AFRP Howliday Party - Please Join Us!

Kick up your paws and enjoy a purr-fect evening, Sunday December 6 at the Hyatt Regency in Monterey. Our Annual Howliday Party is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and now more than ever we are counting on the proceeds to help us save the lives of the dogs and cats that need a helping hand.

Join us at the Hyatt Regency Main Ballroom December 6 from 5-9 pm. You can dance to the sounds of the C Monkeys, enjoy comedian Collin Moulton, and sample a delicious selection of wine, hors d' oeuvres and decadent dessert buffet. Bid on silent auction items or join our exciting live auction! All proceeds benefit AFRP dogs and cats waiting for homes of their own.

Tickets are $40 in advance, $55 at the door, $400 for a table for ten. To make a reservation, please call 831-333-0722 or purchase your tickets online.

Can't make it to the party but still want to support AFRP? Why not purchase some Howliday Raffle Tickets (need not be present to win) or get an early start on your holiday shopping with our exciting online auction, open through December 3.

We appreciate your support so much!

Joey the Flying Aussie: A Successful Rescue!

He was an old dog, and needed some medical care.  His family left him at an overcrowded shelter in Southern California when they could no longer care for him. His chances of making it out of the shelter alive were not very good. But Joey the Australian Shepherd had a network of angels looking over his shoulder.

 When a plea from Southern California Aussie Rescue was sent to AFRP’s Sue Trapp, it set into motion a series of actions that led to Joey’s salvation. AFRP volunteers Polaris and Taven felt an instant connection when they saw Joey’s photo and read his story. They felt compelled to help, and forwarded Joey’s story to their friends and coworkers. If nobody stepped forward, they committed to fostering him themselves--not an easy decision for a busy working couple with a small house and four cats to care for. But then Taven’s coworker Delinda, who had recently lost her canine companion of many years, stepped forward. After reading his story, she knew that Joey was somehow destined to be her dog.

 Joey now had a place to go, but would help come in time? Delinda lived in Monterey and Joey was far away in Riverside. The clock was ticking. That’s when another piece of the rescue puzzle fell into place. National Brittany Spaniel Rescue and Japanese Chin Rescue had transport plans in place for three of their dogs to go to Northern California with Pilots N Paws, a nonprofit organization connecting private pilots all over the country with shelter animals in need of transportation. There was room on the plane for Joey to go too!

 Sunday afternoon, September 27, pilot Dave landed his small plane at Monterey Airport with his four canine passengers. There to meet him were AFRP volunteers Polaris and Taven, Santa Cruz Adoptions Manager Sue Trapp, and Joey’s adopter, Delinda. It couldn’t have been a more beautiful homecoming.

 Joey arrived with a case of kennel cough and is desperately in need of some dental work and blood work. He also needs to have a suspicious mass tested and possibly removed. To donate to Joey’s medical fund or to help another dog or cat in need, please visit the AFRP Medical Donation page. 

AFRP Photos Honored by American Humane Association!

AFRP was recently honored by the American Humane Association with two winners in the 2009 Pets & Pals Photo Contest. Out of over 1,800 entries in the Shelter Life Category, the photo of Nolan the Terrier/Dachshund wearing the e-collar was a finalist, and the photo of Gizmo the senior Yorkshire Terrier was the Grand Prize Winner, earning a whopping $1,000  for AFRP! 

Congratulations to AFRP Adoptions Manager Linda Wilsey for taking the winning photos!

You can view all the contest winners on the American Humane Association website. 

Happy Update on Penny the Pit!

Penny was found abandoned on the side of the road with two broken front legs when she was only a few months old. When her story went public, dozens of generous donors made it possible for Penny to get the orthopedic surgery she needed. Many of her fans and supporters followed Penny's progress on her blog, and were so happy when she found her forever home with Katie and Cora. 

