Table Scraps

Kimmy's Quest for a Home!

2011-06-21T16:20:00.000-07:00

An incredibly sweet girl with a zest for life, 1.5 year-old Kimmy has seen too much confinement in her life. After spending seventy days in a local shelter and being saved from the e-list in the nick of time, this staffordshire terrier - lab mix has now been in boarding with United Animal Friends for nearly two full months! But Kimmy doesn't let it get her spirits down. She's still an incredibly happy girl - so happy in fact, that she's developed a condition called 'happy tail' in boarding. She has simply wagged that joyful tail of hers a time too many against the concrete walls of her kennel, causing the tip of her tail to split open. So, it's crucial that Kimmy get into a foster or forever home as soon as possible!

Once she finds a home, we're sure Kimmy will be quite the pleaser. Despite her young age, Kimmy is relaxed and even a bit of a couch potato. She loves to get out and hike or walk, she's also more than happy to indulge in some much-deserved down time as well! She's also very treat-motivated and rides beautifully in the car. Thus, Kimmy really does offer the best of all canine traits! Kimmy is still working through a few prey drive issues, so she should likely not be placed with small animals. But she enjoys the company of bigger dogs (especially boys), and absolutely adores people. More than anything, Kimmy is ready for her new lease on life to begin!

Please help us alleviate Kimmy's happy tail and months of confinement! For any foster or forever home inquiries, contact Joellyn at uafdogs@gmail.com or call (928) 778-2924.

UAF's 3rd Annual Woof Down Lunch a Huge Success!

2011-06-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

The tails were a-waggin' and the fun was a'plenty at the 3rd Annual Woof Down Lunch, hosted by United Animal Friends in downtown Prescott on June 4th. Ticket holders were treated to delicious local lunches, along with free goodies from on-site vendors and gorgeous, hand-made dog bowls.

The weather also cooperated fully as the events progressed through the day. Highlights included agility demonstrations by Northern Arizona Australian Shepherd Association, Top Dog Performance Club and Dandy Dawgs Agility Classes. Talented pups participated in the Best in Show Contest, and the winners walked away with honors in Best Wiggle Butt, Best Ears, Best Singer, Best Dancer, Best Trick, Best Spots, Longest Legs, Shortest Legs and Deepest Bark. Event-goers also enjoyed live music, hugs from the Elks Opera Guild, and free massages from local massage therapists!
The flow around the vendor booths was constant all day long, as local business and organizations handed out samples, answered questions and showcased merchandise. Several rescue organizations were on-hand (including United Animal Friends, Rescue a Golden, and others), sparking interest from the community for wonderful adoptable animals and spreading the word about spay-neuter, fostering and adoption resources. All eyes and ears were on deck during the Raffle Prize giveaway, with one lucky ticket-holder walking away with the Grand Prize, a mosaic dog toy box handcrafted by Susan Cole of Majestic Mosaics.

Ultimately, all enjoyed a furry-filled day of good fun, where the focus on everyone's mind was the same: animals! And best of all, United Animal Friends was able to secure a record-breaking fundraising success – primarily by way of ticket sales, raffle proceeds, sponsor donations and vendor spaces. All proceeds will enable United Animal Friends to continue with their mission of caring for homeless and needy pets in Yavapai County. Special thanks to all the day's sponsors, including United Animal Friends, Olsen's Grain, Prescott Dog Magazine, Whiskers Barkery, Dandy Dawgs, ThINK4inc, Prescott Animal Hospital, Art's a Cause, Olde World Bagels & Market, New Frontiers Natural Foods, and Nummies.

When It Really Is The End: Lessons from A Rescue Named Willa

2011-06-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

A special tribute to one rescue who supported United Animal Friends in life and spirit. By Katie Borman

Most of us who adopt animals do so knowing that we will likely outlive our furry family members. But few of us are truly prepared for the raw emotional heartbreak that accompanies such loss. Such was the case with our dog Willa, rescued from Prescott Animal Control as a four-month-old puppy in April of 2006. From the onset, Willa was a force to be reckoned with. When we first met her at PAC, she lured us with her pensive, caramel-colored eyes and shy demeanor. Once she arrived home with us, however, we found ourselves paying retribution for having kept her waiting for so long in the first place. Chewed shoes and blankets, missing household items, and a surprisingly emotive voice, it wasn't long before Willa was lovingly nicknamed "Monster."

Through the years, Willa was a not just a presence in our lives, but an active participant in our family dynamic. We grew to know her personality as we knew each other's – intimately, with admitted frustration at times, but always with a fierce sense of protection, love and tenderness. As we became involved with United Animal Friends, Willa championed our efforts by tending to foster family members. She took on a surprisingly touching maternal role with a small, abandoned puppy whom we fostered for just a few weeks. Later, she assisted us as we attempted to tame the wild ways of one UAF foster name Louie. It was Willa who ultimately helped convince us that there was really no home as well suited for Louie (now Mowgli) as ours. She had showed him the ropes, after all, and surely didn't deem it fit for another family to reap the benefits of all her hard work.

She stood by our feet when we got married nearly three years ago, christened the doggy-door when we bought our very first house, and spent every Christmas amid a pile of her own presents and treats. Though we can look back on it now and point to the warning signs that were surely evident, her role as a member of our family was simply too integral to ever doubt. And when we told her we loved her for the last time on May 19th, we finally felt the true weight of her impact on our lives.

We get used to the feeling of anticipation at the door, as we struggle to unlock the door and get inside to those furry, wiggling bodies. We get used to commenting to friends and families about the behavioral quirks of our dogs and cats. We get used to assigning them their very own voices and catering to their ever-changing dietary needs. But we never get used to letting them go. There's really no way to prepare ourselves for the gut-wrenching pain of deciding that a member of our family – one who depends on us for everything – no longer has a quality of life that is worthy of her character and spirit. And though those moments inevitably make us question how we can put ourselves through it again, we recognize deep down that the joy of saving a life and making it a satisfying one is more than worth the grief of having to say goodbye. Indeed, when it comes to Willa and to all the rescue animals we adopt knowing we will one day set free a final time, the honor is truly all ours.

Woof Down Lunch 2011!

2011-05-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! United Animal Friends is gearing up for Woof Down Lunch 2011, scheduled for Saturday, June 4th on the Courthouse Plaza in downtown Prescott. Activities and events start at 10AM, and will include K9 Police Dog demonstrations, face-painting for the kids, live music and much more! Vendors representing animal-related businesses will be onsite all day with samples and information. Plus, folks can meet animals up for adoption and see a parade of UAF dogs who've found their forever homes. A $20 donation includes a handmade pet food bowl, a delicious on-site lunch, and free samples. And of course, friendly pets on leashes are invited, too! Mark your calendars for Woof Down Lunch on June 4th! Visit the United Animal Friends for additional information.

One Working Dog's Dream: Part 2

2011-04-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

Joellyn's adventure with Pep continues as the story ensues and wraps up. Read Part 2 below!

The next stage of the journey for Pep meant travelling to Washington. In late March of 2011, my husband Roger and decided to take the opportunity to learn more about the program, so we flew him up ourselves. Heath was very excited to meet Pep (Heath loves cattle dogs) and even offered up his guest bedroom for us. The Conservation Dogs facility is a brand new facility and I was impressed to see how nice and well-kept the kennels were. The setting was gorgeous with a pond just a short walk away. The Conservation Dogs program folks use the pond to exercise the dogs because it is more forgiving on their joints.

The dogs are all very loving, but just like Pep – ball-obsessed! I took this as a good sign. Most of the dogs that have come to this program were labeled (as Pep was) as dog aggressive and after being in the program and getting training all of the dogs have been able to get along and are no longer considered aggressive. Heath and his crew train the dogs with positive training methods and work the dogs 7 to 8 hours a day, which is precisely what these dogs need. They hike and bike with them in the forest and hide samples of scat for them to find. And of course, there is a LOT of ball play! Pep played ball for two hours the second day he was there and went on a hike with another dog Sampson and they got along fine. So, my trip was a great success!

Of course, Pep is not fully accepted into the program yet. He'll undergo more testing and training to see if he'll fit into the program. In a month or so, we will find out if he made the cut. All the program's working dogs are either adopted by their handlers, placed up for general adoption or given back to their original owners when their working years pass. By this time, the dogs are older and calmer, as they've have been able to thoroughly channel all that energy, so they're much more suited for normal dog life.

A quick update from Pep (now Pip's) new handler Heath explains that Pep is off to a great start!

"Just wanted to give you a quick update on Pips first day. First off I'm pretty sure he's earned the name Pipsqueak, now we're just trying to decide if we'll shorten it to Pips, Squeaks, or Squeaker. I imagine it'll be a little of all of them. We played ball for about 2 hours after I got back this morning. He never let up. We even progressed to deep brush and covering his eyes to make him look for it. Just after playing fetch we took him on a hike with Sampson. They did great together! We then played fetch for another hour this evening.

We'll be slowly introducing him to the rest of the pack this week and see how things go. I'm delighted with how well this has turned out and to have Pips in our program. We've still got the hurdle of introducing him to odors but we'll cross that one when we get to it, for now we're just going to focus on getting him situated and having fun, not that smelling poop isn't fun. ;)"

Pep's story taught me an important lesson. Working in animal rescue means you need to think outside the box. Dogs – like people – are all different; some are easy to adopt and some like Pep need alternative placement. The key is that we don't give up. As rescue volunteers, we are the only hope for many of these animals. And they depend on our ability to keep an open mind and persevere.

Diary of A Rescue Effort: Continued

2011-04-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

UAF Volunteer Kim keeps up updated about new fosters Willow and Barron's improvement!

Week 3: Sometimes in rescue you just keep doing what you do and in a quiet moment you look around and realize they have arrived. There is still work to do. There is leash walking and car riding but emotionally Willow is where she should be. New foster dog arrived yesterday. On the bed playing with her new best friend.

Week 4: Updates on Both Dogs' Progress - Willow: This is the most dog social of the two and very savvy about it. If one of the dogs she lives with gets annoyed with her and growls she flirts and bounces around to intitiate play until they soften. She is still tentative around people and will probably never be a dog that likes to be hugged but if you are sitting down she will allow lovable handling. She jumps in the air like a gazelle at meal time. She will make a lovely companion for someone willing to continue to work with her to gain her confidence. She will be forever loyal.

Baron: This is a very fun loving, life loving boy. Carries around a rubber chew toy all the time. Loves to hug, walks nicely on a harness and is very good with other dogs. He chirps rather than barks. He is a wonderful boy that will continue to flourish in a patient, calm and supportive household.

One Working Dog's Dream: Part 1

2011-04-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

UAF Volunteer / Coordinator Joellyn recently helped find a unique home for Cattle Dog-Heeler mix Pep. Joellyn shares her story of Pep's journey with the Tablescraps blog. We'll be showcasing this wonderful story in three parts, the first of which is below:

PART 1: Pep's journey with United Animal Friends began in November 2010, after the energetic, intelligent Cattle Dog–Heeler mix was picked up as a stray by Animal Control of Prescott, Arizona. A striking dog, Pep lived in the shelter for two full months and was adopted out of the shelter three times – only to be returned for a slew of different reasons: dog aggression, hyperactivity, and a sudden inability of the new owner to care for him. Understandably, Pep became quite a bit frustrated by all this change. Being locked up in small, confined space just didn't suit his nature, and his frustration soon morphed into aggression towards other dogs. That's just how Pep ended up on the euthanasia list.

As a coordinator for United Animal Friends, I regularly visited the shelter and had met Pep a few times. Make no mistake; Pep was ball-obsessed and very active, but beneath all that energy was a sincere love for people. I saw him at YHS and knew he could be a good dog; it would just take the right owner – someone who had the energy to keep up with him. So, I got Pep out of the shelter and into the UAF system in November of 2010. Pep went into boarding as no foster homes without existing dogs or cats (another unpleasant aspect of life for Pep) were available. Pep did relatively well in boarding and would behave for a little while at adoption events. But eventually, he would become bored and frustrated, and he'd start acting out.

Months passed, and finally, we had an interested couple fill out an application for Pep. It all looked very promising and I optimistically thought we had made a match. It was hard to advise the new couple on how Pep would behave in their home; he had never been in a foster home, so the best we could do was tell the couple about Pep's energy level and his penchant for balls. The couple seemed to take it in stride, perhaps assuming (as we did) that Pep had been in a kennel and it would just take time. Well, not much time passed before word got back to us: Pep was just too much for them to handle. His ball obsession was more than they could take – he simply never let up. Pep was returned yet again and it was back to into boarding he went.

