Middletown Stray

Middletown Stray - November 21, 2010

Only a few moments after Toni and I got up to Pets Alive today, THIS beautiful boy arrived!

We know NOTHING about this dog except that two wonderful volunteers found him running along Van Burenville Road near Pets Alive in Middletown, Ny and brought him in to see if something could be done for him.

This lost fella seems to be in pretty good shape from the looks of him - no fresh scars, decent color and fur, teeth seemed pretty nice from a quick glance at them. He does have what appears to be a chronic ear infection, but other than that he's full of energy, VERY affectionate and friendly - he just couldn't stop giving us kisses! Needs a bit of leash training, but hey... and a neutering (Happy Toni?! I said it!).

Middletown (at least I'm calling him that for this moment), was found with PART of a tie out still attached to his collar - so he definitely broke loose while he was outside. I'm thinking that it had JUST happened this morning as well, because he barfed up some pretty recent kibble and what looked like perfectly intact pulls of white turkey meat.

Unfortunately, being a stray, this guy couldn't legally stay at Pets Alive and had to be sent over to the local Animal Control. Animal Control is required to hold strays for six days in case their owner is out looking for them and contacts Animal Control. The unfortunate part about situations like this is that often times dogs under this type of care are killed when their hold time is up.

I hope Middletown's humans are good people. And if they are good people, I hope they are able to find him...and neuter him (Happy Toni?!).

Super Nova!

Super Nova - November 2010

This is Nova, and he is SUPER!

Nova is a FANTASTIC dog who LOVES to play catch with tennis balls!

Beautiful colors, great markings, cheerful attitude... This is one happy and GORGEOUS boy!

Nova is currently up for adoption at Pets Alive! Go check him out!

Celebrity Tweet Challenge: Riley

Tweet Riley - November 2010

We at Heart-Shaped Head are looking for some Celebrity help to spread the word about some great, adoptable dogs! As a "Thank you!" for your help, Heart-Shaped Head will give EACH Celebrity a FREE Anthony Trott Original Portrait of the dog they tweeted!

The dog we'd like to start off with is: Riley

We actually just posted a blog about Riley and would really LOVE to help get her into a good home! She is SUCH a beautiful and sweet dog!

All you have to do is copy and paste the following into twitter:


Please check out @petsalive adoptable dog: Riley http://bit.ly/b04aBd @heartshapedhead


Of course, after that, we'll figure out the best way to contact you, or you contact us, and get that portrait painted and sent over to you! It's just our way of saying "Thanks for helping spread the word!"


* Post as many times as you want! We want these dogs to get adopted to good homes!
* One portrait per dog, per Celebrity.
* Offer valid until the featured dog gets adopted.
* Heart-Shaped Head's Celebrity Tweet Challenge is an independent project (I hope the shelters don't mind it).

** Free Portrait Offer extended only to Celebrities/Famous People participating in this contest.
** It takes about 6 - 8 weeks to get these portraits painted and shipped.
** Portraits currently ship within the continental U.S. only.

Sweet Riley

Sweet Riley - November 2010

Despite being thrown a few bum cards in life, this young mother of at least three pups is just about the SWEETEST thing EVER!

Riley is such an attentive dog! She already knows commands such as "Sit", "Down" and even "Roll Over" - I have YET to figure out how to teach any of MY pets "Roll Over"! Riley just loves to please people. It really amazes me how forgiving dogs can be to the human race.

I can't wait for the day Riley gets adopted! She's waiting over at Pets Alive for her furever home!

Halloween Pet Costume Contest 2010 - WINNER!

Penny the BEEgle - Halloween 2010

Congratulations to Penny the BEEgle, and her human Claudia Nowacoski, for WINNING the Halloween Pet Costume Contest 2010!!

Absolutely ADORABLE!

Penny's human gets a FREE Pet Portrait of Penny created by Anthony Trott!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Bobey-Boy!!

A happy Bobey! - October 2010

Bobey is one of my personal FAVORITES at Pets Alive!

Besides the incredible life he has overcome, Bobey is just such a happy, happy dog! He is ALWAYS excited to see people (I'm told he is especially excited to see me). He does WONDERFULLY on walks, and he LOVES toys!

Bobey has to be one of the happiest dogs I have met.

Besides his BEAUTIFUL brindle color, I think his full body wiggle and joy of life might remind me a bit of a dog I had by the name of Shere Khan. Both seem to take on the approach of "Here I am! Here you are! This is the best time of our lives! Let's enjoy it together!"

There is nothing like a brindle so excited to see you that he does the full body wiggle when you come near!

Bobey actually became the best, and possibly only, friend of an autistic child. Tragically, for both Bobey AND the kid, there was a divorce and the mom said that she couldn't take care of both her son and Bobey. So now Bobey is back at Pets Alive. What a shame for both Bobey, and the kid. Doors were opening and bonds were being forged.

But life has its twists and turns. Before arriving at Pets Alive, Bobey was found chained to a tree as "punishment" for not performing as a fighter. In the first place, dog fighting is ridiculous, but WOW whoever these people were just did NOT know what they were doing if they thought that BOBEY could POSSIBLY be a FIGHTER! When I come up to Bobey, and as he rears up in his Gorilla-wiggle stance (this dog needs a tutu), I can actually SEE little hearts popping around his face as he looks at me! This dog has nothing but love, friendship and companionship to offer.

Someday Bobey will find his furever home. I hope he finds one with a child in it that he can bond with and become best friends with like he so recently did and was tragically torn away from. I hope that somebody comes to Pets Alive, takes a look at Bobey and says "Wow, this dog has nothing but love, friendship and companionship to offer. How about, in return, we offer him our home."

Halloween Pet Costume Contest 2010

Scrappy is the Devil - September 2010

This is a very last minute idea I had last night, but so what!

We want to see YOUR pets dressed up for Halloween, people!

Just head on over to the Heart-Shaped Head Facebook Fan Page by November 5, 2010, and post YOUR pet's costume photo and you could win a FREE pet portrait by Anthony Trott!


Prizes:
Grand Prize - One FREE Sketch-Painting Pet Portrait by Artist, Anthony Trott!
Honorable Mentions - Your pet FEATURED on the Heart-Shaped Head Blog!

Voting will be conducted by Anthony Trott and Toni O'Brien.


* Enter as many photos as you want, people! This is supposed to be FUN!
* Photos of shelter animals ARE permitted! - In the event of a SHELTER animal winning, said portrait will be DONATED TO the winning shelter. Winning shelter is free to auction off, sell or give away the portrait for their benefit.
* Pet Portrait may be of contest photo OR another photo of the SAME pet, depending on usability for portraiture.
* Photograph of pet MUST BE your own, or have expressed written consent to use said photo.
* By submitting your photo(s), you express permission for Heart-Shaped Head and Anthony Trott to use said photo(s) on their websites/blogs/etc. for contest and/or portrait related purposes.
* All entries must be posted on the Heart-Shaped Head Facebook Fan Page by 11:59PM, November 5, 2010 Eastern Daylight Savings Time.

** Grand Prize available to residents within the continental U.S. only.