The National Pyr Blog

On February 21st, a great odyssey began. Maggie the Pyr began her long journey from Oklahoma to Montana with her son, Biscuit. These dogs were owner surrenders, just two of the many NGPR has been contacted to help recently. As is often the case, we had to search a large geographic area to find a place for this pair to go. We live in a big country, but it seems much smaller when people come together to help dogs.

Without a foster home nearby, we put out a plea far and wide for these two, Christiane of Montana Great Pyr Rescue answered the call and made room among her already big group for two more. As if that were not amazing enough, countless volunteers stepped up to transport and provide overnight stops on this 1,200 mile journey.

Lookeba, OK Surrender Pyrs Headed to Montana Pyr Rescue

This trip involved numerous drivers going through numerous states. They first went to Missouri to catch the first leg of their trip. Next stop was Kansas.From there it was on to Colorado, where they were hosted for several nights by a volunteer. From there, they headed north through Wyoming and into Montana. At each point along the way, they were handled with great care by volunteers. These people gave of their time generously. One volunteer started driving at 4:30 am.

Don’t let geography deter you from adopting or fostering one of these great dogs. We have safely transported dogs north, south, east and west. We have even sent dogs to Canada. As a national group, we have to be able to move dogs where they will be adopted or fostered.

In addition to the generosity of the volunteers and the great distance covered, another aspect of this trip stands out for me. That aspect is the plight of the owner surrendered dog. There are many reasons why people must surrender their Pyrs, ranging from moving, foreclosure, loss of job, illness, and military deployment…. With the challenging economy, the number of Pyrs being surrendered to us has increased.

The happy travelers on a break.

Many of these dogs have been beloved pets who have been well cared for and are in good health. Some are strays that show up on the doorstep of a good Samaritan. They are deserving of another loving home whether they are puppies or seniors. With an owner surrender, we tend to have more information about the dog and they can often travel to a foster or adopter without being in a shelter.

We at NGPR, are trying hard to help these owner surrendered dogs before they end up in a dog pound. Surrendered dogs are among the first to be killed in a shelter. For a giant breed dog in a crowded shelter, it is often a death sentence. Please consider fostering or adopting one of these deserving surrendered dogs. We have them in all ages and sizes.

Whether from a shelter or a previous owner, we have so many gentle giants awaiting their forever homes. Please consider one for fostering or adoption today.

Jodi Bialik
NGPR Surrender Coordinator

National Pyr has a new Facebook Fan page. You don’t have to belong to Facebook to see it,  anyone can click  here and see the page and our St. Patty’s Day Pyr photos. Once you are on the page, please click the thumbs up “Like” symbol so we can count you as a visitor to our new Facebook page.  Another plus to our new Fan page is that donations can be accepted here, too.  Don’t forget to bookmark the page link to go back and see the latest dogs and news from National Great Pyrenees Rescue. Our goal is to add 100 St. Patty’s Day Pyr pictures to our new Fan page by March 17.

Facebook members can upload their dog’s photos to our site and we’ll add a leprechaun hat to his or her photo. Facebook members can download the pictures and use them on cards, their screen saver, or any way they like. We’ll select a new dog everyday to be our Fan Page Profile picture. If you are NOT a Facebook member and would like us to add your photo, please send it to National Pyr. If your dog is featured in the 2011 National Pyr Calendar, send an e-mail and we’ll use the calendar photo and add a hat to your dog’s picture. We’ll e-mail you back to let you know when your dog is hatted and uploaded to our St. Patty’s Day Pyr portfolio. We’re focusing on the brighter side of rescue this month, all the wonderful dogs who have been saved, and have gotten a little head start on the “wearing of the green”. Enjoy the pictures and have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day with your Pyr!

What a Week It Has Been: Pyr with Fractured Pelvis, Leg Broken in Three Places in Eastern TN; Eight Owner Surrender Requests From Around the Country; Threat to Kill Gun-shot Pyr in AR

We spent Monday morning following up on a male Pyr mix at the shelter in  Johnson City, TN.  We heard he was hurt,  and received his picture (below) on Tuesday. What a sweet face and we were glad to be told that he was very gentle, despite his pain and serious injuries.

Johnson City, TN Pyr waiting for rescue in the shelter.

The  situation was pretty grim on Wednesday when he was diagnosed with a leg broken in three places and a fractured pelvis. FHO orthopedic surgery was recommended and estimated at $1200–a little bit of a shock because the early assessment was a broken leg. On  Thursday, he was heart worm tested and thankfully he has turned out to be negative.  Even better, on Friday the shelter contact said that they raised the money for his surgery to be done down there.  We will need to make arrangements for his flight to the Northeast and fostering but we have gotten over the first hump and can start to make plans for this boy’s future.