Despite yet another failure, Pep and I ventured on. I brainstormed again with my rescue friend and this time, she told me about "conservation dogs." She explained that "Working Dogs for Conservation" is a program that utilizes the natural instinct of dogs to detect scat – all in the effort of identifying animals that are either endangered or invasive.It sounded great to me! I researched the organization and eventually got in touch with someone named Alice. Alice said she couldn't take Pep because she had dogs in her home already, but she suggested I contact a man named Heath with the University of Washington. I emailed Heath and luckily, he responded to my inquiry. He sent me a couple of test to run Pep through to see if he would be a good candidate; Pep passed all the tests with flying colors. Heath then said he was willing to try him out in their program.

Stay Tuned for Part 2: Pep's Journey Continues!

Diary of a Rescue Effort

2011-04-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

UAF volunteer Kim shares her experience in fostering and working with two newly rescued lab mixes: Baron and Willow. Table Scraps happily presents Kim's entries as part of our "Diary of a Rescue Effort" series. Read below to find out how Baron and Willow are settling in!

First day:
Picked black lab 1 and black lab 2 up at Chino Valley Animal Hospital. Couldn't seem to convince either one to come along quietly. With a well orchestrated team effort, both dogs were lowered into individual crates and lifted into my truck for the long trip back to Peeples Valley.

Once I got home and opened the crates it became obvious that the trip was traumatic for both of them. Black lab 1 came out of the crate and ran to the back of the truck. Black lab 2 didn't move. Go about my business. Let them settle in at their own pace in the garage. Indoor dog run door open and out door run also. Check back an hour later. Black lab 1 nosing around, black lab 2 still in the crate. Around midnight, neither dog showed any inclination toward being corralled into the indoor dog run. Shut the door to the outdoor run and went to bed hoping they wouldn't tear my garage totally apart while I slept.

Week One Recap:
First week was spent getting them used to be corralled from their day spot to their night spot. Black lab 1 now called Baron was warming up slowly, black lab two now called Willow clung to her brother like a shadow.

Week Two:
Short casual introductions to the other 4 dogs in the household. Baron was good. Not engaging but comfortable. Willow was reactive. By the end of the week Baron was in the house with everyone in the evening. Good house manners. Acted like he had been there before. His bent and broken tail in constant motion. What a happy boy. Progress for Willow was coming from the back of the garage to laying near the door at the front of the garage where she could watch us all in the living room. Baby step succcesses are huge in the recovery of a rescue dog.

Big goal for this week is to get Willow's collar off of her. It was put on tight initially so she wouldn't back out of it during one of her wrestling matches with people who were trying to help her. Now she had gained some weight and although she wasn't choking, it had to feel restrictive. In order to do that she is going to have to start letting me touch her.

Plan A: Go into the dog run with her and and wait her out. A few minutes of circling the run and banging off the walls she relented. Three caresses of her head area and I left. Later same routine 6 caresses of her head and I left. Next day caresses long enough to unsnap the collar. Voila!!!!

Sister in town. Back up for the plan to introduce Willow to the rest of the pack. Removed Baron from the mix and one by one she met them all. Petey first, never any drama, that went fine. Rodeo next, they look like they could be litter-mates. After a momentary standoff based on zero self confidence in either one of them, that smoothed out too. Next is Lady, the only other female in the group. She can be troublesome. One low growl to establish her command and everyone understood each other.

Everyone hanging out together in the house was a matter of routine now. Willow, the more playful of the two, tried to initiate play with Rodeo. He's not accepting the gesture. Something odd about these two. They make the others nervous for no good reason that is obvious to me. It is not bad or unfriendly; it just feels kind of forced. Can't quite figure it out.

OMG. Willow crawled onto the couch to lay with me. She is huggable . Gotta be her idea though.

More later as Kim's wonderful journey with Baron and Willow ensues!

Morsels of Goodness: Andy

2011-03-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

At United Animal Friends, we sure do love hearing good news! And good news is just what we received from Krista, proud new mom to Andy. Krista shares an update about how Andy is settling into his forever home:

"I know I was looking for a family dog and I know that dog was looking for us, but to tell you the truth I wasn't prepared for my heart to be so full. For a single mother of 4 and a business owner, not to mention having 2 cats, another being to take care of would seem foolish to those using logic. But [Andy] has done the opposite of what logic dictates. He has reduced my stress by at least 50%, I have my own personal trainer and we are both losing weight, he has brought my close family even closer together and the best thing of all is that it has been sooooooooooooo easy! Easy Andy!!

He continues to get more and more comfortable and shows it daily. Yesterday while leaving the house in the morning he, and I kid you not, skipped to the door and jumped up on it. Olivia and I laughed so hard we cried. You know the kind, where your nose flares up and down while you laugh!!!

This morning we walked a new trail at River Front park and while leaving I recognized someone that works at a drug rehab facility here. She had a group of patients at the park and they had just gone to feed the horses some apples. They saw Andy and couldn't resist stopping to pet him. I told them he is a perfect example of not giving up as he was definitely saved in the 11th hour by your organization."

Thanks to Krista for rescuing wonderful, 'easy' Andy and sharing the great news about his fun new life!

Pep: Looking for Work In Arizona

2011-02-14T11:27:00.000-08:00

If all the canine world was a basketball team, Pep would undoubtedly be the starting point guard. Just ask Pep himself, and the confident young Cattle dog / Heeler mix will assure you that he is an absolute all-star. This thirty-five pound boy is smart, attentive, and of course, exceptionally athletic. But one thing about Pep is very important; he needs a job. Just like any star athlete, Pep is committed to working hard at whatever he does. He's not content to lay around the house all day - he wants to be put to work so that he can channel all his magnificent focus and energy into something productive! Of course, not everyone is looking for such a hardworking dog, so Pep has had a very hard time finding a forever home. He's been in boarding with United Animal Friends for over four months, and was even returned from one potential forever home. But we don't think Pep should be punished for being such a stellar dog! We just need to find the right home for him - one where he can shine in the spotlight and enjoy regular stimulation. If you can help Pep, please email Joellyn from United Animal Friends, at uafdogs@gmail.com

Help Needed for Sweet Louie

2011-02-07T15:52:00.000-08:00

Sweet Louie was relinquished to a nearby shelter due to a medical issue. The issue dates back to a fall Louie experienced at only eight weeks old. After being dropped on his head, Louie developed epilepsy. He needs medication to control his epilepsy, and after stepping in to help his previous owners cover the cost of his bloodwork, United Animal Friends has offered to cover the cost of the medication (and neuter!) as well. All that we ask is that Louie be blessed with the home he so desperately deserves! While we work on a forever home, a foster home would certainly suffice. Louie is a darling Doxie - Aussie mix who's just an absolute delight. Doesn't he deserve a home where can bask in love and attention? If you can help please email uafdogs@gmail.com

Pawtentially Yours: Sonya!

2011-01-20T15:55:00.000-08:00

Sweet Sonya is an expert in close-calls. The one-year-old Belgian Malinois mix is gorgeous, friendly and playful, but somehow, she still found herself on the wrong side of a euthanasia list at the local shelter. The problem was that Sonya had a very slight condition on her eyelid. Even though the problem was easily correctable with minor surgery, Sonya needed to be rescued from the shelter immediately to ensure that her close call was as near as she would ever be to such a scary and undeserved fate. Luckily, thats just what happened. Now recovering splendidly from her surgery, gentle Sonya is ready to leave her past behind and start life anew! With her fantastic attitude, wiggly affection, and infectious positive energy, Sonya is destined to bring a lot of love to a very lucky family. For details about adopting or fostering her, contact UAF at uafdogs@gmail.com.

Morsels of Goodness: Peanut - Now Peaches!

2011-01-06T10:26:00.000-08:00

We sure do love spreading good news! Some of you may have read about Peanut, a lovely and sweet lab mix, in our recent Home for the Holidays series. Well, we're happy to report that Peanut has found her forever home! Her new family even renamed her Peaches to symbolize her new life! Read the wonderful note below from Wendy, Peaches' new forever mom:

Peaches is doing fabulous. The weekend was perfect with the kids home and she has settled in at the store with me. The kids and I start obedience classes, 8 weeks this Friday. We were so pleased that the trainer Michelle was eager to train all 3 kids and me with Peaches.

We ALL love her and she got along great with the in-laws mini-daschund. Mostly she loves curling up in her soft basket and sleeping. She's a good girl protective yet so very loving. She's like our kids hard to wake up in the morning except this morning she greeted us with loves & cuddles in bed. She is such a lover!!!

We thank you from rescuing her off Craigs list so we could adopt her! What a blessing to our family and she completes US!!

Minnie: Home for the Holidays?

2010-12-29T11:14:00.000-08:00

Read about wonderful Minnie below! Spread the word about helping us find a Home for the Holidays for Minnie!

In her four years of life thus far, smooth fox terrier mix Minnie has heard a lot of terms she doesnt understand. For instance, shes not sure about economy and recession." Still, words like these are the reason this fun-loving girl has suddenly found herself without a home. The thing is, we dont think dogs like Minnie should have to know these terms. Minnie is energetic, friendly and incredibly affectionate, and she deserves a loving, stable home that's guaranteed even when things hit a rough patch. Minnies love and loyalty is forever, and were committed to finding a home that offers her the same in return.

For more information about Minnie, call (928) 778-2924 or email uafdogs@gmail.com

Sonya: Home for the Holidays?

2010-12-27T09:51:00.000-08:00

Next up in our "Home for the Holidays Series" is Sonya!

Sweet Sonya is an expert in close-calls. The one-year-old Belgian Malinois mix is gorgeous, friendly and playful, but somehow, she still found herself on the wrong side of a euthanasia list at the local shelter. The problem was that Sonya had a very slight condition on her eyelid. Even though the problem was easily correctable with minor surgery, Sonya needed to be rescued from the shelter immediately to ensure that her close call was as near as she would ever be to such a scary and undeserved fate. Luckily, thats just what happened. Now recovering splendidly from her surgery, gentle Sonya is ready to leave her past behind and start life anew! With her fantastic attitude, wiggly affection, and infectious positive energy, Sonya is destined to bring a lot of love to a very lucky family.

To adopt Sonya, please call Toby or Ray at 928.899.7269 or e-mail the application to 4lvdch@bullerinetworks.net.

Peanut & Stewart: Home for the Holidays?

2010-12-26T10:56:00.000-08:00

Meet two very adoptable UAF dogs! Both are looking for new forever homes or foster homes by the New Year!

Peanut:
Peanut is ready for class! This star student is oh-so-adorable nine-month-old Labrador mix who has already excelled in most of her puppy basic training. She is crate- and house-trained; she loves children and she even knows a few commands. Peanut can be a little uncertain in new places, but once she knows she's in the company of people who like her, she settles right in. Peanut is looking for an active home where she can continue her doggie education. She's hoping for a human companion who will help her learn her remaining few lessons. Once she does, she'll most certainly be a fantastic member of the family!

Stewart:
Get ready world . . . here he comes! Stewart is an ultra-cuddly and lovable Cattle Dog / Australian Shepherd mix whose infectious attitude and spirit rubs off on everyone he meets. We think Stewart is around eight to twelve months old; he has lots of playfulness about him and has no problem showing off those puppy-dog eyes! Hes only around thirty pounds and is exceptionally affectionate. Stewart is currently on the mend from a bit of an eye infection that almost had him euthanized, but he isnt about to let any little malady like that get in his way. He's happy to be gearing up for a permanent stay with a new forever home. Hes got a lot of life to live and a lot of love to give!

2010-12-23T08:57:00.000-08:00

Sweet Dolly would sure like to be in a "Home for the Holidays"! Read all about her below:

Have you ever met someone you found to be so wonderful, so delightfully compact and adorable, that you wanted to put her in your pocket and take her with you all the way home? That's pretty much exactly how we feel about Dolly. Nine-month-old Dolly packs an absurd amount of cute-adorable-charisma into her twenty-five-pound frame. From what we can surmise, she's a Heeler / Whippet mix who will likely get a bit bigger as she grows but will by no means be a large adult dog. She's not only pure pleasure to look at either; she's also incredibly friendly to people and dogs alike. As she comes up on her first birthday, Dolly is eager and ready to build some confidence and find her forever home. And one look from those heartfelt eyes guarantees she will be a devoted and loyal member of one very lucky family.

