Our rescue would like to thank Shaggy's Self-Serve Dog Wash for offering dogs in our foster program a free self-serve wash. Shaggy´s is a great place to get your dog bathed. You can either bathe your dog yourself in their comfortable raised tubs, where the best part is that you don't have to clean up the mess, or you can have them bathe your dog for you.

Fosters Homes - please contact your foster home coordinator if you would like to make arrangements to give your foster dog a free self-serve bath at Shaggy's.

Shop Our Booth at the West Fargo Parks Fall Rummage Sale!
Saturday, September 12th, 7am-2pm

Our organization will be participating in the West Fargo Parks Fall Rummage Sale on September 12th, 7am-2pm, at the Veterans Memorial Arena, 1201 7th Ave E, West Fargo. The Fall Rummage Sale is a combination of 100-130 people selling crafts, antiques, collectibles, closeout items & garage sale items. Admission to this event is $1/person (kids 17 & under free) and parking is free.

PetSmart Charities® "Second Chance for Love"
Fall National Adoption Weekend - September 11 - 13, 2009

PetSmart®, PetSmart Charities® and Hill's® Science Diet Brand® are presenting the "Second Chance for Love", Fall National Adoption Weekend. The three-day sponsored adoption event takes place Friday-Sunday, September 11 - 13, 2009, in all PetSmart stores. The goal is to find homes for more than 18,800 pets in need.

4 Luv of Dog Rescue will be at the West Fargo PetSmart store, showcasing some of the dogs we have available for adoption, at the following times: 1-3pm Saturday, September 12 and 1-3pm, Sunday, September 13. Stop by to meet the dogs and visit with our volunteers!

Owners Rehomed Family Pets
Only to Discover Them 6 Months Later in Local Pound!

We have discovered that Carter and Casper, who previously were in the pound, are actually Max and Milo. Their previous owners rehomed them 5-6 months ago into what they thought would be a good home. They were horrified to learn from our website that they were in a local pound. They contacted us and will be temporarily fostering them for us while we look for a new foster or forever home.

We can't stress enough to dog owners that they need to be very careful when selecting a new home for their beloved family pet. If you adopted your pet from a rescue organization, please check with that organization as they may be willing or require you to return the pet to them. If this is not the case, then be sure to thoroughly screen individuals interested in your pet. Don't be afraid to ask for and call veterinary and personal references. We also encourage owners to consider requiring an adoption fee for their pet. People tend to not value what they don't pay for. Having a new owner pay an adoption fee shows that the new owner is more likely to take their commitment to the pet more seriously. If a new owner is unwilling or unable to pay the adoption fee, then they may also not be willing or able to pay normal expenses of proper pet care.

Some people wonder why it takes so long to adopt a dog through our organization. We want to make sure that whatever home our dogs go to it will be a loving, forever home for them. The best way for us to determine this is to do a thorough check of all adoption applicants. We contact landlords, veterinary references, and personal references. We also visit the home to make sure it is a safe environment in which the dog will live. The dogs in our rescue have already had one home let them down, we want to do our absolute best to make sure that this doesn't happen again.

We want to thank all of our wonderful supporters who chipped in to help us pay for boarding expenses! Unfortunately, due to lack of enough foster homes, we continue to need financial assistance to help us pay off our boarding expenses. Please consider making regular paypal donations.

The 4 Luv of Dog Rescue has started a fundraiser to try to raise money to help pay for boarding kennel expenses. Dogs that unfortunately do not have foster homes stay at a local boarding facility at an expense of $15 per day per dog. With 7 dogs currently in boarding, these expenses quickly add up.

We are trying to raise $2000 to assist us in paying for our boarding kennel expenses. Please consider donating $15 or more by using the PayPal widget (left) - just select your donation amount and click the yellow Give button.

Adopters of past 4 Luv of Rescue dogs, may not realize, but their dog too may have temporarily stayed at the boarding kennel for a few days. And, for those of you unable to foster but still wanting to help, your donation is the perfect opportunity to do so!

Bruno Meets Kramer, Another 3-Legged Dog!

During our recent 'Meet the Dogs Event' at PetSmart, Bruno got to meet Kramer, another 3-legged dog. Bruno's front left leg was recently amputated as a result of being severely injured from being hit by a car. Kramer's rear right leg was amputated due to an injury he received when he jumped out the back of a moving truck. The 4 Luv of Dog Rescue strongly believes that no dog should ever be allowed to ride in the back end of an open truck without proper harnessing.

Sadly, Kramer's owner never took Kramer to the Vet to have his leg fixed but rather returned him to the breeder in exchange for his brother. A kind neighbor rescued the dog from the breeder and raised the necessary money to pay for Kramer's needed surgery.

Although amputation of leg can be quite traumatizing for a dog and its owner, most dogs easily adjust to a life with three legs. Bruno and Kramer have easily adapted to the removal of their injured leg. They both run around and play with doggy friends without missing a beat.

Bruno and Kramer are both in need of a new loving home. (Update: Both Kramer and Bruno are in ttrial adoptive homes!!!) You may learn more about Bruno on his 4 Luv of Dog Rescue gallery page. Click the picture above to see more pics.

Shyla LOVES the water and this summer has learned to master the art of dock diving. Besides being a weekend at the lake activity, dock diving is also a competive sport that some dogs and their handlers enjoy competing in.

This weekend in the Scheels parking lot (1551 45th St S, Fargo) the Midwest Waterfowl Fest will be hosting two different dock diving challenges and a verticle leap challenge.

We aren't sure if Shyla will be showing off her dock diving skills at this event but we are sure that this will be a fun event to watch for the whole family!

Shyla is available for adoption. If you would like to provide her a loving home and to continue to help her perfect her dock diving technique, please fill out a pre-adoption form.