We’ve had eight owner surrender requests since Sunday, February 13 from NE, CA, NY (2), KY, PA, ID and OH.  The week’s first surrender form was from a rescuer who took in a stray Pyr on a reservation and was concerned that the Pyr could be eaten if not rescued.   This week has been so busy we have now asked another volunteer to work with Jodi Bialik, our surrender coordinator, because of the volume of requests we have been receiving.  The surrender program is critical because it keeps Pyrs out of shelters. It gives Pyr owners and finders of strays advice, connects them to rescues in their area and provides an educated alternative to dumping dogs or putting them on Craig’s list.

On Saturday,  we got a death threat on a Pyr in AR. It was sent to GPRS in Houston, our rescue partner, and they forwarded it National Pyr where it was received before 10 a.m. EST. The subject of the e-mail was “Dog” and it said:

“I live in Dardanelle, Arkansas, a great white showed up on my porch yesterday and was bleeding. I don’t have money for a vet bill. If I can’t get rid of him I will put him down. He’s a good dog and seems really calm but I can’t keep another. I currently have a broken leg so me moving him anywhere is out of the question. We live too far out for animal control to come get him/her. Let me know something asap please. He will not be alive tomorrow if I can’t find a home  today. Give me a call. Thank you. Jake”

By 11, the first e-mails about “Dog” were going out and contact had been made with “Jake” before noon to let him know that Pyr rescue was on the case. E-mails and phone calls to other rescue groups and volunteers and contacts in the AR area followed.

Dandy (formerly "Dog") awaiting treatment at the emergency vet.

Theresa Martin in Vilonia, AR was one of the first to respond and she agreed to drive to Dardanelle, to pick “Dog” up Saturday afternoon, and bring him to Little Rock. Ragenea Thompson, a volunteer with  Doomed Dogs, was available too and she agreed to meet Theresa at the emergency vet.

By 7:30 p.m., “Dog” now called Dandy, was at the emergency vet clinic in Little Rock. He had indeed been shot with a 22 and the bullet

Bullet in Dandy's Chest

was lodged in the left side of his chest.  The clinic advised against removing it and Dandy was dosed with antibiotics, fully vaccinated and made comfortable until he could be moved to a boarding facility on Sunday.

It’s been a crazy week. We’re doing our best to stay on top of the rescue situation.  If you can, please volunteer or donate to help our Pyrs. They find themselves in the darndest situations.

National Pyr rescuers around the country haven’t been sitting on their paws during the first month of the new  year.  We’ve been helping our neediest cases take flight from danger.

Shush arriving at Lincoln Regional Airport near Sacramento, CA on 1/23.

Shush (Navaho for Bear) was transported January 23 via Pilots N Paws volunteer air transport from an Indian reservation in Kayenta, AZ. His destination was Sierra Pacific Rescue in Granite Bay, CA. At the ripe old age of 1 1/2, Shush has gotten himself into some serious scrapes that will require extensive surgery.

The AZ shelter was going to euthanize him since they could not afford to treat such a large animal, but Frank Ramsey, the ACO,  went on an e-mail campaign, asking several Pyr Rescues to save him. National Pyr and Sierra Pacific Great Pyrenees Rescue answered the call.

Shush had been hit by a truck and two months prior to that had been hit by another vehicle. Lisa B, a flight coordinator for Pilots N Paws, arranged for volunteer pilot Steve Conley to fly from Colorado to AZ to pick Shush up and fly him to Sacramento’s Lincoln Airport where he has a hanger for his plane. The plane is a four-seater and Shush wore a harness that was secured to a seat belt. When the plane halted on the tarmac, looking out the side window was the face of a big white dog staring out at everyone.  Although Frank had to discourage Shush from being co-pilot, Shush had taken the trip in perfect stride and with a little encouragement, was ready to disembark.

Shush, now called Ramsey after his AZ rescuer, arrives in Northern California.

On February 3  Shush (who has been renamed Ramsey) will go in for surgery on his right hip and left hock. The right hip has been completely dislocated for almost two months. His left hock has ligament damage which will be fixed as well.  Steve Conley became very attached to Ramsey and has visited him almost every day since his arrival. When Steve brought his brother, Jason, over to meet Ramsey, it was an instant match. Jason has applied to adopt Ramsey as soon as he’s well enough to go home.  Ramsey’s surgery is going to be expensive so we are asking everyone to help who can.

Doomed Dogs, Sierra Pacific and National Pyr are fundraising together to get this fabulous dog the care he needs. Please help us help this wonderful Pyr.

Rescue is off to a flying start in 2011. We’ve seen quite a few neediest cases like Ramsey already, so please hang in there with us, we could all be in for a bumpy ride!

