Jake grew up beside the warm waters of the Gulf coast. He loved nothing more than a good run on the beach in the morning to start his day. When the oil spill occurred he was happy to donate his shorn locks to help the clean up – it didn’t seem to be that big of a deal. Until one day he found himself sitting in a strange, scary place that was a far cry from his warm, cozy home. Jake had been abandoned by the only family he had ever known. Jake is not a Brown Heron or a sea turtle, but another innocent victim of the oil spill.
Hundreds of dogs like Jake are being dropped off at Gulf Coast shelters because their owners can no longer afford to care for them. To give up a beloved family pet at a time when that very pet can provide comfort and be a buffer to despair, is truly heartbreaking. Dogs live for their families – how devastating is it to them to lose everything they know and love?
The Louisiana SPCA and other organizations have been actively trying to provide assistance through programs such as The Gulf Coast Companion Relief Program to Louisiana pet owners in the fishing industry. It’s a start, but where is BP in all of this? Have any payouts been earmarked for pet related issues? Perhaps pets should be allowed to file claims for assistance. After all, there are a lot of working dogs who are now out of a job because their owners aren’t fishing. One day you are getting 3 squares and chasing birds and the next the whole family is crying in your fur as they leave you at the shelter. Ken Feinberg – are you listening?
After Katrina struck, many pets were put in shelters. Later, when the owners had relocated or found a stable housing solution, they could not reclaim their pets because they had been adopted out. It’s like losing a child and knowing he’s out there somewhere. Will the same thing occur again? At the bleakest of times no one should have to make the Sophie’s Choice of giving up their pets. Hopefully more organizations can provide interim relief so that no dog goes hungry or has to be relinquished.
Right now, organizations are dependent on private donations . . . so check them and please give.
Today’s blog was just going to feature a wonderful organization called Lost Our Home Pet Foundation. Founded by Jodi Polanski, a Phoenix mortgage lender, it’s made up of real estate professionals who rescue pets abandoned or left behind due to the many foreclosures. Imagine being hit with financial hardships putting you in a situation where you have to leave your pet – sometimes with just a teary note and other times with outright abandonment. Thanks to this foundation, people have a place to take their pets when they have no other choice.
This all-volunteer organization has many real estate professionals and others contributing in a variety of ways – from construction projects, to fostering/adopting, to using their social media skills to get the word out. Since realtors are out in the neighborhoods, who better to be on the lookout for abandoned pets.
But as we have seen in the news today, dogs can lose their homes in other ways, i.e. the Alaskan dog who led troopers through pitch black country roads to his burning house. He was very determined to help save his house.
It’s a heartwarming story with a happy ending in that he will have a home to return to. Dogs are as attached to their homes as we are, so when they lose them it’s devastating to them too. Home means comfort, stability, a place to sleep, get a good meal, and of course love and companionship. Having no sense of time, imagine how scary and confusing it is to be left in an empty house or turned over to complete strangers. Luckily, Lost Our Home has a loyal group of trainers and foster parents to help ease this transition.
Kudos to the Arizona Multiple Listing Service (ARMLS) for recently holding a raffle and raising several thousand dollars for this foundation. It’s so simple and a great way to show support to their realtor base.
So here’s a Bowser Beer Bark Out to any company involved with home selling, building, furnishing, etc. Raise some funds, get involved, or adopt a dog . . . what a great cause to tie your name to. Just think – you can actually provide a home for a deserving individual without dealing with short sales, mortgage modifications, or loan sharks. And dogs don’t care what your credit score is!
When I first heard of this program, I thought it was named after a woman benefactor. I mean, who names their dog ‘Agnes’? Then I saw her face and it just seemed to fit.
According to the poster seen here to the left:
Agnes was the beloved companion of a client at the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS. She symbolized the friendship and love that animals can provide for their owners. The Agnes Fund was created in order for others to experience the same joys of the human-to-animal bond. Southwest Center has teamed together with the Arizona Humane Society to help cover cost of pet health care that is not affordable for their clients.
Questions or Donations call Thomas at 602-307-5330 x 2224
According to Thomas, Client and Community Resources Coordinator for the Southeast Center for HIV/AIDS, the fund is very low and many dogs are going without care and proper nutrition because their owners are unable to provide for them due to circumstances in their own life. The Humane Society generously steps in to provide shelter, medical care, and food for these animals, but they cannot do it without adequate funding.
