Hospice Home Needed for Margie

By KAREN LEE STEVENS — Feb. 3, 2010

It’s a pretty typical stray dog story; one you’ve no doubt heard with slight variations many times before. An abandoned dog was found wandering in the desert—hungry, afraid and…pregnant. The Dog Adoption and Welfare Group (DAWG) in Santa Barbara took in this young pup and found a terrific foster home for “Margie,” who subsequently gave birth to six healthy puppies. The puppies were quickly adopted, but it wasn’t easy to find the perfect home for an adult pit bull, even one as sweet as Margie. So, for the past two years, Margie has lived at DAWG, where she’s been awaiting her forever home.

Recently, the unexpected happened. Margie, who is only about three years old, was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Volunteers at DAWG are understandably devastated at the grim news and want to do everything possible to find a foster family for Margie, where she can live her remaining months in the comfort of a real home.

When I sent out an email message to DAWG volunteers on Monday, asking about Margie’s personality, I received several enthusiastic comments: “Margie is very animated, well adjusted, tenacious and mischievous,” says volunteer Rebecca Gigandet. She loves to give kisses and knows all basic commands.” Mark Bandurraga, another DAWG volunteer, adds: “Margie appears to always be smiling – she’s a favorite among the long-time volunteers at the shelter.” And Barbara Schreibke, a foster parent and one of Margie’s best friends, says: “I remember thinking that she’s just a plain, brown dog stuck in the last yard at the shelter because she had a hard time with the other dogs. Once I spent time with her, I began to see that she was pretty in an unobtrusive way, and she has sweet eyes. She is enthusiastic and can be almost overwhelming with her affection, but great with basic commands. Oh, and she loves to roll on real grass!”

DAWG is generously offering to provide everything to make Margie’s final months as comfortable as possible, including coverage of all her medical costs, transportation to and from veterinary appointments, food, dishes, beds, toys, pet waste bags, even her own sweater! The only thing her foster parent(s) will need to provide is love (and preferably a patch of real grass for her to roll on!).

If you have a place in your heart and your home for Margie (pictured in the Pet of the Week sidebar), please contact DAWG today at (805) 681-0561. And be sure to view her video on the All for Animals YouTube channel at www.youtube.allforanimals1.

MUTTS TO MONTECITO. Join Last Chance for Animals and the Montecito Pet Shop for “Mutts to Montecito,” a weekend-long fundraising event on February 20 and 21 in celebration of “Spay Day.” National Say Day is observed by rescue groups across America on the last Tuesday in February to raise awareness of the tragic pet overpopulation problem in this country and around the world. Saturday’s festivities will include raffles, silent auctions, hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and local musician Bruce Wood on guitar. Sunday will be reserved for local rescue groups to showcase their adoptable animals. The event takes place from 11:00 am – 6:00 pm at 2020 and 2026 Cliff Drive on the Mesa (at Montecito Pet Shop and next door at the former Heidi’s Hallmark storefront). Free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.montecitopetshop.com or call (805) 965-6780.

DIOJI DOG DASH COMING TO UCSB. Lace up your sneakers, grab your dog and a leash and head out to the beautiful UCSB campus for the University of California, Santa Barbara Alumni Association’s third annual 3-Part Race Series, presented by Citrix Online.

Each race (the Shamrock 5-Miler on March 13 and the Gaucho Gallop on April 24) features the Dioji Dog Dash, where people and their pooches will pound the pavement together in hopes of winning a 3-month supply of dog food (presumably for the pup, not the person!). Runners and their dogs will compete against other human/hound teams over a 1 kilometer distance. Afterward, pooped pooches can relax at the Dioji Doggie Lounge, where the great people from Dioji K-9 Resort & Athletic Club will care for the four-legged athletes.

The UCSB race series raises funds for the UCSB student scholarship fund and 100% of the money donated will go directly to current UCSB students. To learn more, visit www.ucsbruns.com.

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS. And last, but certainly not least, a BIG Happy Birthday to All for Animals’s Treasurer and all-around nice guy, Craig Markson. Hope you have a doggone great b-day!

Karen Lee Stevens is the founder and president of All for Animals, Inc., a non-profit educational and media outreach organization that has helped shelter pets get adopted since 1997. You may contact her through their Web site at www.allforanimals.com.

PET OF THE WEEK – MARGIE

An affectionate, enthusiastic and happy dog, Margie was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer and has only months to live. This 3-year-old spayed female Pit bull terrier desperately needs a hospice foster home. If you can provide a loving home; DAWG will provide everything else! To learn how you can foster Margie, call DAWG at (805) 681-0561.

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: 2/3/2010

If that's the Montecito Pet Shop on Cliff Drive in Santa Barbara, they shouldn't be supported, especially by animal welfare groups. That business buys puppies and kittens from breeders. And, they don't take very good care of them, either.

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The Irony! : 2/3/2010

Montecito Pet Shop sells mutts (mixed breed) for hundreds of dollars; mixes like the dogs that can be adopted for far less $ at the three Santa Barbara shelters.
Montecito Pet Shop, like other pet stores that sell dogs, support puppy mills by selling puppies.
They should be boycotted, all of them.

Adoption supporter

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Montecito Pet Shop : 2/3/2010

Thanks to the hard work of Last Chance for Animals, Montecito Pet Shop recently changed its policy and now only sells rescued dogs and puppies. They are also working with BUNS (Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter) to feature adoptable rabbits in the store. Please support MPS and their commitment to animals by shopping in the store and stopping by the fundraiser later this month!

Karen Lee Stevens

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Homes at Any Price : 2/4/2010

Hey, if these people are eager and willing to pay a good price for these homeless dogs more power to them. The main thing is the helpless creatures who cannot fend for themselves will have love and shelter. Whatever it takes.

Animal Lover

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