The notice came came in an e-mail on Wednesday morning, January 5, about the dog in Delaware’s Kent County SPCA (KCSPCA). Several Pyr rescuers received it. But the e-mail didn’t come from the shelter. It came from another group trying to ensure that the KCSPCA would comply with the new, progressive Delaware law mandating that shelters contact rescue groups before putting a  dog in their shelter down.  This particular dog had been identified as a Great Pyrenees or Pyr mix and had been at the shelter for two weeks before the e-mail was sent. The  e-mail for help was too late.  The dog was dead  by Wednesday afternoon—the same day the e-mail went out to rescue groups.

Dog Who Died in Delaware

Shortly after I received the e-mail, I called the KCSPCA  on Wednesday and spoke to an employee there.  I was told the dog had been picked up as  stray and  that he was fine with the woman who picked him up and who later brought him to the shelter.  It was when he arrived at the shelter that he exhibited what some would call aggression–and others would call fear.  I took note of this information and told the KCSPCA employee that the information about the dog would be posted to National Pyr Rescue’s group list.  This would give Pyr rescuers the chance to step forward to help this dog.   I noted in the post to the group that the dog had been called aggressive.  The comments that followed from rescuers on the group list were prescient of what would indeed happen to the dog.

One rescuer said “In the past week, I have heard more than one shelter talk to me about an aggressive dog they could not place. In every single case, there was nothing wrong with the dog.  Someone needs to go see the dog and decide for themselves. I take everything most shelters say about a dog with a grain of salt.” Another rescuer responded that she would drive an hour to go see the dog.  When this rescuer called the shelter the following day,  she  was told the dog had been put down on Wednesday.  Her comment:  “This shelter puts giant dogs down for little to no reason.”

What exactly did the KCSPCA do to help this Pyr?  The dog was at the shelter for two weeks  before any rescue groups were contacted.  The rescue groups were not contacted by the KCSPCA but by an outside agency who wanted to give the dog a chance. The  new Delaware law requires  that “Animal shelters shall establish and maintain a registry of organizations willing to accept animals for the purpose of adoption, including breed specific rescues.“  This means that before killing an individual animal, the shelter must certify that no rescue or foster would take him or her.  That implies that the shelter must make some effort to reach out to rescue groups about that particular animal.   How could KCSPCA certify this  if no  information was circulated about this animal? And why was the animal destroyed on the same day the notice went out  when rescuers were calling to help the dog?

Aggression provides a loophole in the law for those who would elect to take an animal’s life:  “Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter to the contrary, an animal may be euthanized immediately if necessary to alleviate undue suffering or to protect shelter staff and/or other sheltered animals from an animal’s severe aggression or contagious deadly health condition.”

The KCSPCA reported an  “altercation” as the basis for killing the dog.  We will never know whether the dog was truly aggressive or just scared.  KCSPCA staff reported that the dog wouldn’t let anyone near him.  They kept him in a special cage so no one had to come in contact with him to feed him or clean the cage.   They knew that rescue was trying to find a place for him. They had to sedate him to get close enough to  kill him.  They could have sedated him for a few days and given him a chance for a rescue to step forward.

The new Delaware Law gives organizations like the KCSPCA  the ability to use aggression as an excuse to go on killing at the same rate—53% of all animals admitted there are killed.   Despite the new No Kill law, one of the most progressive in the country,  this dog was not  given a fair chance.    According to the new law,  a shelter cannot kill an animal if a rescue group is willing to save that animal’s life.  This is where breed-specific rescue groups like National Great Pyrenees’ rescuers  come in.  Someone  from Pyr rescue  was willing to come evaluate the dog—someone who knows the breed—and could assess the behavior better than the shelter staff. If  Pyr rescue groups had been notified when the dog was admitted two weeks ago, someone could have gone to evaluate the dog much sooner—and perhaps found that he was just stressed, not aggressive.  Then one of the rescue groups might have  taken him.  This dog lost his chance because the KCSPCA did not fulfill their obligation under the new law.

The irony is that despite a progressive no kill law,  a dog in Delaware that a rescue group was willing to stand up for, died.  Dogs will continue to die even with the new no kill law, until policies and procedures are scrutinized and changed to ensure full compliance with the very legislation that was enacted  to protect these animals.

Barbara Mattson, President
National Great Pyrenees Rescue

To learn more about the Delaware No Kill Law go to No Kill Delaware.

Happy endings aren’t limited to the movies. Woody is a real-life Great Pyrenees rescue dog from Memphis, TN. He could be the brother or father of Paws, the Pyrenees puppy in Disney’s “The Search for Santa Paws®” movie. What happened to Woody could be the story of what happened to Paws when he grew up. Our grown-up “Paws” was found as a stray.  He was thin and hungry and his coat was so matted he needed to be completely shaved down.

