Monday, April 30, 2012

Video Coverage of the Basset Blast Tonight

King Chet Cote crowned at the Basset Blast
Video coverage of the Basset Blast will air tonight, April 30, at 6pm EST on CPR METRO.org.



Pictures of the Blast are posted on ABC's facebook page at ABC FB Page.  There were 5 happy adoptions at the Blast - Bernie, Lizzie, Claudius, Penn and Marla, all from recent transports from the Southern rescues.  Stay tuned for more pictures and stories of this great event.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

ABC Teams with GA & TN Basset Rescue to Save 9 Hounds

ABC volunteers transporting Tobey1, Herman, Chip, and Marla from back to front.
Friday, 4/27, around 5:30pm, 9 basset hounds will be completing their long journey up from the South to find their forever homes in NY.   ABC Basset Rescue has teamed up with BellyRubs Basset Rescue of TN and Basset Hound Rescue of GA to help relieve their overburdened systems.  All too often rescues in the south have to turn away these irresistible floppy eared friends due to the sheer volume of hounds in need of rescue.   ABC is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that has rescued over 700 hounds since 2001.  ABC is in the unique position of having more adopters than bassets which allows us to help out some of our Rescue friends down South.   ABC Basset Rescue will be hosting the Spring Basset Blast at the Rochester City Fairgrounds in Henrietta, NY on Saturday, 4/28, from noon to 6pm.  These 9 will join our current fosters in finding that perfect forever home at the event!  The hounds will be staying overnight in Farmington, NY at Boom Towne Canine Campus where a group of ABC volunteers and Boom Towne staff will be there to give them a big NY welcome!

They will then make the trip over to Minnett Hall at the Rochester City Fairgrounds in Henrietta Saturday morning so that they are all ready for the big event starting at noon. Besides the Adoption Event at the Blast, ABC is expecting our largest turnout of hounds & hound supporters, with over 200 hounds expected to be off-leash this day!  This will be the largest gathering of Basset Hounds New York State has ever seen!

News Release by 
Sommer Slavin, ABC Board Member & Intake Coordinator

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

ABC's Spring Basset Blast on Livestream!



If you are unable to attend this Saturday's (April 28) Spring Basset Blast, we are thrilled to say that you can now watch it LIVE on the internet!  Don Debar will MC some of the events and interview the humans and hounds.  Tune in to watch over 200 Bassets off lead at the largest Basset Hound event in the country!  Spanky can't wait to get there!

Start watching us Saturday at noon at CPR Metro.org.

Check back here and ABC Basset Hound Rescue of NY Facebook page for updates!  ABC will be transporting another group of nine Basset Hounds to NY this weekend to find their forever homes.  Stay tuned for their progress and pictures.  Thanks so much to ABC for making another long journey to provide loving homes for these wonderful hounds!

Monday, April 23, 2012

Why ABC's Spring Basset Blast Is So Important

ABC 2012 Spring Basset Blast - April 28, 2012
By Author Tom Schreck

Saturday, April 28 at the Fair and Expo Center in Henrietta, New York All Bassets Cherished basset hound rescue is hosting the Spring Basset Blast. There will be well over 200 hounds and their people there.

It’s going to be fun. It’s going to raise money

But it’ll be a whole lot more than fun and fundraising.

It’s important.

If you’re a Facebooker, and who isn’t these days, you can’t escape the sad dog stories that bombard us every day. Abused dogs, dog fighting, horrible cases of neglect and the overpopulation that leaves the most vulnerable suffering, are presented to us all day long.

If you’re a dog lover something dies inside of you every time you read one of these. Us dog people carry that hurt around all the time.

There’s something else we carry and on Saturday we’ll carry a ton of it.

Joy.

Pure, un-freakin’-adulterated joy, because at these events we see what we fight for. We see what we spend long hours working on.  We see the fruit of driving thousands of miles of highway to save a hound.

Next Saturday that Expo Center that usually is home to car shows, health fairs and who knows what else, will be a mad house of running, barking, playing, dancing and crapping hounds. They’ll be overwhelmed with excitement. They’ll be making a racket and going nuts and not doing a damn thing that any human tells them to.

And all the humans will have this glazed over look on their face with broad smiles.

