Missing French Bulldog – Urgent Help Needed

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Shelley - Missing French Bulldog, Chicago Land Area

Shelley - Missing French Bulldog, Chicago Land Area

A Chicago area French Bulldog is missing, and volunteers urgently need your help.

Shelley is a seven year old, spayed brindle French Bulldog. She has a white chest. A photo is coming soon.

Shelley has been misssing since 11:15 am on New Year’s Day, from the rear of a house located on Woodland Drive, in Plano, Illinois. She was not wearing a collar, and is not microchipped. Her foster mom let her out for a pee, and Shelley took off into the woods. She has not been seen since, and it is cold in Plano, and getting colder.

Please – if you are in the Plano area, and able to assist with searching for Shelley, call Mary Scheffke at (773) 931 4860.

If you are anywhere in this area, please keep your eyes open for Shelley. It can be surprising how far and how fast small dogs can travel when they are scared and disoriented. Most Frenchies will seek out human companionship, happily getting into cars or going inside houses. Look for neighbours who might have found a dog recently.

Check CraigsList and Kijiji for notices of found dogs – occasionally Frenchies are listed as Pugs, Bostons or cross bred dogs. Please spread word about Shelley on Twitter, Facebook and other blogs.

Mary sent us an update on the search –

8 hours out there today with 2 dogs trying to track her- several volunteers- some hunters helping us- can’t believe a 7 year old frenchie got far! No fresh kill from coyotes in a 5 mile radius of our search. We have hire findtoto.com- they call neighbors in a certain mileage radius and ask if they have seen the dog and to watch for it-no luck yet. Praying that someone found her yesterday in daylight and are waiting for the holidays to call the police, vet or shelter- as she is friendly and would probably go to a house or people if she saw them- many houses and farms nearby the wooded area she took off in.

Mary Scheffke

Tattoos & French Bulldogs – the Ultimate Fund Raiser

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Out of Chicago comes the most awesome fund raising idea in the history of French Bulldog fund raisers – a Tat Fest!

From Chicago Now –

I’m sure if you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know how obsessed I am with my French bulldogs. We actually rescued one of our pups, Marshall, through the Chicago French Bulldog Rescue, a truly incredible organization that devotes so much time and money to bettering the lives of Chicago’s Frenchies.

This Saturday, the amazing tattoo artists from Insight Studios are donating their talents to the rescue.

On December 19 and 20 Insight Studios will be having a benefit for The Chicago French Bulldog Rescue. We will be donating 100% of the profits on those two days to help out The Chicago French Bulldog Rescue. Since these benefits are usually busy, we will NOT be taking appointments. It will be a “first come-first served” basis. Make sure you tell us you are here for the benefit.

Read the rest on Chicago Now, where you’ll also here the story behind this awesome tattoo of a little Frenchie named Gatsby –

French Bulldog Tattoo

French Bulldog Tattoo

I have my own French Bulldog tattoo, on the back of my left ankle. It’s based on this photo, of Bullmarket Versace as a puppy –

Bullmarket Versace

It was not particularly well done – I picked out a random, ‘open all night’ tattoo place on Yonge Street, and walked in on a whim, pulling this photo of out my wallet. I wanted it done with angel wings – a sort of guardian angel Frenchie, if you will. It turned out looking more like a small, squat gargoyle. I put up with it for years, and finally decided to have it removed, and better version done over top of it.

Timing, in this case, was everything – the weekend I had the first tattoo removal done, Rebel – Bullmarket Versace – dropped dead.

Coincidence? Of course. But still, a rather strange one that still bothers me to this day.

At any rate, if you’re in Chicago and in the market for some new ink, now would be the time to get it done. And hey, even if you aren’t, why not drop in and lend them support, and maybe make a donation. You just might get inspired to get your own Frenchie immortalized. Just do me a favor – don’t ever get it removed, if you get one.

The Infamous Mystery Clock Unveiled!

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Thanks to everyone who donated to the French Bulldog Village’s “We’ll Stop at Nothing” fundraiser, Kimberly Rice has reluctantly agreed to unveil the mystery clock.

Here is Charlotte’s official announcement –

Here is the infamous mystery clock!

The fundraiser was dominated hands down by Kristen Boone of MD, with Tyree Pace of California coming in a determined but distant second. Altogether, we raised $425.00 for the privilege of revealing the mystery clock in all its ugliness. Thank you to all who contributed to make this fundraiser possible.

We finally got to see the clock! Aw, Kimberly, it’s not that bad. Interesting muzzle, and I love the big stitches ala Frankenstein holding together the left side of the face!

Enjoy the clock, Kristen!

And, here it is –

French Bulldog Village's Mystery Clock Unveiled!

French Bulldog Village's Mystery Clock Unveiled!

Kimberly had a few words to say, in her own defense –

Charlotte,

If for one minute you thought I was fibbing about the true UGLINESS of this clock–well, here is the proof. OH MY GOSH!!! I cannot believe you are going to actually publish this!!!

I am going to have to send Kristin a REAL clock—I will let her pick the color and design. this one is just disturbing.

The muzzle even looks like it is bleeding.

Well, maybe not so much ‘in her own defense’, but at least she’s honest about this odd little clock’s faults. Personally, I think that this ‘ugly’ little clock (which was the forerunner of so many other, attractive clocks) is the absolute PERFECT fundraiser for French Bulldog Village, and the French Bulldogs that they help.

