Carolina Mountain Dog

"My Furry Valentine" - Adoptions Just $14!-Asheville, Feb. 10-11

Your "furry Valentine" could end up being the love of your life! On Friday and Saturday, February 10 and 11, that furry Valentine will be waiting for you at the Asheville Humane Society Adoption Center, 14 Forever Friend Lane, Asheville. Hours will be from 12 to 6 PM both days.

Stop by and see all the adorable adult dogs and cats (6 months and older) available for just $14 each in honor of Valentine's Day. You'll also get to taste a free scrumptious sample of cakeballs, Asheville's newest gourmet dessert craze, courtesy of Biltmore Cakeball Bakery (located at the Biltmore Square Mall). And you can buy a Valentine's gift box of cakeballs at a special price while you're there.

Don't miss out on the love! Come to the Adoption Center Feb. 10 and 11. It's located at the intersection of Brevard Road and Pond Road, near the Farmers Market. To see all the animals available for adoption, visit www.ashevillehumane.org.

Fosterpalooza 2012, Asheville, Jan. 28

Fostering an animal is a way to share your love with a dog or cat in need –- and it can be a wonderful learning experience for the entire family.

To introduce families to the joys of fostering dogs and cats, Asheville Humane Society is sponsoring  FOSTERPALOOZA 2012, a free event, on Saturday, January 28, from 1 to 3 PM at the Adoption and Education Center, 14 Forever Friend Lane, Asheville.

At this family-friendly event, the public will learn how to share the love by fostering an animal for Asheville Humane Society. A foster mom will make a presentation and attendees can speak with foster parents of kittens, puppies, cats, and dogs. Bring the children -- they'll meet some foster animals and participate in fun activities.

Find out everything you need to know about fostering an animal. Come to FOSTERPALOOZA 2012! For more information go to: www.ashevillehumane.org.

Photo credit: Image: SOMMAI / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Winter Paws Dog Show, Blowing Rock, Jan. 29

Show off your four legged best friend or just come to see the cutest dogs in the Blowing Rock area in the Winter Paws Dog Show!

 

Part of the Blowing Rock Winterfest celebration, this special event will be held on Sunday, January 29 at 1:30 PM in the Blowing Rock Elementary School gymnasium on Morris Street, Blowing Rock, NC. Categories include Smallest, Largest, Best Smile, Most EAR-ristible Ears, Most Adorable, Best Handshake, Most Mysterious Heritage, Best Tail-Wagger, Most Glamorous, and Best Dog/Owner Look-a-like.

 

Participants can register in advance or at the door. Registration at the door begins at 12:45 PM. There is a $10 entry fee for the first two categories and $15 for three or more categories. the winner from each category goes on to compete for the title of "People's Choice" and "Grand Prize. "

 

Proceeds from the Winter Paws Dog Show go to the Watauga County Humane Society. The show is sponsored by The Pet Place of Boone and the Watauga County Humane Society.

Download the entry form here.

New Transport Program Helps WNC Animals

On December 14, Appalachian Animal Rescue Coalition (AARC), a new life-saving alliance, began regular transports from WNC to rescue organizations in the northeastern United States, where spay/neuter laws have been so successful that the destination agencies have more people eager to adopts pets than animals available for adoption.

AARC has been organized by Animal Compassion Network (ACN), a rescue organization that serves all of Western North Carolina, P.A.W.S. Animal Shelter in Bryson City, Jackson County Humane Society (ARF) and Charlie’s Angels Animal Rescue in Transylvania. 

What makes AARC different from other transport programs is that the four WNC rescue organizations are working collaboratively to help more dogs, including those from outlying counties where help is not as readily available. AARC has formed partnerships with northern safe-for-life rescue organizations that are ready and willing to receive transports on a monthly basis so they can meet the higher demand for adoptable pets in Massachusetts and New Jersey. The dogs who are transported will come from Buncombe, Haywood, Swain, Jackson, Transylvania, Madison and Rutherford counties. 

Volunteers are needed to fill several roles and donations are needed to cover transport expenses. Donations will help defray transport costs. Checks may be sent to Animal Compassion Network (write Transport Program on the memo line) at 803 Fairview St., Asheville, NC 28803. Anyone interested in being a foster or a transport-loading volunteer – or who has questions first – should contact Angie Wilt at aarccoordinator@gmail.com or at Animal Compassion Network’s Pet Harmony pet store for rescued pets at (828) 274-3647.

