The Amazing Tater

I’ve worked at Pet Helpers for nearly eight months now. That’s eight months of puppy kisses, cat rubs, sad stories and happy endings. For a myriad of reasons, I am now getting ready to leave my position at the shelter and move back up to Boston, where my family resides. But working at Pet Helpers has literally changed my life. Spending 40+ hours a week tirelessly fighting for those with no voice of their own - along with a talented group of coworkers – will do that. But in those eight months, out of all the dogs I fell head over heels in love with, I did not adopt a doggy brother or sister for my baby, Cash, at home. I knew it was impractical and I held tough. Until now. Finally, as my time here comes to a close, I have fallen deeply and irrevocably in love with such a special dog: Tater.

But, with a move in my near future and no where yet to stay when I arrive home, adopting Tater is more impractical than ever. So instead, I am making it my mission to find Tater the most amazing forever home for him to thrive in. I’m doing this for Tater, but quite frankly, his future people are the lucky ones.

Tater was a Pet Helpers dog as a puppy, six years ago. His boxer/pit / shar pei good lucks no doubt won over his adopters. But they were not the forever home a dog wishes for. A few weeks ago, we received a call from a shelter in Ohio where Tater had been carelessly dumped. He was on THE LIST. Well, once a Pet Helpers dog, always a Pet Helpers dog, so we came to the rescue. First, we found a way to get him transferred from Cincinnati to a shelter in Memphis. Then, a friend in Memphis drove him down to Charlotte. From there, he was brought to a shelter in Columbia. For the last leg of his trip, our Director of Development, Leigh, drove to Columbia to pick up Tater and bring him back to Pet Helpers. I thank God that our mission allows us to be so committed that we were able to help one of our animals make the 700 mile trip home.

Tater was most likely kept outside, possibly chained up. He has some little scars on his face and body and looks as though he’s been through some wear and tear. Since being back at Pet Helpers, Tate has had surgery to remove some warts and is now partially shaved and stitched up. In addition, Tater is heartworm positive. But he’s been through so much in his little life that I know he’ll recover. The remarkable thing is that, through all of this, he has remained the sweetest, most loving and spirited dog I have ever met.

Tater is literally the perfect dog. He is loyal to a fault and will stay glued to your side wherever you go. Tate has all the doggy manners you could hope for and is extremely well-trained. He knows sit, stay and paw. I myself taught him “down” and “bed,” each in a matter of minutes. If you really want to please him, scratch the left side of his bum/thigh. He will contort his whole body to get as much enjoyment out of it as possible. Tater also loves to play fetch, but his favorite thing is playing in the water. His face lights up when he’s splishing and splashing. He enjoys it so much, he will completely ignore when you tell him it’s time to dry off. I think he knows he deserves this little time in Heaven and thinks to himself, “just this once, I’m going to be naughty and do what I want.”

At night, Tater will climb in bed and plop down next to you. In the morning, he’ll roll onto his back so he can start the day with a belly rub. It takes him no time at all to learn what is okay and what is not. But if he’s not allowed on your couch, make sure you have a comfy doggy bed for him to nap on. He’s also fond of chewy bones and stuffed animals. He’ll challenge you to a game of tug every once in a while as well. Tater, despite his upbringing, loves all things great and small. He gives kisses to the dogs he meets, acts slowly and gently around cats, and is sweet with kids as well.

I could go on and on about how wonderful Tater is, but I’ll let you find out for yourself. Please consider rescuing Tater and you’ll be changing two lives: Tater’s and your own.
 
If you're interested in Tater (or know someone who is), call Pet Helpers at 795-1110. Feel free to ask for me, Erica, for more info.

Volunteer Appreciation and New Opportunities

I promised to show my appreciation for you this year and I always keep my promises! First up: FREE MASSAGES! (Yup, you read that right.) Take a time out from breaking your back at the shelter to have it massaged instead! Pam Olivier (a fellow 'teer) has generously offered to help you de-stress on Wednesday, 1/25 from 1-3 and Saturday, 1/28 from 11-1. Sign up for a slot at the volunteer station.

Let's talk about a few of the new/upcoming opportunities for volunteers:

Dog training: This year, we're putting in extra effort to make our dogs more adoptable...which means they need to be well behaved. A big part of this is teaching every dog to sit and remain calm when a person approaches their cage. They also need to learn to lie down and stay. As our trainer, Cindy Carter, taught us at a recent session, it's not all that hard to make this happen. If you'd like to work on some simple training, let me know!

"Reading with Rover:" This program gives kids who have trouble with reading great practice at honing their skills...by reading to dogs. Really! Think about it: A dog won't judge and loves listening to a soothing voice while enjoying a little company. Step one is to build a library of books for the children to read. Consider donating one on our Amazon wishlist, or spread the word to others.

Dog yard project: Early this year, we'll be utilizing volunteers to help us build "toys" in the dog yards. They want things like ramps, see-saws and tunnels to play on! But before the building can begin, we need to acquire the necessary materials (such as wood, tires, large pipes, paint, tools, etc). If you're interested in being involved in this long-overdue project, let me know!

Mentor-A-Dog: This program is still in the early stages, but I think it will be beneficial to everyone when it gets going. Volunteers will be paired with a dog and will work with him until adopted. You would  work to train the dog (and hopefully work with Cindy in doing so) and make him more adoptable. You might write a cage card, spend extra time socializing him and follow up with the adopters once he's been brought home. It's a great opportunity for the dog to get some special attention and for you to make a big difference!

Hello 2012!

A new year means new goals for Pet Helpers. My goals, of course, are based on what you volunteers and I can do here at the shelter. Without further ado, here are my/our 2012 New Year Resolutions:

• Increase adoptions and decrease returns: This will be accomplished through our brand-spanking new Tour Guide Initiative. Volunteers will greet visitors, guide them through the shelter, answer their questions and determine the perfect new pet for them. When people are fully informed, they'll leave with an animal appropriately suited to their lifestyle - thus decreasing returns as well. WE STILL NEED MORE TOUR GUIDES!

• Launch a Facebook page just for volunteers: What do you know? I'm already halfway there! Check it out here, and be sure to comment, like it and tell your friends!

• Party with y'all: Heck yea! I'm ready to get going on some serious volunteer appreciation events...you totally deserve it.

Please make it YOUR resolution to stop by the shelter more often - to help out or just to say "Hi." Not only will our animals' 2012 be nicer for seeing your face, but your year will brighten up as well. I can't tell you  how grateful I feel after a ten minute snuggle with one of our furry residents!

***Happy 2012 - have fun, be safe...and don't drink too much. Hangover dog agrees :)