The Pet Studio

Gremlin, an inspirational Pit Bull

2012-02-28T14:34:00.000-06:00

Gremlin (what a great name!) is a very inspirational pooch! Not only does she have a gorgeous smile, but she has become a therapy dog with Therapy Dog Inc and spends time bringing cheer to everyone from children in hospitals to seniors in nursing homes!

Gremlin has seen the absolute worst in humanity, but it hasn't dampened her spirit. After surviving abuse, including having her vocal chords severed with a baseball bat by her abuser and suffering as a bait dog in a fighting operation, Gremlin found her redemption with an police officer, who purchase both her and her mother during an undercover operation. Unfortunately, the disgusting human being(s) responsible for Gremlin's past were never charged for abusing her and dozens of other dogs.

Today, Gremlin is bringing cheer to those that she visits during her therapy work as well as running her very own facebook page (well, I am sure that she has some help there!).

Gremlin's mission is to raise awareness about her wonderful breed of pup and to spread the message against dog fighting and abuse! She is also the face of her rescue organization, Rowdy to the Rescue, a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to rescuing companion animals from high-kill shelters and placing them into the perfect forever homes!

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

A win for the Pit Bulls!

2012-02-21T18:51:00.000-06:00

Ohio Lawmakers have finally come to their senses! Today, Governor John Kasich signed H.B. 14 into effect!

This means that Ohio, which previously had a statewide vicious dog label on all 'Pit Bulls' , no longer will discriminate against the Pit Bull type dogs based solely on appearance! Each dog will have the opportunity to be judged as an individual! What a win for the pitties!

My Pit Bull, Holly taking a nap with 'her kitty' Izze Belle.

Great Job to the Ohio Government! As a Pit Bull owner, I am proud to see you moving in the right direction! Now, it's time to step up and put a law into effect banning individual local governments within Ohio from enacting these ridiculous laws.

Not only has this law been ineffective at preventing the dreaded 'dog attacks' but it has certainly been a cause of countless deaths of innocent dogs solely because they are labeled before given the chance to prove their own individuality.

Myself and one of the Pit Bull labeled pups available for adoption with
Austin Pets Alive just after the Bastrop Fires happened earlier this year.

The changes that were put in place today with the signing of this new law not only takes away the label to pit bulls but more correctly shifts the blame of incidents to the owners and to truly dangerous dogs vs. targeting family pets. It will also allow the Animal Control employees to spend their time focusing on the important cases where truly dangerous dogs may be involved.

Unfortunately, this does not mean that all discrimination is gone within the state, as many local governments still have laws that discriminate against particular breeds. However, this is a positive step forward and it will make change possible within all of Ohio!

Not only have Breed Discriminatory Laws proven unsuccessful in every area where they have been implemented, but they cost millions in taxpayer dollars every year! The former vicious dog law in Ohio is estimated to cost around 17 million dollars each year in taxpayer money.

As a celebration for Pit Bull lovers everywhere, I will be offering all Pit Bull Themed necklaces (minus those that are reserved for charitable organizations) at only $5 this week! Show your pittie pride with a Pit Bull themed Necklace designed by The Pet Studio!

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

One Less Mountain Lion....

2012-02-21T12:18:00.003-06:00

I have always been under the impression that the Fish and Game Commissions around the country were meant to protect and support local wildlife in their areas. Unfortunately, Daniel Richards, president of the California Fish and Game Commission doesn't feel the same way... well, at least he doesn't when it comes to other states.

Since 1990 California has banned the private hunting of Mountain Lions and have even gone so far as to make it illegal to display trophy pieces of Mountain Lions that were killed after 1990. (Personally, I don't understand the appeal of hanging a carcass on the wall). But, just because California banned it, that doesn't mean that every state has, so it seems that Daniel Richards (again PRESIDENT of the California FIsh and Game Commission) went ahead and hopped over to Idaho, where he not only made a mockery of the California law, but where he shot and killed a beautiful Mountain Lion after an 8 hour hunt.

This photo originally appeared in the Western Outdoor News blog and depicts
Daniel Richards proudly holding up his carcass for all to see. .

The caption:

“NEW COMMISSION PRESIDENT CELEBRATES A SUCCESSFUL HUNT – California Fish and Game commissioner Dan W. Richards travelled deep into the wicked terrain of Idaho’s Flying B Ranch to fulfill a long-held goal. “It was the most physically exhausting hunt of my lifetime. Eight hours of cold weather hiking in very difficult terrain. I told the guides I appreciated the hard work. They were unbelievably professional, first class all the way,” he said. Richards said he took the big cat over iron sights using a Winchester Centennial lever action .45 carbine. Asked about California’s mountain lion moratorium, Richards didn’t hesitate. “I’m glad it’s legal in Idaho.”

______________________________

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Treat 'em Right!

2012-02-20T09:02:00.001-06:00

Just like us, our pups deserve nutrition that works for their health. My pups eat great food but occasionally when it comes to treats, I might not be as aware of what they are eating. I recently started doing my research on dog treats and have come up with a few recipes for home-made treats that are not only more nutritious than store-bought, but they are treats that my pets love and that are easy for me to make at home!

Holly waiting patiently while I bake her Oatmeal and Carrot Cookies.

Holly's favorite: Oatmeal and Carrot Cookies

What you'll need:
3 Cups Oatmeal, uncooked
1 1/2 Cups whole-wheat flour
1 3/4 Cup cold water
1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped

1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 Teaspoon baking soda

What to do:

Mix all ingredients together. Spoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Place on a cooling rack. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.

Parsley is a natural breath freshener. You can add it to your pups food for fresher breath.

Harley enjoying a frozen Kong treat.

If you don't have time to get into the kitchen to bake, my personal favorite treat involves about 5 minutes of prep time and your pups will go nuts for them!

Gather up your pets toys, I prefer Kongs and those that can be stuffed full of treats. Ensure that you have washed the toys before you begins -- these will be going into your freezer!

Fill the Kongs with great Vegetables. Green Beans are a low-calorie snack (great for those pups that might need to lose a few pounds). Carrots are always a favorite of my pets.

I typically make up a Vegetable medley of Green Beans, Carrots, Squash, Zucchini, Cucumber and a small amount of Apples or Bananas. Add your Veggie mixture into the Kong then seal your Kong opening with a layer of Peanut Butter. Put the newly filled toys into a container (to prevent contamination in case they aren't squeaky clean) and put into your freezer!

Once frozen, these treats will take some time for your pet to get into, which means they are not only a delicious snack, but the treat is stimulating your pets mind, which can lead to a happier and healthier mental state for your pup! :-)

Holly and Cody's collection of Kong toys...

Then there is the absolute easiest treats of all! Grab a bag of frozen Green Beans next time you are at your grocery store! When your pet needs a little snack, toss a few green beans his way! :-)

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Happy Valentines Day!

2012-02-14T08:19:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone has a Valentines Day full of love!

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Getting ready for Fab

2012-02-10T01:41:00.000-06:00

Getting ready for Fab..... Fab.com that is!

I notice that I have been a little sparse over the last couple of weeks, but it is for a great reason! The amazing Fab.com (if you don't have an account sign up for one here, it's free!: www.fab.com) has contacted The Pet Studio and will feature my first big sale on their website from March 15 - 22nd.

Needless to say, I have been just crazy finalizing our sale, receiving inventory and supplies so I can get ready to hand-craft thousands of necklaces!

Fab.com will be offering 38 different necklace designs custom created by The Pet Studio at huge discounts!

My personal favorite, Rainbow Dog!

This sale will be a great opportunity to stock up for those Birthday and Holiday Gifts for your friends and family this year!

Keep an eye out for the sale announcement on Facebook and Twitter and don't forget to sign up for your very own Fab.com account!

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

It's the little things that count!

2012-02-05T16:44:00.000-06:00

I'm proud to be a volunteer at an animal shelter that is truly achieving success when saving the animals in their care. The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter (WCRAS) is an open-admission shelter. This means that they take in any animal in our county without question, regardless of the reason for these animals coming in. We see strays, we see owner surrenders, we see neglect cases where the animals were seized from the owner.

If WCRAS took advice from the majority of animal shelters across the county, they might be saving just over 50% of these animals that are coming in... but that's not the case! Last year, in 2011, WCRAS saved nearly 95% of all dogs that came into their care and nearly 82% of all cats.

In addition to an amazing shelter director, WCRAS has an outstanding group of volunteers. Volunteers range from foster parents to those that help with cleaning to those that just want to come in and play with the puppies...

One small part of my volunteer work, which might also be my favorite involves our local Petsmart location. I work with a small group of 7 individuals to ensure that our Petsmart Kitty Condos are properly maintained and always booked up with kitties awaiting their forever families.

The Petsmart Team, named volunteers of the month for February 2012!

Our Petsmart adopted out over 395 cats and kittens this year and is one of the most successful locations in the region. This is not based on the store traffic, this location has average sales, but it is based on the care that this team puts into making sure the cats placed for adoption at Petsmart are great candidates. We spend time each day visiting with cats at our local shelter, evaluating temperament and holding meet and greets with the kitties to ensure that they will get along once at the Petsmart location. We spend time getting to know each cat, so we can give the Petsmart Staff a great overview of the kitties to help encourage potential adopters to adopt these sweet ones!

Several kittens available for adoption through our Petsmart Location!

The Petsmart team consists of individuals that simply stop by to scoop kitty litter to those that are up at the shelter nearly every day. Personally, I volunteer with this team Monday thru Thursday and will typically pick up the kitties from the shelter and drive them to Petsmart. By offering my time as a volunteer about 6 hours a week, I know that I am helping to save lives while still being able to maintain my own schedule (which includes running No Kill Wilco as well as The Pet Studio.).

It might seem like a small job, but in the grand scheme of things, the small jobs, the volunteers that can offer 5-10 hours a week really do start to add up! If you can offer yourself even once a week, your shelter pets will appreciate it! Volunteers are priceless!!

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Don't Insult Our Dogs!

2012-02-03T16:47:00.002-06:00

Being a Pit Bull owner is like being part of a really cool, tight-knit club! We love our dogs, we will defend our dogs and we will use any opportunity to talk up the dogs that fall under the Pit Bull breed category!

My 'risky' pit bull, Holly cuddling with 'her kitty', Izze Belle

Today, McDonalds pulled an ad that insulted our dogs. The original ad stated that eating Chicken Nuggets is 'less risky' than petting a pit bull.....

You can imagine the backlash as pittie owners around the country started calling, emailing and protesting against McDonalds and their ridiculous statements.

It certainly brought up many discussions about our dogs and I thought it would be nice to share some of the great Pit Bull stories that I have recently read!

One of my favorites: A 3 year old girl wanders off and ends up missing for hours. Her Pit Bull stayed by her side and they were later found together nearly 2 miles from where they had originally disappeared.
(Full story here: http://www.wfaa.com/news/Three-year-old-girl-missing-in-Van-Zandt-County-138607454.html)

Foxy, The Pit Bull saves her 82 year old owner from freezing by barking until help arrives!
(Full story here: http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/HeroicPitties/Foxy.pdf)

The number one customs dog in the United States is a rescued Pit Bull named Popsicle!
Read more here: http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/articles/popsicle.html)

Weela, the Pit Bull, saved the life of her human brother by pushing him out of striking range from a Rattlesnake. Lori (mom) saw Weela body slam her son out of the way just as the snake bit Weela. She survived and went on to save many more lives!
(Read Weela's story here: http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/articles/weela.html)

Otis saved his family from a fire!
(Read Otis's story here:
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/PositivePress/Olderthan2005/Otisthehero.pdf)

There are hundreds and hundreds of these stories circulating. I highly recommend sharing these stories with your friends and family, especially those that might be wary of dogs that fall under the Pit Bull category.