Bruno's Paralyzed Left Front Leg Scheduled for Amputation on August 3rd

August 5th Update from Bruno's Foster Mom - Bruno did AWESOME his first night home, glad to see his couch, his mom, and Paydin (his doggy foster brother). He lost some weight while at the vet's and scarfed down some food right away. He went outside for a while, but Paydin and Bruno couldn't keep their paws off each other, so it was back inside on the couch. He was REALLY tired and while trying to get some shut-eye he still managed to keep tabs on everyone and make sure everything was still running smoothly. I'm not sure he was super happy to be staying home while Dakota, Paydin, and I went to work, but I think it's for the best until he gets healed up.

August 4th Update: Bruno made it just fine through his surgery and was trying to walk around last night. He was kind of wobbly. Today (tuesday) he started to figure things out again and is doing better walking. He is now recovering in his foster home.

As many of you know Bruno is an amazing dog who has survived much more than any animal should have to endure. He was hit by a car and left on the side of the road almost 6 months ago. He was brought to a pound/Vet Clinic and was scheduled for euthanasia. Bruno had such a love for life that the clinic had to try and save him. We were contacted and raised the money to get him surgery so his back left leg could be saved. We knew his front left leg, which had suffered severe nerve damage and was paralyzed, would eventually have to be amputated. We have been taking Bruno 3 times a week for Hydro therapy to rehab his back leg and had been saving for the surgery to amputate his front leg.

Unfortunately this past Thursday night he developed a severe infection in his paralyzed front leg. We brought him to the overnight Emergency clinic where he was put on IV fluids and antibiotics to bring down his 106 degree fever. The next morning we took him to a local Vet and arranged emergency surgery for Monday August 3rd. It was discovered that he had an abscess in his paralyzed leg and so Bruno has spent the weekend at a Vet Clinic.

The emergency bills, weekend care and amputation surgery are all very expensive. But we are dedicated to Bruno’s health and well being and will do what it takes to help him. Bruno loves cats, dogs, people and even ferrets. His spirit is unbreakable and his love unconditional. Please donate to help get this loving dog the needed surgery so he can continue to live the happy life he deserves.

Harper wants to thank all the wonderful people who helped to save her life by donating money for her surgery. She also wants to thank the vets and staff at the West Fargo Animal Hospital for making the surgery possible and successful and for also providing her wonderful care!

You can see from her picture (click to see a larger version) that she has put on some much needed weight. Her left eye is doing much better now and is not so light sensitive. She is still blind in her right eye.

She is enjoying life - playing with her favorite toy and her foster sister Bailey. They love to chase and play with each other around the house and yard!

Visit with us at the West Fargo Parks Dog Show - a fun, recreational dog show! Dogs will be judged and awards will be presented to the best groomed, best dressed, most spots, best trick, best tail wagging, Owner/Dog Look-alike, and best of show. Visit with area pet vendors and register for great door prizes. Free hotdogs and pop will be served while supplies last. Dog Show registration will be at 5:30pm, Agility Demonstration at 6:00pm and Dog Show will begin at 6:30pm.

Donations will be taken for the 4 Luv of Dog Rescue. Items may include monetary donations, dog toys, pet beds, chew bones, treats, computer paper, file folders, envelopes, stamps, crates, quality food, collars, leashes, heartgard, frontline and brushes. Everyone who donates will get a free bag of treats from Waggy Tail Treats for making the donation.

Dog Show registration is Free. In case of inclement weather, Dog Show will be held at the Veterans Memorial Arena.

Josie Enjoys a Run on the Treadmill!

Josie really digs the treadmill! She will sit and beg to have a little run and plop herself down on the track until you allow her some action.

This is a great way to give your dog some exercise, as long as it is done in a safe manner. For more info on teaching your dog to use a treadmill, check out this article on Training Your Dog on the Treadmill by Shelly Seigler.

Stray dogs are a problem on many regional indian reservations including North Dakota's Turtle Mountain reservation. Due to limited funding and resources, local animal control officers sometimes resort to shooting the dogs, rather than humanely euthanizing them, and then dumping their body in the local landfill. Occasionally, they have "round-ups" where on a given day they round-up as many strays as possible and "dispose" of them.

Our rescue has been made aware of an impending "round-up" to occur on another nearby reservation. Fortunately, the tribal police are willing to work with dog rescue groups rather than shoot the dogs. Our rescue has taken in several very nice stray dogs from this reservation before (Karma, Rusty, Gizmo, Ruby, Riley, Kita) and would like to help the current stray dogs. Unfortunately, we currently have several dogs in boarding and our foster homes are full. We desperately need more foster homes and/or monetary donations for boarding in order for us to be able to help these dogs.

If you would like to help, please consider becoming a foster home or making a monetary donation towards boarding expenses..

Posted: June 16th

June 29 Update - We are pleasesd to report that Harper is doing well! She will be going to her foster home later today.
Her incision is healing nicely, her breathing is relatively normal, and her heartrate is good. Her right lung (it was partially collapsed) is still not back to normal but the vet was optimistic that it would slowly re-inflate to capacity. There is no signs of any fluid gathering in her lungs so that is a very good sign. The vet mentioned that Harper is a "star patient", and when she opened up Harper's kennel this weekend, tbat Harper would crawl out and want to sit on the vet's lap and give her a kiss!       Read more...

We would like to thank everyone that donated to help pay for Harper's medical expenses. We feel blessed that the donations received have surpassed our $1000 goal. The extra donations will be used for Harper's ongoing care.

The local community is very fortunate to now have pet hydrotherapy services available locally at Molen Pet Center, Fargo's newest pet training center. Molen Pet Center recently purchased the Aquatrainer pool from previous owner Lucky Dog Boarding and Training Center .

