Little Rock, Arkansas Dogs and Cats Who Need a Home

My campaign to help 1000 dogs and cats find homes this year continues. This time we focus on Little Rock, Arkansas and the pets available through CARE - Central Arkansas Rescue Effort for Animals.

CARE was established in 1998 for the dual purpose of rescuing abandoned dogs and cats facing euthanasia as well as to provide programs to help people get their pets sterilized. From a group of 4 initial volunteers, CARE has grown to the point where hundreds of volunteers devote thousands of hours to our rescue and spay-neuter operations. Since CARE does not have a shelter facility, they use their website as a virtual shelter where you can view pets available for adoption and submit an adoption application on line.

The animals pictured on this page are homeless, and in immediate need of a foster or permanent home. Who are they? These are animals that have been identified by CARE as adoptable pets. Where are they? These animals are currently housed at the animal shelter of one of central Arkansas’s municipal or county animal-services departments OR have been otherwise abandoned OR are living in some other situation where the animal cannot or should not remain.

If CARE can locate a volunteer foster home for these animals, then CARE plans to take them into its rescue program and proceed to search for a permanent (“adoptive”) home for each of them. The first step in that process is to place the animal in a foster home. CARE has no kennel or boarding facility of its own, but relies upon volunteers to provide temporary (“foster”) homes for the animals that are in its rescue program. For this reason, without volunteer foster homes, CARE's rescue program could NOT operate.

With respect to animals in the municipal or county animal-services shelters, each animal is assigned an “available date” that is based upon the date when the animal is admitted into the shelter. The “available date” is the date when the animal becomes available either to be adopted from the shelter or to be euthanized there. Each of these shelters is required to accept all animals within its jurisdiction that are surrendered to the shelter or are collected by the shelter in the course of its duties. Thus, unless an animal in the shelter is timely rescued by its owner or adopted directly from the shelter, the animal must be euthanized at some point after its ”available date” in order to make room in that shelter for more animals.

If you can open your heart and your home to save one of these lives, please contact CARE at telephone: 501-603-2273 or telephone: 501-804-2273 or email CARE at care@careforanimals.org.

Read their Foster Family Agreement & Fill Out a Foster Application On-Line

Sweetie Petey is a wonderful cat, who truly fits his name. He comes to CARE from Little Rock Animal Village where he was picked up as a stray. Sweetie Petey has a great disposition -- very affectionate with a calm, laid-back personality. He gets on well with other cats and seems to be okay with dogs as well. Sweetie Petey loves to be petted, and rolls back and forth on his back when he wants a belly rub. He also rides well in a car. Sweetey Petey is neutered and vaccinated; he will be microchipped. [01-23-09]

Jessie comes to CARE from the Mayflower Animal Control where she was found walking down a busy road. Jessie is a beautiful dog with a sweet personality. She is very smart and quickly learns commands. Jessie loves to cuddle and be close to you. She loves to play frisbee and will be happiest in a home with a yard. Jessie is being treated for heartworms; she will be vaccinated, spayed and microchipped. [2-12-09]

Marcy is a happy, active two-year-old yellow Labrador retriever. She is getting along well in her foster home and plays happily with the foster's two dogs and six-year-old daughter. Marcy loves playing with toys and playing chase with them. She loves to eat and happily sits for treats. In keeping with her Labrador-retriever genes, Marcy loves water. She does well with other dogs and children. Marcy has been spayed, vaccinated, and microchipped. She was a rescue from Benton Animal Control. Marcy is doing well with housetraining and walking on a leash. [12-28-08]

Buck comes to CARE from Mayflower Animal Control where he was picked up as a stray. Buck is a very strong, happy dog and is eager to learn. He knows basic commands like "sit" and "stay," and Buck loves his treats. He will be vaccinated, neutered, and microchipped.

Save a life today! Sometimes just a few extra days can mean the difference between life and death for a dog or a cat on "death row" at animal shelters. CARE is often asked to rescue gentle, well-mannered, healthy dogs and cats from animal control shelters and emergency situations. Their ability to help these animals is limited to the availability of foster homes. If you love animals, please consider opening your heart and home to one that might otherwise die.