Pit Bulls are no different than any dog breed, the offer unconditional love to those that offer them the same!

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Don't forget to share your love for your Pittie by wearing this original The Pet Studio Design T-Shirt! Only $12.95!

When Emotions Take Over...

2012-01-30T08:00:00.002-06:00

Being involved in Animal Welfare takes a huge emotional toll on both the humans as well as the animals that we are working with. We develop hundreds of relationships each year, with each one ending differently. We experience the joy of seeing new kittens adopted into their homes. We cry as our older fosters finally find the perfect family. Our hearts break with a sick or abused dog is brought into our organizations only to lose his/her battle with recovery.

I knew that taking on the role of designer for Puppy Mill Awareness Day Austin last year would be a huge emotional undertaking. Not only are we putting together a fantastic event to raise awareness about Puppy Mills, but as the designer, I am working with many families that have adopted Puppy Mill and Abuse Survivors. I am taking these stories (You can read them here), and photos to share with the world. I am learning about the horrors of Puppy Mills and looking into my own past experiences rescuing animals from these facilities as well as spending time interviewing others that have been on site when these horrible animal factories are raided.

Sampson, Puppy Mill Survivor.

While I might be described as 'extremely emotional' by my friends and family, when it comes to rescue work there is an important line between my emotions and the ability to put those emotions aside and focus on the end result for the animal/animals in need.

Recently I was approached by a rescue organization (to remain nameless) that needed some additional funds for an animal that they were working to rescue. I am not the type of business owner or Animal Advocate that will just send off a donation to anyone. I do my research. I know where the donations will be going. I understand what the organizations purpose is. I learn about the particular circumstances.

Unfortunately after doing some research on this particular dog, it turned out that the rescue was working with a local breeder that had a 'few puppies that did not get sold and she was going to dump them at the shelter.' (That was a quote from the email with the rescue organization.) The breeder had agreed to sell the puppies to the rescue for a reduced fee (discount puppies!) and the rescue would in turn find them new homes.

Now, I will say that I think this particular rescue organization does many, many great things. This, however, does not fall into that category of 'great things'.

I spoke with the organization coordinator, I let her know my feelings on the issue. As always, I approach each situation with as much class as I possibly can. (I have learned from past mistakes that the way in which organizations/individuals are approached makes a huge difference in the intended outcome.) Sadly, the organization considered their options and chose to support this breeder and purchase the puppies from her at the discounted rate.

In situations like this, I think it is so important for rescue organizations to put aside their emotions and think about the long-term solutions. This particular organization spent hundreds of dollars on these 3 puppies. Hundreds! In any rescue organization, hundreds of dollars can make the difference in saving more animals. This rescue organization not only chose to spend the money on purchasing these pups, but they in turn offered financial support to the woman that was breeding these puppies.

What is she going to do with her money? Do you believe that she is going to spend it getting Veterinary care for her dogs? Absolutely not. She stated herself that she cares so little that she plans to 'dump the remaining pups at the shelter', why would any true rescue organization want to support someone that cares so little about her puppies? The answer to that question is very simple. The rescue organization made a decision based on emotions when they saw these cute little pups.

Yes, I agree that the puppies are 100x better off in a foster home. I believe that the puppies are 100x more likely to find the perfect home through the rescue organization vs being placed into a kennel at the shelter and hoping for the best. I agree with the logic for these particular 3 puppies. I am happy for them that they will now be given the chance at life with a family that will love them.

What the rescue did not take into consideration (or worse, they did consider) is that this breeder is going to continue the cycle. She will continue to breed and breed and breed. This rescue did not offer her an outlet to the situation. They did not offer to find a low-cost Spay/Neuter service for her. They did not offer a resolution. They purchased puppies and are now marketing them as 'rescues'.

I love puppies! I adore their little feet and the way they exhaust themselves until they cannot even stand anymore. I love the way they cuddle when they sleep and how they trip over their clumsy little selves. BUT... When it comes to animal advocacy, it is so important to look to the final result. If we want to end irresponsible breeding, we stop the cycle. We stop supporting the irresponsible breeders. We advocate to our friends and family... their their friends and family and so on and so on to adopt from reputable rescue organizations. We encourage the public to check out their shelters or look for pets on petfinder.com. There are countless ways to end irresponsible breeding.. but purchasing discount puppies is certainly not one of them.

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Purchase your very own 'Adopt, Don't Shop' Necklace from The Pet Studio!

Bath Time for the Pups!

2012-01-26T13:04:00.003-06:00

Does your dog love or hate baths? I have one that loves them and one that hates them.... so Bath Day at my house is always a funny experience... which is what inspired me to run our fantastic Bath-Time Contest this month!

Not only did I get a variety of contestants, ranging from Guinea Pigs to Mastiffs, but this contest was the absolute least drama-filled contest that I have ever run! I mean that in the best way! Not only did we have no major issues, the contestants all had fun voting for each other and sharing their votes with their friends!

For example, our first place winner, Juno the Pit Bull, runs her own Facebook page shared many of the other contestants and made sure that they felt included as well! I think this was reflected in the astounding number of votes that Juno received... higher than any other contestant I have had join one of these contests... 1026 Votes!! Wow!

In honor of her friendliness and joining in to a great competition. I am going to upgrade the winning painting from an 8in x 10in to a 12in x 12in piece! Congratulations Juno!

Juno, 1st Place Winner in the Bath Time Contest!

Then, in second place, we had the amazing Champ! Champ and Girl (you might remember Girl from her contest winning previously!) promote an anti-bullying campaign called Bullies against Bullying! Champ came into second place with an incredible 890 votes!

Our second place prize was originally a $50 gift certificate towards a custom painting, however since we had such a great contest, I am going to be offering second place a $65 gift certificate towards a Custom Painting instead! Congratulations Champ!

Champ, 2nd Place winner in the Bath Time Contest.
Girl, winner in the Best Smile Contest in 2011.

In 3rd Place we have Gretel! With some great competition, Gretel was gracious and friendly and brought in a whopping 595 votes for herself!

Gretel's prize was originally a $20 gift certificate towards a Custom Piece, however, I have decided to upgrade that to a $40 gift certificate towards a Custom Painting! Congratulations Gretel!!

Gretel, 3rd Place winner in the Bath Time Contest!

These three contestants worked so hard to get their crazy number of votes! But, there were many others in the contest that were absolutely adorable! I am going to be awarding everyone that entered their pets with a $30 Gift Certificate towards their very own Custom Pet Painting by The Pet Studio!

I also wanted to award some prizes of my own for my very favorite pictures that came in! I fell in love with a few contestants and while I try to stay impartial during the contest... after the contest, I am going to share my very own favorites! Each of my own favorites will be receiving a $35 Gift Certificate as a Consolation Prize as well as my own Thank You for participating!

Jacobi.............................................................Flirt

Sweetie..........................................................Phinneas

Frankie............................................................Garfield

Thank you all for participating! This was a fantastic contest and I hope to see you all join in on some future fun with The Pet Studio!

Please keep in mind that with each painting order, 10% of the profits will be donated to the rescue organization of your choice (with a few exceptions on rescue organizations). The Pet Studio is committed to making a difference in the lives of homeless animals and over the last 2 years, over $7000 has been raised to help pets in need! Thank you so much for your support, together we are supporting a great cause (and having lots of fun while doing it!)!

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Are you thinking of surrendering your pet to a shelter?

2012-01-25T12:56:00.000-06:00

If you are considering surrendering your pet to a shelter, you understand that this can be a stressful and heartbreaking decision. Your pet is a member of your family and while you may feel that this is the best decision for your pet, please consider what shelter surrendering really is.

A shelter is NOT a hotel for animals while they wait for a new home.

Educate Yourself! There are several different types of Animal Shelters and Animal Rescue Groups. Every organization, while they will generally fall into one of these categories, will vary based on their own individual policies and procedures. Arm yourself with information before surrendering your pet... it truly could save their life if you must surrender them to a shelter or rescue organization.

Open Admission Shelter:An open admission shelter is usually a government run facility that accepts all animals regardless of their situation. Generally, these are the organizations which stray animals, animals impounded by animal control entities and all owner surrenders are taken to. While some of these shelters will claim to save all adoptable animals.. many of these open admission shelters tweak their numbers and what they deem 'adoptable'. The average shelter in the united states has between a 50% - 60% save rate. This means that by taking your pet to a shelter, you are only giving them a 50% chance at a new life... many shelters have a lower percentage.

A true 'No Kill' Shelter, according to the No Kill Advocacy Center is an open admission shelter that implements programs of the No Kill Equation to reach an overall save rate of 90% or higher. This includes all animals that are euthanized due to medical or behavioral reasons.

Before surrendering your pet to any shelter that claims to be No Kill, please explore both their true adoption percentages (if a shelter is claiming to save all adoptable animals but kills more than 50% of all animals entering that shelter... they are NOT a No Kill Shelter) as well as your personal options.

Limited Admission Shelter:

Limited admission shelters are often those shelters that call themselves 'No Kill'. However, due to their limited space or funding, these shelters are often only accepting animals on a very small scale, when they have the space or the resources to accommodate new animals. No Kill limited admission shelters often only take animals pulled from other open admission shelters and do no accept owner surrenders, or have a long waiting list of owner surrenders. No Kill Shelters are able to guarantee your pet at a chance for life (unless deemed medically or behaviorally un-adoptable) because they are able to turn away animals that they feel they cannot place into a new home.

Rescue Group:

Rescue Groups are typically all volunteer based organizations which rely on a network of Foster homes. These foster homes take in the animals from the Rescue Group's adoption program and care for them as if they are their own until the animal finds a forever home. Rescue Groups rely heavily on their fosters therefore are usually unable to take in more animals until another foster shows up. It is harder to surrender an animal to a rescue group, however many rescue groups are willing to post your pet on their website or bring them into their program if you, the former owner, are willing to care for the pet until a new home is found.

--Before surrendering your pet, please think about why you are considering surrendering him/her:

Are you moving?

This is probably the most common excuse for surrendering an animal. However, you don't necessarily have to give up your pet simply because you are moving! Finding pet friendly homes is actually a pretty simple process. First, try google.com and type in 'Pet Friendly Apartments in...(your city here)'. If you are unable to find a pet friendly place to live, check with local Realtor or apartment locating companies. Most apartment locating companies are completely free and can be a great help! Keep in mind that most landlords will accept well-behaved pets and responsible owners even if it is not stated on their website or advertisements.

Allergies?

Most allergies are controllable. Please consult with your doctor before assuming that they are unable to be worked around. Most allergy medications can do wonders to keep your furry friends safe at home with you!

Expensive Veterinary Care?

If you are unable to afford veterinary care for your pet, consider a low-cost clinic. Most cities have low-cost clinics available. (In Austin we have Emancipet and Animal Trustees of Austin). If your city does not have a low-cost option, try talking with your Veterinarian or other Veterinarians in the area about setting up a payment plan.

Military Deployment?

If you are about to deploy with the military, contact National Organizations with have nationwide networks of pet foster programs to support our troops! Some boarding facilities will also offer significant discounts or free services for military pet owners needing long term boarding.