Our rescue would like to thank Molen Pet Center for offering Bruno access to the hydrotherapy pool free of charge. Bruno is now once again participating in regular hydrotherapy sessions to help in the rehabilitation and conditioning of his back leg and hip injury.

If you would like more info about the hydrotherapy pool or other services they provide, check out Molen Pet Center's website.

Three State Bank Employees 'Pay it Forward' by Donating $2500

4 Luv of Dog Rescue would like to offer a BIG THANK YOU to the State Bank & Trust employees who together generously donated their $2500 'Pay it Forward' gift to us. For the past couple of years State Bank & Trust has been giving their employees money to donate to individuals, families or organizations in need as part of a giving back to the community program. This year Kristy Wurgler, June Radke, and Janice Wohlwend graciously chose our organization.

We gratefully appreciate any monetary donations we receive whether large or small. Without these donations and our wonderful foster homes we would not be able to rescue and rehome these dogs in need. If you would like to 'Pay it Forward' by making a monetary donation, please see our How to Help page.

Testing the Dogs for Cat Friendliness

Several of our foster homes not only have their own dogs but they also have cats. We have to take this into consideration when trying to place a dog into a foster home. One of our volunteers has a dog-friendly cat named Mischief who is a willing participant in our attempts at testing new dogs for their friendliness towards cats. The testing is done in a controlled environment for the safety of all involved, especially Mischief. Recently Joey, Grizz, and Keesha were all tested and seemed friendly towards or uninterested in the cat.

Fargo Cash Wise Cookout - Friday & Saturday, May 15 & 16

4 Luv of Dog is having a cookout fundraiser Friday, 11am-6pm, and Saturday, 10am - 5pm, at the Fargo Cash Wise store. We will be serving brats, hotdogs, chips and soda at the stand near the entrance to the store. Cash Wise provides the food and our organization provides the volunteers. Our organization will receive 50% of sale proceeds so tell all your friends, co-workers, and neighbors to stop by and eat.

Bruno Participates in Hydrotherapy Sessions

Our volunteers have started to take Bruno to Lucky Dog Boarding and Training Center for some hydrotherapy sessions. These swimming sessions should help Bruno rebuild muscle strength in his injured hip and leg.

We would like to thank the staff at Lucky Dog for the use of their hydrotherapy pool and their assistance with Bruno's sessions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Canine Hydrotherapy - Swimming As A Recovery Exercise By Mikael R

If your dog is injured, especially in the limbs, one of the most recommended treatments is hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy is basically nothing but swimming for the dogs. Swimming is a great exercise for recovering and recuperating dogs. The benefits of swimming to help the dog regain its musculoskeletal and neurological strength are unmatched.

Why use canine hydrotherapy for the dog?    Read more...

April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month

To help educate the public, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has made April "Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month." People are urged to spend time this month to educate themselves and others about existing animal cruelty laws and to support pending legislation

Animal cruelty is a serious problem. Dogs and Cats throughout the nation are silently suffering serious abuse and neglect, a huge problem that has little or no voice. They suffer in silence, often dying without ever knowing love, comfort and a gentle hand. It’s easy to identify and get angered by the obvious abuse – the person who beats his dog, or starves it to the point of near death. Read more...

National Volunteer Week - Thank You Volunteers!

April 19th - 25th is National Volunteer Week, a time to say thank you to those who give their personal time to help others. The theme of National Volunteer Week 2009 is "Celebrating People in Action".

4 Luv of Dog Rescue would not exist without volunteers - the people in action. Every single person who "works" for this rescue is a volunteer who gives up their free time to help and we want you to know how much we appreciate the support. Whatever you do - from distributing flyers, making reference check phone calls, helping out at adoption days or other events, walking dogs, spreading the word about our rescue, transporting a dog to the groomer, picking up dogs from the pound, purchasing and delivering supplies, or the countless other tasks, we say thank you. We truly do celebrate the people in action who help make this work.

Foster homes are an integral part of this rescue. If not for those who open their hearts and homes to the dogs that end up in local pounds, or are surrendered by their owners, or abandoned or abused, we would be unable to save the lives of these innocent victims of circumstance. We know it can be challenging at times and some days when you feel that training isn't going as quickly as desired and you wonder why your foster dog just piddled on the floor you just finished mopping, or chewed up a shoe left by the door, or barked and barked and barked the first few nights in his kennel - look in his (or her) eyes and remember that he was abandoned by someone he loved and trusted, and he doesn't understand why. Look in his eyes and remember that he would no longer be alive if you hadn't provided a safe haven for him. 4 Luv of Dog Rescue could not do this without you. You are making a difference. You are saving lives. For this, we say... THANK YOU!

Support our organization by shopping at our booth at this rummage sale!

 

 

Best Friends Studio for Pets will make a $5 donation to the 4 Luv of Dog Rescue for every appointment made when mentioning this ad on the 4 Luv of Dog website. Session cost is $17.50 which includes one free 5x7 photo with the opportunity to purchase additional prints.

4 Luv of Bruno ~ He's Walking!!!

March 25th Update from Bruno's Foster Mom- "Bruno is coming leaps and bounds! He is walking well on his own on anything other than linoleum and laminate flooring...they can be a bit tricky. Bruno has attempted steps a few times and hasn't fallen (he actually did quite well) but is still leery of them. He has an appointment on Monday to see the vet to make sure his back leg is where it should be *crossing fingers*. If all goes well he just needs to continue what he's doing to build up the muscle in his back leg!"

Our organization wants to thank all the wonderful people who made donations towards Bruno's surgery and on-going care expenses. If you would like to help, you can make a PayPal or credit card donation via the button below or mail a check to the address on our How to Help page. Donations are also being accepted at the Natural Pet Center and Waggy Tail Treats.

Read Bruno's story which was featured on the front page of the Fargo Forum newspaper.

If your pet was facing a health emergency,
would you know what to do?