I was lucky. I have a Mom and Dad who love me and I have lived with them for a very long time. Please help me give other cats and dogs the same opportunity. A foster pet may stay at your home for as short a time as two or three days. Sometimes, it takes a couple of weeks before he or she finds a permanent home. Fostering an animal, whether for a day or a week, is an incredibly rewarding experience.

Are your a Person who thinks "Gee, I'd love to foster, but I won't be able to let them go to another home." -- everyone at CARE has gone through that stage. One thought helps the most - if you let this one go to a great home (maybe not as great as yours, but still a very good one... ), that opens up your house to save another cat or dog.

Click here to find out more information about becoming a CARE foster home.

Save a life. Call today and foster or adopt a pet! Tell them Traveling Bob sent you!

501-603-CARE

Have You Fed The Birds Today?

Mom just came home from shopping. I saw the bag from the pet store and thought it was a treat for me. No such luck. All she bought was a bunch of bird seed! BIRD SEED!? I don't eat bird seed. I was a little upset - alright I was a lot upset. But then Mom reminded me how much I enjoy chasing birds. And she told me that in the winter, birds have a hard time finding food. She told me that it's so hard for them that people all over are joining together to remind others that they need to feed the birds. After listening to her, I felt bad that I had been mad. I like the birds. I can chase them. And when I'm tired and I'm just sitting in the sun, I can listen to them sing. It helps me sleep. I would not like a world without birds. So I've decided to do my part by sharing some information Mom got from the Wild Bird Center.

Consider that: - A typical backyard bird doesn't weigh as much as two nickels. - Birds spend most of their waking hours searching for food -- without the help of "hands" and "fingers". - They may consume 15% of their body weight overnight just keeping warm enough to survive. - Like mail carriers, they're outside in sleet, snow, wind and cold.

One-third of the adult population feeds wild birds in their backyards. Providing food, water and shelter helps birds survive, benefits the environment and supplements wild birds' natural diet of weed seeds and harmful insects.

Backyard bird feeding is an entertaining, educational and inexpensive pastime that can be enjoyed by children and adults. It provides a needed break from today's frantic lifestyles that helps keep families together. Young children are drawn naturally to the activities involved in feeding wild birds. Chickadees, for example, fly back and forth between a feeder and a nearby tree. On each trip, they take a single seed and fly to a perch. While holding the seed with their feet, they peck it open and eat the kernel. This can capture a youngster's imagination.

Adults enjoy the relaxation and peacefulness afforded by watching birds. Nature serves to relieve the stress and can get one's day going on a tranquil note. For example, the Northern cardinal is a common visitor to many feeding stations. A beautiful bird, the bright red male and his more camouflaged mate often will be the first at the feeder in the morning and last to leave at night. Mated for life, they can be observed sharing morsels of sunflower and safflower seeds during the nesting season.

Feeding wild birds in the backyard is an easy hobby to start, and it need not overtax the family budget. It can be as simple as mounting a single feeder outside a window and filling it with good-quality birdseed or oil sunflower seeds. This feeder can be a hopper, platform or tubular variety or one that sticks to the window.

Parents can challenge an inquisitive child's mind as they explore together these factors to encourage visits by their favorite birds. It also makes excellent material for school projects and reports. In fact, bird feeding is an excellent teaching tool. Children can assume daily responsibility for cleaning and filling the feeders. Different species of birds can be identified with a field guide. And the activity can be expanded form that point, depending on the interest of the family.

For example, suet products often are put out in wire baskets to attract woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees and others. Another variation of feeding is to provide sugar water in special red-colored feeders to attract hummingbirds in the summer. These little wonders of nature will hover right in front of you to drink, and present an entire bird study all by themselves.