For more information about Dolly, call (928) 778-2924 or email uafdogs@gmail.com

Adam: Home for the Holidays?

2010-12-22T07:49:00.000-08:00

The"Home for the Holidays" Series continues with awesome Adam!

In the dog world, there are rambunctious dogs, sweet dogs, handsome dogs and - well, you get the picture. One type of dog we don't get the chance to meet very often are those dogs in the "Exceptionally Well-Mannered" Category. Sounds impressive, right? Well, that's just what we think about six-year-old Adam. A very smart and loving Basenji mix, Adam embodies good manners. He walks well on a leash, respects the nuances of his feline friends, and knows all his P's and Q's in the house. Of course, sometimes other dogs forget the rules about how to be proper, and Adam feels it's his duty to inform them of their impolite behavior. Some people think this is Adam's way of being snippy, but we know he's just doing what he thinks is best - upholding the respectable doggie code! Nonetheless, Adam's character is so refined and special that we think he deserves to be in a single-dog household, where his stellar attitude can be fully appreciated! For more information about adopting or fostering Adam, call (928) 778 - 2924 or email uafdogs@gmail.com

Pep: Home for the Holidays?

2010-12-20T08:27:00.000-08:00

In continuing with our "Home for the Holidays" Series, we invite you to meet Pep!

If all the canine world was a basketball team, Pep would undoubtedly be the starting point guard. Just ask Pep himself, and the confident young Cattle dog / Heeler mix will assure you that he is an absolute all-star. This thirty-five pound boy is smart, attentive, and of course, exceptionally athletic. Stars like Pep don't come around very often, so we are hoping to place this boy in a home where he can enjoy the spotlight all by himself. Like all heelers (and athletes, for that matter), Pep requires a regular and healthy means of expelling his energy and working on his moves. After all, he is in training to become the fastest, brightest, and best dog ever!

For more information about adopting or fostering Pep, please call (928) 778-2924 or email uafdogs@gmail.com.

Maya: Home for the Holidays?

2010-12-19T10:37:00.000-08:00

Next up in our Home for the Holidays Series is Maya!

Looking for the perfect side-kick? Meet Maya, a one-year-old Black Lab mix with a peppering of Cattle Dog / Heeler thrown in for good measure (take a look at those feet!). Even though Maya can be a tad on the shy side when you first meet her, you'll soon be reveling in the wonderful companionship this beautiful, athletic girl has to offer. Maya truly epitomizes the 'best friend' characterization. She loves toys, other pups and a good dose of silliness, but her number one priority will always be you! She has a wonderfully loyal nature that will surely make her forever human one very lucky person.

For more information about Maya, call (928) 778 - 2924 or email uafdogs@gmail.com.

Chance: Home for the Holidays?

2010-12-17T12:19:00.000-08:00

United Animal Friends is hoping to place a number of wonderful dogs in forever homes or foster homes before the end of 2010. Until then, we'll be spotlighting a number of terrific dogs who deserve all the love that the season brings. For information about fostering or adopting any of the dogs you meet on TableScraps, please email uafdogs@gmail.com or call (928) 778 - 2924. First up: Chance!

Found wandering alone in the Valley, Chance is a four-year-old Border Collie Mix who was brought to a local shelter only to give birth soon thereafter (all but one of her pups have been adopted!). We don't know for certain how long Chance was on her own, but one thing is clear: this gorgeous girl deserves a loving home - one that assures she'll never have to go wandering again. Her time on the road left her a little shy, and she hasn't had the chance to fully grasp that domesticated cats make great roommates, but Chance is a quick learner who absolutely basks in kindness and affection. She's incredibly intelligent and eager to please; plus, her journey into motherhood seems to have given her a soft spot for children. Admittedly, Chance needs a little time and effort to become accustomed to living in a real home, but as her name implies, all she needs is that one opportunity! We think what know what Chance was looking for during all that wandering and we're committed to making sure that the forever home she finds is worth her journey.

Making Things Right for Ranger

2010-12-10T14:06:00.001-08:00

Ranger would likely be the first to tell you that life isn’t always fair. After all, the young Lab-Border Collie mix knows this all too well. After spending over forty days in the county shelter, Ranger was rescued by United Animal Friends who had no choice but to immediately place him in another boarding facility. The days passed as a foster home or adoptive family was desperately sought after, but things just haven’t worked out for Ranger the way they should have. And it’s now been over 85 DAYS since the lovable, intelligent and perfectly adoptable Ranger has been kept in a kennel. Even though Ranger admits there have been more lemons than lemonade in his short life so far, he hasn’t given up. Life isn’t fair, but Ranger has faith that very soon, someone will step forward and offer him the foster or forever home he so desperately needs and deserves.

If you can help Ranger, please let us know! Ranger is an active and intelligent young dog who needs to get out of boarding as soon as possible and into a home where he start living like a normal dog. He has great potential and will certainly bond with people – particularly women – very quickly. He is truly one of those dogs who will be a superstar in someone’s family; he just needs a chance to get started! Let’s show Ranger that sometimes life IS fair. Please contact Joellyn at uafdogs@gmail.com today.

Adoptable Mutt of the Month: Billie

2010-12-08T11:25:00.001-08:00

Meet Billie, a incredibly lovable and huggable Chow Chow mix who's around four years old. Billie is looking for a home where he can enjoy the love and devotion of an owner who truly cares about his comfort and happiness. Though he gets along with most dogs, he can be a little uncertain at first. At his age, Billie really deserves to get all the attention of someone who realizes just how wonderful and special he truly is! For more information about Billie, read his online profile. For questions about adopting Billie, email Ella at ellam@comspeed.net, or call (928) 771-2862.

UAF Holiday Pet Food Drive

2010-11-24T08:49:00.000-08:00

This holiday season, do your part to help local animals in need! Support the United Animal Friends Holiday Pet Food Drive. UAF is collecting donations of dog and cat food, blankets, collars and leashes, and other items. Distribution of all items will be through the UAF Pet Food Bank to feed hungry animals in the community. Large, gift-wrapped collections boxes are located in the following locations:

Safeway on White Spar Road in Prescott
Safeway in Prescott Valley
Olsen's Grain in Prescott and Chino Valley
Boot Barn in Prescott Valley
Pet Headquarters in Prescott Valley
Warren's Hay-N-More in Chino Valley
Run-A-Muk in Prescott
Fiesta's Country Café in Mayer
Noah's Thrift Store in Prescott
Safeway on Hwy 89 in Chino Valley
Costco (Donation box is located just past the restrooms in the employee room)

For more information, call UAF at 778-2924.

Chloe’s Patience: A Forever Home At Last

2010-11-20T09:59:00.000-08:00

Most people don’t realize it, but as seasoned rescue volunteers will attest, rescue stories don’t often end when an animal is taken out of a shelter or saved from euthanasia. In fact, this is usually where the real work begins. Pit bull mix Chloe knows this all too well.

When Chloe was ten months old, she was turned into United Animal Friends of Prescott, Arizona as a stray. Almost immediately, United Animal Friends placed the young dog into a foster home. Once into her foster home, however, it became apparent that Chloe had some trouble getting along with other dogs. As the weeks and months progressed, this issue became so much of a problem that it prevented Chloe’s foster and UAF volunteers from feeling comfortable enough to show her at adoption events.

So, there she was: in a troublesome situation. Chloe wasn’t quite predictable enough around other dogs to be shown in public, but without the chance to show off how smart and loving she was, she lingered in her foster home. Soon, months turned into years, and Chloe was ultimately relinquished to her foster home. But that foster home just wasn’t meant to be Chloe’s forever home; she shared the home with other dogs, and she really wanted to be an only dog. She needed special attention, and her foster knew it. Luckily, things were about to change for Chloe.

Soon after Chloe was relinquished to her foster came a blessing in disguise. Her foster parent had to leave the country and Chloe desperately needed a place to stay. Knowing Chloe wouldn’t survive in a shelter, independent rescuer Ella Hess stepped in. Ella honed in on Chloe – taking her under her wing. She put Chloe into boarding and got straight to work on publicizing her adoptability. When the rescue money for boarding ran out, Ella raised donations to keep Chloe safe. She was so enthusiastic about Chloe’s potential, she even convinced friends to visit Chloe on a regular basis – giving her the exercise and interaction she needed during her stay in boarding. All the while, Ella was working every angle she could find, putting up flyers and repeatedly sending out notices to the local rescue community. Eventually, Ella even elicited the help of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, who sent out a special notice about Chloe.

After five long weeks in boarding, Ella’s tireless determination paid off. Somehow, Chloe’s story had made the journey down to Phoenix. There, a kind man named Leon found her picture on a bulletin board at work. He took down the contact information and called Ella. It wasn’t long before a meeting was set up, and Chloe was taken down to Phoenix to meet Leon and his wife Diane.

As the story goes, the rest is history. Leon and Diane saw in Chloe the honest, genuine goodness she had to offer, and they fell in love with it. They knew she wasn’t perfect – but they didn’t care. They were willing to give her the life she needed and in the end, Chloe gave them what they needed as well.

Enjoying the good life in Phoenix, Chloe now enjoys regular swims in her backyard pool and the devoted attention of her forever mom and dad. She serves as a reminder of the many difficulties rescuers face when trying to place a dog. Every dog is different; there really is no ‘perfect’ or ‘push-button’ dog. And the story doesn’t end when a dog is rescued from the streets or from a shelter. It takes the persistent efforts of compassionate people and organizations who share one common goal: saving lives.

If Chloe could speak to us, Ella imagines she might look at her with more than a little relief and exclaim, ‘finally!’ But rescuers like Ella don’t wait for that type of moment. They enjoy a special kind of thank-you that truly marks the end of a rescue effort. It often comes when they’re all alone, driving away from a successful placement – when behind them, they see a happy dog looking up at a new owner with a gratitude that goes beyond words, getting smaller and smaller in the rear-view mirror.

Faces of the UAF Food Bank Program

2010-10-18T09:51:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, part of the United Animal Friends mission is to reach out and help our fellow community members. So, while we're constantly striving to help place homeless pets in forever homes and foster homes, we're also committed to assisting the local pet owners who struggle to feed their own animals. This is precisely where the UAF Pet Food Bank comes in. Organized and managed by volunteer extraordinaire Andrea, the Food Bank provides free food for residents from all across Yavapai County. As the recipients of the program will attest, the donations couldn't come at a better time. In fact, at a recent Food Bank distribution event, UAF met with over 45 residents in need of food. Volunteers ran out of food just half way through the day.

UAF is committed to helping all those who request the services of the Food Bank program; we don't ever want to turn away an animal in need! But we need your help. Please donate to the program; monetary and food items are gratefully accepted. Importantly, UAF only provides Food Bank donations to those animals who have been spayed or neutered (we also provide low-cost spay-neuter options for residents seeking to qualify for the program). This ensures we stay true to our mission to reduce the number of homeless animals in Yavapai County, and it provides added motivation for residents to do the right thing by spaying and neutering. For information about donating to the UAF Food Bank Program, or for details about how you can receive Food Bank donations for your pets, click here. Whatever you do, be a part of the solution. Animals across Arizona will thank you for it!

UAF Rummage Sale!

2010-10-16T13:19:00.000-07:00

Nothing compliments Halloween weekend like a bit of thrifty shopping! Great bargains will be a'plenty at the UAF Rummage Sale, scheduled for October 29th and 30th. Visit the Banana Tree building in downtown Prescott to check out a host of items for sale. The Rummage Sale will be open for business from 8:30AM through 4PM on both days. Of course, all sales proceed United Animals Friends' efforts to help animals in need. And, donations are still being accepted! Call (928) 778-2924 or email sandymc106@msn.com for information.

2011 UAF Calendar!!!

2010-10-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Attention United Animal Friends volunteers and fans! The 2011 UAF Calendar is finished! The fabulous wall calendar will be available on the UAF website in the next few days, so get ready to order your copy! Did we mention these calendars make the perfect holiday gift? Well, they really do! It's the gift that animal lovers can enjoy all year long. The calendars cost just $12 each, plus $3 for shipping. Extra special thanks go to Joellyn and Gayle for doing such a tremendous job! Remember, check the UAF website in the coming days to order your calendar!