Pet first-aid may be required for many unexpected injuries and conditions, including puncture wounds, poisoning, choking, heat stroke, breathing difficulties, electrical shock, and car accidents. Advance planning can make the difference between life and death for your pet. Our rescue encourages all pet owners to have a pet first aid kit, emergency phone numbers near your phone, and learn how to treat common pet injuries.

The Minn-Kota Chapter of the American Red Cross will host a dog first aid course from 7 to 9:30 p.m. March 13 at its Fargo office, 2602 12th St. N. Topics will include treatment of common ailments, aid for choking, CPR and building a pet first aid kit. The course fee is $30 and includes a book and DVD. Registration is required. For more information or to register, call (701) 364-1800 or visit www.fargoredcross.org.

4 Luv of Bruno Update

February 27th Update from Bruno's Foster Mom - Bruno is taking his time learning how to walk. He is walking, but just on his 2 right legs if you can believe that! He will get up for short spurts when he has motivation like getting to other dogs or getting to me, but he will only do this while we are at work or at home when we are outside and he is ready to get out of the cold.

I did see him put a little pressure on his left back leg yesterday when we were outside, he was trying to keep up with me cleaning up the kennels, but this was the first and last I have seen it, normally he will fall over rather than bracing himself with his left back leg.

He remains happy and is always wagging his tail, I still have hope (especially after yesterday) that he will learn to walk on his own, but it is going to take longer than initially expected.

Our organization wants to thank all the wonderful people who made donations towards Bruno's surgery and on-going care expenses. If you would like to help, you can make a PayPal or credit card donation via the button below or mail a check to the address on our How to Help page. Donations are also being accepted at the Natural Pet Center and Waggy Tail Treats.

Read Bruno's story which was featured on the front page of the Fargo Forum newspaper.

Our organization will be selling coupon books during the Herberger's Community Day sale event on Saturday, February 28th. We will be in the Fargo store from Noon to 2pm.

Coupon books will be sold for $5 each with our organization receiving 100% of the purchase price. Each coupon book contains one $10 coupon, good toward any item of $10 or more (exclusions apply) and eight additional coupons, each good for up to 20% off one item (exclusions apply).

85 Dogs Euthanized in Local Pounds Last Year

Our rescue is saddened by the fact that 85 dogs were euthanized in local pounds last year. We feel that these dogs deserve a second chance at life so we are determined to save as many dogs as possible in the years to come.

When accepting a dog into our rescue program we will not discriminate based on breed, age, size or medical condition. All dogs will be treated equally and every effort will be put forth to find the dog a new home – even for those dogs deemed “too hard to place” by other rescue groups.

In order for us to continue saving the lifes of dogs in local pounds, we must have the foster home and monetary resources to care for them. Please consider helping us to save these dogs by becoming a foster home or making a monetary donation. With your help, together we can make a difference in the lifes of these unfortunate homeless dogs.

 

February 24th - Spay Day USA

In just 6 years, an unspayed female, her mate and all their offspring, if none are ever spayed or neutered, can produce up to 67,000 puppies! Sadly, more than 4 million pets are euthanized every year as there are not enough homes willing to provide them loving care. Many of these animals are the offspring of cherished family pets, some are even purebreds. You can make a difference, please spay or neuter your your pets!

We are fortunate to have a low cost spay/neuter service in our community. Please contact Minn-Kota PAAWS for more information.

Our organization strives to spay/neuter all dogs prior to adoption. This often is an expense that is not fully covered by adoption donation fees. Please consider making a monetary donation to help us pay for these expenses.

4 Luv of Bruno

 

Considering that Bruno will require another surgery to amputate his front leg, and a long rehab period before he will be ready for adoption, we would be thankful for any donations received for Bruno's ongoing care. You can make a PayPal or credit card donation via the button below or mail a check to the address on our How to Help page. Donations are also being accepted at the Natural Pet Center and Waggy Tail Treats.

February 13th: Bruno's story was featured on the front page of the Fargo Forum newspaper. Kish, the founder of 4 Luv of Dog Rescue, and Bruno were interviewed by Jay Thomas on WDAY 970 AM.

February 15th: Kish and Bruno were interviewed by local news stations (KVLY, WDAY, FOX) this afternoon during our 'Meet the Dogs' event at Petsmart. Watch local news programs tonight to see the interview!

February is National Pet Dental Month

The American Veterinary Medical Association has declared February as National Pet Dental Month. Not only does proper dental care prevent bad breath it is vital in maintaining your pet's general health. If teeth are not properly cared for, pets can develop many diseases from bacteria entering the bloodstream through inflamed, bleeding or infected gums. Additionally, gum disease and abscessed teeth can be very painful for your pet.

We would like to encourage all dog owners to properly care for their dog's teeth. Also, check with your regular vet clinic as they may be offering free dental screenings or other discounts during the month of February.

Louis is a dog that had very bad teeth when he came into our care. Our rescue took him to the vet for a dental cleaning. The tartar on his teeth was so bad that 6 teeth came out as they were removing the tarter! Additionally, a back molar had to be removed and his gums are so infected that he will need to be on antibiotics for 3 weeks.

The bill for Louis' dental care totaled $258.92. Please consider making a donation to help us pay for this expense.

The Pampered Chef Winners Announced!

We are pleased to inform everyone about our successful fundraiser with the Pampered Chef! There were 11 orders placed for a total of $621.75 in sales. Pampered Chef will send a check to to us for 15% which amounts to $93.26. Sharon, our consultant, will donate 5% which is $31.09 for a grand total of $124.35!

The winner of the $50 in FREE products was split between two people since they each placed orders for $75. Those winners were: Pauline Holmlund & Maggie Heinle - Congratulations! The winner of the Bamboo Square Bowl is Jackie Roberts - Congratulations, Jackie!

