Animal House Shelter – Chicagoland

If you live in Chicagoland, I must recommend this animal shelter to you! Animal House Shelter is located in Huntley, Illinois. It was started by a lady who had a love for dogs, and couldnt bear to see animals put to sleep. So she started a  “no kill” shelter to save these animals.

The shelter is very clean and friendly and strict when it comes to adopting. When you visit the shelter, you will be able to look through a book of profiles of the animals they have available for adoption. (I like that you are not able to walk through the kennels, because it really disturbs and excites the animals). Then you are brought into a room with your potential new friend to visit. You can visit with them as long as you would like. Indecisive about what type of dog you are looking for? Just ask the people at the shelter and they will be happy to try to match you up based on your and the dogs personalities and needs.

After you decide who will be your new best friend, you will go through a quick interview to ensure the animal is going to a good home. (Another tactic I greatly respect!) And you pretty much have a new pet!

Animal House Shelter also is always looking for volunteers or donations, so if you can please help them out. They are a great shelter, looking out for the dogs best interest, and they appreciate any help they receive!

You can visit their website at: www.animalhouseshelter.com

Looking For A New Dog?

Looking for a new dog? Head to the shelter! The shelter is a great place to find that new furry best friend. Many people worry about adopting from a shelter because of the misconception that animals are there because they have behavior problems. I cant stress enough that this is NOT true! Sure there may be some dogs there for that reason, but the better majority of the dogs in shelters are there for many other reasons: people move and cant bring with pets, people may find they are allergic to a dog they bought, people may have had a dog who had puppies and could not keep all the dogs, some dogs were strays brought in for shelter… the list goes on. So, please dont let that be the reason you dont visit the shelter. Also dont think that you cant find a purebred animal at the shelter. There are plenty of purebreds in shelters.

You can easily find a local shelter and stop by. Shelters have different policies and hours, so be sure to call or check out their website before going there. Not sure what type of dog you are looking for? Look for a dog that fits your life and personality. Ask the people who work at the shelter to help you with a match. Tell them about your life and personality. They know the dogs and their personalities so they can help you find your new friend.

Sad, A Dog With Cancer

A sad first post to write, but my Jack Russell Terrier, McKenzie has cancer. At only 6 years old she has been diagnoised with canine lymphoma. So sad… but it made me go on a research hunt to find out more about the disease. So I figured I would share it with my fellow pet lovers.

First of all, you may be glad to know that lymphoma is not a breed specific cancer. It affects mainly older dogs, but sometimes younger dogs as in Kenzie’s case. Our first warning sign was swollen lymph nodes in several places on her body. Additional symptoms include: Vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, loss of appetite, become lethargy.

How do dogs get lymphoma? Its still an unknown yet debated topic.

Treatment varies depending on the time and money you have, along with how far the disease has progressed. Of course, you can decide to put your dog to sleep. Second option is to make them comfortable as the disease progresses. This is done by giving your dog steroids to help with the pain. Your dog will have a little more time this way. Lastly, you can pursue chemotherapy. From what I do understand, it is a very similar procedure to the chemotherapy that humans undergo. However, I am not a vet so please consult your vet before making any decisions on treating lymphoma.