The Perfect Job: Jasper's Story

2010-09-16T10:12:00.001-07:00

It's not every day that United Animal Friends helps the unemployed, but that's just what happened in Jasper's case! We first met Jasper when he was relinquished to UAF by a family who had just adopted him from Yavapai Humane Society. The family thought Jasper was just too high-energy for their lifestyle, but they were reluctant to return him to the shelter. UAF took him into the system, and boarded him at Run-A-Muk in Prescott so that he could enjoy some doggie socialization and work off some of that excess energy during the day. Although Jasper enjoyed running around with the other dogs at Run-A-Muk, he knew what it was like to be with a family, and living without that kind of companionship just didn't suit him.

Just as Jasper began to show signs of weariness, UAF volunteer Kim in Peeples Valley stepped into the picture. Kim knew of a goat and sheep herder in her area who was in need of the boundless energy and focused determination of a herding dog. When Kim told the folks on the farm (a wonderful couple named Tony and Melody) about Jasper, they agreed to foster him. So, it was all up to Jasper at this point . . . would he be interested in a ranching career?

He sure was! After just a bit of time on the farm, it was perfectly clear that Jasper not only had what it took to herd Tony and Melody's sheep, but that he absolutely loved doing it! UAF is happy to report that Jasper has founded his forever home – and from what we understand, a great-paying job – on the ranch!

Dogtoberfest 2010!

2010-09-14T11:38:00.001-07:00

Attention all dog-lovers! United Animal Friends is happy to be participating in the upcoming 2010 Dogtoberfest! Mark your calendars for Sunday, October 3rd, from 10AM to 4PM on the Courthouse Square in downtown Prescott. The events include fun contests, informative sessions, various demos, and much more! A number of services will be offered as well, including micro-chipping, nail-trimming, low-cost vaccinations, and pet tag purchasing. Most importantly, UAF will be on hand alongside numerous other rescue groups - working to find our wonderful dogs forever homes. This great event is also free to attend! Visit The Prescott Dog publication website for more on the details, and be sure to check out this year's commercial!

An 'Arlo' Update!

2010-08-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember a very special story about Arlo the Aussie. Earlier this year, UAF volunteer Joellyn rescued Arlo from the local shelter, where he was in dire trouble; Arlo had what appeared to be severe sarcoptic mange. After pushing through countless hurdles, challenges and obstacles, Joellyn and other UAF volunteers were able to get Arlo's initial treatment covered, and they even found a foster facility for him down in the Valley (Aussie and Friends) where he would receive the medical treatment and care he needed to recover. Joellyn recently got an encouraging update about Arlo that we wanted to share. Arlo's improvement continues; we understand that he is "much, much better." After thousands of dollars worth of medical treatment (even a bit of radiation for a benign tumor), the loveable young dog has almost conquered all of his mange! In fact, his coat has even grown back! It is likely Arlo will always need a bit of extra care due to a potentially weakened immune system, but then again, Arlo's attitude suggests he's got more than enough spirit to get him through any other challenges he'll face. We're sure - above all else - that the worst is over for this young fellow! Kudos again go out to Joellyn and all the other gracious, compassionate UAF volunteers, who never - ever - give up!

UAF In need of New Fosters!

2010-08-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

United Animal Friends is at full capacity! We've got lots of dogs in paid boarding, and even more that we'd like to pull out of the local shelter and get into foster homes. Fostering for United Animal Friends can be an incredibly rewarding experience. For more information about fostering, please call Toby at 928-899-3942.

If you can't foster, please consider donating to our emergency kenneling fund so that we can get more dogs out of danger and into our system. Go online to www.unitedanimalfriends.org or call 928-778-2924 to donate today!

Latest Update for Bear!

2010-08-03T09:59:00.000-07:00

The good news just keeps getting better about young Bear, the Shepherd mix rescued by UAF. See what foster mom Cindy has to report!

Bear has had his second surgery for his extreme cruciate ligament damage and is doing remarkably well! He has a great attitude and should be back on all four paws very soon. Bear is a wonderful, patient patient and very gentle, kind and loving. UAF, with their "above-and-beyond" efforts, saved an absolutely wonderful dog from euthanasia. Now Bear is on his way to becoming what he should be: a regular dog. His surgeries are behind him now; he is well on the road to recovery and whoever adopts Bear will never regret it. He will be a loyal best buddy. We will start taking applications for Bear with the understanding that we have to wait a couple of weeks until he gets his stitches out and that Bear will have to go through some gentle home rehab (several small walks daily to start and some Glucosamine daily). He is one happy guy now and thanks everyone for their love, generous support and his new life!

Special Alert for Joanie the Cat!

2010-07-22T10:08:00.000-07:00

We're issuing a special 'Adopt Me' alert for sweet Joanie, a Joanie a lynx-point Siamese-X with lovely blue eyes. Joanie has just had a difficult time recently, so we thought she deserved some extra attention. Not long ago, Joanie was abandoned in Prescott by her family, and a wonderful UAF volunteer befriended her, fed her sardines and salmon, and made a bed for her in the carport shed to hopefully keep her safe from coyotes.

After being checked out by a local vet, Joanie's prognosis is excellent! The vet said she's perfectly healthy, FELIV/FIV negative, and probably around two years old. A faint scar on her abdomen also indicates she may have already been spayed. Joanie would be best as an only cat but she is tolerant of dogs. She's got a great attitude and is incredibly friendly and loving; she just needs that special person to give her all she's been missing out on!If you would like to add some sweetness to your life by fostering or adopting little Joanie, please contact Jan below. If you would like to meet Joanie, please download the questionnaire, fill it out and email it to Jan. If you have questions you can call Jan at 928-772-7210 or email her at the above address.

Pawtentially Yours: Bear

2010-07-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

For all of us who've been paying close attention to Bear's recovery, here's a little something to really brighten your day! Recently, Bear stopped into the CableONE studios to film his very own "Pawtentially Yours" spot. It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that Bear was an absolute star! This friendly fella is just such a great example of the power of the animal spirit that we had to share. His story is also a noteworthy showcase of the potential of humans to answer the call of animals in need. See what type of awesome energy Bear exudes in the video below!

UAF "Friends for Life" Telethon!

2010-07-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

The UAF "Friends for Life" telethon is just weeks away! The event, scheduled for August 14th, promises to be a truly great one for the animals. From noon to 6Pm, the telethon will run on ACCESS 13 for cable subscribers in Prescott. A host of fun activities, events and informational segments will keep you entertained, and of course, the phone lines will be open for donations! Plus, volunteers are still needed. Check out the details at the UAF homepage.

Bunny Fosters Needed!

2010-07-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

Please see the note below from Dori with Tranquility Trail, and contact her at bunnylovept@gmail.com if you can help!

"Tranquility Trail in Scottsdale was contacted on Friday by a woman with a backyard bunny situation that had gotten out of control. We were told there were 40 bunnies. When we got there we realize the situation was a lot worse. The first day we counted 80 bunnies as we caught, sexed and separated the bunnies. Day 2 we were over 100 bunnies. There are still many more in underground burrows. Many of the girls have gone underground to have there babies trying to escape the 110 degree heat of the Arizona summer. And many more of the girls are pregnant.
Our sanctuary is already full as this has been an exceptionally bad after Easter dump season. We are trying to find any rescues that may have room for some of the bunnies, even 1 or 2 bunnies would be a tremendous help! Also if anyone in the Phoenix area has an empty business, warehouse or house we can use temporarily to help get the bunnies out of the heat we would be so grateful. We can also use short term and long term foster homes. Spreading the word would help us out so much too!"

Morsels of Goodness: Iris

2010-06-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

Part of a gorgeous lab-mix litter born last year, little Iris was lucky to find a great UAF foster home right away. Along with her sister and best pal Vesta, Iris received lots of loving attention from her foster parents and because of her great demeanor, she was soon adopted into a happy, active forever home. Now home with her adoptive mom and dad in the Verde Valley (and beyond!), Iris is a happy-go-lucky gal who gets to camp and hike to her heart's content! Here's an update from her mom, Barbara:

"Iris is doing great! She is such great company. She is pretty protective of me...barks when people come near me and stands in the way. I just love her to death! Robert misses her so much already but he is glad that she is getting this time with me to enjoy the northern mountains. She is becoming quite the mountain dog! She weighs about 42 lbs...crazy! She is pure muscle too . . . Well, I know I sound like a bragging mom...I guess I am. Everyday I am more and more in love with her and so grateful to have her in our lives. Thanks so much for letting us adopt her from you guys! You have enriched our lives more than you will ever know! Here are a few pics and some video of her both at home in Arizona and now up here in Idaho."

Thank you, Barbara, for giving this loveable gal the home she deserves!

Update on Bear - Post Surgery!

2010-05-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a great update for Bear, the wonderful lab mix with a heart-wrenching shelter story. Thanks to all for contributing (we had over 85 donations!) and to Cindy for sharing his update! "Thanks to all the wonderful contributions, Bear had his operation on the worst knee on May 7th and is doing very well! He is starting to use that leg again and is an excellent patient and has a great attitude! I think he knows how much everyone is trying to help him and is doing his part like a true champ! As soon as this knee heals well enough, he will have the operation on the other knee and if he recuperates from that operation as well as he is doing now, he will be ready for his new home in no time! Bear sends licks and kisses to all that are helping him. It has made such a difference in this wonderful guy's life!"

Woof Down Lunch a Huge Success!

2010-05-24T14:21:00.000-07:00

United Animal Friends is celebrating a huge success with this past weekend's excellent turnout at Woof Down Lunch. Held on the Courthouse Square in downtown Prescott, the second annual event boasted twice as many ticket sales (over five hundred!) and five times as many onsite vendors as last year's showing (approximately 60!).

The vendors represented businesses and nonprofits from across the animal spectrum. Among many others, groups like Animal Disaster Services, Prescott Dog Newspaper, Run-A-Muk Boarding & Day Care, Dandy Dawgs Training, Horses with Heart, and Rescue-a-Golden hosted booths where patrons could pick up information and materials, chat with organizers and ask questions.Two local animal hospitals - Prescott Animal Hospital and Chino Valley Animal Hospital - were onhand to answer medical and health-related questions and even perform a few services! And of course, there were plenty of booths featuring pet food, treats, and accessories. Charlotte, co-owner of the Pet Depot Barkery in downtown Prescott, handed out freshly-baked treats all day, along with free samples of premium pet food. She explained her motivation for sponsoring and attending the event; "[UAF] is a great organization and they do wonderful things by finding homes for all these animals. We're happy to be here in support of this!"

In addition to picking up free samples, learning about animal-related services and meeting plenty of like-minded animal-lovers, all Woof Down Lunch patrons were also able to pick out a hand-crafted pet food bowl and purchase tickets for a variety of great raffle prizes. Some patrons were even lucky enough to go home with the best prize of all: a new member of the family! That's right; UAF's adoption center processed two successful on-the-spot adoptions (from past UAF adopters) and took in a number of applications for other dogs as well. Local resident Nicole and her boyfriend adopted their gorgeous chocolate mix named Yeager from UAF a year and a half ago, and were thrilled to take home Josey - a lab-sharpei puppy - to round out the family. "We wanted to get a best friend for Yeager," she said. "And we definitely wanted to rescue again!"

Overall, the event garnered nearly $10,000 in donations and proceeds for United Animal Friends - money the organization will use for spay and neuter and emergency efforts for local animals. Importantly, the entire day's effort showcased the work of a dedicated group of tireless volunteers who worked for months to put the event together. As UAF President Nancy Vargo remarked, "we couldn't have done it without each and every person who helped." And if this year is any indication of a growing trend, then next year's Woof Down Lunch promises to be even bigger and better.

This Month's Adoptable Mutt . . . Pixel!

2010-05-21T11:30:00.000-07:00

Sweet little Pixel is a gem of a dog! At a year and a half, she is just twenty pounds and most likely a Shepherd - Whippet mix. Pixel has come back to UAF after being returned from a family who cites her inability to get along with their other small dogs as the problem. But we're convinced that Pixel in fact really does like other dogs, and that she only needs a bit of confidence-building to get over some of her (very treatable) anxiety issues. Check out Pixel's 'Pawtentially Yours' spot for more!

Update: Finn Is Found!