Those individuals that placed an order will be contacted in about a week for order pickup information. Thank you to everyone that placed an order or in some way helped to make this a successful fundraiser!

Posted: February 5th

4 Luv of Dog Rescue would like to offer a BIG THANK YOU to Karla, a State Bank & Trust employee, who generously donated her $1000 'Pay it Forward' gift to us. For the past couple of years State Bank & Trust has been giving their employees money to donate to individuals, families or organizations in need as part of a giving back to the community program. This year Karla graciously chose our organization.

We gratefully appreciate any monetary donations we receive whether large or small. Without these donations and our wonderful foster homes we would not be able to rescue and rehome these dogs in need. If you would like to make a monetary donation, please see our How to Help page.

Feb 4th Comment - If you are wondering why we need to raise money for Bruno's surgery when we just received this generous donation, we would like you to know that this money has already been spent to pay off some of our outstanding bills.

Posted:February 3rd

Beau enjoys a little exercise on the treadmill!

Since it has been so cold out, Beau has been getting his daily exercise on the treadmill and he loves it!

With these North Dakota winters this is a great way to give your dog some exercise, as long as it is done in a safe manner. For more info on teaching your dog to use a treadmill, check out this article on Training Your Dog on the Treadmill by Shelly Seigler.
Posted: January 29

Vote for 4 Luv of Dog Rescue so that we may bring hope
to homeless dogs for the new year!

Febuary 1st Update - Voting has ended. Thank you to all our supporters who voted for us! We love reading all of your wonderful comments about our rescue organization. Your support means a lot to us!

Every 3.3 seconds, an animal is euthanized in the United States. Join Care2 & Adopt-a-Pet.com to make 2009 a New Year of Hope for Animals!

From now until January 31, 2009 you can cast your vote for your favorite rescue group in Care2's "America's Favorite Animal Shelter: A New Year of Hope for Animals" online contest. The group you vote for has a chance to win the grand prize of $10,000 or any runner's up and weekly prizes. Please vote for us so that we may bring hope to homeless dogs for the new year!

You're Invited to an Online
Pampered Chef Party!

In order to raise money we are having an online Pampered Chef Party and you're invited to shop! You can order some of the wonderful Pampered Chef products from our consultants website. Our rescue will receive a portion of the sales proceeds. Everyone who places a $60 order will receive the Small Bamboo Spoon Set plus everyone who places an order will be in a special drawing for the Bamboo Square Bowl. For the person bringing in the largest Pampered Chef order, they will receive $50 in FREE Pampered Chef products. Orders will be accepted through 9pm on January 30th.
Posted: January 22

Plea for Foster Homes from Kish, Founder of 4 Luv of Dog Rescue

January 20th Update - Daisy is in the process of being adopted and is currently in her new home on a 2-week trial basis!

I am often told that we can’t save all the dogs and I know this is true. But I honestly believe every dog deserves a chance and there is a home out there for every dog no matter their age, breed, or background. I am writing this because of Daisy the older German Shepherd that 4 Luv of Dog rescued from a local pound this week.

Older dogs are often passed over by rescues simply because they are “old” and can be harder to place and rescue spots need to be reserved for dogs that are considered easier to adopt. Our rescue understands this idea and respects other rescues that have to make that decision. But 4 Luv of Dog Rescue could not pass Daisy and other dogs like her by, we felt that it would be a shame to have her life end after spending her last days alone and scared in the pound. Daisy was obviously someone’s companion for many years, why that person didn’t come for her we will never know. But now Daisy is safe and looking for another family to love and cherish her. Daisy is a wonderful dog that is very active despite being a “senior”. She is already house trained and knows Sit, Shake and picks up commands quickly and of course she is very affectionate.

4 Luv of Dog is thankful we could save her but we can not continue to save dogs in our area without having more foster homes. So please look thru the faces of the dogs we have saved, read their stories and consider becoming a foster home . The dog you foster will be forever grateful for your kindness and so will the volunteers in the rescue. Becoming a foster home can truly save a life.

Posted: January 16, 2008 @ 2:47pm

Start Saving Those Aluminum Cans!

We now have an account with MinnKota Recycling. Please drop off your aluminum cans at one of their recycling centers and let them know you would like to donate the proceeds to the 4 Luv of Dog Rescue (acct #730-6107). Not only is recycling good for the environment, it can help our dogs too!

Posted: January 7, 2008

11 Reasons to Foster a Dog January 18th Update - Vixen is in the process of being adopted and is now in her new home for a 2 week trial period. Lindsay's latest blog entry discusses one more reason to foster a dog. Read about it here.

This is Vixen. Due to lack of enough foster homes she previously was being boarded at a local boarding facility. A few days ago Lindsay, one of our wonderful volunteers, agreed to foster her.

Lindsay loves animals and enjoys writing. She authors a blog titled "That Mutt" where she often writes about dogs. Now that she is fostering Vixen, many of her posts will be about Vixen and her attempts to improve her training and behavior in the process of finding her a home.

We encourage you to read her first post about fostering Vixen. It is titled "11 Reasons to Foster a Dog". If it inspires you to become a foster home for us, please fill out a foster home application.

Posted: January 4, 2008

It's been an exciting and busy year for the 4 Luv of Dog Rescue! We have rehomed at least 65 dogs, held several fundraisers, applied for our 501c3 status, redesigned our website,which includes being able to make online financial donations, started posting dogs on Petfinder, and are now holding adoption days at PetSmart.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our wonderful volunteers, donators, foster homes, and adoptive homes for all the help they have provided us this past year. Without their kindness and generosity we would not be able to do what we do.

Several businesses have also provided us assistance, please patronize them and let them know you appreciate them helping us: Bowwwowzerz, Natural Pet Center, Pawsitive Vybe, PetSmart, RunThatMutt, Shaggy's Dog Wash, and Sheyenne River Kennels.