Brother Wolf Holiday Open House-Dec. 18, Asheville

You are invited to the Holiday Open House at Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, 31 Glendale Avenue, Asheville, on Sunday, December 18 from 12 to 4 PM. Come to Brother Wolf's adoption center and enjoy free refreshments, projects for kids, sweet treats for sale, gift ideas for pets and people, and free "pawdicures"!

Bring a gift for the animals from the wish list found at www.bwar.org/donate, tour the adoption center, and get 50 percent of all merchandise at the Second Chances Thrift Store on this day only. For more information visit www.bwar.org.

7 Home Remedies for Your Dog

When your dog is feeling a little blah, you may be able to administer a treatment that you have around your house. That's right, home remedies exist to make Fido feel fine.

Find out how things like Vitamin E, plain yogurt, and chamomile tea could do the trick in this helpful article from Care2, adapted from PetMD.

If you haven't discovered Care2.com, by the way, take a look at the site. Of particular interest to dog lovers is the Animal Welfare cause section, which covers a wide variety of stories from around the world about animals.

Santa Paws and Open House-Dec. 10, Boone, NC

Bring your family and your pet to visit with "Santa Paws" and have your family pet portrait photograhed on Saturday, December 10 from 1 to 5 PM during a Holiday Open House at the Watauga Humane Society's new Irma Baker Lyons Adoption and Education Center, 312 Paws Way in Boone, NC. Please bring gifts for the animals too!

For more information, visit wataugahumanesociety.org, or call 828-264-7865.

 

"Starwolf Weavings" Support Full Moon Farm

Wrap yourself in the "Spirit of the Wolf" and help a good cause at the same time! Starwolf Weavings was born of a desire to find a way to combine Dianne Woni Lea's love of knitting into much need funds for wolfdog rescue. Dianne uses collected undercoat of captive bred wolves and wolfdogs (Spring blow) sent to her from rescues and sanctuaries. It is processed at a local fiber mill and combined with sheep fleece and is spun into the "Wolf 'n Wool" yarn. Wolf 'n Wool yarn is combined in each item Dianne makes. It is soft and reminiscent of angora fiber. It develops its own fluffy "halo" the more it is worn.

Hat and scarf sets are $89; hats are $25, and scarves are $75.  Shawls can be rectangle or triangle and are $150. All items are hand-knit, each one is unique, and none are exactly the same. You can reach Dianne on Facebook (Dianne Woni Lea of Starwolf Weavings) or email her: dianl@cascadeaccess.com. Choose your colors from a vast selection of colors and place your order for a custom-made Wolf 'n Wool shawl or scarf & hat set. 100% of all monies generated from sales will go directly to rescue efforts at Full Moon Farm. You may pay directly to Full Moon Farm at fullmoonfarm.org. Once you have made your purchase Dianne will contact you for color preferences. When the project is complete, in 2-3 weeks, it will be mailed directly to you. Full Moon Farm is a nonprofit organization in Black Mountain for abused and refused wolfdogs. 

Gingerbread Doghouse Competition, Asheville, Dec. 4-7

For a few days in December, the illustrious Grove Park Inn in north Asheville is turning itself into the Grove "Bark" Inn with its sponsorship of a gingerbread doghouse competition and display from December 4 through 7. This fundraising event, new this year, will benefit local pet charities Animal Compassion Network, Asheville Humane Society, Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, Humane Alliance of WNC, and Paws on a Mission.

Similar to The National Gingerbread House Competition held at the Grove Park Inn annually, contestants are invited to build a doghouse made entirely of edible materials. But the unique twist is that entries must be constructed and composed completely of dog-edible materials.  A panel of judges will select winners in each category and display attendees will each vote for the "People's Choice" award.

For more information about the event click here

Supporting Dogs in Afghanistan

American Dog Rescue is a nonprofit organization that works towards the goal of "no healthy dog without a home." The organization funds a number of projects and has recently teamed up with a British nonprofit called Nowzad Dogs to help raise money to rescue and rehabilitate the more than 500 abandoned dogs in Afghanistan and Iraq.