2010-05-18T16:29:00.001-07:00

It sure does feel GREAT to share good news! The lost UAF foster named Finn has been found and secured! The little terrier Finn first disappeared from his foster mom's home on April 24th. He stuck to downtown Prescott for the first few days before heading up Senator Highway into the Sweet Acres / Groom Creek neighborhoods. He eluded volunteers and traps for weeks, and he even survived several very, very cold nights (especially in those higher elevation neighborhoods).

In recent weeks, Finn was visiting one house in Sweet Acres, drinking from the resident's pond and even sleeping on the deck one night. Despite how hungry he surely must have been, he ran each and every time the resident - Mike - or anyone else spotted him.

But today was different! Finn somehow found his way into Mike's fenced hard, and this time, Mike caught him! Despite being bit by the terrified Finn, Mike happily called Joellyn to report the good news. He even refused the reward money!

After retrieving him from Mike, Joellyn had Finn checked out at the vet's office, and she now reports that he is perfectly healthy - though very skinny from so many weeks on the run. We're so very happy to have Finn back, and so very appreciative of volunteers like Joellyn and everyday heros like Mike from Sweet Acres - people who set aside extra time and effort that made a world of difference. A very special shout out is owed to Joellyn, who tracked Finn constantly and never gave up hope of retriving him. Without a doubt, it is because of her dedication that this little guy is alive. The adventures of Finn have hopefully come to a close, but to commemorate the story, Joellyn is considering renaming him 'Wiley!'

Upcoming Event: Spay & Neuter Walk - June 5th!

2010-05-07T11:26:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendars for the annual "Spay & Neuter Walk" in Downtown Prescott. The event - scheduled for June 5th - is sponsored by Dandy Dawgs, Prescott Dog, and Streets of New York! For just $20, you and your canine companion can strut your stuff all over town and all for a good cause! All proceeds go to Lucky Club and United Animal Friends Spay & Neuter funds. Meeting time will be at 9AM at Streets of New York! Registration entitles you to a Dandy Dawgs T-shirt, bottled water, and a 'slurpy bowl gift!' If that weren't enough, participants will enjoy a spot in the day's auctions, entry in gift drawings, and yummy Streets of New York Pizza! Don't miss this great event! For more information, call Dandy Dawgs at (928) 778-2033 or click here to register!

Bear's Chance to Heal - We Need Your Help!

2010-05-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

It’s not everyday the UAF is able to save an animal who is in an absolute medical crisis and yet acts as though the world is in perfect working order. And that’s exactly the scenario we find ourselves in with Bear. At three years-old, those who first met the lab-shepherd mix at YHS described him as a “quiet soul,” a dog with an incredible “calming effect.” Sure enough, there is something about this dog that seems to radiate peace and hope – despite the awful condition he’s found himself in. Both Bear’s back knees have cruciate ligament damage. What is perhaps most sad of all is that Bear knows YHS all too well; in the past year he would find himself and another canine cohort caught by animal control and held at YHS until his owner would bail him out. Eventually, Bear’s owner decided that the sweet dog wasn’t worth the bailout money, and he surrendered him to YHS permanently. There, Bear was moved to the e-list because of his leg injuries – until UAF heard his story and pulled him out of the shelter.

Now, he’s a UAF dog; he’s been given what every dog and cat so desperately deserves – the simple chance to heal. We want nothing more than to see Bear running through the hills, walking with a loving new family, and getting a little piece of the world he’s always been so good back, but we need help. Bear’s medical bills will likely cost around $2,500. We’re calling on all the animal lovers in this community to help us heal this special dog. If you can help, please let us know.

LOST! UAF Foster Dog!

2010-04-30T09:20:00.001-07:00

Please help UAF find a new foster who recently slipped away from his handler. This little guy is extremely shy and skittish, so we need ALL the help we can get! We are offering a reward for his return. He's around 18 pounds and has just been neutered. He slipped away last weekend (4/25) and has been on the run since. The latest sighting was near the Sweet Acres subdivision off Senator Highway (towards Groom Creek). Please canvas this neighborhood if you can and call UAF if you spot him! (928) 778-2924.

Adoptable Mutt of the Month!

2010-04-21T09:52:00.000-07:00

Meet Charlie! Charlie is an uber-lovable Basset Hound mix who's looking for a foster home or his forever home. As the video below demonstrates, Charlie has a bit of a weight problem, but he's actually well on his way to a slimmer, happier size! He's already lost nearly twenty pounds! Turns out all Charlie needed was love, exercise and the right diet. If you or anyone you know could foster Charlie or welcome him into a new loving home, you'll have a diet and workout buddy for life!

Coming Soon: Woof Down Lunch 2010

2010-04-14T10:56:00.001-07:00

Spring in here, and May is just around the corner. That means it's nearly time for UAF's second annual "Woof Down Lunch" event on the Courthouse Square. This year, the day of fun will take place on May 22nd, from 9AM to 2PM. For just $20, folks can enjoy a special lunch, select a hand-crafted dog or cat bowl, and enjoy a host of festivities all geared toward pets! Plus, all proceeds go directly to UAF's Spay & Neuter Fund. UAF is still looking for artists and vendors to sponsor booths during this fantastic event. If you know of anyone with a pet-related business or venture, be sure to tell them all about this great opportunity.

New UAF TNR Program

2010-03-31T10:02:00.001-07:00

United Animal Friends is starting up a new TNR (trap-neuter-return) program, and invites anyone interested to participate! An informational meeting will take place Thursday, April 22nd at 5:30PM, at 129 1/2 - An American Jazze Grille (on Cortez Street in downtown Prescott).

UAF seeks volunteers to help get this program underway; the mission is to help humanely control the population of feral cat colonies in the quad-cities area. Volunteers willing to trap, transport, feed and foster are needed - along with folks who can contribute organizational and phone work. For more information about this great new program, contact Nancy Vargo.

Adoptable Mutt of the Month!

2010-03-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

Sweet Roscoe is one of those dogs who simply doesn't deserve the life he's lead thus far. Adopted and abandoned TWICE, Roscoe's only fault is something he can't help at all: a completely manageable case of epilepsy. In this case, Roscoe's epilepsy is well under control; he just needs medication every day to ensure he doesn't have seizures. The even better news is that the medication Roscoe needs is quite cheap, and with this medication, Roscoe lives as normally and happily as any dog out there - maybe even more happily because he realizes how good life is when he's loved and healthy. Roscoe's only four-years-old and he's an extremely amicable, friendly fellow. If any dog deserves a third time that really is a charm, it's Roscoe!

UAF Wins Big, and Arlo is Saved!

2010-03-18T16:12:00.000-07:00

Recently, United Animal Friends was selected as the recipient of the Best Friends Network Charities "St. Patrick's Pot O' Gold" Giveaway! UAF was able to get our Network Charities page up in time for the deadline, and now, we've won $500 to help rescue more animals! One lucky dog named Arlo has already benefited from this prize, thanks to the help of dedicated, tireless UAF volunteer Joellyn. To read more about how Joellyn worked with other rescue groups to save Arlo, and how that Best Friends money came in right at the nick of time, click on this link. Arlo had a terrible case of mange, but thanks to inter-rescue partnering and what is surely just plain old-fashioned good luck, his future is looking much brighter. Also, be sure to check out the new UAF Network Charities page on the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary website! Please sign up to become a fan, tell all your friends and check back regularly for more updates.

UAF Pet Food Drive This Weekend!

2010-03-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

Let's fill up that great-looking trailer! Please come out to the UAF Food Drive & Pet Foodraiser this weekend, from 12PM to 3PM at Petco in Frontier Village. Our Food Donations program provides food and resources to animals all over our community - animals who wouldn't otherwise receive the nourishment they need!
Show your support by donating dry or canned puppy, kitten, dog and cat food, along with collars and leashes, and toys and treats. Petco gift cards and cash donations are also always welcome and appreciated! Click on the flyer for additional information, and remember: EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!

Local Animals In Need of An Angel . . .

2010-03-10T13:43:00.000-08:00

Katherine was known for her love of animals and when she tragically died in a house fire last week, her three rescue dogs amazingly survived. United Animal Friends and Yavapai Humane Society are teaming up to honor Katherine's name and try to help her dogs. UAF is sponsoring their move into new forever homes and YHS is seeing to their care. Dulcis is a shy young ausie mix who was adopted when Katherine volunteered at YHS. Dulcis blossomed and bonded with Ruby, a shepherd mix who helped Katherine nurture her. Dice is an older shepherd mix, who is also dog and cat friendly and would love another chance. All three are available and, because of their special bond, YHS would love to see Dulcis and Ruby go together. If you can help, please call Toby at UAF at 899.3942. They sure need another angel right now.

The New UAF Pet Food Trailer!!!

2010-02-23T08:32:00.000-08:00

Big thanks go to Andrea and Chuck Peterson Graphic Design of Prescott! All Andrea's incredibly hard work paid off when Peterson Design kindly donated the wonderful design work on our gorgeous new pet food bank trailer. The new trailer will store food for the UAF Pet Food Bank, ultimately helping hundreds of needy, hungry animals in our community get the nourishment they need. Look out for Andrea at local adoption events and around town! And send some business to Chuck Peterson Graphic Design of Prescott if you need any design work. A friend to animals is a friend to us!

Sweet Success!

2010-02-14T17:04:00.001-08:00

United Animal Friends enjoyed a truly wonderful adoption weekend. Check out Andrea's recap of these successful past few days . . .

Wow! Valentine's Day could not have been sweeter! The United Animal Friends Valentine's Bake Sale and Cupid's Cat Adoption Event was a great success! UAF took over Petco- literally... Sweets were everywhere, we even had coffee. In addition to five kitties finding their forever homes, We made over $160.00 from the baked goodies!!! A BIG HUG and Thank you goes to Gayle for decorating everything and making it look so beautiful. Thank you to our wonderful UAF bakers, helpers & cat fosters for making this so much fun- Toby, Gayle, Codi, Mel, Lynn, Ruthann, Katie, Ruth, Karen, Jan, Dawn, Kathy, Krys, Joyce, Linda, Allie, Ray, Joan, and our new volunteers Jessica and Ashley - who rocked! (And apologies and extra thanks to any we may have forgotten in this list!) Gayle would like to add a special thanks to her trusty V-Day Bake Sale Helpers: "A special thank you to my four footed helpers for bringing in the money from the outside table and to our new volunteers Ashely and Jessica, they were a great help!"
Between yesterday at Petsmart and today at Petco we helped 11 of our wonderful UAF animals find true love with their new forever families. UAF has very high standards of adoption and with that said, we hope to find the perfect matches for our foster animals. Again, thank you to everyone who helped make this weekend happen. Happy Valentine's Day!

UAF Introduces: Scentsy Warmers!

2010-02-11T15:48:00.000-08:00

UAF is partnership with local Scentsy Warmer distributor Shannon V, in the hopes of garnering much-needed donations through purchases of "I Love My Pet" Scentsy Warmers. For every warmer sold, $5 will be donated to UAF's animals in need! You can buy the warmers - which are fireless, wickless and completey safe to touch and light - for just $30; individual wax bars are $5 each. UAF will feature a sample product at this weekend's "Cupid's Cats" Valentine's Day Adoption Event. But you can always purchase a Scentsy Warmer by contacting Shannon. Click on the attached flyer for more details.

Upcoming Event: Pet CPR & First Aid Class

2010-02-05T13:08:00.000-08:00

Coming up on February 13th, Dandy Dawgs of Yavapai County will join Laura Harter for a fantastic Pet CPR & First Aid Worskhop. The four hour course will take place at the Center for Adult Care Services in Prescott, from 10AM to 2:30Pm with a half-hour lunch break. Registration costs just $49. The deadline to for enrollment is February 9th, and space is limited! For more information or for a registration form, contact Andy Lloyd of Dandy Dawgs or Laura Harter of Peace of Mind Home & Pet Care. Visit Laura's website for additional information as well.

Valentine's Day Adoption Event!

2010-01-20T09:55:00.001-08:00

Join United Animal Friends on Valentine's Day for a special adoption event! "Cupid's Cats" will feature adoptable cats and kittens from 11AM to 3PM at the Frontier Village Petco in Prescott. A Bake Sale benefitting the kitties will also be onsite, and all adopters go home with an additional treat! Click on the poster for more information, or go online to see UAF cats and kittens currently available for adoption.