There unfortunately always are dogs in local pounds in need of our assistance. Thus, we will continue to need and appreciate all the help we can get in the new year to come.

One of our biggest challenges we continue to struggle with is finding foster and adoptive homes for dogs who must be placed in a home with no other pets. These dogs are very loving and friendly to people, but due to lack of proper dog socialization or strong prey drives, they cannot live with other animals. When we don't have homes for these dogs, we have to pay kennel boarding fees to have them cared for. Besides this not being the best environment for a dog to be in long-term, this puts a financial strain on our monthly budget. During this season of giving, any monetary assistance you can provide us for this expense and all our other expenses is appreciated.

Warmest wishes for a safe and happy holiday season!

Kish Founder of 4 Luv of Dog Rescue

Christmas Letters to Santa
~~ Update: More letters to Santa continue to be posted! ~~

Some of the dogs in our rescue have written Christmas letters to Santa. To read what they are wishing for this Christmas click on Hank's picture (left).

 

 

Thank You to Everyone Who Voted for Us!

The Animal Rescue Site has announced that the 4 Luv of Dog Rescue has won a $1000 grant as the top vote recipient for the state of North Dakota. We would like to thank everyone that voted for us. Your support of our rescue organization means a lot to us! The prize money will be used to pay for the many expenses we incur while caring for dogs in our rescue program.

Update: Another Hypothyroid Dog Accepted into our Rescue We have just accepted into our rescue another dog who is hypothyroid. Chelsea shows classic signs of hypothyroid such as weight gain, flaky skin, and hair loss. Check out her page for more info about her and too see her pictures.

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Shyla's Weight-Loss Program It is not uncommon for dogs we rescue to be underweight due to neglect or medical issues, but on occasion we also accept into our rescue dogs who are overweight. This excess weight can put a dog greater at risk of serious health problems such as diabetes and heart disease along with reducing their life expectancy .

Shyla is a dog in our rescue program that when we received her was approximately 100 lbs, which for her breed is about 30 lbs overweight! Click Shyla's picture to read more about her and what her foster home did to help assist her in losing some of this excess weight.

Shyla is in need of a forever home. If you would like to provide her a loving home, who will not allow her to regain the weight she has lost, please fill out a pre-adoption application.

Saturday, December 13th, 1-3pm
PetSmart - West Fargo

Come meet some of the dogs we have available for adoption!

Click here to see pictures from our last adoption day.

Are You Hesitant about Adopting or Fostering a Pit Bull?
Read what Renae has to say about Aiko!

Well, it's only been almost a year now and I am finally getting around to thanking you for letting me foster/adopt Aiko. I fell in love with him the minute I saw him, and soon after starting as his foster, it became apparent that I couldn't let him go.

Telling my parents I was adopting a Pit Bull made them a bit leery. They said I should be careful when adopting "Damaged Goods", dogs that in their mind, might have been in the pound for a good reason. Not believing that any breed is "created evil" I took the plunge and adopted him. Everywhere I go I get compliments on how gorgeous he is and how well behaved. Aiko is an amazing dog, patient, happy-go-lucky, and always willing to please. He is changing people's perspectives with every kiss he gives and "paw" he shakes. It is because of his temperament and determination to make me, his owner, happy that he has excelled in Obedience classes and has even earned his AKC Canine Good Citizenship.

He gets along fine with other dogs and cats, as well as kids and strangers. I never thought my first dog would be a Pit Bull, but I am sure glad he was. It's just a shame that the eagerness to please and do whatever the owner wants is this wonderful breed's gift, and curse. Slowly, the world will convert, one blind eye at a time to the wonders of adopting "damaged goods". Your organization is simply amazing and You are changing the world, one happy wagging tail at a time. I thank you from the bottom of All our hearts, Especially Aiko's. ~~Renae

Posted November 9, 2008

We're Having a Bake Sale!

Saturday, November 22
9am - 2pm
Natural Pet Center
3037 13th Ave S, Fargo

Come purchase some goodies for the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday!
For volunteers that would like to donate an item, please drop them off at the Natural Pet Center.

Posted: November 12, 2008

Herberger's Community Day Coupon Book Fundraiser

Our organization will be selling Herberger’s Community Day coupon books in the Fargo Herberger’s store for $5 each on the following days:

Friday, November 7, 6-8pm Saturday, November 8, 10am-Noon Sunday, November 9, Noon - 2pm Saturday, November 15, 4-6pm

They are also available for purchase at Natural Pet Center. Each coupon book contains one $10 coupon, good toward any item of $10 or more (exclusions apply) and eight additional coupons, each good for up to 20% off one item (exclusions apply). Coupons are valid for the Herberger's Community Day One Day Sale on November 15th.

We receive 100% of the price of the books. Purchasing one or more is a great way to help us raise money for paying expenses we incur while caring for the dogs in our rescue program.

Posted: November 11, 2008

Vote For Us - We Could Win $ To Help Our Dogs!

The Animal Rescue Site is hosting a special challenge for eligible Petfinder.com member shelter and rescue groups. A $25,000 grand prize will be awarded to the organization with the most votes and a $1000 state prize will be awarded to the organization in each state with the most votes. Although the competition is tough for the grand prize we are hopeful that with your help we can win the state prize for North Dakota!

Help us win! All you have to do is click here, or the graphic on the right, to get to the Animal Rescue Site website. From there you can make your daily click on the purple "Click Here to Give- it's Free" button, and then click the red "Vote Now!" button at the top of the page. You can vote once each day through December 14th.

Please remember to vote daily for us and tell all your friends to vote for us also! Thanks!