With Pride Fests going on all over the country, hopefully people will remember those who are not able to celebrate as easily, and the pets they live with. Dogs provide immeasurable comfort and companionship, so imagine how cruel it would be to have to be separated from the ones you give comfort to, just when they need it the most. If you have a program in your community like this, check it out or else consider contributing to Agnes’ fund.
A recent article in the NY Times asked “Can animals be gay?” It raised many questions and pointed out that there is still a lot we don’t understand about animal behavior. Interestingly, much of the observed behavior portrayed how the same sex animals worked together and were committed to each other. But many of the reviewers dismissed the article, discounting a lot of ongoing scientific study.
Until around the mid 20th century, the term ‘gay’ meant “joyful”, “happy”, “bright and showy”. You don’t hear that much anymore because it’s taken on a different meaning. But joyful, happy, and sometimes even bright and showy certainly describes a lot of dogs I know.
Well, who says dogs aren’t gay?
Mornings at our house, there’s no better word to describe Muggsy – recharged from sleep, he’s overjoyed with life, racing around , chasing sunbeams . . . ‘gay’ is a great word to describe his puppy exuberance. A ratty old sock toy, the smell of toast, getting his family out of bed – all makes him happy. . . he’s just a happy dog.
If you really want to know about being gay and happy (no, it’s not redundant) check out to the Phoenix Pride Festival this weekend. This 2 day event brings the LGBT community together for a weekend of camaraderie and celebration. It’s the 30th annual event with over 30,000 people expected to attend and lots of entertainment. A good many of the attendees are sure to be dog lovers and Bowser Beer will be there so that their dogs can, as the Flintstones used to say, “have a gay old time” and celebrate life with their owners. Predicted to be sunny and hot, what better way to quench their thirst than with a nice, cold brew. Hey Ellen, bring your doggies and get some new dance moves!
Muggsy is quite happy to put on pink glasses with rhinestones and a leopard skin headband. Mom’s got a treat in her hand and she’s telling him he’s SUCH a good dog!
Who says dogs aren’t gay?
PS. We will be selling t-shirts with this image at the event. Portions of the sales will go towards a local program that helps care for pets with owners who have HIV/AIDS. If really popular we will be offering it on our soon-to-be launched online store.
Bouncer, babysitter, playmate, punching bag . . . Dax fills all these rolls as older brother and mentor to the newest member of our family, Muggsy. In his young life, Muggsy has never encountered foxes and wild animals like his older, more worldly canine brother.
This morning I was enjoying my morning coffee when I heard Muggsy frantically barking outside. With a mother’s intuition, I flew out of the house, knowing it was a bark that said “There’s something out there and it’s scary”.
I saw him racing back and forth across a patch of ground cover at the fence line, with Dax locked on an object like a heat seeking missile and emitting a low, menacing growl. We live in a desert environment and there is an aroya (a dry gully in desert terms) on the other side of our back fence. Standing there was a large coyote, licking his chops and looking at Muggsy like he was a piece of danish in a Starbucks bakery case. He probably didn’t see that there was a manager on duty (Dax!) and it was just dawning on him that this would not be his lucky day. As I scooped Muggsy up, he was barking and shaking at the same time. Dax’s eyes never left the coyote, who was now beating a hasty retreat. Coyotes can jump a fence so he might have been considering this option before the stealthy Dax made his appearance.
Coyotes are actually members of the dog family and their scientific name, Canis latrans, means ‘barking dog’. Barking Dog .. meet Growling Dog! Small dogs are often preyed on by these carnivorous creatures, as we all know from the sad fate of Jessica Simpson’s poor little pup, but he was smart enough to back off from the canine equivalant of ‘Jaws’.
So sometimes it IS good to be a Rottweiller and to have one at your back. Never mind that he is now sound asleep with several stuffed animals clutched in his paws, he can be a tough guy when needed. Coyotes beware . . . .
Our friends at Beer Magazine were kind enough to put us on their front cover!!
Bowser Beer was featured in an article called Pooch Hooch on pg. 34. The online edition is not up yet, so run out and pick up a copy.
The article pointed out that it’s tempting to sneak some beer to your thirsty pals but there are safer alternatives… like Bowser Beer for dogs. Nicely done, Caitlin!
