Tag: Recycled Pets NorCal

BestBullySticks.com's 12 Days of Appreciation was a huge hit! We gave our fans the chance to say kind, heartwarming words about their favorite Animal Rescues and Shelters for a chance to win that organization a $500 BBS Donation! Here are our winners! 

Buster's Foundation
"Let's show "appreciation" to the Buster Foundation Pit Bull Rescue! Buster's foster homed based rescue and their incredible fosters and volunteers have proven over and over that Busters commitment to saving and re-homing our beloved bully and bully breed mixes is truly our labor of love. We have some of the most dedicated bully soldiers advocating for our dogs in the world. As we've said before we will continue to be ready with a warm blanket and a heart full of love and respect for our" breed that's been forged in pride is still reaching out for our help."

Chance's Haven (nominated by Heather Clapp)
"I would like to 'appreciate' Chance's Haven for the awesome work they do to rescue dogs, cats, and all animals. They are a very small organization that runs out of their home and their own pockets. They very rarely (if ever) ask for donations. The story that they received the most attention for was when they rescued Bubba the Bait Dog. Bubba had his back legs & hips intentionally broken so that he couldn't run. He was used as a bait dog and then he was just dumped and left to suffer."

Cimmaron Valley Humane
"I would like to nominate Cimarron Valley Humane Society with whom I started my rescue work with. I fostered many of their dogs, attended the meetings and helped with adoption drives. We adopted Apache, and Hannah from CVHS (foster failures) and there is nothing like the love of a rescue dog. Apache is one of the sweetest gentle giants I have ever had. Our Hannah (a doxie/catahoula) brings so much joy to our home. She is almost human to us and never stops entertaining with her silly antics. CVHS even helps my org with free vetting when they are able."

Double Dog Rescue (nominated by Kate Volz)
"I will forever appreciate Double Dog Rescue for bringing my dog Cheyenne into my life. DDR works tirelessly to pull dogs from high-kill Southern shelters, vet them, and find them adoptive homes in the north. They are a team of dedicated volunteers from many different states all working together to serve a common goal: save as many dogs as possible and find them the best homes. Without DDR, my beautiful girl- and many hundreds more- would have died alone and afraid. I thank DDR for all their hard work, dedication, and love for dogs like my Cheyenne." 

Fur-Ever Home Rescue (nominated by Kelly Martin)
"I'd like to appreciate Fur-Ever Home Rescue. The rescue started in May, 2012 and has adopted out over 60 dogs. During this first year, they have treated and adopted out 2 heart worm positive dogs, paid for entropion surgery for another, taken in 2 more that are pending HW treatment, accepted owner surrenders and rescued dogs, mommas and puppies from shelters in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina to save them from euthanasia. The passion of the partners and volunteers involved knows no bounds and they want to increase their assistance to the shelter and local community in 2013!" 

Gateway Pet Guardians (Lauren Anderson)
"I'd like to recognize Gateway Pet Guardians, a group that works primarily in East St. Louis, Ill. Every day they feed the dogs on the street (their founder hasn't missed a single day since 2001). Their mission is to end homelessness for animals in the Metro East through rescue, rehabilitation, adoption & community education. Their foster-based approach ensures each animal is in a warm, loving home before going to their adoptive homes. They rescued my pit bull Ozzie from the streets, & my life would not be the same without this sweet boy. For that, I thank them! "

Paws for Seniors (nominated by Erin Coppinger) 
"I am grateful for Paws for Seniors. In March 2012 I adopted a rescue from Afghanistan, Champ. He was traumatized as a puppy and had a very hard time sleeping at night. In June 2012 I decided to try fostering a dog to see if it would help Champ overcome his fears. I signed up to foster for Paws for Seniors and my first foster arrived, Sam! He was pulled off death row. The first night him and Champ bonded and he has been his security blanket ever since. We officially adopted Sam in August!" 

Powell Animal Welfare Society
"I would like to 'Appreciate' the Powell Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). PAWS is a small non-profit that rescues dogs of all breeds, sizes and backgrounds, and relies solely on the support of fosters and volunteers. PAWS has grown tremendously in the last year, and we hope to see even more fabulous work in the coming year." 

Providing For Paws (nominated by Amy McGee)
"Providing For Paws is such a great organization. They help keep dogs and cats out of shelters by helping provide food for the animals, to low income families in the Metro Detroit Area. They also help out with vaccinations and help cut down on the stray population by helping with spaying/neutering. Please consider helping this great organization who could really use the money to help some pets whose families have fallen on hard times." 

Recycled Pets NorCal
"I would like to appreciate Recycled Pets NorCal. The volunteers, foster and mighty leader all work very hard to help homeless pets find their forever homes. They will even help owned pets without homes (homeless humans with pets) with clothing, food, vaccinations and more. It is such a wonderful group that tries to do the best for the animal and human alike."