Adoptable Mutt of the Month . . . Sami!

2010-01-12T08:48:00.000-08:00

This month, meet Sami! She is an incredibly sweet hound mix whose around three-years-old. She has that ole' sad hound face that just makes you want to swoop in, wrap her up in your arms and take her home. Sami is up for adoption and is currently being boarded courtesy of UAF. She'd love a foster home or a forever home, though she may not be suited for life with cats. A previous foster noted she chased her cats, but wasn't sure whether curiousity was the cause. In any case, check out the Pawtentially Yours video featuring Sami and spread the word!

Morsels of Goodness: Simon

2010-01-08T08:12:00.001-08:00

This week's Morsel of Goodness . . . Simon! Simon (formerly Reddy and Reggie) had such anti-social behavior and aggression that his foster parents, Krys Krystosek and Andrew Timmerman, wondered if he could safely be placed in a home with children or other dogs. He had been an unclaimed stray at a high-kill animal shelter in Northern Arizona. With a lot of training and patience, Krys and Andy managed to bring out the best in the fearful one-year-old. His new mom has this to say about rescuing Simon:

My husband, Andy, and I met Reddy when he needed to be transported to a veterinary hospital to be neutered. United Animal Friends (UAF) had found Reddy at an animal shelter and since there weren’t any foster homes available, he would have to be boarded at a kennel until he was adopted. After his surgery, we decided he would recuperate better at our house.
We knew he was going through scary transitions having been in different places with unfamiliar people. We could only imagine what daunting ordeals he went through prior to all of that. A tiny guy, he was fearful and would bite or run away from anyone wanting to touch or hold him. He harassed our three dogs and would hoard all of the balls and toys. We suspected his bad behavior wasn’t out of meanness, but out of fear. We gathered it would take time for him to trust humans again and enjoy the friendship of other dogs; and at times questioned if he would become adoptable at all.
After a couple of weeks, a foster home opened up. We thought it was better for everyone involved for him to go into foster care. However, Reddy was there less than an hour when he ran away in the middle of a huge thunder storm. A UAF search team found him, cold and wet, and we agreed to foster him until we could find him a permanent home. We took him to weekly adoption events, but after each one he returned home with us; the right match just wasn’t there. Each week, our dogs were more and more excited to see him return.
Then, after a couple of months, Reddy was adopted by a wonderful family. They loved his energy and playfulness. Unfortunately, he did not like sharing his space with the family’s two cats and once again he came back to us.
As time passed, he was a lot calmer and more relaxed and all our dogs had become good pals. Being extremely bright, he was learning what behaviors were acceptable. He was more loving and had become an important part of our family. We adopted him and changed his name to Simon to mark his new beginning with his forever family. We realize the little guy was meant to be with us all along.

Adoptable Mutt of the Month: Rin Tin

2009-12-21T08:59:00.000-08:00

Meet Rin Tin! He is an adorable, energetic and very smart Border Collie / Bernese mix. He's just about a year-old and is currently impressing his foster dad with all his tricks! Rin Tin loves to play, adores other dogs and seems completely at home with just about everyone he meets. He'd make a terrific addition to any family!

UAF Calendars Make Great Stocking Stuffers!

2009-12-17T09:04:00.000-08:00

Kudos go to UAF volunteers Joellyn and Gail, and of course, our wonderful friends and sponsors Think4Inc, for collaborating and putting together a truly spectacular 2010 UAF Calendar. Fabulous pictures of dogs and cats who've found forever homes and those still awaiting their families are featured alongside useful pet tips. And the price is right, too! You can pick up the calendars at adoption events for just $12, or buy them online for $15 (including shipping) by clicking here. They make the perfect gift for the animal lovers in your life!

ADS Food & Fleece Drive Underway!

2009-12-16T12:58:00.000-08:00

Be on the lookout over the next few weeks for the bright red ADS Food & Fleece boxes, located in grocery stores all over the tri-cities. (ADS is UAF sister organization Animal Disaster Services, dedicated to caring for animal evacuees during natural disasters and emergencies.)

The economy is likely to keep donations for the 7th Annual drive a bit on the shy side, so that means we all need to do our part to compensate. The boxes are earmarked for everything from pet beds, food and treats to leashes, collars and bowls - all in high demand for needy pets this holiday season. If you see the box, be sure to pick up a little something extra along with your groceries and help our local furry friends. Recipients of the supplies include homeless shelters, animal sanctuaries and rescue groups like UAF. The boxes are located in Safeways, Olsen's Grains, and other stores throughout Yavapai County. Do what you can to fill 'em up!

Adoptable Kitties of the Month!

2009-11-12T07:38:00.000-08:00

Need a little flavor in your life? Check out Sugar and Spice! This brother-and-sister duo isALMOST too darling for words. They're Absynnian mixes who are just under a year old, and boy - are they camera-worthy!

UAF Rummage Sale This Saturday

2009-11-12T07:35:00.000-08:00

Be sure to block out some space this Saturday, November 14th, for the United Animal Friends Annual Rummage Sale! Once again, the sale will be held at the Boys & Girls Club in Downtown Prescott (335 E. Aubrey St.). There will tons of great items for sale - from jewelry to baked goods, art, clothing, toys, and more! You don't want to miss it. Doors open at 9AM!

Cat-er-Waul Adoption Event!

2009-10-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

Feline lovers, beware! A host of wonderfully adoptable cats and kitties will be at the YHS Adoption Center this Saturday for a spook-erific Halloween event! It's "Cat-er-Waul" and it's coming to the Gateway Mall this weekend. From 10AM to 3PM. Kitties from YHS, UAF and Miss Kitty's will be onsite and ready for their forever homes! Even if you're not in the market for a new feline companion, you'll definitely want to stop by!

Adoptable Mutt of the Month!

2009-10-14T15:09:00.001-07:00

Meet Bucky! Bucky is a very sweet, adorable and no-nonsense sort of fellow! He's just around two years old, and we think he's a Doxie - Chi mix. He's very vocal, and loves to purr back at you when you cuddle him! We think Bucky would do best as an only dog, or perhaps with another docile female. One thing's for sure; he is very camera-friendly!

Calling All Potters & Artists!

2009-10-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

United Animal Friends is preparing for its second annual "WOOF DOWN LUNCH" with your cat or dog to be held in April 10, 2010 on the Courthouse Plaza. The proceeds of this event will fund our spay/neuter programs. You can help us meet our goal of having at least 500 dog and cat bowls available for purchase by the public.
Laguna Clay Co. has generously donated clay for this event - so call to get your supply.
Lessons are available for those who wish to participate but are inexperienced.
Large bowls are especially needed. Artists are asked to sign their bowls with “name 2010”.
Let us know if you’re willing to share your studios with others to make bowls.
UAF is also accepting fine art and craft specialty items for the fundraiser.
For details or questions, contact Jean Lutz at 928-445-3553 or jlutz@cableone.net

Dogtoberfest 2009!

2009-09-28T10:35:00.001-07:00

In case you missed it, Dogtoberfest was a huge success this year! The event - held on the Prescott Courthouse square on Sunday, September 27th - drew hundreds of animal-lovers from all across Arizona. United Animal Friends was onsite and enjoyed a very successful day as well. Overall, eleven loving mutts found forever homes, and UAF volunteers were also thrilled to see several former UAF dogs stop by with their people to say hello. There's nothing better than seeing a dog who was once homeless now in the wonderful care of happy humans!

Pictures: Upper Left: former UAF dog Joey is joined by his new foster pal - Conrad! Conrad was at DDR for MONTHS and desperately needed a home. Now, he'll learn all the ropes with Joey! Upper Right: Kingman puppy Coco with her new people - thanks Lopas family! Lower Left: Happy puppies poop out early. Lower Middle: The UAF Station on the Square. Lower Right: An especially debonaire Alred smiles for the camera.

Adoptable Pups of the Month!

2009-09-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

Meet adorable furballs Blu, Cuddles and Jake. These ultra-sweet and mellow lab mixes are around two to three months old, and judging by the size of their little baby bodies, they will be relatively big-sized dogs when they're full-grown. And while they're siblings and clearly love each other, they can be adopted separately.

UAF & Foreigner: Sweet Success!

2009-09-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

If you weren't a Foreigner fan before, trust us when we tell you that you will be now! In town for a concert at Tim's Toyota Center last night, the band members followed their tradition of contacting a local charity to get involved with show. The charity - which in this case was United Animal Friends - then gathers volunteers to sell CD's before and after the concert. In return for the efforts, the charity receives $5 for every CD sold! What an awesome idea!

Folks who bought the CD's from UAF volunteers stationed outside the show were also entered to win a signed Les Paul guitar - and to meet the band after the show! UAF volunteer Roger even got to go onstage to promote UAF's causes, and draw the winner for the guitar! An incredible night, for sure, and the best part? UAF received a whopping $1,760 in donations from the CD sales! Everyone's a winner! Kudos to all the UAF volunteers who made this stellar event such a success, and kudos to Foreigner - for supporting local nonprofits and charities where they tour . . . that is truly, truly cool!

Adoptable Kitties of the Month!

2009-09-09T14:25:00.000-07:00

Meet Becky and Barry, two adorable eight-week old kittens up for adoption! This brother and sister duo are quite the little adventurers and because they're so close, we'd really like to see them get adopted together so that they can enjoy all the benefits that feline-sibling relationships bring! Little Becky is super-spunky and adventurous, while chill-man Barry seems happy to sit back and take everything in. Both are healthy, playful and BEYOND ADORABLE!

Dandy Dawgs Program Featured on Best Friends Network

2009-09-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

UAF & Best Friends Network volunteer Katie recently wrote an article profiling Andy Lloyd and her fantastic Dandy Dawgs Training program. Andy donates her training expertise to a number of local rescue groups here in Yavapai County, and her positive reinforcement training methods have helped countless animals. Click here to read the story on the Best Friends Arizona Network!

Small Dogs = Big Success!

2009-08-31T09:38:00.000-07:00

United Animal Friends joined Circle L and Golden Bones Rescue on Saturday for Pixie Pooch Palooza, and as the photos indicate, the event was a massive success! Hundreds of people showed up to get a look at some of the small critters available for adoption. UAF favorites Izzy and Millie got adopted, along with many others from all three rescue groups!

UAF Special Event: Pixie Pooch Palooza!

2009-08-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

Join UAF, Golden Bone Rescue, Circle L Ranch and more for our first-ever Pixie Pooch Palooza! This adoption event, held at Petsmart this Saturday, August 29th, celebrates the extraordinarily awesome spirits that come in small canine packages! Home-checks will be required for all potential adoptions. Whether you're in the market for a new best side-kick or not, we're pretty sure this event will leave you smiling. The fun starts at 11AM!

Adoptable Mutt of the Week - Peggy!

2009-08-27T08:22:00.001-07:00

This week's adoptable mutt is Peggy! Peggy is an incredibly sweet and loving Jack Russell Terrier mix, probably just a year or so old. This gal is just the epitome of all that is wonderful; she's affectionate, expressive and quite the cuddler! It's amazing this girl is without a home, but we don't think that will last much longer. Because she probably has some Jack Russell in her, Peggy does need a home with a fully fenced yard where she can enjoy regular exercise. Not so much to ask, right? Especially considering all the great companionship and fun Peggy will surely give back!

Calling All Potential Fosters!

2009-08-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

Maybe you've thought about it briefly now and again, wondered how you might go about it, but now is really the time to seriously consider fostering for UAF! UAF volunteers have been making regular trips up to Kingman to rescue some very lovable and completely ADOPTABLE animals off the euthanasia list. We desperately need more fosters, especially for puppies and kittens. If you've ever wondered what fostering might be like, now is the time to give it a go! And remember, we'll work diligently with you to make sure you don't feel overwhelmed or unprepared for your new foster. Whatever type of arrangement you're in, we can assure you that there's an animal out there who can easily squeeze him or herself into your life -just temporarily!

ADS Featured on Best Friends AZ Website

2009-08-11T15:08:00.000-07:00

Sister group to UAF, Animal Disaster Services (ADS) is a nonprofit group dedicated to providing shelter and care for animals and pets in need during natural disaster evacuations. Recently, an ADS profile article appeared on the "Go Local: Arizona" Network website for Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Click here to read the story!