Earlier in the month, in honor of Beer Day (March 1 for those not aware of it), Chicago NOW ran an article on the 15 most bizarre beers around. We were listed in the #3 slot. So, we are proud to say we are both bizarre and legitimate!
Seriously, now that summer is fast approaching, dogs need hydration. Sometimes water is just not enough. Their appetites may be affected by the heat so make sure they get enough to drink. And beware of those puppy dog eyes pleading for your beer!
The Barkery Bistro, located on beautiful Main St in Greenville, SC, is our featured store. About 2 years ago Meghan Ludwig and her Mom, Diane, opened this upscale boutique with a serious focus on nutritious food and treats for dogs, as well as a desire to offer a wonderful shopping experience to their customers. It has since become a hub for ongoing events, parties, and community fundraisers for the canine set.
As masters of Southern hospitality, resident Bistro greeters, Bentley and Duncan welcome all visitors and lead them to their favorite spot in the store… the cookie case! And who throws a party better than a Golden?
Pictured here are snaps from their recent Mardi Gras in-store party. Taking a break from strewing beads and making sure their guest’s bowls were filled with Bowser Beer, they posed with Meghan. We can only guess that she might be saying “Take it easy guys, you have to get up and go to work in the morning!”
Bowser Beer is proud to be served at the Barkery Bistro Yappy Hours. We all share in a deep concern for the nutritional value of what we give our pets. We also want to have fun with our dogs and help those who are not as fortunate to find a home. For this we salute The Barkery Bistro.
If you are in Greenville, be sure to stop by and say ‘hello’.
Peeps are the Spam of the sugar world. Everybody loves them but who wants to eat them?
Well, four years ago the good folks at the Washington Post came up with the idea of challenging their readers to think of creative ways to use them ….and the Annual Peeps Diorama Contest was born! Each year, I can’t wait to see the top picks, with themes both old and current to today’s world. The entries keep getting better and better and this year’s are even more delightful and mischievous. Who knew that the White House party crashers would be featured in not one, but two entries? The winner, shown here, is a masterpiece celebrating the feel-good movie, ‘UP!’ , called EEP.
Click here and see all the entries. Some are simple designs, but others, like EEP rival modeling for a movie set.
Click here to see a video that showcases the top five entries. Get behind-the-scenes information on the craftsmanship that goes into these creations. The details are incredible! This contest is open to the public and they have over a 1000 entries. Feel free to explore entries from previous years and be wowed by things you never thought could be done with these timeless, sugary Easter time icons.
For a fun look back at the history of Peeps, which have been around since the 1950’s, check out the Peeps Story
Last night, Rachel Maddow tackled a question that all dog owners would like to know the answer to – why do dogs get so excited at some TV theme songs? While our dogs have never gotten excited about Law and Order, our English Mastiff Maggie used to go nuts if anyone tried to watch the Colbert Report. She really, really hated the screeching eagle sound and would come running at the TV from a sound sleep. Which meant, of course, that all the other dogs would come running right behind her – not exactly what you want at 11:30 at night!
What theme songs do your dogs go nuts for? Tell us in the comments section!
Wow, talk about a medal run! Giant George, owned by David Nasser, stands 43in tall paw to shoulder, and weighs 245lb. He was just named by Guinness World Records as both the world’s Tallest Living Dog and Tallest Dog Ever.
Like Susan Boyle, four-year-old Giant George has become an overnight celebrity in his hometown of Tucson, AZ. First, he won the dog-equivalent of the Oscars and then he got invited to be on Oprah’s show. Can he handle it ?? Apparently he can.
On the plane trip to Oprah’s show, American airlines gave him a row of three seats to himself. His arrival in Chicago was met with a growing legion of adoring fans and paparazzi, and most curious to him…..snow!
But he took it all in stride, sleeping off the jetlag anywhere he wanted at the hotel(but mostly on his own mattress). We’re not sure he’s up to signing pawtographs yet but watch for him to be on someone’s red carpet.
Read about his recent adventures to Harpo studios and what it takes to feed (110lb/month!) and house this gentle giant, on George’s own website.
Congratulations George! He’s a George we can be proud of.
Age:8
Age: 11 mos.
The Barkery Bistro