What is Polydactyl? Normally, for most breeds of dog, the front paws have 4 main toes and one dewclaw (small toe up on the leg) and 4 toes on the back paws. When an animal has more than the normal number of toes they are considered polydactyl. "Poly" meaning "many" and "dactyl" meaning "digits" (fingers or toes).

Charlie, a dog in our care who looks like a german shepherd but could be a mix, is polydactyl. He has 2 extra toes on both his front and back paws (pictures at left). These extra toes make his paws look huge in comparison to his body. His head seems a little large for his body too!

Polydactylism is somewhat rare in dogs so this makes Charlie very unique and special. We think Charlie is special for other reasons too! Check out his page for more info about him.

Charlie needs a foster and forever home. Please consider providing this unique and special dog a home!

Posted: October 1, 2008

Are You a Bully Lover? Our rescue does not discriminate against dogs because of their breed. We feel sad that pit bulls and other unfoundedly assumed dangerous or aggressive breeds are often passed over by rescue groups, foster homes, and adoptive homes because of their breed.

We have several friendly and loving pit bull and pit bull mix dogs in our rescue program that are in need of a loving and responsible home to adopt them.

We encourage people to look past the breed of these dogs and to see that they are just another happy, friendly, and loving dog. Please consider opening your heart and home to one of these dogs by providing them a loving, responsible home.

We held our first Adoption Day on September 27th.
Click here to see some pictures.

Posted: September 27, 2008

September 21-27 Deaf Dog Awareness Week

Did you know that every year thousands of dogs are killed simply because they are deaf? Deaf Dog Awareness Week aims to educate people about deaf dogs and to dispel some of the myths about them.

We have in our care a deaf dog named Thor. Click his picture to read more about him and deaf dogs.

Posted: September 20, 2008

Congratulations to Natural Pet Center!

Congratulations to Michelle Smith, owner of the Natural Pet Center, on the store's new location. Michelle and her staff have provided a lot of assistance to our rescue. We can't thank them enough!

We encourage people to stop by and check out the store's new location: 3037 13th Avenue South, Fargo. It is located across the street from State Bank & Trust and next to MJ Capelli in the Promade mall.

Posted: September 14, 2008

We would like to thank everyone who donated items for and shopped at our Rummage & Garage Sales these past two weekends. We also want to thank the volunteers who worked at the sales. Their time and effort is much appreciated. We especially want to thank Kathie W. for coordinating the accepting of donated items and graciously allowing us to hold a sale in her garage.

Posted: September 14, 2008

September 14 - National Pet Memorial Day

The International Association of Pet Cemeteries has designated the second Sunday of September as National Pet Memorial Day. It is meant to be a day to honor the memory of a pet you once had. We would like to honor the many homeless animals throughout the world that could not be saved.

Unfortunately last year 111 dogs and 730 cats were euthanized in local FM pounds. Our rescue organization was formed to help local animals in need of rescue but without enough foster home or monetary resources the number of dogs we can save is limited.

If you would like to assist us in helping to save local dogs in need of rescue, please fill out a Foster Application or make a monetary donation (use link on the top left of the page).

Posted: September 10, 2008

We still have lots of donated items available so we are having another garage sale! Please support our organization by shopping at our sale!

All money raised will be used to pay the expenses we incur while caring for the dogs in our rescue program.

Posted: September 16, 12:40pm

We are participating in the West Fargo Parks Rummage Sale on September 13th. Click the graphic for more info.

Please support our organization by shopping at our booth at this sale! All money raised will be used for paying expenses incurred while caring for the dogs in our rescue program.

Posted: September 4, 12:40pm

Ragnar Goes Surfing With Friends

Ragnar (dog on the left) was taken to the lake by his foster home. There he discovered a new found joy of water! Swimming is definitely a new skill for Ragnar but when everybody is having fun he can't be left out.

Charlie (dog on the right) was previously adopted from our rescue. You can read more about Charlie on our Happy Tails page.

Posted: August 27, 2008

A Big THANK YOU from Molly!!!

Molly and the 4 Luv of Dog Rescue organization would like to send a big THANK YOU to everyone who donated to Molly's Fundable to help us pay for her dental expenses. Our goal was to raised $221 dollars but with the help of some very generous people we raised $280.

Due to the horrible condition of her teeth, they all had to be removed. Molly will now need a special diet, but at least her teeth will no longer be bothering her. Molly has a potential adopter so we are all excited about that!
Posted August 16, 2008

Bathtime for Chewy at Shaggys Dog Wash Chewy got a little muddy from playing in the backyard of his foster home so one of our volunteers decided to take him to Shaggy's Dog Wash in South Fargo for a bath. Click his picture to read why all our dogs and volunteers love Shaggys Dog Wash! If you haven´t visited Shaggys yet, try it, we highly recommend it!

Posted: August 8, 2008

Charlie is a Very Lucky Dog!
Click his picture to read more about why he is such a lucky dog. Charlie is in need of a foster or forever home. Please consider providing him a home!

Posted: August 7, 2008

Rosie is a Star! Rosie, previously known as Rose, is a Star! Not only is her picture now being used on our website banner, she is also featured on our new t-shirts! We think Rosie is a very special dog and deserved to be made a Star. We hope someone out there will think she is special also and provide her a foster or forever home. Please check out her page for more pics and info about her. Stay tuned for more info on how you can order a t-shirt with Rosie's image on it.

Rosie is in need of a foster or forever home. Please consider providing her a home!

Posted: August 5, 2008

Molly, Italian Greyhound Fundraiser! Molly needs a dental, can you help? We've loaded a plea for donations for Molly on Fundable. It´s easy to use and no money will be taken from you unless we reach our goal. Fundable.com lets groups of people pool money to make purchases or raise funds. Similar to online auctions, Fundable's collection pages are created by people who use the web site. Each page contains a description of how much money needs to be collected and what it will do. Once enough pledges for a collection have been secured, Fundable turns them into real payments and sends the total to the collection's organizer! Please click on Molly´s thumbnail pic to go to her page. The Fundable information and other pictures are there. Thank you!