We wanted to share the most recent update on Penny, shown above with her best pal Simon the cat. Penny is now a star pupil in her BADRAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls) pit education class, and is about halfway through. When she's done with that, her parents plan to enroll her in Canine Good Citizen classes! 

Bully for you Penny! Keep up the good work being a good ambassador for your breed. Thank you Katie and Cora for being such wonderful doggie parents!

Cast Your Vote for AFRP!

The Animal Rescue Site together with Petfinder.com is announcing their new $100,000 Shelter+ Challenge! This means that beginning today, and each day through December 20, you can cast your vote for Animal Friends Rescue Project and help us win one of three big prizes, including a $20,000 Grand Prize grant! 

Think how many more animals we could help for $20,000!

Help us win! It only takes a few clicks of your mouse to vote in the Animal Rescue Site $100,000 Shelter+ Challenge. This is absolutely free! You can vote once a day, every day from September 14 through December 20, 2009. Every time you vote, or tell a friend to vote, you are making a huge difference for animals in need. Please Vote Today!

AFRP Featured on "Pets Around the Bay"

On September 7 we were thrilled to be featured on "Pets Around the Bay" a televised segment on KPIX that is sponsored by Pet Food Express. If you missed the segment you can click this link to see the video. 

Tiki, AKA Gretchen, the little pup with the broken leg featured in the video, is all healed up and now ready for adoption. You can read more about her on the AFRP web site. If you can't adopt but are interested in helping one of the sick or injured dogs or cats in our care, please consider making a donation to help with their medical expenses. You'll be making a world of difference in the life of a dog or cat in need. Click here to visit our medical sponsorship page. 

A Great Week of Adoptions!

Was there something in the water? Were the stars in alignment? Whatever the reason, we just had to share the good news: over 20 AFRP dogs and cats found their forever homes in the past week, including some of our long-term residents and animals with special medical needs!

Tate, the black lab we rescued from Louisiana after Hurricane Gustav is now at home in the hills of Santa Cruz with two boys to toss him an endless supply of tennis balls; Beau the senior Pomeranian now has a lap of his own; Tiki the Chihuahua mix has a little girl to adore; and Bitsy, the little dog with divergent strabismus is happily at home with Mary of Pebble Beach and her new doggie brother Fergus, also an AFRP alum. Keno the Pug and Lily the Tibetan Spaniel mix were adopted before even hitting the web site!

Samba, our special kitty with cerebellar hypoplasia, found her forever home with the Hilliker family, (they adopted April last year, a calico who had lost her ears to skin cancer). Tiki, a black cat who had been with us over a year, found a loving home with Mary in Monterey; and Eva, a sweet Siamese mix who raised a litter of kittens, found her home when the Love family stopped by to adopt a cat. Frisky kittens Lincoln, Henry, Hayden, Mischief and Farfle are now whooping it up in homes of their own!

It's not over! Rachel, the black Chihuahua mix who had been with us nearly a year made a love match with our volunteer Mary; Chance the Cattle Dog mix puppy who had recovered from hip surgery found a wonderful family; Brownie the shy lab mix was adopted by a lovely couple looking for an older dog; Donnie the Australian Shepherd went to a new home in Reno; and Sparky our bouncy terrier mix is now at home with a young couple who will keep him busy. Kelly the senior terrier is the new companion of the Wongs in Monterey; Charlie Brown the Dalmatian/Pit mix pup found an energetic young family in Santa Cruz; and Lucy, the partially blind Chihuahua mix who had been the victim of a dog attack has found happiness with a nice couple in Carmel. 

Many thanks to all the foster volunteers who opened their hearts and homes to these dogs and cats, and to the wonderful families who made the decision to adopt this past week. They have not only given their new pet a second chance, they have also made it possible for us to rescue more shelter animals in need of help. 

Interested in adopting from AFRP? Please take a look at the dogs and cats we have available for adoption. Can't adopt but still want to help? Consider sponsoring a medical animal or becoming a Lifeline Donor.