welcome Ohio dogs

We welcomed two new guests to the rescue barn this past weekend. They're straight from a large cruelty case in Ohio that netted two hundred pit bulls. This case was special in that the survivors were moved to a local riding arena where HSUS staff and local volunteers worked long days for several weeks to keep the dogs going until they could be evaluated and moved to appropriate rescue.

You may see news blips pop up here and there as various orgs announce the dogs they took in - groups on the east coast especially. This rescue was particularly successful in the number of rescues and shelters that participated and the number of dogs that were saved as a result. A very happy success for the cruelty victims of Ohio.

Before "the boys" arrived, we combed a local Salvation Army for second hand leather chairs that can serve as cozy dog beds in the kennels. Twenty bucks a pop and our kennels are looking very homey and spiff.

You know how pit bulls love their creature comforts: when nothing much is going on, the boys are usually camped out in one of the chairs, snoring away. Ahhhhhh ... this is the life.

The newcomers are named Chunk and Rockin' Robin. Chunk - the black dog with the round head and Halloween pumpkin smile - is a middle aged stud muffin. Emphasis on stud. We think he's had a lifetime of making puppies based on his - ahem - behavior with the girls. A neuter will help square that away.

Chunk's got the Velcro-dog thing all worked out. When he's not in his chair, his favorite place is at your ankles. He does an amazing job winding in circles while looking up and begging eye contact. It's pretty impressive considering he doesn't have much in the way of a neck.

His sidekick Robin is a happy kid of a dog with crazy party boy eyes. He's our new favorite comedian dog. He's got a muscley little body, a low center of gravity and a big appetite for the flirt pole so we're having a great time with him already. We love us some Robin.

Sad to say, but it's already time to prep for the winter rains that will be here soon, so we're game-planning around weather proofing the barn, securing the fences and will be adding a healthy layer of gravel around the perimeter to keep the mud to a minimum once the rains take hold. After the barn puppies left, we tacked the star pattern tin ceiling panels on the walls to protect them from hose splash and busy diggers. We're rather fond of how it looks now.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to our photo contest last month. Your entry fees and votes helped us bring the Ohio boys here and are making it a whole lot easier to house them in comfort until they can move to foster care. Stay tuned as they work their way into our program, and our hearts. Below: Chunk discovers the joy of a butt scratch.