Feral Cats?

Feral (wild) cats that are surrendered to the shelter are usually not adoptable due to their temperament. Even tame, easy going cats can act out in a shelter environment from the fear of being in such a small space with unfamiliar faces. If you have a colony of feral cats living in your area, we suggest contacting your local Humane Society to see if they have a Trap/Neuter/Release program and working together to Spay/Neuter the cats in your colony to reduce their number.

Try to find a Home for Your Pet!

If you MUST give up your pet please consider re-homing your pet yourself. With no guarantee of being saved in a shelter, offering your pet a chance with a friend or adopter that you find yourself is not only a great option for your own peace of mind and your pet's safety.. but it offers our area shelters the chance to save another life that may not have that option.

Rehoming

Make sure your pet's vaccinations are up to date. Use the resources available to you. Some examples can be posting flyers, utilizing online tools such as Craigslist.com or Facebook.com, posting ads in your local newspapers. Be sure to screen potential adopters and ensure that your pet is going to a great home. Your pet is your responsibility and you owe him/her the chance at a great second life!

Rescue Organizations

Although many rescue organizations are filled to capacity, you can contact them about rehoming your pet. Rescue Groups can vary from group to group on things such as the number of animals they take into their program, however if you are willing to 'foster' your pet until he/she finds a home, most rescue organizations are happy to promote him/her on their website or at adoption events.

If all else fails and you must surrender an animal, please be sure that your pet's vaccinations are up to date and that you bring your pet's full medical history to help offset costs that the shelter might otherwise inherit. Not only is this the right thing to do for your pet, but by providing this information, you are offering any potential adopters more insight into the background of your pet, making him/her a little more likely to be adopted.

"You can Milk an Almond??"

2012-01-22T00:35:00.002-06:00

One of the challenges that I am constantly running into as a Vegetarian is Soy. It seems to me that most manufacturers of Vegetarian Foods just adore this flavorless, waxy substance.. and well, I don't! So you can imagine a challenge when we decided to cut back on our Milk intake at my house (I am not 100% vegan -we do still eat milk, cheese, etc in my home- I am, however, conscious about the animal products that we do consume).

Typically, Soy Milk is the most recommended in the Cow-Free/Vegetarian/Vegan lifestyle, but that just isn't an option for me. I do love most nut-based milks however. So this weekend, Chris (my husband) and I decided to experiment with making our own Almond Milk! (Not only did this save us some $$ by not going out for entertainment --making this was plenty entertaining!-- but it gave us some fun, quality time together, which is great for a newly-wed couple!)

Here is the Original Recipe that we followed (--our own tips and ideas are below--)

What you'll need:

1.5 cups of blanched Almonds. ($5.99 per pound)
4 cups of Purified Water ($.70 per Gallon)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract (I used imitation Vanilla, it was just fine!)
1.5 tbsp Honey (Wildflower or Clover, your choice!)
1 Dash of Cinnamon
1 Blender
Metal Strainer
Cheesecloth ($3)
*Prices from our grocery trip to HEB Plus in TX

Prep:

Soak the almonds in about 1-2 cups of water (not the water intended for the actual recipe) for about 4 hours. We used the already sliced Almonds, which probably did not need to be soaked quite as long.)

Okay, so your almonds are nice and soaked for the recommended 4 hour time period! Great! Let's get started on our Almond Milk!

Strain the water from your almonds and place your almonds in your blender.
Add 1.5 cups of water. (Less water in the beginning really gets the almonds to a nice smooth paste and helps get them initially chopped up while they are closer to the blades.)
Blend the Almonds and Water for about 2 minutes. If you have an amazing blender, 1 minute should be enough. You should have a nice paste-like substance in your blender once they are finished with this step.
Add your Cinnamon, Honey and Vanilla Extract and then the remaining 2.5 cups of water. Blend well for another 2-3 minutes. (If your blender lacks in power, I might stretch that to even 4 minutes).
Once blended, you will have a frothy, delicious looking milk. Don't drink it! You can certainly have a taste, but right now, your milk is full of grainy pieces of almond. The texture is not the most pleasant. So, pull out your strainer and cheesecloth and we'll finish up our milk!
Place your Cheesecloth (We used 2 layers of Cheesecloth) into your strainer. Slowly pour the mixture through the strainer/cloth into a pitcher. Once your mixture is drained, gently pick up your cloth and squeeze out the remaining liquid. Be sure to squeeze gently so only the liquid is extracted.
Set the remaining 'Almond Meal' that is left in your cloth aside, you'll want to save that for a later recipe (see below!)
Repeat step 6 and 7 to ensure that you have strained the gritty Almond Meal from your milk. (Use a new Cheesecloth!)
Refrigerate your Milk and Enjoy! (This recipe holds well in the fridge for about 3-4 days.)

Some Variations/Suggestions that we came up with were:

Not using much Cinnamon if any at all. The Cinnamon flavor was a little overwhelming for two people that aren't really cinnamon fans.
Use a little extra Honey. I love sweet drinks, and the honey is a much more natural sweetener, which makes this even healthier!
Use this milk with Chai or Earl Grey Teas! Yummm!

So not only is Almond Milk fun to make as well as Cruelty-Free (Dairy Cows are among the most mistreated animals in the Animal-Farming Industry -- Constantly kept pregnant and hooked up to machines so they are always producing milk --) but Almond Milk has a lot of great health benefits as well:

Typically (depending on your own additives/flavorings) Almond milk is only around 60 calories per 8oz serving.
Almond Milk is extremely heart healthy and contains no cholesterol and a minimal amount of sodium!
Great for those with Diabetes, as you are using less processed sugars and with the addition of honey, you really don't need to add many other sugars or flavoring.
Your skin will look great after a few weeks of drinking Almond Milk! Almonds are full of Vitamin E, which helps balance out your skin's health!
Almond Milk contains about 1% protein as well as Vitamin B which helps regulate and promote muscle growth!

Left Over Almond Meal

Oh right! Now for that side of Almond Meal that was left-over! Your Almond Meal should have a stiff, almost wet-sand like texture to it. (Pictured above)

There are so many fun ideas that I have for this. Let me note that I have not tried a single one, but I have plans to see what I can do with the Almond Meal tomorrow! I'll let you know how it goes!

My ideas:

Mix it in to Oatmeal! Mmm!
Mix it in to Pancake mix... then once the pancakes are ready, add a few of the blanched almonds on top. Delicious!
Make puppy treats out of it! (This is most likely what I will try since I usually sleep through breakfast! --plus it would be a fun, future blog post!)

For those that drink lots of Cow's Milk, Almond Milk does take a little getting used to, but once you start drinking it, you won't want to go back to the usual. Almond Milk is also a great conversation piece! You'll be asked a hundred times over, "You can Milk Almonds?".... to which I like to reply with several fun and witty answers! :-) Make your own game out of it!

I should also note, for the record, Jazz (see 'The Coffee War' post) does approve of the Almond Milk! He was offered a small glass for himself! :-)

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

The Coffee War...

2012-01-08T21:37:00.002-06:00

I like my morning coffee over ice. Unfortunately, so does my cat, Jazz....

Jazz having his morning coffee...

Every morning for the past 6 years, as I make my coffee, this little ball of black fluff joins me... and attempts to make my coffee his. And, for the last 6 years, I have spent the first hour of my day working to protect my coffee from his little black paw, which is dipped in for a taste every time I turn around...

You might ask why I haven't tried cups with lids before... well, I have! He is a smart little one and can pop them right off!

Why don't I keep my cup out of reach? I try that too! Do you know a cat that isn't stubborn? Maybe we can make a trade, because this little guy is one determined coffee fanatic!

I set my coffee on a table for a moment... he's there!

If I leave the room.. you'd better believe that he was watching and takes that opportunity to enjoy some caffeine.

When I turn away from my desk to catch a portion of a TV show... Guess who's there when I turn back around?

While it is really cute to watch him dip his paw into a cup and adorably lick the coffee off, it has gotten old and personally.. I would like to be enjoying my coffee as much as he is!

It wasn't until last month that I finally won this 6 year long war... as a wedding gift, a friend bought a set of tumblers with lids. Well, I have tried lids before, so I didn't think they were anything special... that is until I realized that the lids screwed onto the cup so he couldn't knock them off! What a concept!?!

I honestly wasn't too hopeful when I first gave it a try... I know how determined my stubborn little guy can be. As he watched me make my coffee the next morning, I could see the anticipation building. "When will I get a taste?"

I set my cup on the table and walked away, knowing that in just a few short moments, the fate of my morning drink would be decided. As soon as I turned the corner, Jazz was at my cup. First, he tried a nose plunge. The confused look as he hit plastic vs a delicious taste of coffee was quite entertaining. Next, he went for the paw-dip. Again... nothing! He tried for several minutes, circling this cup, knowing that just behind that plastic, a delicious treat was waiting.... Then... he gave up! He looked up at me, gave a frustrated meow... and walked away....

I had won... the coffee war was over.

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

_________________________________________________

Don't forget, The Pet Studio is currently taking Valentine's Day orders! Check out our huge selection of Necklace Designs (Most are only $10.00 each), T-Shirts and of course get your orders in for your very own Custom Pet Painting!!

www.petstudioart.com

She's 'Just a Dog'... and You are 'Just a Person'...

2012-01-03T01:25:00.001-06:00

Nothing irritates me more than the question, "Why are you doing so much for 'just a dog'?" -Stephanie Conrad, artist www.petstudioart.com

Stephanie & 'Holly Madison' | www.whozurdoggie.com

To some people, rescue is confusing. They don't understand why we put so much effort into each dog that comes into our lives. They see these loving four legged creatures as a nuisance, property or 'things' that are really unnecessary in the grand scheme of their lives. Personally, these people make me sad. Not only are they obviously heartless (who doesn't love a puppy or a kitten?!?) but they are missing out on what I consider one of the best pieces of my life.

So I say to those individuals:

"To you, she is 'just a dog'. She is never going to cure cancer. She is never going to be a super hero or save a baby from a burning building (although there are many other dogs that have done so...). She is never going to win a Grammy or star in the next hit film. She is never going to be more than 'just a dog'....... but that is perfect because being a dog is exactly what I expect from her.

She will slobber on my feet as soon as I walk through the door. She will destroy many toys and spread white cotton stuffing all over my living room. She will absolutely have an accident in the house and I'm sure I will step barefoot in that cold puddle on the floor before I see it. She will track mud all over my freshly mopped kitchen and leave pawprints all over my new white shirt.

She will lick away my tears when I am sad and cuddle with me when I am sick. She will dedicate herself to me and shower me with adoring looks and wags so happy and fast that they knock her off her feet. She will rely on me to provide her with a loving home, full of kisses and hugs. She will know that she is loved and will never need to worry where her next meal will come from. She will never worry that she is going to be left at a shelter when her family moves away or be chained to a tree for her whole life because her family doesn't want her to play in their garden. She will never worry that she will be neglected, abused or forgotten because to me, she is so much more than 'just a dog'... she is MY dog.

Chances are, YOU are not going to be the next Grammy winner or cure cancer. Chances are, you are going to be an average human being, which is exactly what I would expect from you. Being average doesn't make you unspecial... it just makes you... you. A person that deserves to be loved and treated with respect, just as my dog does. To you, she is 'just a dog'... just as you are 'just a person'.

So the next time you want to ask why I care so much about 'just a dog'... ask yourself why your loved ones care so much about 'just a person' like you."