Tuesday, July 29 - 2nd Annual West Fargo Parks DOG SHOW! This free event has dog show awards, search and rescue demo, free hot dogs/pop, door prizes and more! Held at the North Elmwood Park Shelter (500 13th Avenue West, West Fargo), starting at 5:30. Awards will be given to best groomed, best dressed, cutest, largest, smallest, longest tail, shortest tail and more. Please stop at our table and see us! (click the dog to view the flyer)

Congrats to Kish for winning free Cable One Phone Service June 14, 2008- Congratuations to Kish, founder of 4 Luv of Dog Rescue, for winning unlimited local and long distance calling for a year from Cable One. Kish was nominated to receive this award because she had been personally paying for phone service used by the rescue organization. Kish and her volunteers say, "THANKS CABLE ONE!!!"

A growing number of animals are becoming victims of the economic downturn and the housing foreclosure crisis. Animal shelters, rescue groups and animal care and control agencies are s eeing an increase in surrendered animals as homeowners struggle to make living arrangements that may or may not include their pets. Click the house picture to go to American Humane Page with info and resources.

Our Founder´s Transport Experience Helps Dogs In Unique Way

4 Luv of Dog Rescue Founder, Kish H. is a "transporter", one of a small number of area individuals that transport rescued animals through the Fargo/Moorhead area to a shelter or rescue group, approved foster or approved forever home. Transporters work with many individuals, shelters and rescues. In doing so, they have the opportunity to develop networks and contacts. Kish has been able to do what no other area pet adoption group does - send out the alarm through her vast network when an area dog has no time left in the pound (dogs are euthanized in our pounds after only a few days). We're tracking the dogs she saves from our area and we'll post more on it later, for now, here´s Kish telling you her latest rescue and transport story:

"Almost every day 4 Luv of Dog Rescue gets phone calls from people who can no longer care for their dogs. People do not realize that our Rescue and other local rescues are full with dogs that we have saved from the pound or other situations and that we cannot take in dogs on a moments notice. Sadly we do not have the funds or resources to take in all the dogs that need help. In some cases we are able to ask other rescues for help. This was the case with Ruby and Gypsy. They are two senior Australian Shepherd sisters whose owner was unable to care for them after having them almost all their lives. The owners contacted us and we contacted Aussie Rescue of MN. Luckily Aussie Rescue was able to take them in and now Ruby and Gypsy have their second chance at happy lives. If we are lucky enough to find other rescues that can help the Fargo-Moorhead dogs we then have to arrange transport for the dogs to their rescues. These transports are usually 3-4 hour drives depending on the destination and they take time and gas money to arrange!

4 Luv of Dog Rescue has been very successful with coordinating and driving these life saving transports. Almost every weekend 4 Luv of Dog volunteers and other rescue volunteers drive lucky dogs to their new rescues and foster homes. This is another way we are helping the Fargo-Moorhead community. If you would like to learn more about helping with rescue transport or donating gas money, please contact us."

~~ Kish H. 4 Luv of Dog Founder/President
(Read about transport on our How To Help Page. To contact us, please click our Contact Us tab.)

Posted: June, 2008

Four Unclaimed Tick/Cockleburr Infested Dogs Meet Our Rescue Our rescue pulled 2 Retriever mix sisters, 1 male Black lab and 1 Multi-poo puppy from the pound. They were unclaimed by their owners and not spoken for by other area rescues. They WERE scheduled for euthanasia (death). These dogs were evaluated and given the thumbs up for rehoming. The Retriever sisters were covered in engourged ticks, matts and cockleburrs. The Black Lab was very skinny (see picture) and the Multi-Poo puppy had a cherry eye.

Our volunteers first removed ticks, matts and cockleburrs before giving each dog a bath (Natural Pet Center owner Michelle Smith kindly donated the use of her bathing facility!) Lori G said she couldn't believe how sweet and patient the dogs were. During the long and tedious process, her dog found a way to lick her arm several times. These dogs all went to a wonderful rescue in MN. 4 Luv of Dog was so happy we were able to pull these four from the pound, groom,bath and care for them while they waited for transport.

Thanks to our wonderful volunteers: Karen J, Lori G, Renae A, Tina H, Kathie W and her family, Michelle S (Natural Pet Center owner) and of course Kish, 4 Luv of Dog founder and President.

*Cherry Eye - Dogs have third eyelids that contain a tear gland in the corner of each eye. Normally the gland is not visible and aids in production of tears. When the gland of the third eyelid comes out of its normal position it can swell creating the condition known as cherry eye. Some breeds appear to have a higher incidence of developing this in both eyes. They are: Beagle, Bloodhound, Boston Terrier, Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Lhasa Apso, Saint Bernard and Shar-Pei. Dogs can acquire this at any age and treatment is straightforward, consisting of surgically repositioning the gland.

Posted: May, 2008

Every week dogs end up in pounds, not all get rescued. So many loving, highly adoptable dogs face euthanasia (death) every week in our area. Dogs can have as little as 3 days to find rescue or to be reclaimed (depending on which area pound they end up in). Sadly many owners do not look for their missing pet. A dog or cat that was once a family pet will sit in a lonely cage waiting to see if they will find their home again. Many pets end their lives in pounds. YOU can help by offering to be a foster home or by giving a financial donation that will assist with fees to pull an animal from the pound and the care given to them while they wait for a foster or forever home. If you currently have an animal companion please make sure they have proper identification tags on at all times, do not let them off leash in an unfenced area and PLEASE SPAY OR NEUTER your companion animals to prevent unwanted litters that may/will end up in a pound.

By being a responsible pet owner you are truly making a difference in your community.

Posted: May, 2008