Because on Saturday we win.

Good triumphs over evil. The abusers, neglecters and puppy millers can all go to hell because the Spring Basset Blast is all about the hounds…and the people who took the time to not get discouraged, to not give in, to not listen to that voice that says “You can’t save them all.”

Nope, not Saturday.

Next Saturday is about winning.

It’s about the good guys kicking ass. It’s all about the hounds.

Some come watch Duke moo and don’t bother yelling at him he can’t hear. Take my blind Wilbur for a walk and see what indomitable spirit is all about, come pet my dog Riley who was on death row for being “aggressive” and ask me about him visiting veterans with PTSD. There’ll be hundreds of stories and twice as many smiles.

Look around and see the smiles, hear the arooos and if Shelly and Don haven’t collapsed yet tell them thanks.

Then pat yourself on the back and watch your dog have a good time.

Because on next Saturday we win.

Tom Schreck writes the Duffy Dombrowoski Mysteries that feature Al the basset hound. His newest release THE VEGAS KNOCKOUT, will be available on May 15.  You will be able to preorder signed copies at the Blast.  Visit Tom Schreck.com and "like" his fan page on Facebook Author Tom Schreck on FB.

Tom Schreck and Gordon's Handsome Duke
Don't forget to preregister if you are planning to attend this great event on April 28 at the Fair and Expo Center in Henrietta, NY.  You can preregister here - ABC Basset Hound Rescue of NY Spring Basset Blast

Monday, April 16, 2012

Basset Couch Mania


The Southern transport arrived safely in NY last night.  Here are Lizzie and Bernie (left on the couch) in their temporary home of Jennifer Carmichael Fruehauf until the Spring Basset Blast on April 28.  Jennifer also is fostering Scarlett and Snickers (the two beautiful girls in the middle) until they are all well and ready to go on to their new forever home and beautiful Lady, on the right, the resident Queen of the house.  Lady is very gracious to share her couch space with her guests.  What a great picture! 

Claude getting some rest after his long journey.
Theresa and John Morrison are giving Claude a temporary home until the Blast takes place.  He shares the couch with Cooper, who the Morrison's adopted from ABC.

John and Cooper
Thank you all for sharing these pictures and for giving Claude, Bernie and Lizzie a temporary place to stay until they go on to their forever homes!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Transport brings Southern Basset Hounds to NY

Southern Basset Hound Transport this Weekend!
Four more Basset Hounds are becoming New Yorker's this weekend!  ABC is transporting Lizzie, Claude, Bernie and Penn from Arkansas.  (As soon as we know the names of our 2-legged escorts we'll add them as well.)  These four will be available for adoption to preapproved homes at the Spring Basset Blast to be held at the Fair and Expo Center in Henrietta, NY on April 28.  What lucky families will get to adopt these beautiful Bassets?!!  You can view a description of all Bassets available for adoption, along with their backgrounds, at ABC Basset Hounds available for adoption.  Just click on their pictures for their backgrounds.  Kudos to ABC for bringing in four more ABC alumni and congratulations to the lucky hounds and new families in NY!  Special thanks to ABC for saving these beautiful hounds.  We wish the transport a safe and pleasant journey.

Thanks so much to the ABC drivers transporting these Angels!
2-yr old Penn sure is an angelic boy!
2-yr old Bernie is a handsome guy!
4-yr old Claude is a Big Boy, a great addition to any couch!
4-yr old Beautiful Lizzie, such a feminine little girl!

Shop The Slobber Shoppe!

We love our Spring Basset Blast T-shirts!
The Slobber Shoppe is an on-line store for ABC Basset Hound Rescue. Over 300 Basset Hound related items, many of them exclusive to The Slobber Shoppe and not found anywhere else in the world, make perfect gifts for any dog (and dog lovers). We are 100% volunteer and all proceeds from the store go to New York's ABC Basset Hound Rescue to help the homeless Basset Hounds in NY.


The Slobber Shoppe will be a featured vendor at the Spring Basset Blast on April 28 in Henrietta, NY at the Fair and Expo Center.  Join us for the biggest indoor basset event in the country and a fun filled day with your bassets (and Basset wannabes) offlead!  You can also buy your Basset Blast raffle tickets online. 
Grand prize is a 7 day timeshare and $500 cash. Also cash prizes ranging from $50 to $300.
Stained Glass Suncatcher


Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Lola in her New Forever Home!