_____________________________________________________

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Claire, a Survival Story

2011-12-28T17:30:00.002-06:00

Almost two months ago an amazing rescue in the Austin area, Big Dog Rescue took on a heartbreaking case involving Claire, a gorgeous white Great Dane. Claire was rescued from an abuse/neglect situation and upon being picked up by Bastrop County Animal Control, really didn't look like much of a dog. Weighing in at only 60 pounds and nearly hairless, Claire was in desperate need of medical care.

Claire, day 1 in her new foster home.

After being taken to the Bastrop Shelter, Claire was evaluated and made such an impression on one of the staff members that they immediately picked up the phone and called Lorraine J. and Sarah T., who share the Vice-President position at Big Dog Rescue. It was quickly decided that Claire would come to BDR and move into the home of one of their fabulous Foster Parents!

Claire adjusted quickly to foster life and after receiving medical care for several issues, including 2 types of mange, horrible infections in both ears and severe malnutrition, Claire is on the road to a full recovery. She will still have a few medical issues to work with in the future, including Heartworms (a treatment plan is being set by her Veterinarian to ensure the health and safety of Claire), but all in all, a happy, healthy future is ahead for Claire!

Her foster mom, April has noted on her facebook page that Claire is a 'lap-dog' saying that, "It is one thing when a 70 pound Claire lays on top of you.... but when she is nearly 100 pounds, it gets to be a little painful! ...Time to show her that just her head on my lap will be sufficient."

Claire in her Foster home, fitting right in with her foster family!

While Claire is looking forward to a future full of love and comfort, Big Dog Rescue is on a mission to ensure that her former owner does not have the chance to cause harm to any other animals. The Animal Control officer that found Claire was able to convince her former owner to surrender her, so Claire is no longer in any danger of landing back in the 'care' of her former owner. Unfortunately, Claire's former owner does still own animals and despite being arrested for Claire's obvious neglect, her current pets have not yet been taken from her. Claire's former owner's right to own animals will be up for discussion at her future court date. Big Dog Rescue is committed to raising awareness and continuing to fight for justice in Claire's honor.

The Pet Studio is proud to support rescue organizations such as Big Dog Rescue, who are making an effort not only to dogs like Claire, but to No Kill Education all around our Austin community! This original painting of Claire is available for sale in my online store as well as a Necklace that is available for purchase! With each Necklace purchased, $4 will be donated to Big Dog Rescue to help continue their amazing rescue efforts!

Order your "Claire" Necklace Here!

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

_________________________________________________________________

Visit Claire's Facebook Page: 'Foster to Forever'

Visit Big Dog Rescue

Deaf Dogs Make Amazing Pets!

2011-12-26T23:27:00.000-06:00

You thought sign language was just for humans and monkeys? Think again!

In my years of rescue, I have been honored to know (and come to love) so many different animals with disabilities! Like snowflake, a rabbit with one eye or Indigo, a beautiful Pit Bull mix that sports a custom made wheelchair to help with his disabled back end. Among these many special needs animals, I have met and come to adore several deaf pets.

When I first met Charlie and Lucy, I was attending the first annual Puppy Mill Awareness Day in Austin, TX (of which I am now a committee member and official designer for this annual event). They were both sporting bandannas which let everyone around them know that they are both deaf and blind! I spoke with their mom at the event and over the last 2 years I have gotten to know this little family (even painting several pictures of these two beautiful pooches!) and I have to say that I fall more in love with them each time I see their cute little faces! (Even my husband now asks if they are coming to events so he can love all over them!)

Charlie came into his parents lives after a post on Facebook showed this little family of deaf and blind family desperately looking for a home. When Carol and John (Charlie & Lucy's parents) went to visit the little family, they fully intended to take home the shyest of the litter, which happened to be Charlie. Charlie's mother and 2 other pups from this little family were taken to Training by Tara's (a fabulous trainer in the Austin area) to be cared for. Charlie was right at home with Carol and John.

Lucy was rescued a short time later after her photo also showed up on Facebook. She was rescued from the same area as Charlie's little family, and is assumed to be a sibling from another litter to Charlie. As soon as it was noted that she may have a relationship to Charlie, Carol was on her way to pick up Lucy and bring her home to safety.

As a family with experience working with special needs pets, Carol and John adjusted quickly to these two pups and immediately began to work with them, creating a special training program specific to their needs. In addition to their human training, Charlie and Lucy are also teaching each other! When Lucy arrived, Charlie taught her how to play with toys, and that treats are delicious! He also stayed right by her side, making her feel at home and safe in their little pack.

Charlie and Lucy are among a small group of extremely lucky animals. Unfortunately, animals with disabilities are often immediately killed in Animal Shelters across the country simply because they are looked upon as 'unadoptable'.

Then there are groups like TN Safety Spotters, a non-profit charitable organization that specializes in deaf dog therapy! TN Safety Spotters focuses solely on Rescued Deaf Dalmatians, training them to work with children as reading education and therapy assistance dogs. This organization teaches dogs like Dora (who sadly passed away last year) sign language and travels around the country sharing their knowledge of deaf dogs and the amazing things that they can do!

Born deaf, Dora was rescued as a tiny puppy and did not know any hand signals at all. When she passed away, at only 2 years old, she knew around 45 hand signals, ranging from a simple signal for 'Pay Attention" to more complicated signals like "Roll" and "Crawl Away". These signals not only helped Dora to focus on the world around her, but it helped in her educational therapy, teaching children fire safety and dog bite prevention!! Dora also spent time working with special needs children, showing them that she was just as capable of finding her own 'normal' as they are!

Charlie, Lucy and Dora are all perfect exampled of how deaf dogs are just like dogs that have perfect hearing! Each dog is an individual, just like each person is an individual! We don't kill humans simply because we feel that they aren't worth saving because of their special needs, nor do we kill them simply because we feel there are too many humans running around.... Each animal deserves a chance to be loved by that perfect family! Our shelter system needs to embrace changes that give each animals that chance! By implementing programs proven successful by The No Kill Equation, each animals entering our country's shelter system would be given that opportunity!

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

________________________________________________

In Loving Memory of Leo

2011-12-19T12:02:00.002-06:00

Leo, known among the Animal Rescue community for his big smile and even bigger heart, passed away last week. Leo was not only special because of the joy that he brought his family, but because he was able to show the world that dogs with a 'bad reputation' really are just good dogs looking for love and guidance.

Leo was one of the fifty dogs confiscated from the Michael Vick Dog Fighting Operation in 2007. Even though he had a rough start to his life, Leo didn't let that slow him down. As many people, including Large Animal Welfare Organizations, waited for these dogs to fail miserably in society, Leo (as well as most of the other Vick Dogs) went on to prove that dogs with a 'fighting history' or rough past are just as loving as any other dog, they just need the opportunity to thrive!

Picture taken by Our Pack, Inc

Dr. Leo did just that! He became a certified therapy dog, spending time with seniors and hospital patients. His foster mom and founder of Our Pack, Inc is quoted on the Our Pack website saying, "I've worked with hundreds of dogs. People are drawn to Leo. I've never had a dog that was so magnetic! He has such a tender heart." She calls him her Casanova!

Leo is the essence of the American Pit Bull Terrier.. loving, loyal and kind! He was eager to please and has brought joy to so many faces, mine included! Leo's story will be shared for generations, he has helped the world to see how wonderful a dog, regardless of breed or reputation, can be!

______________________________________________________

As a Thank You for all that Our Pack, Inc does for the Rescued Animals in their care, The Pet Studio will be donating $2 from each sale of our 'Leo' Necklace to Our Pack, Inc until the end of the year! Order your Necklace in loving memory of Leo here.

Necklace Design 'Leo' © by The Pet Studio.

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

A Heart of Gold.

2011-12-13T00:42:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago, one of my contacts at SoCal Bully Rescue emailed me with a very simple request.... to replace a gift certificate that one of her foster families lost during a house fire. After chatting with my SoCal Rescue friend, I heard the story of the fire, which was started due to a malfunctioning power strip. She went on to tell me about her wonderful Volunteer that not only lost her home during this fire, but she lost her pets as well.

Twenty minutes after leaving her home to run some errands, Val V., got the terrible phone call informing her that her home was in flames. She rushed home as quickly as possible, unfortunately the fire department informed her that the fire was an extremely hot fire and sadly her 3 personal dogs, Fifi, Tonka & Talula, her daughters Min Pin, her 2 cats and her 3 foster bulldogs did not survive.

When she arrived at her home, she asked the fire fighters to bring each of the pets out and she was able to say a last goodbye. It was determined that they all passed due to smoke inhalation.

After hearing the story (and crying my eyes out then cuddling up with my own pets for a little bit), I let my rescue friend know that she didn't need to worry about the gift certificate. Instead, I spent the next couple of nights creating 3 special pieces in memory of Val's 3 Bulldogs, Tank and Talula and her French Bulldog, Fifi.

Val, who has been a foster parent for SoCal Bully Rescue for the past 5 years was described to me as a person with a 'heart of gold'. Val is known for taking in the senior and special needs pups, which is absolutely a blessing to any rescue organization, as these pups tend to be hardest to place with a foster family. Talula (profiled below) was the pup that introduced Val to the animal rescue world. Since then, she has been hooked, and while Val loves all pets, she is particularly attracted to those that need a little more love.

At home, Val is followed around by a Conga line of dogs, her friends playfully joke that they need a camera in her house to capture all of the silly moments between her and the dogs. Even through this tragedy, Val is jumping right back in to fostering, already bringing 2 new special needs foster bulldogs in to live with her (one with demodex mange & the other a puppy who has lost the use of his rear legs). While her fosters will never replace the babies that she lost, Val knows how important it is for these dogs to have a safe place to call home while they wait for their forever family.

A few days ago on Facebook, a friend took a quote and sent it to me from Val's facebook page, "I would be blessed to be able to care for all of the doggies waiting at the Rainbow Bridge for their humans and have all of my babies with me romping around... Now that would be heaven!"

Tonka

Tonka was very special boy. When Valwas fostering him she quickly found out that something was not right with him, he was deaf. Val worked with him and taught him hand commands and to trust her.

'Tonka' | 12in x 12in painting by The Pet Studio

Her son was in love with Tonka and they decided to adopt him. Tonka and Val had a special bond that you could see when they were together, whenever she took him out everyone wanted to pet the big beautiful white bully. He was sweet boy loved being kissed right in the face by his mama. He was also almost 6 years old. He was the boy always sleeping on the couch. : )

Tonka taking a nap, one of Val's favorite pictures.

Talula
Talula was almost 6 years old, also calledLuLu Bear she was the apple of Val's eye. Talula was Val's first adopted Bulldog from SoCal Bulldog Rescue. and the reason she started volunteering forSCBR.

'Talula' | 12in x 12in Painting by The Pet Studio

Talula was born with one eye and the breeder dumped her off at the animal shelter to be euthanized. SCBR thought she was the perfect fit for Val, the moment Val saw her she knew that was her girl.

Talula posing in her pink for a photo.

When you went to Val's house you knew you would be greeted by Talula as soon as you walked in the door, she would right there pawing you for a scratch. She was a short, chubby girl who snorted around the house with her smile and her super friendly personality, you couldn't help falling in love with her. Valtook her everywhere and like FiFi everyone fell in love with her, there was not a mean bone in her body, she was pure love.

