I’ve always loved Ellen DeGeneres. And now I love her even more…

Ellen is working with the United States Post office on their “Stamps to the Rescue” campaign. The stamps, which will go on sale April 30, feature photos of five dogs and five cats taken by veteran stamp photographer Sally Andersen-Bruce. These animals come from a shelter in New Milford, CT., and for them, the story ends well; they’ve all been adopted out to good homes.

Sadly, however, not all shelter stories have such a happy ending. About eight million dogs and cats end up in shelters every year. Only about half of them will make it out alive. Yet many of these animals would make wonderful, loving companions – if they were only given the chance.

Stamps to the Rescue aims to raise awareness about this. “These stamps continue a Postal Service tradition of bringing attention to serious social issues of the day … one letter at a time,” says Postmaster General John E. Potter. “This campaign will increase public awareness about sheltered pets, and our hope is that it will encourage pet adoption and promote humane and responsible pet care.”

As for Ellen, she introduced the stamps on her show in March. And Halo, Purely for Pets, a holistic pet care company she co-owns, is donating a million meals to shelter animals across the country to promote the campaign and to bring greater attention to the cause.

“This is a subject that I am extremely passionate about. By working together, we can find good homes for millions of adoptable, homeless and abandoned pets,” said DeGeneres. “And until they get adopted, I’m happy to say that Halo and I are giving one million meals to shelter pets that are waiting for you.”

You can find out more about the campaign, by visiting www.stampstotherescue.com. And even though the stamps won’t be available for another few weeks, you can pre-order them from the website.

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I remember seeing the movie “Mask” back in 1994, staring Jim Carey. But even though I loved Carey’s rubber-faced antics, it was Milo, the little Jack Russell Terrier, who stole my heart. Milo was incredibly cute. When he’d cock his head to one side, staring at Carey with deep, intelligent eyes, he was so animated, smart, and incredibly sweet. I really, really wanted that dog!

Then, of course, there was Eddie, the television star of “Frazier” fame. Played by a wonderfully spirited Jack Russell named Moose, he was such a hit on the TV show that he received more fan mail than any of his human costars.

But just how realistic is the portrayal of dogs in movies and on TV? And how many animals end up in shelters and rescues, because people don’t do their homework and think that the new dog they run out and get – based on these portrayals – is going to mimic the one on the TV show.

Jack Russell Terriers, for instance, are very active dogs. They require lots of exercise, and can become destructive if they get bored. Jacks love to run around, bark, and dig up the yard. After all, they were originally bred as hunting dogs, and would tunnel after quarry in the ground. But Jim Carey’s character never took Milo out for walks (or to do “business”) and even left him alone most of the day. In one scene where he comes home, tired after having been out all day, Milo comes over with a Frisbee, and Jim Carey throws it for him – once!

As for Moose, he wasn’t always the well-trained dog. In fact, Moose was originally owned by a family in Florida, but was too much for them to handle. He couldn’t be house trained, chewed everything in sight, barked constantly, and was always escaping and climbing trees. It took six months of professional training before he auditioned for the role of Freddie, and became a household name. And Jack Russell’s shed – a lot. But have you ever seen anyone on Frazier hovering up after Eddie?

Thankfully, I did my research after being smitten by Milo. And I realized that even though Jacks are wonderful dogs, they weren’t the right match for me. But how many people don’t take the time to check out what kind of dog would be most suited for them? Sadly, a lot. Once a breed has become the “dog du jour” puppy mills churn them out like hot cakes. People snap them up – with devastating results. We live in a disposable society, and today’s designer dog becomes tommorrow’s shelter animal.

The same thing happened after the 1996 release of 101 Dalmatians. Dals became the “it” dog. Everybody wanted to have one – even if they knew nothing about the breed. This resulted in over-breeding at puppy mills, and exacerbated the health problems they already have.

Now it is the Chihuahuas turn. On the heels of Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Legally Blonde, chihuahuas became the new “must have” dog. Back yard breeders rushed to meet the demand. Now shelters are being inundated with dogs that were abandoned when fickle owners realize that they are not just some fashion accessory, like the ones peeking out from Paris Hilton’s handbag. They require care and feeding; they aren’t always good with children; and heaven forbid that they have an “accident” in your stylish new bag. In fact, after pit bulls, these pint-sized pooches are now the second most common breed to be euthanized in Tinseltown.

Chihuahuas now make up 30 percent of the dogs in California shelters. There are so many of them abandoned, with no hope of being adopted in their home area, that they are even being shipped out of state. For instance, one hundred Chihuahuas were recently sent from Oakland to Washington, Oregon and Arizona, while twenty five more were shipped from Los Angeles to New Hampshire, thanks to the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, founded in memory of the brother of actress Kathyrn Heigl (Gray’s Anatomy) after he was killed in a car accident.

On a more hopeful note, when the book “Marley and Me” was made into a movie, the plot was changed. In the book, Marley comes from a breeder; in the movie, he is a shelter dog. It would have been even better it he’d been an older dog – too many people can’t resist puppies, but would think twice about getting an older dog – but the fact that Marley hails from a shelter provides a good example, and hopefully it won’t fall on deaf ears. However, there are also fears that Labs could become so in demand, they will end up tommorrow’s “most popular” shelter dog.

There are some good lessons in all of this. There’s a type of dog for every person – but not every person is suited to every dog. Do your homework, and don’t be swayed by Hollywood. And be prepared to commit. As Owen Wilson reminds us, in the trailer for Marley and Me, “A dog doesn’t care if you are rich or poor. Give him your heart, and he´ll give you his.” In other words, a dog is for a lifetime – not just until the end credits roll.

