Friday, December 12, 2008

We're Open During the Ice Storm: Come On Down!


Yes, we are still open for boarding and daycare dogs in this nasty ice storm! Our power is back on, and we have staff here 24/7. We have received word from a lot of you that your homes do not have power and some people are heading to friends' homes or to hotels.

We are accepting unexpected guests (call first if you can), assuming that your dog is up-to-date with his medical records on file here; so come on down! Your pooch is the next contestant on the Spot is right!

You can reach us at 978-486-9922. And just in case the land line phones go out, you can reach Gemini's owner, Michelle, at 978-387-3663. Be safe out there!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Gemini Dogs Fosters Two Pomeranians in Need of Home

A few weeks ago, a man came into our office with two Pomeranians, and surrendered them to us, saying that he was no longer able to care for them. Now, we are NOT a shelter, and we do not make it a habit to take in stray dogs. However, when faced with the possibilities of what someone might do with their dogs if we don't help them, I would rather take the dogs and know that they get to the right place rather than finding out later that they were almost killed crossing the street after they were "set free" to make their own way. I've actually seen that happen with a shepherd mix out on 495, and it's actually why I am now here at Gemini and not still working in a software company! But that's another story. Anyway...
They came with the names Den and Stinky, but we have since re-named them Oreo and Buttercup. We originally planned to take them to an animal shelter that same day, but in conversation, we found some people that wanted to come down and have a look at them, so we kept the dogs here and while we waited for those and other people to get back to us, and as one day led to the next...well, they're still here!
Oreo is a black male with white around his chin, and he is missing some upper teeth, which makes his tongue stick out a little - we find this quite adorable! He's a bit of a couch potato, is a little hesitant when he is approached by someone new, but ultimately enjoys being held and cuddled. We were told that Oreo was the same age as his sister, but the vet believes him to be more like 6-8 years old.
Buttercup is a sable-colored female, who has a bit more spunk than her brother, she's playful and happy, but she can also be a cuddly bear like Oreo. She is about 4 years old.
Both dogs arrived with some crazy shaved-all-different-lengths-fur, which our groomer, Ashley, tried to smooth out a bit for them. So although they don't look so much like Poms at the moment, they will get fluffier as the hair grows back!
We took the dogs to our vet of choice, Littleton Animal Hospital, who examined them and administered their vaccines, as they did not come to us with any medical records. Both dogs are unaltered, so they would need to be fixed once they are adopted. Oreo has some dental issues, which may require that some teeth be extracted, but otherwise both dogs are in good health, with no major (or minor) issues.

They have been introduced to other dogs in our daycare, and are slowly making friends. We haven't seen any behavior that would concern us regarding their temperment; no aggression, no resource guarding, no excessive barking, etc.
We did find someone who is very interested in the female, Buttercup. But we really want to find them a forever home where they can be together. Or at the very least, we want to adopt them out at the same time to different homes, and put those two owners in touch. It would break my heart to send Buttercup to a new home, and leave Oreo here alone waiting for someone to take him home...so if you know of someone who might want to adopt both of them or even just Oreo, please send them our way!
To come down and see them, just give us a call at 978-486-9922. They are boarding with us and participating in daycare so they are here 24/7 with a staff member. We are open to visitors 6:00am-7:00pm, and until 10:00pm by appointment.
We are also putting together a little fund for Oreo's teeth. We know that he's going to need some dental work, and we figured if we can raise the money to get some of his dental work done before he is adopted, it might help him to find a home. (Or at least we can pay for part of his dental bill if he gets adopted before we raise all the money.) Donations will be deposited into the Gemini Dogs Disaster Animal Response Team account, so that we can keep the funds aside. We will be taking donations by cash or by check made out to "Gemini Dogs DART" at 53-B Ayer Road, Littleton, MA 01460. You may drop off a donation at our daycare/boarding/grooming entrance; just label the donation envelope with Oreo's name. And say hello to Oreo and Buttercup while you're here!