Fifi

FiFi LeWink the French Bulldog (8yrs old)was surrendered with 3 bulldogs and a Boston Terrier by a backyard breeder who decided he was going back to work instead of selling puppies. FiFi was in deplorable condition, covered in dirt, it took severalbaths to figure out she was an all whitefrenchie. She had rotten teeth, dirt in her intestines and was missing in eye because of a fight she had over food at the breeders house, she lived outside her entire life. Once at the vet for a spay, it was discovered she had a condition called Megacolon.

'Fifi LeWink' | 12in x 12in painting by The Pet Studio

With a lot of TLC, special food and supplements she blossomed to be a beautiful, healthy girl. FiFi was a superstar, everyone that met her wanted to take her home, at 15 pounds she could fit in someones purse.Val always joked that she had to do purse checks before people left her house.

Photo of Fifi.

FiFi was a sweet girl she was always near her mom, either following her or sitting on her lap. She and Val had a special bond.

To donate to SoCal Bulldog Rescue in honor of Val and her pups, Click Here.

_________________________________________________

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Cyber Monday Sale

2011-11-27T21:49:00.000-06:00

Cyber-Monday really has never meant anything to me until this year! As a primarily online business, I get to participate and am so excited!

As always, 10% of custom paintings will be offered to the local rescue of my client's choice, but as a special incentive to order... if I hit 100 total orders (of any products offered) I am going to donate $100 to one of my personal favorite rescues! (I will name the rescue when we get there... I have to decide which one I want to donate to this time!!!)

I love to donate, so please join in with me and stock up for your family and friends for Christmas! Jewelry makes adorable stocking stuffers or small gifts for your co-workers and T-Shirts are always fun for those pet-loving friends!

All Jewelry Designs will be offered at $5 each!! (Regularly $10) 50% off!!

All T-Shirt/Apparel Designs will be offered at $9.50 each! (Regularly $12.95)

Magnet Sets (New Offering!!) will be available at $5 each! (Regularly $10)

And of course, Custom Pet Paintings will be on sale varying by size and price! Order an 8in x 10in original painting for only $65 this Cyber-Monday!!

I can't thank all of my clients individually, but know that when you do order, you are supporting more than just a business. The Pet Studio is a reflection of me and I am dedicating myself to bettering the lives of rescue pets all over the world. With each order, as The Pet Studio grows, my ability to donate give back grows as well. In the last 2 years, The Pet Studio has helped cover costs for pets needing surgery, rehoming pets that have gotten lost from their owners, covering costs of formula for bottle baby cat's and puppies and overall contributing to those organizations that are working to save the lives of our community pets. Thank you all for your amazing support! I hope you enjoy The Pet Studio's Cyber-Monday Sale!

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Jagger

2011-11-13T10:25:00.001-06:00

Last week at Pit Bull Awareness Day Austin, I met (and fell in love with) a little dog named Jagger.

Jagger's painting by The Pet Studio!

At first glance, Jagger looks just as any little pittie at the festival, full is wags and kisses. As he turned his head, however, I noticed his mouth (which is quite obvious once you get past all the pittie cuteness and take him in). As a victim of a dog fighting operation (in which police officers were involved, none-the-less!), Jagger has lost a portion of his upper mouth and cheek.

Jagger taking a break and enjoying the sunshine at Pit Bull Awareness Day!

Jagger was rescued by Treat 'Em Right Rescue of Houston, TX and after some medical care to fix his physical wounds, Jagger was introduced to his new family, which would heal his emotional wounds. While the initial intro was not as smooth as everyone hoped, his new family was already committed to loving him and did not give up. They took things slow and just a few weeks later, Jagger moved in and became a member of the pack!

Jagger and sister, Kayla.

Jagger now has a pittie sister named Kayla and adores small dogs, especially his little dog siblings, Harley and Daisy! Most importantly, Jagger has a home, where he is absolutely adored and loved simply for being himself!

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Little Ol' Me.... The 'Extremist'

2011-11-11T12:31:00.001-06:00

I got a good chuckle this week while reading a new document released by the ASPCA. If you are involved in Animal Welfare, particularly if you are aware and follow the happenings of the No Kill Advocacy Organizations out there, you are probably well informed of this document. Titled "The Tactics of the Extremist Agenda" this document goes on to label all strong-voiced No Kill Advocates as 'Extremists.'

Really? Is that all you have, ASPCA? Name Calling?

Okay.. I'll take that! .....I'll admit it. I am an 'Extremist.'

I am EXTREMEly interested in saving the lives of animals... unlike your organization which, despite having a limited admission shelter and unlimited funds.... still saves a ridiculously small number of animals.
I am EXTREMEly involved in offering support to my area's shelters and animal welfare organizations. Unlike your organization which can't seem to solve the issues of area shelters within only a few miles of yours, where animals are living in filth and left for days on end without food.
I am EXTREMEly committed to use money raised by both my personal business and non-profit organization to better the lives of my communities homeless pets.
I am EXTREMEly dedicated to offering education to my friends, family and every person I meet on the truth of what happens behind the scenes of our shelters and working with those individuals to help find solutions to change and move forward so we are no longer seeing the same problems in the future!
I am EXTREMEly interested in seeing change that will better the lives of our animals. That change involves the No Kill Equation, which has PROVEN success... unlike your organization which continues to run in circles with the ideas that have PROVEN unsuccessful in the past.... oh and then try to claim the successes of others as your own.

Okay, Okay... we have a different dictionary. I am not the 'Extremist' you are talking about.

The fact that this is the worst you can say is really quite flattering to the No Kill Movement. Truly!

We (and by 'we', I mean No Kill Advocates) have piles of facts and documents showing all of the life-saving efforts you are fighting. We can PROVE why your programs do not and have not worked over the last decades.

Call us names all you want, but truly, it is not going to change the fact that you are losing this battle.

Every time you inject a needle into a dogs arm, every time you applaud when a cat is needlessly killed... you are losing.

Until you open your eyes and admit that the past has not been working, you will continue to lose, ASPCA.

But, rest assured that when you do come to your senses, every No Kill Advocate will be EXTREMly excited to welcome you to our side. Because as an 'Extremist' I want to see every shelter in America (and the world) succeed in becoming No Kill.

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

http://www.facebook.com/petstudioart

No Kill Wilco | President
http://www.facebook.com/nokillwilco

____________________________________________________

Since the release of this document, the ASPCA has taken the document down for public viewing. However, you can view other articles relating to this document here:

-http://blogs.bestfriends.org/index.php/2011/11/09/the-paranoiacs-handbook/

-http://www.scribd.com/doc/72104749/The-Tactics-of-the-Extremist-Agenda-ASPCA

-http://www.zoenature.org/2011/11/when-a-humane-organization-sounds-like-a-tin-pot-dictator/

Politics Aside... It's the Right Thing to Do...

2011-09-28T15:32:00.000-05:00

Earlier today, I saw the phrase "Do the Right Thing!" on a bumper sticker attached to a cute little car driving down the highway. Seeing those words did get me thinking about life. My life personally revolves around animals, and with my newest venture, 'No Kill Wilco' making our debut this month, I really wanted to dive past the politics of the No Kill Movement.

The animal welfare world is extremely divided right now. We have the Pro-No Kill Organizations and what I call the Anti-Change Organizations (you may call them pro-kill organizations).

The Pro-No Kill Organizations are a tight knit community focused on life-saving programs that are guaranteed to save a large majority of all pets entering our shelter system. The No Kill Equation, the backbone to all true No Kill Organizations, sets a positive guideline for our sheltering system to follow. This method has proven successful in both large and small communities. No Kill works, there is no denying that. Facts don't lie.

The Anti-Change (pro-kill) Organizations are those that scream about pet overpopulation, irresponsible pet ownership issues, over-breeding, etc, etc, etc.... the list goes on and on. While some of these 'issues' are a sad reality (not every pet owner is responsible and breeders will always be breeding) they fail to acknowledge that there is more good than bad in the world, and with some changes to the way things have been done in the past... more lives can be saved.

Between these two types of organizations there is plenty of bad-mouthing and pointing fingers and of course the arguments range from small to large... however, politics aside, I just have to ask... what is the right thing to do?

There are many organizations that feel every animal cannot be saved... but I don't understand why they aren't at the very least doing MORE to save the lives that they feel are deserving or that CAN be saved... Surely more than 50% of your animals are adoptable. Surely if you have any sense at all you can see that saving more lives is absolutely the Right Thing to Do....

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

An Act of Kindness

2011-09-20T15:41:00.000-05:00

I am amazed everyday at the compassion that people can show. While Central Texas has been burning to the ground this summer and many people have lost everything, including pets, their homes and their material lives... there are so many others that are stepping up and offering what they can to help the fire victims.

Two weeks ago, a client of mine, Lisa S., offered such a special gift to share with some of the victims of the fires in this area. She purchased 2 individual paintings (she offered to purchase 3, but I asked her to purchase only 2 and I would match her donation) with the intent to give them to families that have lost everything else in the fires.

Deciding on the recipient of the first painting was a fairly easy decision. Lorraine J., a fellow rescuer in the Austin, Vice President of Big Dog Rescue, Inc and overall inspirational individual lost her home in the largest of the Central Texas fires. Lorraine had only enough time to gather her family members and her pets before being evacuated from the Bastrop area. Unfortunately, one of her cats was unable to be located and they were forced to leave Julie the cat behind for their own safety.

Julie, lounging in the grass, before she was lost during the Bastrop Fire.

It was something of a miracle that Julie was found and rescued in the Bastrop area by the amazing rescue teams that worked around the clock. She was then transported to the Austin Humane Society, where she received care for some minor burns, scratches and cuts. Julie is now safe and back with her family.

Julie at the Austin Humane Society after being rescued.

Lorraine has been an animal rescuer for quite some time and despite the personal loss of her home, she was heard saying, "I just want to get back to rescuing animals. That's my life."

While the victims of the fires work to rebuild their lives, mourn the loss of their homes and possibly their pets, both Lisa & I are honored to donate these paintings as a little comfort to help heal the wounds that these losses have inflicted. Our hopes are that these paintings will offer a little color and a little hope in the lives of our friends that are going through such a rough time.

'Julie' | 8in x 10in Acrylic on Canvas

_______________________________________________________________

"I have been an animal lover since I got my first cat at the age of 5. Over the years, I have adopted 3 cats from shelters. My first rescue, Sara, was adopted from the NV Humane Society in 1997 when she was 4 1/2. I had the pleasure of her company for the next 13 1/2 years. Sadly, Sara died last year. While she will always live on in my heart, I wanted Sara to still have a place in my home, so I commissioned a local artist to paint her portrait. The painting hangs proudly in my dining room, and I look at it and smile every day. I hope that the portraits you paint for the fire victims will bring them the same feeling I get when I look at Sara's painting. A photo of Sara is attached.

Sara's passing left an empty space in my heart which was later filled by two kittens, Laci and Paisley. I love my new cats dearly, but Sara will always hold a special place in my heart -- and my home!"

Lisa S. (Donor of these wonderful gifts).

Sara (In loving memory...)

If you would like to recommend someone that has lost a pet during the Central Texas Fires, please email Stephanie Conrad, artist & owner of The Pet Studio, at thepetstudio@gmail.com. We are still deciding on the remaining 3 donation paintings and would love to hear from you.

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

New Necklaces Available!

2011-09-16T00:27:00.001-05:00

Check out all of the new fun Necklace designs by.. well, ME! :-)

To see all of the new options and to order your very own, just Click Here!
All Necklaces are $10.00 or less!