 

Nowzad Dogs is named after the war-torn town of Now Zad in Afghanistan. The organization was started by Pen Farthing, a former Royal Marine, to save support dogs of military personnel in Afghanistan. It is the first, and only, dog rescue organization now serving Afghanistan’s dogs. Through Nowzad’s work, neglected and undernourished dogs are relocated to western countries where they can find the love, care, and attention they deserve.

 

 For some of the many stray dogs in the Middle East they now have a guardian for the first time in their lives. Dogs that serve our troops as emotional support animals and become socialized in this effort deserve to earn their stripes in the form of new homes. They cannot be left behind to return to a homeless feral life because they will not survive.

 

For more information or to make a donation to Nowzad through American Dog Rescue please visit http://www.americandogrescue.org/philanthropy/help-support-nowzad-dogs/  

Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner at Plant Benefits Animal Haven

On Wednesday evening, November 23, from 5 to 9 PM, Plant, the new vegan restaurant in Asheville, will offer its version of Thanksgiving dinner. The menu features a 3-course dinner including truffled Ivy Creek Farm rutabaga bisque, roasted pumpkin seed crusted seitan, and hazelnut cream cake. You can see the complete menu at Plant's website. Dinner is $30 per person and optional wine pairings is an additional $14. Reservations are strongly recommended; call (828) 258-7500. Plant is located at 165 Merrimon Avenue in Asheville.

Proceeds from this special dinner will benefit Animal Haven of Asheville, a refuge for homeless and abused farm animals as well as dogs and cats.

This is a good opportunity to check out Plant if you haven't already done so. This blogger has enjoyed brunch at Plant and I highly recommend it.

Tails and Trails 5K, Asheville, Nov. 19

The Fifth Annual Tails and Trails 5K will be held at the beautiful Buncombe County Sports Park on Saturday, November 19. The Timed 5K Run will be at 8:30 a.m and a 5K Fun Run/Walk for dogs and their owners at 10:00 a.m. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Asheville Humane Society and the Buncombe County Sports Park.

When
Saturday, November 19th, 2011
8:30 a.m. 5K Run (Timed) $100 first place prize (male/female)
10:00 a.m. Run/Walk for dogs and their owners

Where
Buncombe County Sports Park

58 Apac Circle Asheville, NC 28806

Park information: http://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/parks/facilities/parks/BCSports.aspx

 

Price
$25.
An individual can also run both races for $35.

 

Registration
Mail-in (through November 9th), Day of race 7:45-8:15 a.m.; 9:15-9:45 a.m.

 

Other Information
Please note that the course has been measured by a USA Track & Field Professional and will be certified 30 days prior to race day. All times for the 8:30 a.m. race will be official and chip-timed.  

There is also a $100 cash prize for first place male and female in the 8:30 a.m. race.
Please note that all dogs must be on a leash and have current vaccinations for the 10:00 am Run/Walk.

 

REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE ONLINE

http://www.buncombecounty.org/payOnline/TailsAndTrails/  

 

Participants are encouraged to bring donations for the Asheville Humane Society.

Shelter Appreciation Week, Nov. 6-12

November 6 through 12 has been designated National Shelter Appreciation Week by the Humane Society of the United States.

It's always great to show your appreciation to your local animal shelter, of course, but please recognize their efforts during this special week. The Humane Society of the United States suggests you get involved with your local shelter in the way you feel most comfortable. For example, you can:

• adopt a homeless animal
• volunteer at the shelter
• provide a temporary foster home for a shelter animal
• donate money or supplies that go directly to animals in need
• become a fan of your local shelter's Facebook page and join in their Facebook discussions
• advocate adopting pets from shelters

 Visit our list of shelters and animal rescue organizations in the Carolina mountains.

Taste of Compassion, Asheville, Nov. 10

The eighth annual Taste of Compassion wine tasting and silent auction, benefiting Animal Compassion Network (ACN), will be held on Thursday, November 10 from 6 to 9 PM at The Venue, 21 N. Market Street, Asheville.

The evening includes tastings of more than 30 wines from around the world, courtesy of Mutual Distributing, hors d'oeuvres and desserts donated by area restaurants, a silent auction and music by local "gypsy jazz" band One Leg Up. A trolley service will be available from nearby free parking lots.

Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at ACN's pet store for rescued pets, Pet Harmony, 803 Fairview Street, Asheville, or online at www.animalcompassionnetwork.org.