Morsel of Goodness: Rocky

2009-08-11T11:21:00.000-07:00

This Week's Morsel of Goodness goes to Rocky (formerly Oswald)! While we are lucky to hear from newly adopted UAF animals in the weeks and months after they are adopted into their forever home, it's an extra-special treat to check in on a former UAF animal years later! And that's why we just had to share Rocky's story. UAF volunteer Katie found tiny puppy Rocky in a Prescott Valley warehouse in December of 2007, where he was trekking every day into work with someone who just put him in the back of the truck for the morning ride each day! Rocky was dirty, skinny and in need of lots of love and care. Katie convinced the then-owner to surrender the pup, and fostered him for a few days before finding him a forever home with Vikie and her husband. As Vikie recalls, it was love at first sight!

"My husband and I live on a 5 acres hobby farm/ranch with horses, sheep, chickens and an adopted dog “Mikey”. We felt that Mikey needed a playmate so we decided to adopt another dog. Shortly after we decided to adopt another dog, I received an email and photo of “Rocky” from Katie of UAF. As soon as I looked at the photo, I knew he was the one for us. His adorable face just grabbed my heart. His name was originally “Oswald”; however, we didn’t think the name fit him, so we decided to change it to “Rocky”. We chose Rocky because we felt he had a rough start, but was a fighter and champion like “Rocky Balboa!”
From the first day he came to our home, Rocky loved running and playing with Mikey and the other animals. Mikey looks after him just like a big brother and they get along wonderfully. They even roughhouse and tease each other just like brothers do! Rocky loves people and is very well behaved. He is especially attached to me and loves attention. We could not have asked for a better dog and we love him very much. We are so grateful to UAF for allowing us to adopt him and give him a loving home and family."

Thanks Vikie, for saving this little guy and keeping us updated on his happy life!

Adoptable Mutt of the Week - Conrad!

2009-08-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Conrad is an incredibly sweet and playful teenage pit-bull mix. What's different about him, you might ask? Oh - didn't we mention it? He's a GENIUS! Conrad is like a little scientist: inquisitive, curious and constantly taking samples. You'll see him sniffing around your shoes and legs, checking out what you've got in your hand with his gentle snout, even getting a big ole' lick of the salt off your face - and, it's all for Conrad's very important research! You see, however Conrad ended up without a home has got him curious as to the best way to avoid another similar situation. Conrad's convinced that if he takes enough samples and sniffs out enough people, he's certain to find a gem of a human companion - just for him! And what can we say - we agree completely! (Sadly, Conrad did have a forever home - for just a week! Even though Conrad got along swimmingly with his new family's three chihuahuas, he was able to jump their four-foot fence and escape long enough to chase a woman on a horse. The woman on the horse scared the family into returning Conrad. Conrad is being kenneled at this time until we can find him a foster or forever home. Please help us by donating to his kennel fund. It costs us about $10.00 a day and even a donation for one day helps.)

Morsels of Goodness: Chloe

2009-08-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

This week's Morsel of Goodness . . . Chloe! Sweet Chloe was a shy and timid girl who came into Prescott Animal Control and immediately impressed UAF volunteers with her gentle personality. Soon, she won the heart of a wonderful local family; her new mom Deb says this about rescuing Chloe:

"My family and I had decided to adopt a 2nd dog. We had spent 6 weeks looking for a dog that would fit in with our menagerie of 2 rescue cats and a 14 year old Border Collie mix named Maia. It wasnt as easy as it sounds. The dogs we saw either snipped at or had energy levels to high for Maia, or werent cat friendly . Exhausted, our family had decided to discontinue our search for a few months. But before that decision, Katie had sent me a picture of a dog and I had already agreed to do an intro with Maia. The dog, a female heeler mix, was a stray that had been picked up in Ashfork at the end of May and taken in by Prescott Animal Control in early June. When I walked in she was the only dog in the kennels that wasnt barking, spinning or jumping. She was just sitting, shaking. She was extremely fearful and shy, but the introduction with Maia and I went well. Joellyn from UAF told me she probably wouldnt have done well at an adoption faire because she was so timid . I adopted her couple days later on July 8. It took her a couple weeks to settle in to our home, but she got along immediately with our dog Maia, my 8 yr old daughter, and even the cats! They love her! She is still pretty timid - Im sure it will take months to come out of her shell, but every day she takes baby steps. We named her Chloé, which in Greek means "blooming". She's a very sweet, loving dog and the perfect addition to our family. Thanks to Katie and Joellyn for assisting me in adopting Chloé. Also thanks to Prescott Animal Control who put up with me looking at dogs for 6 weeks before finding her. It really is true........ sometimes the right dog does find you!"

Thanks for saving this sweet girl, Deb!

Summer Adoption Events

2009-08-03T09:37:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder to all you animal lovers out there, UAF adoption events are going strong through the summer! We've had excellent showings at Petco, Petsmart and the YC Farmer's Market the past few weeks. Check out the fun at Petsmart this past Saturday!

To the upper left, Katie and Orbit enjoy a special cuddle. Little pup Gunnar is clearly pooped out above; foster mom Lisa sits with Gunnar's sister Ginger in the upper right. Below right, a UAF Handler handles the gorgeous Hope. And surprise visits from UAF dogs now living happily in forever homes always makes us smile! Below left is Mitzy (formerly Pixel) with her new dad, and below center is Brewski (recently rescued from Kingman) with his happy new parents!

United Animal Friends' Mel on Local Radio!

2009-07-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

A little while back, stellar UAF volunteer Mel sat down with Sue Sammarco of "Sue's Corner Pet Shop" Radio Show. We've included some of the highlights from that interview here. Great work, Mel! "Sue's Corner Pet Shop" airs every Sunday at 10:30AM on KJZA 89.5 FM.

And The TableScrap Goes To . . .

2009-07-23T10:01:00.001-07:00

Andrea! Yet another 'Volunteer We Can't Live Without!' Everybody who volunteers or works with United Animal Friends surely knows Andrea well . . . she does SO MUCH! Among her many, many roles with United Animal Friends, Andrea most notably is our Adoption Events Coordinator and our Pet Food Bank Coordinator / Delivery Person. These are massive, huge roles! Each week, Andrea organizes volunteers and transport for all of the UAF adoption events. She transports, handles and manages events too! Andrea's work with the UAF Pet Food Bank is also a very intense job - one that takes her all over Arizona and allows her to meet people who are struggling to feed their animals and help them relieve that burden by providing them with free, donated pet food. Andrea's also a member of the new UAF Volunteer Committee and actively participates in all fundraising campaigns. Finally, Andrea is in charge of updated the Petfinders database with all incoming and outgoing dogs. Whew! She calls herself a 'failed foster,' but we think that just means she loves too much too let go. Here's how Andrea sums up her motivation for volunteering:

"I do what I do because of my love and compassion for animals. I have always had animals in my home. As a small child, I would bring home anything lost or hurt including kittens, puppies, rabbits, rodents, birds - anything that needed someone to help it. I joined PETA and Green peace back in the 70's because I was saddened by the horrors of whale and seal hunting & laboratory testing. I was a 4-H member at age 8, until I was told I needed to slaughter my rabbits. I never understood how you could raise an animal to trust you and then kill it.

Well, to sum it all up I have not changed very much. I still want to help everything, now even people. Education is the key to helping more animals. Its so rewarding taking pet food to people who are struggling to feed their animals and knowing it really helps. Also, seeing a dog get adopted that wouldn't have the chance without the networking of UAF. It's a great feeling. Rescuing puppies from a shelter e-list with one day to spare is the best!

I wouldn't change what I do for anything. I love UAf and its strong values. If I could wish for something it would be for more fosters and more adopters to help us save more animals. All of us as part of the community need to be responsible for the well being of the animals in this community."

The UAF Wishlist!

2009-07-22T08:29:00.000-07:00

As United Animal Friends proceeds forward with the development and publishing of our brand new website, we've found ourselves polishing and revising things here and there. One part of the organization that we've gone over in the past few weeks is the UAF wishlist. This list will be available on the new website; please make yourself aware of these items and spread the word. One person's trash is another's treasure - as we know! If you have any items you'd like to donate, or if you know of someone who might, please let us know! Contact Joellyn via email at joellynaz@yahoo.com

Fold down metal Crates folding tables for events
A few new canopys
A VAN, in good condition that we can use to transport animals from shelters, supplies, etc.
Gas Cards to use for VAN refueling
Staples rewards cards (if transferable) for copies, printer ink, etc.
Indestructible beds (like Kuranda http://kuranda.com/donate/)
Minolta D200 SLR digital camera
Petsmart/Petco/Olsen's/Costco/Sam's Club Gift Cards
Leashes/Collarscat/dog beds
Mobile Vet Clinic
Dog/Cat food

Morsels of Goodness: Bristol

2009-07-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember Bristol . . . a gorgeous, quiet Pointer who spent a whopping 11 WEEKS at Prescott Animal Control. A couple down in the Valley saw her on the UAF website and made the trip to PAC just for her! She has been renamed "Hina" and is yet another wonderful success story!

A note from Bristol's new mom to ACO Larry: "I just wanted to thank you for all of your help in the adoption process. We named her Hina, a japanese word for sunshine. She loves her new home with us and we couldn't be more pleased with her either. She is learning new commands every week and has put on a few needed pounds since her adoption. She was the perfect addition to our home and I am very greatful to your facility and the volunteer group that posted her on the website, without which we would not have found her. She was well worth the wait and the drive! I've attached a photo of her if you are interested in sharing her success story on your board, mostly though I just wanted to express our gratitude and say thanks once again." We never get tired of these stories!!!

Adoptable Mutt of the Month: Rainer

2009-07-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

As Rainer will tell you, life isn’t always easy and it’s certainly not always fair. But according to Rainer – a sleek shepherd mix with a very beautiful spirit – you have to keep movin.’ We don’t really know what Rainer’s past life was like. He is incredibly affectionate and clearly loves people, but there’s a timidity to him too – just a little bit of uncertainty. He’ll sit, for instance, before you’ve even had the chance to ask. He just really wants to impress you is all, and wants you to know that he – Rainer – is a really good dog. He’s getting up in the years – probably around three to five years old now, so he’s really ready to settle down and enjoy the quiet life. Sure, he’d still love to go out for a daily stroll around the neighborhood, but his galavanting days are behind him. Now, he seems to really understand that what matters most in this life – fair and unfair – is having someone to love you unconditionally. If there was ever a dog who deserved love like that, Rainer is without a doubt, without even a smidgeon of doubt, that dog.

Kitten Cruelty Case Continues in Prescott

2009-07-03T11:28:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, it's frightening to learn how close to home vicious acts of animal cruelty often occur. United Animal Friends has been closely following the criminal trial against Laura Ann King, a Prescott Valley resident accused of killing her six-month old kitten. King has since attempted to blame the death of the kitten on her rottweiler, despite witness reports of hearing King with the kitten inside her apartment. Thankfully, the reports of these responsible witnesses did not go unrecognized by Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Ralph Hess, who denied the defense motion concerning the rottweiler, and set King's animal cruelty court date for September 1st. The details are gruesome enough, but it is importnat that we realize what type of animal cruelty issues we're likely to have in our own community, and thus equip ourselves with better resources to combat the criminals and values behind those heinous acts. Yes, it's hard to read and acknowledge this type of flagrant disconcern for animal life, but if we are to make our community a safer place for animals, we have to first be informed. See the full Daily Courier article here. (Thanks to Linda H. for supplying the picture - to the right - of Laura King when she first adopted the cat . . . animal abusers are certainly not always obvious from the get go!)

Morsels of Goodness: Bear

2009-06-26T18:10:00.000-07:00

Just a few weeks ago, they were the infamous 'feral, KOA pups.' After being presumably dumped and consequently picked up at a KOA campground, a group of feral puppies - fifteen to be exact - were taken to Prescott Animal Control. Originally, United Animal Friends PAC liasons and volunteers were extremely worried for their survival, but as soon as word got out that we needed volunteers to help socialize the pups, well - you all came to the rescue. Just a few weeks passed before ALL FIFTEEN puppies were placed in foster homes and/or adopted! This month's Morsel of Goodness features the story of Bear, the very last of the feral pups to be adopted. Bear was a very, very frightened and timid young fella when we met him, but according to new dad, Jeff, he's re-adjusting splendidly now! (Special thanks to Barb C. for facilitating this adoption! Nice work, Barb!)