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Smokey & Shadow!

2011-09-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

Shadow and Smokey with their custom portrait by The Pet Studio!

Smokey | Chocolate Lab / Am. Bulldog mix

Shadow | Australian Shepherd Mix

Favorite Games:
Shadow: Flyball & Canine Freestyle
Smokey: Sleeping & Eating Doggie Cookies

Why did you decide to adopt Smokey & Shadow?

My husband and I adopted them both within 3 days of each other. After losing our last dog Snickers to cancer, we decided we were ready to adopt another Aussie. We found Shadow on Petfinder. She was one of 7 female puppies in the litter. So we arranged to adopt her. Before we could travel to Milwaukee (a 4 hour drive) to get her, Smokey popped into our lives. She was from a litter of farm puppies that were going to end up in the shelter and so we agreed to take one. Smokey was 6 weeks old and Shadow was 10 weeks old.

Shadow & Smokey, best friends!

What was it like having two puppies in the house?

Having 2 puppies in the house at the same time was very hectic to say the least. They destroyed all of my wicker furniture on my sun porch (bitter apple spray didn't work- Smokey would just lick it off and then keep chewing) and we were up many nights with them. But they also became the best of friends and bring out the best in each other. Smokey is serious and Shadow is a goof. But they love each other and us.

Do you participate in any rescue work?

Shadow was transported to Wisconsin from Kentucky and so I do some dog transports in return to help out some other dogs. We also participate in fund raisers for the local animal shelters and I do some volunteer work for them.

"I just wanted to thank you for the portrait you did of them. My husband was very impressed with your work and really liked the painting. ( So do I). I also appreciate the fact that you donate a portion to the animal rescues. Thank you for everything you do."

Lynne S., Smokey & Shadow's mom.

With each commission, a 10% donation is made to the local rescue organization of my client's choice. Shadow & Smokey's family decided to donate the 10% from their painting to Eu Claire County Humane Association.

_______________________
Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

...In Memory...

2011-09-11T00:01:00.001-05:00

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Holly Madison... My little Pawcasso!

2011-09-08T09:20:00.001-05:00

This week has been especially stressful. With the wildfires surrounding Austin, it's hard to find a moment without worry or stress. Enter Holly Madison, the silliest Pit mix around!

Dogs are so in tune with our emotions, my little girl could tell that I needed some extra love yesterday. While I was cooped up in the house, we decided to do a very special custom painting. This time, Holly was the artist!

I can admit, she may not be the neatest painter around, but she certainly is cute! Holly will be donating her "Rainbow" to Rainbow Diamond's Art for Rescue's Auction! Proceeds from the auction will be donated to the rescue of the Doggy Artist's choice. Holly's donation will go to Diamond Dachshund Rescue of Texas!

Holly posing with her finished piece! 'A Rainbow for Rainbow'!

My messy little Pawcasso!

Dirty hands & paws!

'A Rainbow for Rainbow'
9in x 12in, Acrylic on 140lb Cold Pressed Paper.

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Meet Saylor!

2011-09-07T01:00:00.004-05:00

Saylor posing with her custom painting by The Pet Studio!

About Saylor:

Breed: Bernese Mountain Dog | Age: About 4 yrs
Favorite Treats: Yogurt, Homemade ‘Frosty Paws’ (yogurt, banana, and peanut butter)

Why did you decide to adopt Saylor?

Saylor actually came into our lives much sooner than we had planned. Unfortunately, we lost Graham, our Bernese mix at 12 years old on Mother’s Day of 2008. Graham was such a special part of our lives and we loved him with our whole hearts. He was my baby, a clown and a teacher; he was needy, but we loved him with all of our hearts. When we lost Graham (after 10 years of living with Addison’s Disease and a 14 month battle with cancer) we were absolutely devastated.

We knew that we were hurting, but what we didn’t expect was the toll Graham’s loss took on our 8 year old Black Lab, Benson (now 11). Benson grieved deeply and after many trips to our Vet, it was established that he was physically fine and we knew that he was truly missing his friend. He ate, did his duty and cuddled with us, but when the grass started to grow over his path in the yard, we really started to talk about what we could do for Ben.

Ben & Graham posing for a family portrait.

Six weeks after Graham passed, a friend told me about Craigslist. (I have since gotten an education from my rescue friends about Craigslist.) I browsed a little, but really noticed Saylor the second time I was looking through the listings. I told my husband about her and he immediately said “call”. A sailor was needing to rehome her, so we loaded up Ben and headed out to meet her. It was love at first sight between Benson and Saylor.My boy perked up, did his wiggle butt thing and she joined us for the car-ride home!

Saylor not only healed Benson, but she was exactly what we needed! She reminds us of Graham in so many ways. We have laughed and we have cried. She runs laps around the house at full speed and she does her “bucking-bronco” dance. She steals my night shirts because she wants to be close to us. She is a daddy’s girl, but sleeps curled up with her mom.

Our big beautiful baby has enriched our lives in ways only a dog can. She put the wind back in Benson’s sail. What happened to make me notice her posting online at that moment? What made me beg the sailor to interview us first, instead of fourth? Why does she do things that remind us so much of Graham and come into our lives just when we needed her most? She was sent to us as a special gift. She is a special girl and I cannot truly put into words how much she means to our family!

Saylor enjoying a sunny, breezy day outside!

What makes adoption vs buying from a breeder appeal to you?

I had always wanted a Bernese, but knew it was out of the question. Rehoming, rescue, shelter pups are my only option, as I will not personally support a breeder. Ben was rehomed the day before he was to go to the pound, and Virginia is also a senior whom we adopted one year ago.

I have had many dogs through my life, my first was at 10 months old, my parents bought a house, and the people left behind a big ole malamute mix. Surprise! Sneakers was the love of my life till I was 12, Niska, Jezebel, Ginger, Scarlett, Omar, Graham, Benson, Saylor and Virginia have rounded out the count.

My husband and I also drive on volunteer transports almost every weekend, and are supporters of our local Berks County PA Humane Society, along with many others, we know the importance of adopting, rescue, rehoming, and fostering needy pets.

'Saylor' | 11in x 14in Acrylic on Canvas

"Stephanie gave us a beautiful painting to always cherish, and we do adore you Stephanie!"
Lisa H., Saylor's Mom

With each painting, a 10% donation is made to a rescue organization. Saylor's owners chose to donate Saylor's 10% to the Humane Society of Berks County!

_____________________________

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Austin Pets Alive! - A Blazing Day of Adoptions!

2011-09-05T21:37:00.005-05:00

As word begin to spread that the wildfires (which are currently blazing their way through Texas due to the extreme dry and windy conditions) were causing panic at the Bastrop shelter, Austin Pets Alive! kicked into high gear to see what they could do to help our neighboring pet lovers.

APA! offered to house the animals from Bastrop County Animal Shelter. By reaching out to the community and asking for help, they were able to make space for the incoming guests. The number of community members that stepped up to share their homes for a night or two was amazing and by midnight last night, all dogs that were currently living at the Austin Pets Alive! facility were moved into temporary foster homes, creating that precious space to house each animal brought in from Bastrop.

Austin Pets Alive! took in only the dogs from the Bastrop Shelter, the feline evacuees were safely transported to the Austin Humane Society. By 3am last night, the kennels at APA! were once again filled with freshly vaccinated pups and they were each tucked in for a good night's sleep.

A few of the pups available for adoption through Austin Pets Alive!

As I arrived at Austin Pets Alive! this morning, the facility was buzzing with activity, the long line of adopters waiting to finish filling out paperwork to take their new pet home, potential foster parents learning about the APA! foster program, volunteers walking dogs and of course the Shelter Staff watching over and ensuring everything ran smoothly as APA! hosted free pet adoptions all day!

I signed in and asked where I was needed, several stations needed some water and hand sanitizer refills, a few pups needed walks or to get moved to outdoor kennels, but mostly, I was needed to help guide new pet parents as they were looking to bring a pet into their homes. So, I happily took my assigned position in the kennels as a temporary adoption counselor.

Potential adopters visiting dogs in the kennel area.

My kennel area hosted approximately 14 dogs when I first arrived, by the end of the day, 3 had been moved to outdoor runs to enjoy the cooler weather and each of the others had an adoption pending or they were already on their way to their new forever home!

As the day went on, several numbers were announced. At one point, we heard 20 dogs had been adopted, at another time, 30. However, the true final count at the end of the day showed that 64 dogs found their new forever homes through Austin Pets Alive today!

The kennel area, all empty, just before I left today.

Personally, I am overwhelmed at the amazing number of caring individuals that stepped up today to either volunteer, transport, donate or adopt a pet during this very scary situation. People that I know personally and those that I don't. People that have made an impact and have helped save thousands of animal's lives. People who set aside their own schedules and make time to scoop poop, clean a litterbox, fluff a blanket or fill a water bowl. These people have all made an impression on me today and shows me that no matter what, there is always good in people.

Nearly 500 homes have been lost and over 25,000 acres have burned, but our community is standing together to ensure the safety of both humans and animals. With these animals tucked in safe at home tonight, my hopes are that the remaining people and animals in the Bastrop area (and all areas effected by disaster) are able to find their way safely.

Myself with one of the rescue pups.

Thank you Austin Pets Alive! for all of the amazing work that you do!

To donate to Austin Pets Alive!, please click here. Donations are desperately needed to help cover the costs of Veterinary Care.

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

The Unconditional Love of D.O.G.

2011-08-30T00:09:00.002-05:00

When I first saw this, it took my breath away.

Petty Officer 1st Class, Jon T. Tumilson was among the 30 troops that was killed on August 6th when Taliban insurgents shot down the helicopter which was transporting these American troops. During Tumilson's funeral in his hometown of Rockford, Iowa (which has a population of about 1000), Tumilson's loyal companion accompanied the 1500 human mourners.

As Jon's best friend, Scott Nichols walked to the front of the town's high school gymnasium, Hawkeye followed. As Nichols started speaking, Hawkeye took his place by Jon Tumilson's side and gave a sigh. Hawkeye remained by Jon's casket for the duration of the funeral.

From now on, Hawkeye will be spending his days with Jon Tumilson's great friend, Scott Nichols, who cared for Hawkeye while Tumilson was deployed overseas. Not only did Tumilson absolutely love his dog, but he cared enough that he wrote Hawkeye into his will and asked his friend to take custody of him should something ever happen.

Jon has been described as an 'outstanding man' as well as a 'hero'. Hawkeye must have felt the same way...

My condolences to the family, Hawkeye included. There are so many times that we take our freedom and our livelihoods for granted.

As a small token of my personal appreciation, I am sending a portrait of Hawkeye with the flag, two of Jon's favorite things, to his parents, George and Kathy. My hopes are that this piece will remind them of their son and the amazing love he shared with all of us.

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Sources:

The Stir: Soldier Killed in Action has Most Loyal Dog Ever

Daily Mail Online: A Happy Ending for Hawkeye

Military Times

Houston Chronicle: Dog Mourns death of Navy Seal

The Dachshund

2011-08-22T15:41:00.004-05:00

I found this adorable poem in a book of dog poetry this week and could not resist sharing! Enjoy!

The Dachshund

A dachshund sniffing round a tree,
Made such a wondrous bend, sir.

He filled himself with mystery--

Not knowing his own end, sir.

Some other dogs have keener sights,

And some have greater strength, sir.