If you offer water, particularly if it's dripping or running, you may attract birds that do not visit your feeders. Many interesting and eye-catching species are not seedeaters, preferring insects or berries instead. Adding a birdbath warmer to keep water from freezing in northern states during winter creates an oasis for bird watching. To round out the family's backyard birding program, birdhouses can be purchased to provide shelter in winter and breeding sanctuaries during spring for cavity-nesting birds.

Feeding backyard songbirds is an extremely popular wildlife-related recreational activity around the home. A stress-free and inexpensive activity, backyard birding brings a welcome flash of color and dash of motion and splash of sound into everyone's daily life.

Mom and I will fill our bird feeders tomorrow. She has lots of them all over our yard. We have a big yard so she needs them all. I hope you will feed them too.

Little Rock, Arkansas - A Great Destination

I decided to continue our tour of my home state, Arkansas, with a visit to the state capital. Little Rock offers lots of exciting things for you and your parents to do. Made famous by "Bill and Hil", Little Rock has become a favorite destination for travelers.

Where do you stay when visiting Little Rock? Like all good pet-friendly cities, there is a wide range of choices. But as usual, I have my favorite. It's where Mom and I stay whenever we're in town. The Comfort Inn and Suites Downtown is a nice hotel with a very friendly staff. The fact that they are also smoke-free is a huge plus. Cigarette smoke makes me sneeze and Mom cough. The beds are so comfy - plush, plush, plush! And they have microwaves and refrigerators, so Mom and I can have breakfast together. Some of the rooms even have recliners, so Mom and I can relax just like we do at home.

In Little Rock, the first place everyone wants to see is the Clinton Presidential Center and Library. The Center has numerous exhibits and Mom says it houses the largest archival collection in American presidential history. I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds important. Mom only goes when Dad or someone else is in Little Rock with her because she likes to look at the exhibits and I'm not allowed inside. But I am allowed on the grounds and trails by the river. Since Dad wasn't a fan of Bill's, he doesn't mind keeping me company on our walks while Mom satisfies her historical and political cravings. I do have to be on my leash while we walk, but it's so nice here, I don't mind a bit. I love being near the river!

History buff that she is, Mom also likes to visit the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History. She says General MacArthur was born right here (in the museum?) and that it honors Arkansas men and women who served in the Armed Forces, just like Dad and she did. I'm not that much of a history fan, so it doesn't bother me that I am not allowed in the buildings. I am allowed throughout the park and, just as when we visit the Clinton Center, Dad usually keeps me company while Mom goes inside. I sure have a great Dad!

After abandoning me to Dad all day, Mom usually feels guilty enough that she tries to make it up to me by taking me to the River Market District! It's always great, whenever we go. As long as I'm on my leash, I can go with Mom through all the streets of the district and even some of the open air restaurants. She always lets me have some BBQ - even though it's not all that good for me. I do only get a few bites. And sometimes, if I've been especially good, she lets me have a bite of her caramel cheesecake. It's yummy! I don't get as many treats as I used to though. I'm still on that diet.

After caramel cheesecake and BBQ, we go to Paws Park at Murray Park for some exercise. Paws Park is a fenced, OFF-LEASH, dog park. It has fences so the big dogs are kept away from little dogs like me. And there are water troughs so I can drink whenever I'm thirsty. Mom and I will play for a while and then she and I will sit on one of the benches and rest before dinner.

MY favorite place to eat is the Arkansas Burger Company. They have the best burgers in town - and you know how I love burgers! I like to sit at the outside tables and share a "Hog" with Mom and Dad. (For you non-burger lovers, a "Hog" is the world's best bacon cheeseburger!).

I just love it when Mom says lets go to Little Rock for the weekend. It has everything needed for the perfect dog-friendly getaway.

February is Adopt a Rabbit Month

You know I'm on a campaign with my Mom this year to help as many homeless animals - 1000 is my goal - to find the same type of happy home as I have. And while I do spend most of my time promoting dog and cat adoption, there are those Moms and Dads who just aren't cat or dog people. Hard to imagine, I know, but it's true. But I have a solution for them. How about a rabbit?

