Austin Pets Alive and the ASPCA $100,000 Challenge.

We're down to the last three days of the ASPCA Challenge and thanks to your help, we're a main contender for the $100,000 prize for the most adoptions AND the $25,000 prize for community engagement.

$125,000 would save a lot more animals in Central Texas! We will use the money to continue pulling more and more animals from euthanasia lists from Central Texas animal shelters to spread no-kill from Austin to all of Central Texas.

But we still need your help to ensure we take home the grand prize:

First, we are offering $25 adoption fees for these last three days (October 29-31) for dogs and cats over 3 months old. And at our headquarters on Manchaca and our S. Congress location, all dogs and cats - including puppies and kittens under 3 months old - will be $25. We need to adopt out 150 dogs and cats over the next few days to reach our goal - please share our adoption special with your friends and family!

Second, we need your vote in the $25,000 Community Engagement contest. Please vote today, tomorrow, and Monday. The top three vote-getters will advance to the final round where the ASPCA will evaluate how well we engaged our community, which leads to the third way you can help:

If you adopted a pet from us during the Challenge, please upload your adoption story to the ASPCA website by Monday. These stories will be a part of the winning criteria for the last round of the Community Engagement contest.

Thank you so much for all of the help you've given to the animals of Central Texas! The ASPCA will announce the winners of the Challenge contests on November 30th, and we hope to be among them.

PS. Our Fall Petsival is tomorrow (October 30th). Come join us for games, music, and a free showing of Cats and Dogs from the Alamo Drafthouse Rolling Roadshow.

Life with Adonis, Canine Mental Illness

Over the past few weeks I've watched my friend go from being un-trusting to faithful, but there is a question in my mind.  If humans can have mental illness, can dogs?  The discovery of him not having ear drums, which explained him not responding to voice helped and now I'm working with him through doggie sign language.  He and I both have to learn it.

One on one with me Adonis does great, but when other pets are introduced he becomes aggressive again, like today when I brought home the two new Beagle/Terrier puppies.  He acted the same way almost two weeks ago when he and I came to house and dog sit for some friends.  Adonis became friends with Shadow within a few days and have played well ever since.  I've had my companion on Pet-Eze, a natural combination of herbs to help keep him calm.  It seemed to be working until today.

Now as I sit here, I watch my poor dog growl at something unseen as he stares into nothing.  He still occasionally growls and snips at me, but I've learned to growl right back and jump in his face to let him know he's on my turf.  He calms down for a bit, except tonight.  Is it the introduction of the 2 new puppies?  Is it something more serious?

I decided to foster the puppies after I saw how much Adonis enjoyed having another canine playmate, but now I'm not so sure it was a good idea.  I'll give him a few more days and hopefully he'll adjust like he did with Shadow.

But the thought still remains.  Is it possible that he has a mental illness, brain damage, or something else that causes his unfriendly behavior?  My heart weakens as I watch him stare into nothing and growl, my mind wonders what he sees.

I knew that he would require a special home, so I adopted him after fostering him for 2 weeks.  Patience and understanding I have with animals, there are times I wish I had such with humans.
Next week he and I will visit the vet to follow up with his ear infection, but I'm also going to be talking to the vet about heart worm treatments, and maybe finding him doggie Valium.  My friends all say that a dog is like their owner, so it's no wonder he's here with me - both almost deaf, both with mental disorders, and both with social stigmas.  I'm working on mine, through my therapist, my doctor and my psychologist.  Now to find a way to help my little companion.

Knowing that this next month is going to generate a great deal of medical bills for Adonis, I'm asking the universe to bring me some work to cover the extra costs, just like it did this month.  My only desire is to see him happy, healthy, and able to socialize well with others, human and animal.  For now, I enjoy the quiet as he has fallen asleep, but he's on my bed, so I'm sleeping on the floor.

I'll research as much as I can, learn, and find ways of helping him, as in between the episodes I see a loving, sweet, affectionate dog.  Adonis, you're safe with me and together we'll find a way.