But no dogs manage, for their height,
To have so much of length, sir.

One time--at least, so people say--
One lost his tail by train, sir;
Yet two weeks passed until the day
The sad news reached his brain, sir.

The Dachshund looks a little bit
Like legs upon a log, sir.
But once your eyes get used to it,
You see that it's a dog, sir!

-John E Donovan.

"Rainbow Diamond" | 18in x 24in Custom Painting by The Pet Studio

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

For the Dachshund lovers: Also check out The Pet Studio's new "Get Low" T-Shirt!

Available and Men & Women Styles and a variety of color options!

http://store.petstudioart.com

Four-Legged Fame

2011-08-17T09:09:00.001-05:00

'The Red Carpet Collection'
Famous Pet Paintings by The Pet Studio...

'Norman' | 18in x 24in | In loving memory.... | Owner: Jennifer AnistonNorman shared his life with his famous mom, Jennifer Aniston, who was so devistated at his loss, she had his name tattooed on her foot. Norman has appeared on the Red Carpet, on Television, and spent his life cuddled up with his best 'friend'.

'Bianca' | 18in x 24in | Owners: Howard & Beth Stern

'Valentino', 'Hercules', 'Bebe', 'Mussolini', 'Geisha' & 'Domenico' | 23in x 28in | Owner: Shorty Rossi (Pit Boss)

'Tina' & 'Lucy' | 18in x 24in | In loving memory... | Owner: Denise Richards

'Isaboo' | 16in x 20in | Owner: Rachael Ray

More to come soon...

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Stop Fighting the Good Adoptions!!

2011-08-15T09:00:00.122-05:00

Recently, I was approached by a friend who lives several states away. She is looking to adopt (woohoo!) a young dog from a shelter. Her only criteria is that she wants a medium energy dog that can keep up with her on her morning & evening jogs but one that can relax and be a well-rounded pup when in the house. She understands that no dog is perfect all of the time. She isn't a breed freak, she knows and loves dogs for being dogs and is a VERY experienced pet owner who just last year lost her 10 year old Labrador.

Sounds like the perfect pet parent candidate to me! I believe every rescue that I work with here would be thrilled to have a pet adopted into a family like hers!

Unfortunately, this is not the case. Jenny* was turned down by not 1 but 3 rescue groups in the last month. (!!!) She even mentioned that she might need to look into finding a responsible breeder.

The reasons for her denial (in order):

'She has a 7 year old daughter.'

'She lives in an apartment.' (Which does NOT have breed restrictions or tough rules on pets, she even has a letter from the landlord allowing pets, signed and dated!).

'She has a young daughter.'

So often I hear that the rescues were far too strict. People have made comments that 'adopting a child is easier than adopting a dog'. While that might be an exaggeration, I see many rescues that fight great adoptions because they are so worried that it won't work out.

I understand (more than most probably) the need to protect our 'adoptables'. The animals in our care have already been let down by previous owners, lived through abuse and survived a rough life on the streets.

As the rescuer of these animals, we want the very best for the pets in our care and as a Rescue, we do NOT want to let them down again. We work hard to ensure their safety and happiness, and do everything we can to give them a good life from the moment they walk into our lives.

Unfortunately, sometimes this concern for their well-being actually stops them from seeing that happy ending.

In the rescue community we fight stereotypes. We ask that the public stop stereotyping shelter pets as 'unwanted' or 'unloved'. We ask that all breeds of dogs are treated fairly and given the chance at life based on individual qualities, not generalized as a breed. We ask that each pet is given the chance to be valued and loved, not looked down upon because they might have a little hair loss or be a bit skinny.

By stopping adoptions based on general assumptions about a family, aren't the rescue organizations just as guilty of stereotyping?

Families living in an apartment provide love and warmth just as a family with a 5 acre fenced yard. (I personally have a backyard, but my pets are indoor 99% of the time. When I lived in an apartment, my pets received the same care that they do now though.)

Families with children make great homes! Pets teach children compassion just as the children teach pets social skills. Personally, I think the absolute WORST excuse for stopping an adoption is that a family has children. I grew up with pets of all sorts (Dogs, Cats, Rabbits, Mice, & even rehabilitated a Duck when I was about 7) as I am sure almost every person involved in animal rescue did. Why should we deny that chance to the children of this generation?

By denying a family an adoption, you aren't just saying NO to the person in front of you. You are saying NO to the pets in your care. You are saying NO to saving a life.

When it comes to adoptions, each family is unique. Each pet has different needs. As a Rescue, it is your job to look into the individual adoption, not the generalizations of the family.

There will, of course, be times to say 'no', I am not denying that! The word 'NO' should be reserved for the truly undeserving. There are so many wonderful families out there just itching to bring a new pet into their life, embrace those potential adoptions and stop fighting the good families.

___________________________________________________

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

'Haylie' | 30in x 40in | Adopted into a great family with 2 children after surviving severe neglect and abuse.
Haylie loves her family to pieces and has been a beloved family member since her adoption!

The Pet Studio is currently running a contest to win a free painting. Enter your photo of your kids with their pets for a chance to win a FREE custom 8in x 10in painting! Email photos to Stephanie@petstudioart.com to enter and be sure to 'like' The Pet Studio on Facebook by following the link on the left side of this page!

*Names changed.

Changing the World...

2011-08-09T02:35:00.005-05:00

There is a common phrase in the Animal Rescue Community; "Adopting one dog may not change the world, but it will change the world for that one dog."

The phrase is sweet, but I don't think that it is entirely accurate. You see, every dog that gets adopted does change the world. Adoptions change the dynamic and moral of a rescue organization, adoptions free space for another life to be saved but most importantly, that dog now has changed the lives of his new family. Dogs provide so much more than just companionship and warmth when they curl up next to you. Dogs show love and can teach compassion, empathy and respect. A dog can change the way that some people look at the world and inspire them to be an even better person.

Rudy was a dog that changed the world.

'Rudy' | Original 18in x 24in Painting by The Pet Studio.

After living life on a 3ft chain and suffering from abuse, Rudy was unaware that he was special. His previous owners had chained him, abused him and then abandoned him. Rudy ended up in a small shelter cell where he gave up hope that he would ever be loved. Then his world was changed. Ashley Owen Hill walked up to his kennel and saved his life.

Ashley showed Rudy love and in return, he changed her life. Rudy showed Ashley unconditional love and forgiveness. Rudy was Ashley's inspiration.

While Rudy's life was cut short after suffering a heart attack at 3 years old, Rudy inspired Ashley to open Lucky Dog Retreat, organize a wonderful rescue, Lucky Dog Rescue and Co-Found Pet Pardons, which has saved the lives of over 3000 pets that otherwise may not have been so lucky as to find their own 'Ashley'.

Rudy may seem like he was just one dog; but, one dog can change a person. One person can change the world.

Rest in Peace, Rudy...

________________________________________________

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist

www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Visit:
Lucky Dog Rescue Blog

Goodbye Sarge...

2011-07-29T12:06:00.004-05:00

Sarge. A beautiful dog, a wonderful friend and an inspirational soul.

After living through the abuse of an alleged dog fighter and Puppy Factory owner (aka Puppy Mill) for 14 years, Sarge was rescued during a raid of this disgusting facility and it's owners. Sarge overcame the stereotype that typically comes along with abused dogs, especially those that fall under the 'pit bull' category and proved that dogs that have endured abuse are loving, forgiving and able to move past their abuse and live a happy life.

After moving in to the Pennsylvania SPCA, Sarge was adopted in February 2009 to his new home, where he became certified as a therapy pup with Pals for Life!

Sarge, as an elderbull himself, spent his time visiting nursing homes as well as rehab facilities and libraries.

Not only was Sarge an advocate to the Pit Bull breed, but he was an inspiration through his therapy work, showing that dogs are just dogs. Breed, history and looks do not determine the kind of life you are going to live, so share joy and happiness where-ever you go and to everyone that you can! Brighten someone's day just because you can & cherish your freedom to be you!

Thank you Sarge, Kim & Thad (Sarge's parents) for sharing The Sarge Story. The Pet Studio is heartbroken for your loss.

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

People don't Buy Dogs out of Hate....

2011-06-03T23:21:00.003-05:00

As a rescuer, hearing horror stories of puppy mill purchases, breeders who sold a 'defective' puppy and stories of that cute little puppy in the window that ended up costing more in medical bills then the initial purchase are common to my ears. It used to make my heart ache to hear these stories, not because the puppy was suffering... but because this person chose to BUY a puppy instead of adopt from a shelter or rescue.

It seems silly to me now that I was more worried about where this puppy came from than the pain and guilt the new owner was feeling.

Bringing home a new pet is an exciting moment. Just like bringing home a new baby from the hospital. this should be a celebrated occasion, yet many owners who purchased a pet are crying instead of celebrating.

Many of the new pet parents I speak with and spend time counseling after one of these puppy purchases gone bad truly did not realize that there were other options for obtaining a puppy for their family.

"Products" © The Pet Studio.
A piece of the "I Bark, I Purr, I Feel..." Anti-Abuse Campaign

Now, rather than put my frustrations with the Puppy Mill Industry on the new owner, I am able to step back and realize that these new owners are just like me... maybe me 12 years ago, but still just like me. Before I was involved in Animal Welfare.. there is no way I would have known that shelters house pure-bred pups. I never would have thought that I could get a poodle for that family member who is allergic to doggie dander (although, no dog is truly hypoallergenic!)) and I would not have thought that pets coming from the shelter are beautiful and wonderful pets! Shelters don't hold the best image in many minds, but as an animal advocate, it is up to me to offer that education at any chance I see!

People who purchase pets are not spending their money on a puppy because they hate animals. They are spending their money on the puppy because they love this puppy and want to bring him/her into their home.

It's time to stop demon-izing the families who purchased a puppy mill puppy. Without education, no one would know much about anything... so before you criticize, ask yourself... have I offered education to this person? If not.. step up and talk to them. Share your personal stories and offer to accompany your friends on a shelter trip to see how many loving and wonderful pets are just waiting for their forever home!

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist

www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

'The Public' this, 'The Public' that....

2011-05-28T02:02:00.001-05:00

As the Chairperson for the Pet Alliance of Central Texas (yes, I wear many hats!), I hear so many negative things about the people who 'dumped their pets at the shelter' or 'abandoned their dog tied to the front door of our building.' These stories are each heartbreaking in their own and (luckily) I will never understand the feeling of leaving my pet behind bars as I walk out the door. It is hard not to look at the negative of life, when you are walking down the corridor of kennel doors, while sad little eyes peer out at you, waiting for a new place to call their own.

I agree with most shelter workers (yes, I have been there!) that the job is a tough one and it takes a special person, one who really loves animals to work where the sadness is an every day part of the job description.

My advice to every shelter worker out there: Take 5 minutes, every single day, and spend time with one pet. During your 5 minutes, don't think about where this pet came from. Focus on the chance he/she is getting by being in your care. Think about the amazing ways that his life will change because you are there for him. Let him kiss you and while your face is getting covered in slobber, think about the fun he will have going on a car ride and swimming in his new owner's pool. Think about the cozy naps he will have cuddled up on the couch while his new owner scratches his ears.

It's easy to focus on the bad, but remember that there is good all around us. Each person that walks through your shelter doors looking to make a donation or bring a new pet into their lives.... they are good. Each volunteer who offers their time to take a few dogs out on a walk today... they are good.