February is Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month. The House Rabbit Society and the ASPCA are encouraging rabbit adoption with the theme for this year's celebration - "Warm Your Heart, Warm Your Home - Adopt a Rescued Rabbit."

Marinell Harriman, founder and president of HRS, explains that the timing of this educational effort couldn't be better. "As we move into the months preceding Easter, it is critical that we get the word out. There are thousands of rabbits in shelters around the country waiting for homes; many of these rabbits were babies purchased as a whim during last year's Easter season by families who didn't know how to care for and interact with them. Now the kids have grown tired of them, and parents have dropped them off at already-crowded shelters."

HRS's mission is twofold - to educate the public about these often-misunderstood companion animals, and to help rescue and "re-home" domestic rabbits. However, Ms. Harriman cautions, rabbits are not for everyone, and therefore House Rabbit Society volunteers work hard to educate the public about what rabbits are, and what they are not.

I don't know much about pet rabbits. All the rabbits at my house are not pets. I see them hopping around in the field sometimes and I think it might be great fun to chase them but Mom won't let me. But Ms. Harriman knows all about rabbits. She told me that rabbits can be wonderful indoor companions, get along with many other companion animals (including cats and dogs), are intelligent, affectionate and inquisitive, and can readily be trained to use a litter box. That's pretty smart. Even I don't know how to use the litter box! However, they can also be destructive. The ideal "rabbit person", in addition to being gentle, patient and eager to get to know a rabbit on his or her terms, must be willing to rabbit-proof their home to prevent destructive chewing. (See Mom - I'm not the only one who chews on things they're not supposed to).

Like the ASPCA, HRS says rabbits can and should be spayed and neutered - both for health reasons and also to help put an end to the animal overpopulation problem.

HRS also tries to teach people that rabbits are not always a good pet, especially for children. Even baby bunnies tend to be willful and independent, and do not enjoy being picked up and carried. HRS also cautions against buying or adopting a rabbit as a gift, or on impulse, as the novelty of having a new pet usually wears off. When a family realizes how much day-to-day work is involved, the rabbit is, unfortunately, often turned loose or surrendered to a shelter.

I have a bunny right here in Arkansas that needs a loving family. Her name is Maggie Mae and she is beautiful! And she sure would love to have a home of her very own. She lives in Little Rock, AR with a foster mom right now but waits for the day, just like I did in the shelter, when her Mom and/or Dad will come to take her home to stay. If you decide a rabbit is the right addition to your household, make adoption your first option. If you would like to adopt Maggie Mae, contact the Arkansas Pet Rabbit Network. Or contact your nearest House Rabbit Society Chapter or local shelter or rescue group to meet the rabbits who are waiting for homes in your area. Remember - tell the Bob sent you. And let me know when you bring your new bunny friend home so I can see how I'm doing towards my goal.

Also, this month, in honor of Adopt a Rabbit Month, for each purchase from the Travels with Bob shop (http://www.cafepress.com/travelwithbob), not only will Mom make a donation to the Petfinder Foundation, she will also make a donation to the House Rabbit Society.

Mom and Bob and Boomer Living - What Fun!

There's a great new resource for baby boomers available. Boomer-Living.com just went "live" recently and it's wonderful. My Mom is a baby boomer (and a Diva!) and she says it's already been valuable to her.

You might some familar faces when you visit! Most of you know my Mom, Melodieann Whiteley, is a meeting planner and site selection specialist. That means she travels - a lot! Thanks to a partnership between the Divas of Boomer Diva Nation and the editors of Boomer-Living.com, she shares those experiences with everyone through the Boomer Adventure column. She writes about the different places that make great trips for boomers and offers suggestions on where to stay, what to visit, and even where and what to eat. Mom has traveled widely for many years and she knows how to do so inexpensively and comfortably. Look for her recommendations at http://boomer-living.com/travel

There are a few other faces you might recognize - there's quite an assortment of Divas sharing their wisdom and experiences with the readers of Boomer-Living.com. BDN founder Beverly Mahone blogs about "Making Your Mess Your Message." I'm not sure what that means exactly. Mom doesn't like it when I make messes. I need to read Bev's blog so I can learn to make it my message. Then maybe Mom won't be so upset!