Save The Giants (nominated by Crystal O'Neal)
"I appreciate Save The Giants, a giant breed dog rescue in CO, KS, OK & TX. Just opening in Nov 2011, they have helped multiple gentle giants and network with other rescues to help as many as they can. They take heartworm positive dogs needing treatment, seniors and black dogs too, all of which are harder to place. It is a smaller, extremely committed group of volunteers who foster and rehabilitate these dogs in need both from high kill shelters and owners who can no longer care for them. Some of their foster dogs get to enjoy BBS too!"

Southwest Florida Great Dane
"I can't begin to express my deep appreciation for Southwest Florida Great Dane Rescue. In 2006, I adopted the love of my life, Mouse. She helped me through the hard times in my life, sensing my emotions and knowing just want to do to make me feel better. Mouse was the first but not the last. We've adopted from them since then and are just as pleased with Harleigh. They give great care to all the dogs, agree to take Danes others won't due to age/illness, and always ensure a match with the right family. They do it right!" 

If you represent one of these shelters and haven't been contacted by the person who nominated you for this prize, please contact callie.bestbullysticks@gmail.com to claim your donation! Thank you to all who participated and a big congratulations to those winning animal organizations!

Best Bully Sticks loves holding 1-Day Animal Shelter/Rescue Giveaways each month because we get to give away BBS product to support rescue efforts all over the country. Even though it is rewarding to give to a shelter, we also love being able to learn more about shelters ourselves and then sharing their struggles, stories and triumphs with our readers. This week we we’re profiling Recycled Pets NorCal, a rescue based out of Sacremento.  Co-founder Elsie Lodde told BBS more about their young but successful rescue group. Reyclced Pets NorCal won BBS’s 1-Day Giveaway just two weeks ago.

When & Why did you start?

I have unofficially been rescuing dogs for years. I would always find stray animals and take them and get them vetted and find them homes. Then a couple years ago, a friend (who is in rescue and moved across country) needed help with a local case, and so I was whisked into the world of rescue.  I was working for a national organization that only rescued specific animals, and I felt the constraints too limiting (because to me an animal in need is worthy of help regardless of whether it is in a shelter, in someone's backyard, or dumped along the side of the road) and so this year I began Recycled Pets NorCal (a sister rescue to Recycled Pets SoCal).

What's different about your rescue?

Well, unlike many rescuers we think locally.  We only adopt out to local families and we try to only rescue locally (occasionally there is a special case that may draw me to drive 400 miles but it is rare).  I never transport animals as I provide on-going support to my adopters and I am unable to do that if they are far away.  I am responsible for the lifetime of the animal and I take that seriously. I would have to say, I probably also have one of the youngest groups of volunteers and fosters than most rescues (likely due to the fact that I am only in my mid-30s).  And since I provide everything, younger people (who often cannot afford to pay for food, treats, or other necessary items) can get more involved.

What is the greatest success story or "win" that your rescue has had?

I take on a lot of medical cases, so for me there are many.  Arnie (the emaciated and chained bulldog) won my heart enough to not leave, Tyson had severe demodex mange, I have had puppies with all sorts of issues like being starved to death, abandoned, with parvo and all sorts of things. And a case from the end of last year, Otis, was the hardest.  He was born with a condition called PRAA, where his heart and esophagus were all wrapped up together so he was unable to eat and ended up with a secondary condition called Mega Esophagus. I worked so hard to save him, but surgeries were not good enough for the sweet boy- I miss him a lot.   They all have a special place in my heart. I say we need to treat them (and place them) like they are our own animals, because they deserve that.

What's the most rewarding thing about working at your rescue?

Perhaps this should be asked to one of my volunteers.  For me, it is taking an unwanted animal, that has been discarded, and helping it to find the right home for it.  I just appreciate animals' abilities to forget the past and forgive and move on to love again, I think humans really should take note of their ability to leave their baggage behind. Plus, I have met some amazing people doing rescue who also like animals as much as I do.

What can people do to help your rescue?

Since we only adopt locally, many people feel like they cannot spread the news. But help can be found in the most unusual places. Obviously we are always needing donations, whether that be monetary or for items such as puppy pads, food, bully sticks (which my rescues are spoiled with), formula, vaccines, and all sorts of items. Also just liking our Facebook page can do a lot of good. Sharing and even voting in contests like [1-Day Rescue/Shelter Giveaways] mean a lot.

A big thank-you to all that Recycled Pets NorCal does in their community: for the care of the animals in their community. Find out more about Recycled Pets NorCal on Facebook.

We have another 1-Day Animal Shelter/Rescue Giveaway in a couple weeks! Stay tuned to the BBS Facebook Page for our announcement!