". . . he is just the happiest little pup. He sleeps all night but right away I get him out of his crate in the morning and hussle him outside so he can do his business. He then always wants hugs and kisses before running around outside and sniffing everything. He found a rawhide the other day and it is his new best chew thing! Yesterday he stayed in the outside kennel for the morning. I let him out at lunch to run around. I went inside to grab a bite to eat and when I came back out to find him he had gone back into the kennel all on his own - he likes it in there . . . all nestled in the straw and chewing his rawhide. He spent the afternoon inside the mudroom as it was raining heavily and I wanted him to stay dry! He is quite the snuggly pup - loves hugs and kisses!"

Prescott Animal Control Vote Postponed

2009-06-26T18:02:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, earlier this week the Prescott City Council postponed a voting session that would determine the future of Prescott Animal Control. Both Yavapai Humane Society and United Animal Friends are currently bidding to manage the animal control center in the coming fiscal year (2009-2010), but operations will continue as normal until the vote is rescheduled, presumably in a few weeks. Yesterday, the Town of Prescott Valley voted to accept their portion of the Yavapai Humane Society's proposal. Read the full Daily Courier article here.

Picture Perfect: Dandy Dawgs' Spay Neuter Walk

2009-06-19T12:40:00.000-07:00

Well, suffice it to say, it's been a long week. Here at Table Scraps, we thought everyone could use a bit of a breather, and we've got just the thing for the occasion. Last weekend's Spay / Neuter Dog Walk (hosted by Dandy Dawgs) was a huge success, so we've put together a slide-show recapping the fun. Hopefully, this'll remind us all why we do what we do. (Special thanks to Krys's husband for great pictures!)

YHS To Take Over Prescott Animal Control

2009-06-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

Well, it's finally out! In what is surely some of the most controversial news ever to hit the tri-cities rescue community, Prescott's Daily Courier reported today that the Yavapai Humane Society is attempting to take over management of Prescott Animal Control at the start of the 2009 fiscal year. According to the Courier report, Prescott City Council members will vote this week on whether or not to proceed with proposed two-year contract. Per the agreement, YHS will receive $49,334 a year to handle issues "pertaining to housing, care, adoption, disposition and return of unwanted, lost and aggressive dogs."

City Manager Steve Norwood cited public confusion about the difference between the neighboring facilities as part of the impetus for the contract, in addition to stating that ultimately for the City, "it didn't make sense to have our facility there." Interestingly, the article also mentioned that the City would keep on three animal control officers as staff, though the three officers (there are currently four ACO's) would not work in the animal control center. It has yet to be revealed how the proposed contract will work out in terms of space management, staff allocation on the Humane Society's part, or public awareness about the merger.
Currently, PAC works with the Humane Society for some medical and re-homing purposes, but many of the dogs who find their way out of Prescott Animal Control do so via the adoption processes of United Animal Friends. United Animal Friends also runs an extensive dog-walking volunteer program at PAC, and maintains a database of incoming animals at the pound, updated weekly. How these programs will be affected by the take-over is yet to be determined, but we may assume they will in the very least change dramatically, if not altogether cease.
So, we know some of you have some opinions about this - how it will change rescue operations here in Prescott and what it will do to the many stray and abandoned dogs who find themselves at Prescott Animal Control on any given day. Let's hear it!

Collar-Up Campaign!

2009-06-15T09:12:00.001-07:00

As the 4th of July weekend approaches, United Animal Friends (UAF) announces its "Collar Up" campaign. During 4th of July celebrations many dogs and cats go missing each year because fireworks send them into a panic. The best solution is to keep pets safely inside. However, if Fido runs off, a good fitting collar with ID tags and micro-chipping will improve his chances of a fast and safe reunion with his family. A permanent black marker can also be used to write his family name and phone number on a collar.
Anyone wishing to donate or pick up a gently-used collar can go to a UAF weekly adoption event, Saturdays, 8 A.M. – Noon , at Prescott Farmers Market at Yavapai College ; or Sundays, Noon–3 P.M., at Petco in Prescott. (Special thanks to Andrea and Krys for the write-up and organization!) For more information call UAF at 928-778-2924.

Adoptable Mutt of the Month: Alfred

2009-06-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, so not everyone knows this, but Alfred is actually a name reserved only for the most well-behaved, polite and HANDSOME dogs out there. So, just the fact that we’ve now named a dog Alfred should get some folks off their bums pretty fast! Alfred is a border collie / lab mix who is utterly lovable. Alfred is around five to seven years old, and though he’s a very big boy, he’s extremely gentle, friendly and affectionate. He’s also very laid-back and just seems totally at home in his own skin, with a sort of ‘that’ll do’ attitude that’s just infectious. Because he appears to be house-trained and walks so well on a leash, we think Alfred has definitely lived in a home before, and at some point along the way, he got neutered too! All this guy is waiting for now is someone worthy enough to take him home. It won’t be easy living up to the standards we think Alfred deserves, but if you ask him, he’ll tell you ‘that’ll do’ just fine!

Gaining Ground Against Breed-Banning

2009-06-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

Score! Last week, opponents of breed-ban legislation achieved a significant victory in Denver, Colorado. Backed by the AKC, three individual pet-owners took their case to the United States High Court of Appeals for the 10th circuit, where they argued against the constitutionality of Denver's pit-bull-ban. The city-limit ordinance, first instituted in 2005, outlaws "ownership or possession of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and the American Pit Bull Terrier." What's most outrageous to breed-ban opponents, though, is the standing bill's inclusion of any dogs who appear to display a "majority of physical traits of one or more of these breeds." (Read a summary of the events here.)
The recent ruling overrides a 2007 dismissal of the same suit, which means the plaintiffs can proceed with their case against the city of Denver, and continue their plight to overturn the breed ban - which is responsible for the deaths of at least 1,000 dogs since 2005.
While this is great news for those of us standing against breed-specific legislation, what we here at Table Scraps find even more inspiring is the AKC's involvement in the case. When one works or volunteers regularly in rescue, the importance of breed-specific regulations and standards falls to the way-way-wayside, and it becomes all-too-easy to disregard the importance of organizations like the AKC. But this is an excellent and extremely note-worthy example of the potential for partnership amongst groups who share a solid ideological foundation despite wildly disparate missions. Just think of the difference we might make by applying that type of mentality to the work of animal protection in general. Here here, to putting aside lesser grievances for the sake of a far more important cause.

Morsels of Goodness: Earl

2009-05-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

When we first met Earl, he was an incredibly sad little soul, picked up as a stray near the local Costco and taken direclty to the pound. No one ever came to rescue him, though, and Earl was just beside himself with fright - pacing back and forth in his kennel constantly. The animal control officers at the pound were worried about the old guy, so they called on United Animal Friends to help. UAF volunteers then called on someone just perfect for Earl . . . and the rest is history!

Earl's mom Susan gave UAF a recent update on this very special old soul . . . "I thought you would like to see the "new Earl" . . . as you can see he is just a part of the gang. He is getting very pretty with the brushing. And yes, I know he is spoiled but he deserves it! This is just another wonderful example of the great work that you all do at UAF . . . thank you for letting me be a part of it."

Adoptable Mutt of the Month!

2009-05-26T10:02:00.000-07:00

BRISTOL

Like all Pointers, Bristol knows exactly what she's after ... the scent! With a wonderful disposition, this two or three year old Pointer is a real sweetheart! She's about the size of a beagle - rather small for a Pointer - but everything else about her leaves little doubt what breed she is. Bristol came in with her pal Bijou, who has already been adopted. This gal needs a home where she can get plenty of exercise and stimulation; Pointers are incredibly athletic, smart dogs, so this girl wants to put those taut muscles to work! But just give her a chance, and she'll sniff her way right into your heart!

And The Table Scrap Goes To . . .

2009-05-26T09:50:00.000-07:00

Allie Werhan! Many of you know Allie as UAF's kitty angel! In the past month alone, Allie has found fosters or homes for 48 cats and kitties! That's a lot of feline success! Allie works the UAF Cat Adoptions at Petco every Sunday from 11AM to 3PM, along with fellow volunteers Linda and Kathy.

Allie explains her motivations: "I started with UAF by adopting a cat , moved on to scooping up a batch of kittens in front of Safeway that were being mistreated by some little kids, signed up to work the dog hotlines, worked
my way up to the cat hotlines and before I knew it, I was up to my UAF logo in alligators. I am a failed foster, having kept several of the kittens I have fostered. The kittens are the part I love best about my UAF life, then the friends I have made."

A Reformed Man?

2009-05-21T13:25:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, Michael Vick was released from federal prison yesterday, May 20th, after having served 19 months for operating an illegal dog-fighting ring and committing a slew of utterly heinous, unspeakable acts of cruelty to dogs. And now that he's out, it's certainly no surprise that he's claiming himself a reformed man. What does come as a surprise, however, is the fact that Vick has managed to align himself with the Humane Society of the United States, purportedly in an effort to educate the public about the horrendous - and illegal - nature of dogfighting.

So, can we really be expected to believe that Vick is a changed person? An L.A. Times journalist who wrote a feature on the news event posed the question well: "Is Vick, who not only financed a dogfighting ring but also reportedly "enjoyed placing family pets in the ring with fighting pit bulls and ... laughed as dogs ripped each other apart," really reformed? Is his desire to help the Humane Society simply a public relations move designed to get him reinstated in the NFL? "

And on another note, is this a wise move for the Humane Society? Interestingly, PETA entertained the notion of working with Vick in an anti-dog-fighting campaign before his release, but ultimately 'rescinded the offer.' And a blogger for PETA is now calling for a psychiatric exam to be taken by Vick before he starts this publicity crusade - to ensure he really does believe that dog-fighting is cruel and, importantly, morally wrong.

Certainly, the subject of second chances is one we frequently encounter in the rescue field. But does Vick deserve a second chance? And is Vick taking advantage of the Humane Society to mend his tarnished reputation, or is the Humane Society using Vick to push a more important message? Sadly, as always seems to be the case, the only real victims are the dogs - those rescued from Vick's infamous compound and those that didn't live long enough to see that day of reckoning arrive. The entire partnership, though, is an interesting precedent nonetheless, so what do you think?

Woof Down Lunch

2009-05-16T18:55:00.001-07:00

Today's Woof Down Lunch on the Courthouse square was a great success! Good money was raised for rescue; plenty of folks strolled through the area with their animals, and a lot of great vendors lended their support.

Here's a photo snippet of some of the day's fun:

To the upper left, some of the beautiful bowls event-goers went home with. To the upper right, CVAC's Arby showcases some serious talent.

Below left, UAF / PAC dog Olive with her new mom - attending the event after her first week at home! Below center, one of Hannah's (the BMD / Aussie mix) puppies - Mike - with his new forever family (a family who drove from CA to adopt him). And below right, a truly happy ending. Luke, formerly known as Chevy - the Prescott Animal Control dog who came in with an enormous tumor on his leg - with his new forever mom Hannah. And tumor free, at last!

All in all, a great day full of sweaty, giddy volunteers and vendors totally excited to share with the animal-loving public how great canine - and feline (there was that cat in the stroller!) - companionship truly is.

Morsels of Goodness: Maisy

2009-05-11T15:45:00.000-07:00

Darling Maisy is a gorgeous dog who first came to United Animal Friends a few years ago. Maisy was eventually adopted out of UAF, so the Prescott Animal Control / UAF volunteers were very saddened when someone recognized her BACK AT THE POUND! Luckily, we were able to swoop in and get her out fast. And, her stellar good looks and easy charm found her a new home - the perfect, and-this-time-we-mean-it forever home!
A note from Maisy's new forever mom, Carolyn:
"Here are the pics of Maisy on her first day. That is my Anatolian Capkin with her. He was very depressed after his buddy, Fred, a border collie had a stroke and I had to let him go. My husband died in October so things were pretty sad around here. Maisy has brought so much sweetness, love and happiness to us. Cappy is interested in life again. Maisy keeps trying to get him to play and he trys but at this point is just happy to have her around. I am delighted with her and her loving ways. She loves to chase the lizards in the yard and is a real hoot in her enthusiasm. Maisy is teaching me to clear my counters, she is quite adept at surfing counters even tho she is short. She and my cat have come to an understanding and I hope that they will be great friends."
Thank you, Carolyn! You are a true hero!