And Mom's friend and fellow Diva Rhea Becker shares her thoughts on all things 'boomer' with her blog "Boomers with a View." Mom just read me her story about the boomer pilot that saved the lives of his passengers by safely landing his plane in the Hudson river after it hit a flock of birds. Who knew a flock of birds could bring down a plane? (One more reason why I prefer to drive when we travel. I am not a bird-dog!) You can catch up with Bev and Rhea in the Coffee House http://boomer-living.com/coffeehouse/.

What's that? You say you see one more familiar face in the Coffee House? Yes, you're correct. That's me! I also have a blog on Boomer-Living.com. I am a boomer too, after all. And each week I'll be talking about my adventures traveling with my Mom, and offering advice on training your people to travel well and suggestion on how to take the best care of your Mom and Dad. I'm very excited that Mr. Doug (that's the guy who runs this whole thing) thought my blog was interesting enough to include. Ms. Bev, does this make me a Diva too? Oh...Mom just told me that only girls can be Divas. I guess I'll just have to settle for being Bob.

Please stop by http://boomer-living.com and check us all out. And let us know that you did - tell Mom, and Bev, and Rhea, and Mr. Doug that you heard about them here at The Adventures of Traveling Bob!

Teo and Pearly need homes!

As promised, this post features some of my Hot Springs brothers and sisters that are waiting to write their own story that ends with beginning life in a new home. All of these pets are available at the The Humane Society of Garland County.

The Humane Society Of Garland County was established in 1974. They were originally known as The Garland County Animal Welfare Association Inc. The H.S.G.C. is a non profit, 501(3) (c), donation funded no kill organization. Currently they care for over 100 animals. They have both dogs & cats at this time. The majority of their animals come to them as a result of abandonment, mistreatment, cruelty, and neglect - which means they would REALLY appreciate a home of their own with someone to love them! The H.S.G.C. functions mainly from volunteers, with only (3) part-time paid employees in the entire organization. As part of their mission since the H.S.G.C. was founded they concentrate on rehabilitating all animals that enter their facility so that they can become socially interactive and be placed for adoption. They have recently opened a low cost spay/neuter clinic on site in order to help control the unwanted,pet over population. If you like one of the pets listed below, or if you want to see other pets that are available, visit the shelter at 1249 Ault Loop, Lonsdale, AR.72087. The shelter is open Tue.-Sat. 11:00am-4:00pm Sun. 12:00-4:00. They are closed on Mondays. Or visit their web site at http://hsgconline.org/ for more adoptable pets.

Their adoption fees are as follows: Dogs-$60.00 Cats-$60.00. Requirements: you must have a fenced yard and be able to provide care for the animal. The animal must be spayed/neutered.

Contact the shelter today to adopt one of these great pets!'

Duke

Duke is a beautiful Redbone Hound. He was born approximately 2007. He was brought to the Humane Society as a stray. He weights about 60 pounds, has a beautiful red coat and is gentle and gets along well with the other dogs.

Teo

Teo is a female black lab. She also has a sister at the shelter named Rio. They are happy pups and are learning to walk on leashes. they live in the same run and would love to be adopted together but like sisters, they would be happy for each other if they had to be parted if they both got happy homes. They are both very sweet!

Sissy

My name is Sissy. I don't quite understand why I am here but all I know is my family split up. The nice lady in my family left and the nice man in my family travels long distance all the time and could not keep my sister and I any longer. They had us neutered so we can't have puppies, which we didn't want to do anyway. We are Shepherd mix, medium size and both of us are very pretty. We were born approximately 2006. We like other dogs and in our last house we were house broken. It was a little hard for us here at the Humane Society to get adjusted. We were afraid to go for walks but now we do and we are right next to each other, which we like very much. Both of us hope we can find another home, this time forever.

Pearly

Pearly is 8 months old. His mother and siblings were found under an empty trailer He loves to play. Will make someone a very good companion.