Pet Adoptathon, Asheville, Oct. 29-30

Animal Compassion Network (ACN) presents the 12th Annual Prestige Subaru Howl'oween Pet Adoptathon on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29 and 30, from 11 AM to 5 PM. The event will be held at Pet Harmony, 803 Fairview Street, Asheville, and across the street at the Province 620 restaurant on Hendersonville Road.

In addition to cats and dogs available for adoption from area rescue groups, breed rescues, and shelters, there will be costume contests with great prizes, free pet portraits, a low-cost shot clinic, and a Trick-or-Training booth. Mix 96.5 FM will be doing a live remote. Pets, kids, and adults are invited to come in their funniest, cutests, or scariest costumes!

For additional information, visit http://www.animalcompassionnetwork.org/

Last Yappy Hour-Asheville, Oct. 27

Asheville Humane Society invites all dogs and their owners to the last Yappy Hour of the season! It will be held on Thursday, October 27 from 4 to 7 PM at Frankie Bones restaurant in Gerber Village. Thanks to Mix 96.5 FM and Paramount Kia Motorcars for sponsoring this Yappy Hour.

There will be treats for canines and humans alike, doggie socializing and some adorable pooches available for adoption. Admission is just $5 per person and all fidos are free!

Furball 2011, Anderson, SC, Oct. 27

The Anderson County Humane Society encourages you to "cough it up for the animals" at Furball 2011 on Thursday, October 27 from 7:30 to 11 PM at The Bleckley Inn, Downtown Anderson, SC.

Furball 2011 is a fundraiser for the Anderson Humane Society -- a night of fun, food and festivities, including the presentation of the Humane-itarian of the Year award. Tickets are $25 per person or $40 per couple and include food, dancing, and live and silent auctions. Everyone is encouraged to come dressed in costume.

All proceeds from Furball 2011 benefit the Anderson County Humane Society and its low cost spay and neuter clinic. For more information, visit the society's website or contact Stephanie at (864) 933-5347.

Pit Bull Awareness Day, Asheville, Oct. 22

National Pit Bull Awareness Day will be celebrated at Carrier Park in Asheville on Saturday, October 22 from 12 to 5 PM.

The keynote speaker at the event will be Kim Brophey, a nationally accredited animal behavior consultant and trainer. The guest MC will be Daron James, former owner of a Michael Vick rescue dog. Dogs will be available for adoption. There will be games, live music, local vendors and more.

Some of the nicest dogs we've ever met were pit bulls! Come on down and help change the perception of these wonderful animals.

"Wags to Riches," Hendersonville, Oct. 22

The Blue Ridge Humane Society will hold a "Wags to Riches" fundraising event on Saturday, October 22 beginning at 6 PM at the Hendersonville Country Club. The stylish evening will include dining and dancing, themed silent auction packages to bid on, and the presentation of the first annual Crystal Paw Award.

Special guests at the event include Diana Walker, award-winning TIME magazine White House photojournalist and Michele Stephenson, former director of photography for TIME. They are the judges for the "Give Us Your Best Shot" pet photo contest and winners will be announced at the event.

Wags to Riches is the society's primary fundraiser for the year. Tickets are $120 per person, part of which is tax deductible, and can be purchased at the Blue Ridge Humane Society thrift shop at 1214 Greenville Highway, Hendersonville, or WAG Pet Boutique on Main Street in Hendersonville.

For more information visit the society's website: http://www.blueridgehumane.org

Free Seminar for Dog Adopters-Asheville, Oct. 18

A free seminar, "Perfect Match: Choosing and Creating a Versatile Dog," will be held on Tuesday, October 18 from 6 to 7 PM in the Education Room at the Asheville Humane Society Adoption & Education Center, 14 Forever Friend Lane, Asheville. (Off Brevard and Pond Roads, behind Deal Volkswagen).

Topics covered will include:

* Reasons for adopting a dog 
* How a dog will change your life 
* Lifestyle and breeds: choosing a good match 
* True financial costs of adding a dog to the family 
* Basic, positive reinforcement for training good behaviors

 

The seminar will be conducted by Kim Stimpson, a positive change specialists and director of Building Me Up Communications and Opportunity Strategies. To reserve your spot, please email volunteer@ashevillehumane.org by the end of the day on Saturday, Oct. 15.