Art Benefit for Dunedin Doggie Rescue Opens May 1

An animal art exhibit to benefit Dunedin Doggie Rescue opens May 1 at Stirling Art Studios and Gallery. The opening reception is May 10 in conjunction with Dunedin Wine & Art Walk.

'Green' Dog Accessories at 'Suds on Sunday' Dog Wash Today

Lucky Dog Gone Green, a brand that creatively recycles items into one-of-a-kind pet beds and accessories, is at Dunedin Doggie Rescue's monthly dog wash event today, April 7.

Weekend Beerfest in Dunedin Taps Into Tampa Bay Beer Week

Dunedin House of Beer brings Tampa Bay Beer Week festivities to Edgewater Park with a day of live music, craft brews and local food on Saturday, March 9.

Drink a beer, save a dog, say organizers of the Dunedin Beerfest. Dunedin House of Beer and Olde Bay Café are bringing Tampa Bay Beer Week festivities to Edgewater Park on March 9 for the third consecutive year. Proceeds help Dunedin Doggie Rescue, a local non-profit foster network that rescues dogs from area kill shelters. Beerfest is a free, daylong family-friendly event featuring live music at the Edgewater Park gazebo, food, and dozens of local craft brews. Olde Bay Café is serving up food like smoked chicken and pork, fish tacos and hamburgers, and a wine tent will be available. Beerfest volunteers are still needed. Here's how to sign up. The 2013 Live Music Lineup: Beerfest is all day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Drink tickets will be on …

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Super Bowl Sunday Goes to Dunedin Dogs at Ferman MINI

Bring a donation for Dunedin Doggie Rescue (of any size or type) to Ferman MINI of Tampa Bay & Ferman BMW before the Super Bowl on Sunday and get free refreshments and paid entry to Honeymoon Island State Park.

Before the pigskin and fanfare begins on Super Bowl Sunday, a car dealership on U.S. 19 is hoping to win one for Team Dunedin Doggie Rescue. Ferman MINI of Tampa Bay, 31480 U.S. Highway 19 N in Palm Harbor, is collecting items in need at Dunedin Doggie Rescue, a not-for-profit dog fostering group, starting at 11 a.m. Just bring a donation for the rescue group to join the dogs of Dunedin at the dealership for brunch, followed by a drive over to the dog beach at Honeymoon Island State Park (paid entry included). Ferman MINI is also displaying the newest MINI Paceman, which goes on sale in March.  Dunedin Doggie Rescue is in need of:

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Good Neighbors

Girl Gives Up Birthday Gifts for Rescue Dogs

Curtis Fundamental fifth-grader Maria Norman decided that in lieu of gifts, she would give back to Dunedin Doggie Rescue for her birthday. She was publicly recognized at an event Sunday.

Young Maria Norman asked for stuffed toys, rawhide bones and dental sticks for her 11th birthday. The gifts weren't for herself, but for the rescued shelter dogs of Dunedin Doggie Rescue. "One thing we've talked about," Maria's mother Kathy Norman said, "is kids have so much every birthday — maybe it's a good idea to think about giving back. I got her to thinking, and she was thinking of an organization to donate to instead of getting birthday presents." For her selfless act of service, Dunedin Doggie Rescue publicly recognized Maria, a fifth-grader at Curtis Fundamental Elementary, when she dropped off the donations Dec. 2 at its last Suds on Sunday dog wash of the season. (The monthly dog wash fundraisers resume in March.) "At first she …

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Rescue Me

Dog Quirks That Make You Go, Hmm ...

Grayson’s quirks are so bizarre: He always has to walk on the left side of Kaiah while on a leash; he will not get in the car before Kaiah; and he has a specific spot on the bed. What quirks do you love about your dogs?

I came home to two excited dogs — Kaiah jumping, Grayson waiting his turn — and then, I saw it: an empty bread sack. Now, please know that I just bought this loaf of bread the day before and had not even opened it! It’s my own fault, really. After all, it's happened before. I should have known better. Those of you who've read the stories of Grayson's destruction, are all probably saying to yourselves, “Grayson! How could you?!” Well, don’t jump to conclusions just yet. The first time around, Kaiah was the culprit; I had not even adopted Grayson yet.  I love my babies so much, but they each have their own little quirks. Kaiah likes to occasionally jump up on the counter to make sure I notice her, something I've come to call "counter surfing…

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Rescue Me

Bait Dogs Are Still Adoptable

Dogs that have been used as bait will sometimes find themselves in shelters when law enforcement breaks up a fighting ring. They deserve to know love.

The other day I heard someone explaining why somebody would ask if a dog’s teeth were ground down. A dog whose teeth are ground down would not be able to fight back and defend themselves, making them perfect bait dogs for dogs being trained to fight.  I have seen so many injured dogs on Facebook lately, also dogs up for adoption that were once a “bait dog.” Some people may think that "bait dogs" are far and few between, but that's not the case. There are laws against dog fighting, but just like everything in life, the criminals keep hidden. Rescues do their best to help the dogs in the shelter, but there are people out there that adopt these dogs with the intention of using them as bait dogs. There are different stages training fight dogs…

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Rescue Me

Puppy Mill Dog Goes From Crate to Care

"I felt like a mommy whose child just took their first steps! I emailed everyone I could think of ... stating this wonderful news: ‘Pearl just went pee pee on her own!’"

Many of you have heard about the detriment of puppy mills, but how many of you can say you've seen what it does to a dog? Before I moved to Florida, I knew puppy mills were bad, but really never fully understood the impact until my work with a local rescue put me around puppy mill dogs.  I can explain this best by telling a story of a dog named Pearl. Dunedin Doggie Rescue rescued Pearl, a West Highland terrier, from a puppy mill after living seven years in a cage. Pearl never got to see what a real dog life was like. Pearl ate, slept, peed, pooped, was forced to breed, and lived (if that is what you call it) within the confines of her cage. Pearl did not know what grass was and probably had little, if any, human contact. When Pearl came …

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Rescue Me

Marked for Death: Pit Bull Amputee Gets Second Chance

X-rays from Miami showed that all the carpals of her foot were broken and ligaments torn. Infection had begun to destroy the tissue around her bite wounds and the splint was not going to be effective.

Animal Services in Miami-Dade picked up Nalia, an injured pit bull mix who was struggling to walk and limping around on three legs. Pit bulls are banned in Miami-Dade; regardless, Nalia was initially treated for a fractured and bitten front leg, but was also scheduled to be euthanized, according to Harlan Weikle, executive director at For Paws Hospice, an Ozona-based non-profit. This little girl did not know that she had angels getting ready to save her life and start her on a new journey. For Paws Hospice acted immediately and called the Miami Coalition Against Breed Specific Legislation (MCABSL). That organization contacted 1 Lucky Dog Rescue, who was able to pull her out of the shelter and get her additional treatment. Nalia's first …

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Rescue Me

Dogs Have Good Memories, Too

"Watching the rescue dogs that have come through my house, I have to say that for a while I feel they remember the bad things, but when they are around good things, the bad tends to fade away."

How many of you have seen the YouTube videos of dogs welcoming their owner’s home from the military? I cry almost every time I see them. As I watched one today, I saw another titled "Reunited After 3.5 Years!" Joplin, the dog, seems so excited and happy to see its owner. The video indicated that the owner had been incarcerated, but it is OK, it doesn’t really matter.  After watching, I wondered if they remember everything, or choose to remember only the things they want. Watching the rescue dogs that have come through my house, I have to say that for a while I feel they remember the bad things, but when they are around good things, the bad tends to fade away.  For an example, I have told you about my old foster Baxter that would hide …

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