Remember, I have a goal of helping 1000 dogs and cats across the country find homes like mine by the end of the year. So if you adopt one of these pets, please let me know. I need to be able to track my success.

Dog adoption and cat adoption saves lives. Adopt a dog or adopt a cat and you'll have a friend for life! Contact this shelter, or contact another local humane society, animal shelter or SPCA. You'll be so glad you did. Just ask my Mom!

Even Dogs Fall in Love with Hot Springs!

This week we're taking a "virtual" trip to Hot Springs, AR! It's one of the first places Mom and Dad went after we moved here. They loved it so of course, after they adopted me, they had to to take me there to see what's so special about it. The answer - EVERYTHING. Hot Springs is a very friendly place - especially to little dogs!

You may have already noticed that Mom and I REALLY like staying at the Embassy Suites. It's not different when we go to Hot Springs. The Embassy Suites there is great - just like they always are. The Embassy Suites Hot Springs is located right in Hot Springs National Park. And it's just a few miles down the road to some of my favorite places to visit. All the rooms are suites which means I have plenty of room to stretch after our drive. And of course, it has three essentials for my comfort...nice cozy beds, a refrigerator for my snacks, and a TV. All the comforts of home. Pets up to 75 pounds are welcome, which means even big old Ginger can come with us sometimes. There is a $35 dollar per day charge, but Mom says I'm worth it, and besides, that includes a bed (which I never use - I sleep with Mom) and a pooch pack! You can check it out for yourself at http://hotsprings.embassysuites.com/. Tell them Bob sent you!

When we are really going to relax and get away then we do something special - we rent a cabin! I love it when Mom and Dad take me there. We stay at Five Points Lake Cabins - right on the lake. Take a look at the picture and you'll see just how gorgeous it is. Dad takes me fishing and

Mom and I go swimming. At night, we curl up in front of the fireplace and Mom reads, while Dad and I just relax. They even stock the refrigerator for your breakfast with eggs, bacon, English muffins, cinnamon rolls, milk, and orange juice, and also provide regular and decaf coffee for the coffeemaker! Once again, Mom has to pay a little bit extra for me. But any place that leaves me bacon can charge Mom anything they want! (Sorry Mom - but you know how much I love bacon!). If you want to learn more, email them at info@fivepointslakehamilton.com. Or call them at (501) 525-1622. Make sure you tell them that I told you about them!

Besides fishing and swimming, there are other things to do in Hot Springs. Sometimes we go for a cruise! We ride a riverboat on the same lake where the cabins are. It's called the Belle of Hot Springs Riverboat (http://www.belleriverboat.com/) and I can go as long as I stay on the outside deck and always wear my leash. It's fun to ride around the lake and look at everything, especially the mountains.

Mom loves gardens so just about everytime we go she has to visit Garvan Woodland Gardens (http://www.garvangardens.org/). It's a big garden, lots bigger than Mom's! We go there to walk around and look at all the beautiful flowers. I like sitting on the benches in the Nature Preserve. Mom's favorite is the Garden of the Pine Wind. Dad doesn't have a favorite. He just goes to keep Mom happy. He'd rather be fishing! There is a charge of $4.50 per pet and I must be kept on a leash at all times. I'm not allowed in the Gift shop. I have to stay on the pathways and Mom has to clean up after me. But still it's lots of fun!

Very soon (hopefully) there will be a dog park in Hot Springs. Mom says people are working hard to make the Hot Springs Bark Park. The land is ready, but they need to raise money for a parking lot, fencing, benches, water stations and a whole host of other things before it's done. You can help. Buy A Brick for only $55.00 and we'll have it laser engraved with your name or your pet's name, and place it in the park permanently! Mom says she's going to have my name put on one. That will be cool! My name in the dog park for everyone to see! I'll have to have her take me to see it when it's done so I can get a picture.

As you can see, Hot Springs is a great place. But as with all cities, it has it's share of pets looking for homes. So next week, I'll be telling you about some Hot Springs furry friends that would love to show you around their town - after you adopt them, of course!