More Shelter Dogs Saved

This morning 5 more Camarillo shelter dogs were whisked away to safety via a road trip to Oregon. Another 10 are scheduled to fly out on September 12. Little by little, small "packs" of dogs are being rescued and either fostered, adopted or transported to new homes. Rescue is not the WHOLE solution to shelter overpopulation, but it's a start...

You can check out the transport arm of P.A.P.A. at http://www.papa-alliance.org/

...and follow us on Facebook!

PORTLAND WELCOMES THEIR FIRST P.A.P.A. POSSE

Well, another team effort saved 6 more small dogs from the Camarillo shelter this weekend...A wonderful , safe haven in Portland has agreed to take and rehome 6 to 10 small Camarillo shelter dogs each month and the first shipment headed north on June 3. Several volunteers had pulled and fostered one or more dogs  earlier in  the week, then another volunteer gathered them together, crated them and sent them on their adventure. One fellow, Oliver, was such a hit during the trip he was actually adopted by the driver! It just proves how much some of these dogs improve in their personality after just a few days out of "lock up". The shelter is a frightening place and many dogs, especially little ones, are in shock while there. They stand in the shadows, shaking or they bare their teeth as a natual defense reaction....which does not make them attractive to potential adopters.

This is not the first, nor will it be the last time, we have pulled dogs with questionable temperament notes, only to discover them to be loving, well behaved companions. 

(6 more chihuahuas are headed to San Rafael next week, and then another Portland Posse the week after that. Watch for all the transport news here!)


Unfortunately, the same week these 6 dogs hit the road for Portland, the shelter needed more kennel space and euthanized 22 others. We are making progress and saving lives, but we have a long road ahead of us.


Thank you to everyone who is helping push, pull and drag this mission forward. Even baby steps will eventually bring you to your destination...every piece of the puzzle, no matter how small, is part of the whole amd every life saved, matters. From picture takers, to those who network or distribute literature or groom or foster or recue or adopt...EVERYONE can help and EVERYONE who helps, makes a difference.

The "Portland P.A.P.A. Posse" ... Bound for Oregon!

Tracy at Peppy Foundation has agreed to spearhead some ground transport opportunities for our Camarillo Shelter dogs starting with a team of 8 who will head out for Portland next week...these will cost much less to ship than the "flying chihuahuas"...so it is a wonderful alternative and will help keep dogs moving out of the overcrowded shelter here. We have been able to identify several wonderful destinations and will move as many dogs as we can, as regularly as we are able, taking advantage of any opportunity that presents itself. Donations for these transports can be made at the Peppyfoundation site or by check payable to Peppy, mailed to P.A.P.A..

In the meantime we are busy creating a band of volunteer groomers who will try to get the shelter dogs looking their very best and also more comfortable as the hot weather approaches. Tammy at saveashelterdog, intends to coordinate this effort and train the volunteers as necessary.

Next on the agenda,  we'll tackle an increased awareness and access to spay/neuter services with an emphasis on the pit bulls. Several local spay/neuter organizations are on board...details to follow...

Please check back here often and also keep an eye on the VCAR Rescue Blog where we keep track of the dogs with the oldest impound dates and those at risk for any other reason.

Until we can DECREASE the number of dogs and cats coming in...we have to find ways to INCREASE the number moving on to safety. Holler if you can help!

Rescuers to the Rescue!!!! 49 more dogs moved to safe shelter...

On Tuesday, while P.A.P.A. volunteers were retrieving 8 small dogs from the shelter for their escape to New Hampshire by plane, Sharon Gold from  "HopeForPaws" was walking the kennel with Denise Callaway, the kennel supervisor, carrying a clipboard. They identified 41 dogs who Sharon chose for her "road trip" to Montana on May 23rd. Local rescuers had been in discussions with Sharon to coordinate a mass transport, and Sharon took the ball and ran with it. Due to her efforts, 41 dogs were pulled out of the shelter on May 22 and are now on the road to safety.

Unfortunately, even with 8 dogs leaving together on May 18 and a list of 41 more who would be leaving on May 22, the shelter elected to euthanize more dogs for space on May 18 and May 19. The list of dogs that were killed included a 3 month old pit bull puppy named "Honey" who had a new safe no-kill shelter and arranged transport waiting for her...and "probably" an Interested Party Hold. When asked to identify all the dogs euthanized on those two dates, the shelter was silent, so P.A.P.A. has issued a request under the California Public Records Act.

As a public facility staffed by public employees, the shelter is supposed to operate with complete transparency. The animals in the shelter's care are OUR animals and WE are responsible to see that they are treated with care and compassion and given every opportunity to find new forever homes. The only way for us to know how well we are meeting their needs is with the information being sought. Good, bad, or ugly, there should have been nothing threatening about providing data if we ALL share the same vision.

The animals need and deserve our best efforts. We will review the records and then create a "report card"...identifying the areas of strength and where, as a community of animal advocates, we can make improvements. Stay tuned for updates...

Euthanized for unknown reasons

"Honey"....had a new home in Phoenix and a ride to get there. Two different rescue organizations notified the shelter on May 16 when this video was taken, and again by e-mail on May 18 that she was "spoken for".....

Honey breathed her last breath on the afternoon of May 19. 2010 - euthanized for unknown reasons.

8 Little Flyers Depart for Boston!

We rescued 8 more small dogs from the Camarillo shelter this morning and they are now on their way to a safe, no kill shelter near Boston where their forever homes await them (6 chihuahuas, a pom and a Scottie).

Thanks to generous donors, Tiny Loving Canines, the Peppy Foundation, and with the help of Kinder4Rescue, small dogs at the shelter have now received a "reprieve" from the euthanasia lists made necessary by the chronic overpopulation at the shelter. 

Working together, we were able to demonstrate a commitment to these little ones and, seeing that, the shelter agreed to hold small dogs off their euth. lists...hoping we can keep up the good work. The "team" has been able to do what none of us alone could have...and if there were more hands on deck, we could save even more dogs and cats.

But, it's a start...a good start...and it shows how a "coalition" of animal rescuers can achieve great things, without taking away from their individual identity and purpose. Won't YOU... "Come to P.A.P.A."...and lend your support and resources for "the greater good"?...

Stay tuned as new and exciting transport options come on line, as well as the programs designed for longer term results. If we do not work toward a no kill shelter now, exactly when will a better time come? And if those reading this blog are not on board, who can be expected to step up?  

Now is the time, and we are the people.

NINE MORE SMALL DOGS FLOWN TO SAFETY ON MAY 12....

On May 12, 9 more small dogs from the Camarillo Shelter were flown to safety...unfortunately, the mercy flight was too little, too late for "Fat Girl", a 10-month Terrier/Heeler mix who was euthanized by the shelter the same day.

It is a sobering reminder of the losses we will continue to sustain while the shelter population remains so high. Programs to decrease the number of dogs and cats that enter the shelter take time to build...and in the meantime, we are still losing wonderful companion animals at an alarming rate.

Mass transports provide immediate, though expensive, relief ...so we will continue to explore these avenues to save as many dogs as we are able in the short term.

Generous donors have provided enough money to fly about 10 more dogs to safety and Tiny Loving Canines has selected the next squadron and placed an "IP" (interested party) hold on them on behalf of P.A.P.A.....We are looking for just the right shelter for them as Boston and their volunteer vet staff have been delayed in their intake processing and are unable to accept any dogs this week.

Hopefully, these IP holds will keep this set of little ones safe and they will not suffer the same fate as the puppy, "Fat Girl"...who also had an IP hold when she was killed.