Lola and Meg
Congratulations to Lola and her new Forever Mom, Meg, Vet tech extraordinaire from Suburban Animal Hospital (via Laura Johnson)!  Lola was one of the Bassets brought up on the 3/24 Southern transport and she has found a wonderful forever home.  Enjoy many happy, healthy years together!

Friday, April 6, 2012

Babyboy's Legacy Lives On

Babyboy
Terri Davis is one of those people who has fought her way through depression, tears and heartache to change the bad things that happen into good.  The memory of Babyboy has touched thousands of lives and raised awareness against animal abuse, not only all over the country, but the world.  Babyboy's memory has spurred Terri to become an advocate for animal rights which has rescued countless dogs from abuse and homelessness.  She also provides comfort and counseling for those suffering from the loss of beloved animal companions.  (Terri and her fellow volunteers rescued Buford and Billy Bob from death row in Alabama, who were recently adopted into ABC families.)

In 2006 Terri brought the Basset Hound puppy, Babyboy, home for her two daughters.  Rebecca was 12 and Courtney was 13.  As any Basset savvy person knows Bassets and kids are made for each other.  Her daughters bonded with their new puppy.  Terri herself loved Babyboy as a son.  In Terri's own words: "He was with me through my darkest time in life and words can’t explain the bond we shared. That bond of love will never be broken."  Babyboy was coddled and loved as a beloved son.  He was never left outside and slept indoors with her children.


In June of 2008, Babyboy got loose from the house through an open door.  We all know that sick, frightening, gut-wrenching feeling when we notice a beloved pet is missing.  Most of the time everything turns out ok and we renew our efforts to keep the dog protected in our home or pens.  In Terri's case the nightmare became reality.  Babyboy, loose for the first and only time, wandered into a neighbor's yard where he was shot in the back and killed.  An eyewitness account said he suffered for about five minutes before passing away.  The vet who examined him said that had he lived he never would have walked again as the bullet hit his lower back in his spine.  The angle of the shot showed that Babyboy had been walking away from the shooter.

Terri and her children were distraught and traumatized.  Becca who shared a special bond with Babyboy was inconsolable and Terri sat up with her many nights trying to comfort her.  Terri herself suffered illness from depression and post-traumatic-stress disorder.  They all missed Babyboy and grieved for his passing.  They wanted his life to have some meaning and to be remembered.

Babyboy's killer admitted to shooting the Basset Hound and Terri embarked on a two year long fight to gain justice for Babyboy in the courts.  Animal cruelty can be a felony crime in Alabama and is, at the very least, a Class B misdemeanor.  Terri's intent was to hold the shooter responsible for the killing of a beloved family member.  When no criminal charges were pressed, Terri embarked on a civil suit endeavoring to provide some comfort and closure for her family to this terrible event.  As things turned out the courts did not grant her family the justice they sought and the case was settled.  However, Babyboy's murder changed the lives of Terri and her family forever.

Terri Davis
During this process Terri learned a great deal about animal cruelty.  Turning to Facebook to connect with others who had been victims of animal cruelty she met literally thousands of folk who shared her pain.  She began to appreciate the plight of unwanted animals and set out to make a difference in their lives.  The list of her achievements since 2008 is very long (I'm sure I will miss some so take a look for yourself.)  I think that Babyboy must be very pleased at the legacy he has left the world.

Over 1,700 people attended a memorial for Babyboy on June 28, 2011 and Terri set up Babyboy's Memorial on Facebook.   It includes pictures and videos of Babyboy in his loving home.  In response to the overwhelming interest in and support for Babyboy's story, Terri set up The Official Voice for the Voiceless which reports stories of animals who were the victims of abuse and cruelty.  This site boasts more than 7,000 members and truly is their voice that tells the stories that otherwise would never be heard.