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February is American Heart Month. And for those of us who love our pets, it’s good to know that having a faithful companion by our side is one of the best things we can do for our hearts.

In a study of hypertense New York stockbrokers, all were prescribed the drug Lycinprol, but half were given a pet as well. Six months later, the pet owners had significantly lower blood pressure than the “drug only” group.

Pet ownership is also a factor in recover from heart attacks, and patients who own a pet areIn fact, having a pet is a much more significant factor in recovery than having a partner, spouse, or supportive friends.

Other health benefits include reduced stress, fewer feelings of anxiety and loneliness, a decrease in cholesterol and Triglyceride levels, and a boost in immunity. Plus, hose with pets tend to get more exercise, another heart-friendly benefit.

Of course, owning a pet isn’t for everyone. But those of us who do know the unconditional love and support they can bring will tell you that their furry friends are worth their weight in gold.

So if you were single this Valentine’s day, don’t lament the lack of chocolate and flowers. A wet lick on the nose is more than the doctor ordered. So take heart!

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Photo by DailyInvention

And if the Ed Block courage award isn’t enough . . .Vick now has his own television show. That’s right, Vick is now a television ‘star.’ Just in case you missed it, Feb. 2 marked the debut of The Michael Vick Project, a ten-part series which airs on BET,

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Photo by Jennifer Smallwood

Lottie Dot was dumped on a highway in the middle of a snowstorm when she was only eight weeks old. Except for an act of serendipity, she would have frozen to death in the snow.

Patricia Belt’s son was driving cross-country to visit her one February, when he came upon what looked like a lump of snow on the road. He swerved, skidded to a stop, then got out of his car. Looking up at him was a tiny Dalmatian pup. She was frightened, malnourished, and very, very cold.

When Patricia took Lottie to the vet, it was discovered the little pup was deaf in both ears. Using American Sign Language, Patricia trained Lottie – who now knows an amazing 40 commands! Lottie can balance a bone on her nose, flip it and then catch it in her mouth. She jumps through hula hoops and plays peekaboo by covering her eyes with her paws. Lottie is an honorary member of the local fire department, and learned too stop, drop and roll, so that she can demonstrate the life-saving technique to schoolchildren.  And after every trick, Lottie takes a bow!

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Photo by Ed Yourdon

Mahatma Gandhi once said “We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.” I wonder what he would say about Michael Vick. Just recently out of prison for running an illegal dog fighting scheme involving the abuse, torture and killing of pit bulls, Vick is now hard at play for the Philadelphia Eagles. Getting the gig with Philadelphia, at a sweet multimillion dollar salary, must have Vick sighing a huge sigh of relief. After all, he was ‘forced’ into bankruptcy when companies like Nike pulled their endorsements after his criminal activities were revealed.

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My husband and I had said that when we moved back home, we’d get a second dog to keep our Chase (BC mix) company. So we shopped around. And around and around. We didn’t want to get the first puppy we saw and after week’s of searching, the local Humane Society had our new addition. A little ball of black and white fur that was so cute and friendly and perfect. So we adopted her and took her home. We named her Chevy – the doggins would forever more be known as Chevy and Chase.

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Lori Furaso, of FurasoPhotography, took the adoption photos of Rex. She’s kindly agreed to share them with us.

Here’s Rex enjoying his first taste of peanut butter.

Rex with Christina (who helped save him), Stu, and his Doggie Buddy Duke.

More Rex photos. He’s a “looker,” isn’t he?

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The Contest Results are In….

Well, we’ve had 10 inspiring stories, thousands of comments, and over 2800 votes. Here are the results:

A big congratulations to Claire, who stole our hearts – and received a whopping 40% of the votes! Claire and Sue Kangas (who wrote the story) will share the prize package valued over $1000. Proceeds from the sale of NEW LIVES will be donated to New Rattitude (www.NewRattitude.com)

To read Claire’s amazing story click here.

A hearty round of applause to the runner-up,Harley, who received 27% of the votes. Debbie & Jim McHugh will receive an oil painting from Deborah Burdin (www.LuckyOtto.com), and proceeds from the sale of NEW LIVES will be made to the Heartland Animal Shelter.

To read Harley’s story click here.

To see the prizes from our generous sponsors click here.

Many thanks to everyone who shared their stories. All entrants will receive a copy of NEW LIVES. They will also receive a WaggleTag for their pet (www.WaggleTags.com) and a personalized bumper sticker with a photograph of their favorite pet, like the one below:

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And finally, to everyone who took the time to comment and vote… I can’t thank you enough for caring about these remarkable animals. A thousand blessings to you all.

May 2 – 8 is the American Humane Society’s Be Kind to Animals Week. Celebrated since 1915, it encourages children to celebrate the role animals play in their lives, and to treat all animals in a humane way.

Events include a BE KIND TO ANIMALS™ KID CONTEST that recognizes young people who have demonstrated extraordinary kindness to animals; and LEMONADE FOR SHELTER AID that encourages children to set up lemonade stands to raise money for local shelters. There is also special merchandise, like stickers, T shirts, and bookmarks.

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One of the stories featured on this website is of Claire, a malnourished and very ill Rat Terrier who is now starting a new life, thanks to the rescue group New Rattitude.

Diane Cosentini, one of the many wonderful people who works with the group, put together this video of all the dogs she has helped. Here’s recognizing all their hard work, and thanking them making the world a better place!

We’d love to give other groups a big “pat on the back,” so if you have things like this to share, please let us know.

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