Woody when he was the sheep-shorn Pyr.

In fact his haircut was so bad, he became known as the sheep-shorn Pyr.  He was rescued from a kill shelter in Memphis, TN by National Great Pyrenees Rescue, but proved something of a problem. He disliked confinement and turned out to be an escape artist although he just wanted to be around people. Last summer, he traveled to New York and was named “Woody” when he was adopted by a family in the Hudson Valley who had lost their Great Pyrenees dog and wanted another.

Woody surprised everyone by proving to be an exceptionally people-friendly Pyr. He so enjoys the spotlight that staying home and hanging around the house with several other dogs, as had been expected, was a rather ho-hum life for him.

Woody and his friends at work.

During the warm spring weather Woody accompanied his owner to work so he could cool off in the AC. One of the employees saw a promotion about National Great Pyrenees Rescue’s calendar contest and alerted the other workers. Soon after, Woody had numerous people snapping photos of him to get the best shot. The contest was strongly supported by workers in the Highland, NY, plant but word of mouth resulted in involvement from staffers at other locations.

Woody on the Happy Endings calendar cover.

Woody won the rescue calendar contest hands down and is now the company’s new P.R. man. He relishes his role as “Mr. Meet and Greet” and has a circuit of staff members with whom, in the course of the day, he likes to spend time with. He definitely has his favorites but now he is truly welcomed by everyone at the plant! There are hundreds of “Woodys” and even small “Paws” who need rescue from kill shelters. The Happy Endings Calendar Contest raises money to support this rescue effort. This holiday season, after all the tinsel and wrapping paper are discarded, please help the forgotten dogs like Woody, who are left behind, waiting for someone to find them.

Overheard recently on the Great Pyrenees Discussion List, a privately owned Listserv, managed by members of the breed AKC club.

Question: “Why so many Pyrs in rescue?”

(O.K. somebody noticed.  Good.  There are 1,369  Pyrs and Pyr mixes listed on petfinder.com today and somebody noticed.  Great.  This is progress.)

Answer: (from Northern California Pyr Rescuer) “A major source the past twenty years has been farm-bred dogs.”  O.K.   I’ll buy that.   “All we, as Pyr owners, can do to help stem this tide is to educate people about the breed BEFORE they get one”.

Really?  Maybe we can do more. There are between  135 and 150 Pyrs from the South and Mid-West who need homes posted every week on the National Pyr website. This is just the tip of the iceberg.   Go to  the  Northern California Pyr Rescuer’s site and you will see  one dog listed.  The other page for males says no males are available for adoption.  You may wonder why some rescue groups have so many dogs listed and others have one or none. The reason: location, location, location.

Here’s the poop.  Regionality is an important factor in dog rescue.  The lack of spay/neuter is a problem for all breeds in the South. Even worse for farm dogs in the South/Midwest who are not spayed or neutered because the livestock they guard is not spayed or neutered.  No spay/neuter = more dogs.   The redistribution of dogs from kill shelters in the South and Mid-West, where there are so many dogs to place, to areas where there are virtually no dogs needing rescue to place, is critical to saving dogs’ lives.

Many Pyr rescue groups in the northern part of our country refuse to participate in this redistribution effort, saying it is not their problem.  They converse about the problem knowledgeably and offer feel good non-solutions like “All we, as Pyr owners, can do to help stem this tide is to educate people, blah, blah, blah” when actually, they can do a lot more. They can save  dogs’  lives.

As rescuers they can work with other rescuers in the redistribution of dogs from places where dogs die horrible, cruel deaths by gassing or heart stick in kill shelters.

This Pyr in a Springfield, MO shelter will die from a heart stick injection if not rescued. The MO Pyr rescue is full and cannot take more dogs.

These rescues can help move dogs from TN, KY, TX, GA, AL and MO to Northern California, the Northeast and other places in the Northern U.S. where Pyr rescue dogs are scarce.  They can make more of these dogs available to people who want to adopt them.  Just think–there could be 10 or 20 dogs listed for adoption on the Northern California Pyr Rescue site instead of one!

Don’t let anyone pull the Pyr fur over your eyes when it comes to rescue. Check out the dogs who are available on your closest rescue here. Let all Pyr rescue groups know they need to get with the solution and that having one or a couple of dogs listed for adoption is not acceptable. As a  Pyr owner and lover of this breed you can do something more.  Rescue involves the active participation of those who can  foster dogs, help with transport or donate to this worthy cause. Don’t be fooled by the biggest lie.  There is a way to save more Pyrs; we know how to do it and it involves the participation of all Pyr rescue groups North,  South, East and West to help redistribute these dogs.  Stand up for  the dogs we love.  RESCUE NOW!