Terri set up Voice for the Voiceless and Rainbow Bridge Paws on My Heart, blogs for people whose animals lost their lives to violent crime.  The blogs received 60,000 views in the first year and her Rainbow bridge page has more than 3,000 members.  She began making beautiful jewelry and keepsake memorials for families grieving the loss of beloved animals.  She holds auctions for her memorial jewelry (Jewelry 2 Benefit Paws) and rainbow bridge artwork and donates the proceeds to Basset Hound rescues across the country.  Many grieving families gain comfort through Terri's wonderful artwork.

She set up a Facebook site to Turn FB Purple for 1 Week to Raise Awareness Against Animal Abuse.  Its mission is to raise awareness globally and to take a stand against animal cruelty.  This Cause Page had an amazing 230,000 members to date, and is growing daily.  The week she chose to change Facebook profiles purple is the week of Babyboy's shooting - June 24-30th.

Buford, profile pic for Basset Hound Rescuers
Terri is also very involved in local rescue of homeless animals and her own house is always full.  She became Administrator of Basset Hound Rescuers AL and Surround States which has as its profile picture our very own Buford (now Duncan in his forever home).  They are a group of hound lovers who work tirelessly for homeless and abused Bassets and are saving as many lives as they possibly can without funding of any kind.  In appreciation to ABC for their work in the March Southern transport (which brought Buford, Billy Bob and six other houndies to NY to find their forever homes) Terri set up the page Cause to Raise Funds for ABC Basset Hound Rescue of NY which has raised $475 for ABC since March 30th.

Terri's philanthropy through her Cause pages is so successful mainly due to the huge member base her 'Raise Awareness' page boasts.  Most recently, Terri was struck by the awful losses AL suffered in the terrible March storms and tornadoes.  She came across the now famous photo of Greg Cook finding his dog Coco alive in his home, which was levelled to the ground in a tornado.  
Greg Cook upon finding his beloved Coco
That photo, depicting the love of a man for his dog, prompted Terri to create a Cause page to raise funds for Mr. Cook which raised an amazing $2,400.  Here is a video of Terri Delivering Donation to Mr. Cook.

Terri and Coco
There are way too many rescue efforts Terri is involved in to mention here but one more that really touched our hearts was for the House of Puddles, a nonprofit sanctuary for senior, homeless Basset Hounds.  Terri's Cause page for the Basset Hound Retirement Home raised almost $900 for their rescue.

To date Terri has raised $6,633 for the Causes she has championed.  Quite an amazing achievement for one person!  You can view her Causes at Turn FB Purple to Raise Awareness Against Animal Abuse.

Terri Davis and her hero Captain Paul Watson, President of the Sea Shepherd Conservationist Society at a fundraiser for Pacific Coast Cleanup
At the same fundraiser with someone else you might recognize!
Terri's campaign against animal abuse has spread far and wide.  Maria Daines is a multi-award winning international vocalist and songwriter who was deeply touched by Babyboy's story.  Her music is called United for Animals.  Maria calls her music 'rock for the voiceless'.  Her band opened for US artist Pink, at Cardiff International Arena for the Party For Animals World Wide concert in August 2007. The concert raised over £90,000 for six animal welfare charities. Based in the UK, Maria and her guitarist/ producer Paul Killington, write songs in many genres, including rock, country, folk, blues and soul.  Here is a link to Maria Daines website - "Rock for the Good Times, Blues for the Bad, Music for the Soul."  On her website Maria describes her mission, "I endeavour to give voiceless beings songs to make their plight visible and their stories heard, the fight to overcome injustice and cruelty must never be silent! Compassion is the vital link that makes life bearable when all else fails." They donate their music CDs to rescues around the world to raise funds for rescue.  Daines/Killington wrote and produced this beautiful song In Memory of Babyboy

The following article was published on Terri and Babyboy's story Dogasaur.com article - 'Animal Cruelty: What Can We Do To Stop It' (5/29/2011).

Terri's remarkable journey from the very pit of animal cruelty is an inspiration and example for animal rescuers everywhere.  Her love and devotion for her Basset Hound Babyboy has raised awareness against animal cruelty all over the world.  The comments on these sites are amazing.  So many people connected with Babyboy's story and now keep him in loving memory.  A fitting legacy for a loving Basset Hound who had a very short life that ended in tragedy, but a very long reach that is educating and comforting thousands.  All we can say is, thank you Terri for making such a difference in the lives of our beloved homeless hounds.
In Loving Memory of Babyboy.  We will always remember you.


Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Billy Bob and Buford Are Home!

Playtime was FUN at Terri's House!
Buford and Billy Bob, two year old Bassets, were part of the ABC-Belly Rubs Basset Rescue transport group that travelled to NY on 3/22/2012.  The condition of the economy, home foreclosures and the loss of homes due to the terrible storms and tornadoes which recently struck Alabama, has made housing very limited.  Not just for Bassets, but for people as well. 
Billy Bob's Escape from Death Row
Buford Escorted into a New Life by Two Wonderful Ladies
Billy Bob and Buford found themselves in the very frightening position of being not only homeless, but in a kill shelter with their time to live very limited.  They were brought into an Alabama shelter as strays by animal control.  After searching diligently for the original owners - these two were obviously well cared for - and receiving no responses, the Shelter Director reached out to the Southern Basset Hound rescue groups begging them to take these two young fellows.  When she received no responses (foster homes in the South are full) she posted a plea for these beautiful boys.

Terri Davis, CEO and founder of 'Jewelry to Benefit Paws' and Pet Memorial design who works tirelessly for homeless and abused animals all across the South, saw the post and set about pulling and placing them.  Since foster homes across the South are full, Terri and her fellow hound lovers, have taken on the huge task of networking with rescues all across the country to pull Bassets from shelters and get them into temporary foster homes.  She has people from the regions around her covering GA, TN and AL.  They are saving as many lives as they possibly can without funding of any kind.  Terri sets up online chipins to help defray the expenses for gas and vetting.  They have rescued several Bassets and placed them in forever homes.  Terri set up this Facebook page to save and place as many Bassets as they can into caring homes Basset Hound Rescuers (Alabama) and Surrounding States.  (They are short on foster homes so if you live in that area and have an empty place on your couch for a Basset foster please check them out!)

Thank you to Terri for posting such beautiful photos of her foster boys!

Buford and Billy Bob
Handsome Buford at Terri's house

Beautiful Billy Bob at Terri's house

Terri received help from Robert Hudson to get the boys pulled from the shelter and Belly Rubs Rescue volunteer, Anne Jacoby, transported them to Terri's home.  Margaret Whitaker Lewis also helped Terri brainstorm the plan to spring the boys from the shelter.  With no homes to be found Terri housed the boys herself, along with her own 3 Bassets and 3 other dogs!  Terri said she absolutely fell in love with these guys and wished they could have stayed longer.  That's a hound lover!  She posted and tried to get them a home in the local area, but unable to find anyone to step up and adopt them she worked with Belly Rubs to get them aboard the Southern transport which landed them in Buffalo, NY on 3/24. 

Along with many other Causes Terri coordinates, she set up a Basset Hound Rescue Cause page to raise money for Basset Hound Rescues across the country.  She rotates between each once a month.  After the first Southern transport ABC completed in January, Terri set up the following Cause page for ABC - Help ABC Basset Hound Rescue Raise Funds - which has raised a whopping $475 the first two nights it was up.  Special thanks to Angela McMahan Showalter for her $200.00 donation!

Billy Bob was adopted the very next morning at Camp Bow Wow at the Breakfast for Bassets event in Tonawanda, NY.  He is doing well with his new family and loves playing with his two-legged brothers and sisters.

Billy Bob's New Family
Buford (now known as Duncan) was adopted by ABC's very own Andrea and Justin Beabes.  Justin is Boardmember of ABC and Andrea is Boardmember and ABC's Foster Coordinator (snicker, snicker).  Justin and Andrea only had Buford a short time before they realized they couln't live without this active, puppy love bug.  They had been proud of their foster record - Buford was their 23rd foster hound and their first failure!  (Now we don't feel so bad at failing on our first foster, Spanky.)  So does Buford still count as foster #23?

Duncan with his new Papa, Justin!
The dedication and commitment of Terri and her fellow volunteers is awe-inspiring.  Thanks so much to Terri, ABC and Belly Rubs Basset Rescue for saving the lives of these two beautiful boys and giving them a chance for a bright, happy future.  Congratulations to Billy Bob, Duncan and their new families.  May you have many healthy, joyful years to come with these wonderful brothers!

Duncan is Home!