After all, FBV doesn’t always get the prettiest Frenchies into rescue. In fact, FBV seems to get more than its fair share of the halt, the lame and the down right ‘disturbing’ dogs. Look at poor Bella – hairless and stinky and not exactly a French Bulldog beauty queen. And yet in her own way, Bella IS beautiful – just like this clock, Kimberly. Your clock shines with inner beauty (OK, maybe that’s just the glare off of the bloody stitches, but you get the idea).

Either way, now you can’t say that you haven’t been forewarned – when it comes to raising money for French Bulldogs (and the occasional pug, Frenchie mix, and ‘oh, what the hell – if you squint it sorta looks like a Frenchie’), FBV will STOP AT NOTHING!

And remember, just because this fundraiser is over doesn’t mean that you can’t still give to FBV. After all, the world needs to have a place where the not so pretty French Bulldogs can turn to for help, and that place is French Bulldog Village. Let’s help them keep their doors open, so that no dog is turned away.

Use the paypal button below to give – don’t make us show you more photos of the clock.

Newsday Article Epic FAIL

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Cassandra DiPietro, wife of NHL hockey player Rick DiPietro, and Beth Stern, wife of Howard Stern, hold two of the 150 dogs that arrived Wednesday at the North Shore Animal League. "OMG u guys, it's just like getting a puppy from a pet store! Let's get all our friends one for Christmas".

Cassandra DiPietro, wife of NHL hockey player Rick DiPietro, and Beth Stern, wife of Howard Stern, hold two of the 150 dogs that arrived Wednesday at the North Shore Animal League. "OMG u guys! Let's get all our friends a puppy for Christmas".

Here’s a hint for the reporters (and editors!) over at NewsDay.Com – do you know what rescue groups like Northshore Animal League and Best Friends Animal Society don’t like? They don’t like the idea of puppies as Christmas Presents. They really, really don’t like it at all.

That’s why they probably don’t appreciate you headlining your article (which was more about showing off celebrity wives than it was about the dogs) –

“Need holiday gift ideas? 150 dogs need a home”

Article here.

I can barely run a snippet from it, as the article is about as sketchy as the mental skills of the genius who came up with that headline, but here’s the first paragraph –

About 150 dogs rescued from Midwest puppy mills were taken to North Shore Animal League America in Port Washington, the shelter said in a news release Wednesday.

The dogs include those used for breeding, as well as adolescents and puppies, the agency said.

The breeds include dachshunds, westies, French bulldogs, poodles, Boston terriers, beagles, Brussels griffons and bichon frises, according to the release.

No word about where the dogs came from (big raid? Kennel foreclosure? USDA violations? Who knows), but a cheery note about how they’ll be available to take home soon. Sort of like pet store puppies, huh? Yeah, I bet Best Friends and Northshore just love this story.

Update: after being tipped off by Charlotte, I took a look at NSAL’s website. 55 dogs listed as available – 48 of them puppies. They have NO senior dogs available for adoption. None.

Anyone who has done rescue for any length of time knows that adult dogs and seniors in need of homes FAR outweigh puppies – and yet NASL is importing them in from out of state?

I think I must be missing something here – how DOES this differ from Pet Stores who ‘import’ puppies in from the mid west?

“Oreo’s Law” Would Give Dogs Second Chance

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Oreo's Law Would Give Animals a Second Chance

Oreo's Law Would Give Animals a Second Chance

Wonderful news over on Nathan Winograd’s blog – a possible law in NY state making it illegal for shelters to kill animals when there is a group or welfare organization willing to take them.

From Nathan’s Post “Betrayal at the ASPCA” –

‘Oreo’s Law’ Would Give Dogs a Second Chance at Life

MANHATTAN — A bill to allow animal welfare organizations the right to request animals be given to their care when a shelter is planning to euthanize them will be introduced in the State Legislature this week by Assembly Member Micah Z. Kellner and State Senator Thomas K. Duane.

The bill is named Oreo’s Law in memory of a pit bull mix who became well-known after she survived abuse at the hands of her former owner, including a fall from a six-story building, but was eventually euthanized after the ASPCA determined she was untreatably aggressive. Pets Alive Animal Sanctuary, a no-kill animal shelter located in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains, specializing in the rehabilitation and care of abused animals, offered to take Oreo, but the ASPCA refused the request.

“As a dog owner and a foster parent for an animal rescue group, I was heartbroken to learn that Oreo was euthanized. When a humane organization volunteers their expertise in difficult cases, a shelter should work with them to the fullest extent possible.” said Assembly Member Micah Z. Kellner. “I am hopeful that Oreo’s Law will ensure that no animal is ever put to death if there is a responsible alternative.”

Read the rest here, and do everything you can to support the passing of this law. It should be in place in every country, every state and every province. There is simply NO reason for dogs – or cats – to be put to death when there are groups willing to take them.

Are you listening, Tom Skeldon? This means no more killing Pit Bulls and Pomeranians, when there are groups lined up begging to give them a chance at life.

And speaking of Tom Skeldon, check out the people actually patting him on the back and saying he’s doing ‘the best he can with the resources he has’. Sort of reminds me of Bush’s famous quote, “You’re doing a hell of a job, Brownie”.