If we are to ever make an impact, it is time to start treating the public as our friend. The public makes up our shelter volunteers, the public walks into our shelters every day looking to add a new member to their family. We need to stop criticizing the bad, focus on the good and put our heart and soul into what is truly best for the animals.

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist

www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

To all of the Puppy Mill Survivors...

2011-05-04T02:04:00.003-05:00

"Today I went home. I shook as I was touched by human hands for the first time. I cowered as the wire kennel, the only place I knew, faded into the distance. I whimpered in fear as you whispered lovingly into my ears and gently stroked my head.

Today, for the first time, I felt you. I felt the warmth of your skin and the steady rhythm of your breath as you held me tight. I felt peace in your calm embrace.

Today, for the first time, I felt love."

Stephanie Conrad, The Pet Studio

__________________________

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist

www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!
__________________________

URGENT NEWS!!! ......PIT BULL ATTACK!

2011-04-21T12:02:00.002-05:00

URGENT NEWS REPORT - PIT BULL ATTACK!!!!

As she lay bloody, with multiple puncture wounds, her last breath leaving her body, this 8 month old victim closed her eyes for the last time.

Just a baby, Capone did not realize that one simple act of curiosity would be her last. She just wanted to spend her days playing... she loved to run through her backyard and cuddle up on the couch with her family. Yes, her family. You see, Capone is special. Not only is she a Pit Bull, she is a loved member of her family. A constant friend and a companion to her people. A daughter to her loving owners.

When Capone saw the open door, her curiosity got the best of her and she sniffed her way right into a Police Officers line of view.

Police Officers are known for their outrage towards the Pit Bulls. Natural Born killers, Police Officers are armed with Guns..... not typical guns either. These guns have the shot-force of a military rifle and because they were bred for killing, the Police Officer Breed are extremely dangerous, and should always be kept separately from dogs.

Capone was unsuspecting of these killers and just wanted to play. Unfortunately, this innocent act resulted in her brutal death as she was attacked by the infamous Police Officer.

Several attacks have occurred over the last few years, including the innocent death of Bella in 2010, a beloved family pet who tried to escape death at the hands of a Cabarrus County Animal Control Officer. This Officer was reportedly loose and attacked Bella without being provoked.

With their history of attacks and the unpredictability of their actions, Police Officers face the chance of being outlawed or having strict restrictions placed on all officers. With the newly proposed "Police Specific Legislation" laws, all Police Officers could be required to be restrained at all times, muzzled when in public and a sign placed on their homes to properly label this 'dangerous breed of humans.'

Stephanie Conrad

Owner | Artist

The Pet Studio

www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

"Bella" by The Pet Studio. In loving memory....

____________________________________________________________________

Reporter Notes:

Okay, obviously this is not true. I based this article on a story about a pit bull names Capone who was shot and killed by a Police Officer early this week. Absolutely inexcusable. Capone was a male pit bull, only 8 months old and unfortunately killed by a police officer. According to witnesses, Capone was not threatening the officer and another officer even told him not to shoot the dog. 33 shots later, Capone was dead.

Unfortunately this happens far too often. Police Officers tend to have a pre-conceived notion that pit bulls or dogs resembling pit bulls are evil killing machines. The media has given this breed of dog an image that many people still view as equal to a demon. With education and awareness, many officers would not think this way, many people would open their eyes and minds and realize that pit bulls are not evil, killing machines.

I love Police Officers and in no way think every officer is as ignorant or as mean as the officers who killed Bella and Capone. I would like to think most officers are in law enforcement for the right reasons, to serve and protect. But there does need to be awareness on the animal side. Yes, Serve and Protect the people, but also the animals.

Muzzling Police Officers is an absolutely ludicris idea, but I do hope that my point was taken as it was meant to be. BSL is wrong. Profiling based on a dogs appearance is WRONG!

The Kittens are Coming!!

2011-04-20T03:09:00.002-05:00

As Kitten season approaches, our shelters are starting to stress out. Sure, the influx of kittens is a strain on everyone. The poor feral cat communities suffer when the populations grow, the shelters suffer with more expenses, the need for more foster homes and because of this, the kittens suffer. Many shelters don't even give these babies the time of day.

It's true.. kittens are often killed upon arrival in municipal shelters. Unfortunately, many shelters do not want to spend the time to save these kittens. They blame the 'pet overpopulation' problem, they blame owners for not spaying and neutering and they blame everyone but themselves. But, in my opinion, when you are injecting a kitten with a lethal solution, that is completely on you. Your shelter is making the choice to end the lives of these innocent animals.

Foster Kitten in 2009, bottle baby.

Two years ago, my city shelter, Town Lake Animal Center was killing kittens. The lack of compassionate leadership and the out-dated mindset of our former shelter director and leaders meant certain death for kittens entering the shelter before they were old enough to be spayed/neutered or adopted.

Meet Ginger, my most recent Kitten rescue who was found inside a car engine. She survived a road trip, but would she have survived the shelter system??

Fortunately, Austin Pets Alive! realized these babies could be saved. There is not a more heartwarming or inspiring rescue than this little organization that has made a HUGE impact not only in Austin, but around the country. Dr. Ellen Jefferson saw the number of kittens dying at TLAC and stepped in. APA! created their bottle baby program and is now saving every kitten that enters our city shelter. Kittens no longer have to worry that they will die just because they were born.

Two little kittens found outside of an apartment complex. They moved into my 'kitten foster room' for a day then quickly found a forever home and are as spoiled as can be!

Austin Pets Alive! is not the only group who saw the kitten problem and stepped up. Shadow Cats Rescue, Street Cat Rescue, Central Texas Feline Rescue, along with several others are caring for our feral communities, running TNR (Trap, Neuter and Return) programs and educating the public on the importance of feral communities. Together, all of these amazing rescues are committing to doing one thing at a time and are making a world of difference in the lives of hundreds of animals!

Several kittens of a litter of 9 that we fostered in 2010 with the Williamson County Regional Shelter.

Today, I had the pleasure of chatting with another member of the Pet Alliance of Central Texas committee. Sheryl and I shared foster stories, shelter memories and just overall animal antics during our lunch meeting today. During our get-together Sheryl shared a story that I had never heard.

The Story goes like this:

A man is walking down the beach. During the night, hundreds of Starfish had been washed onto shore and were dying in the morning sunlight. The man sees a young girl picking up the starfish and tossing them back into the ocean, one by one.

The man approached the girl and asks her, "Why are you throwing the starfish back into the ocean, there are so many, you won't be able to make a difference."

The young girl looks at him, picks up another starfish and tosses it into the ocean, then another. She looks at the man and says, "I made a difference for those starfish."

More of the Wilco Litter, fostered in 2010.

I like to think that I have made a difference in the lives of each of the pets I have fostered. Through the course of the last several years, I have brought in countless animals and offered my space as a temporary residence, we have volunteered and I have worked to promote my shelter in any and every positive way that I can.

If you ever feel like your rescue work is not making a difference, think of the starfish... you have made a difference to that one animal, even if just for a minute to clean a litterbox at the shelter or take a pup for a walk! Foster a kitten, foster a litter or offer volunteer time helping out the shelters during 'kitten season'. Your shelter will certainly appreciate it and you will be making a difference in the lives of those animals.

Stephanie Conrad

Owner | Artist

The Pet Studio

www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

The Pet Studio, As Seen on Pit Boss!

2011-02-20T18:15:00.004-06:00

Last year was an amazing year for The Pet Studio. Not only was The Pet Studio born, I booked 80 commissions last year in only 8 months of being in business, Donated and raised Donations for animals in need (totaling over $2500), attended the Austin No Kill Workshop, Assisted in the Rescue and re-homing of puppy mill survivors, abuse victims and homeless pets, and booked 10 events last year. Of these events, The Parade of 100 Pit Bulls (National Pit Bull Awareness Day) was by far the biggest event, with over 700 dogs, most of which were Pit Bull type breeds and more than 1000 people attended. Among our attendees, Shorty Rossi and Hercules, of the Animal Planet Show Pit Boss and the men of Rescue Ink joined us to celebrate Austin's Pittie Pride!

Not only was the day an exciting and fun event with our celebrity guests, but the sheer number of dogs in such a close proximity was just astounding. I have to laugh at the skeptics who still swear that dogs of the Pit Bull type are dangerous or aggressive. With over 700 dogs, and no major incidents, you would think that this argument could be put to rest! Obviously every dog of the breed is not prone to attack! As a Pittie owner myself, I sure was full of pride for my breed. I was so impressed with all of the other Pit Bull Owners standing up for our dogs and enjoying the beautiful day together!

Yes, that is The Pet Studio you see back there! I only have the screen shot but will upload the video as soon as I have it!

So last night, as Love A Bull members got together for the viewing of our Pit Boss episode, I was SO excited to see The Pet Studio pop up with my colorful booth during the Austin Pit Bull Awareness Day segment! The tables next to mine laughed as my group of friends cheered when they saw me! It was such a fun experience to see myself (and so many of my friends) on TV, even if only for a moment!

The Pet Studio artist, Stephanie with Rescue Ink and a painting of JohnyO's pups, Chuck and Lucy!

The Pet Studio wants to send out a HUGE Thank You to Love A Bull for hosting this fabulous event (and asking me to participate!), Shorty Rossi, Hercules and the Crew of Pit Boss for joining us, Rescue Ink for joining us and to all of the fabulous Pit Bull owners who are doing the right thing and caring for your pets! The Pet Studio had a blast and cannot wait to see everyone again this year!

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio

www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Also check out:

Love A Bull, Inc

Shorty's Pit Bull Rescue

Rescue Ink

If you say you are an Advocate.... ADVOCATE!

2011-02-17T23:38:00.002-06:00

Growing up, I looked up to my parents. I idolized my dad, who just celebrated 30 years with the Houston Fire Department and my mother is a beautiful soul who has been teaching children since she was in her teens. As an adult, I admire my parents for the things that they do, but I don't do everything exactly as they taught me growing up. I am my own person now and I make decisions that differ from the things that they were taught. (Just to clarify, my parents are not involved in the Animal Welfare World. They admire the work that I do, and they have adopted rescued pets, but this article is not about their views on animals).

Now, at 26, I am fully capable of seeing the flaws in some of their old-fashioned thinking. Luckily, I have parents that I can reason with when they are making harmful decisions based on past situations. Unfortunately, my parents are not the only people I try to reason with and spend my time debating issues with.

'Tipper' and myself. Tipper was rescued through The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter

As a No-Kill Advocate, I am always intrigued to read articles, discuss opinions and overall follow issues within the Animal Welfare Community. This pertains to my community in Austin as well as around the country.

As an artist/business, I try to support the groups who support the animals.

Some people think that because 1000 lives were saved through a rescue organization, that makes them a 'rescue'.

The truth is, this rescue killed 3000.... it makes you stop to think for a minute. Why did you kill 3000 and only save 1000? Sure, I am always happy to see animals move out of a kennel and into a home but this does not mean that I support the killing of the other 3000, or that I support this rescue because they had a 25% save rate.

Killing healthy, adoptable or medically/behaviorally treatable (as long as treatment is humane) is ALWAYS unacceptable.

Today an article came out in one of our local newspapers, The Austin Chronicle, bashing No Kill. I feel like it bashed the outspoken individuals in our community more than the No Kill Movement, which is typical of the no-kill opposition. There is no argument against No Kill that makes sense really. By arguing it, aren't you supporting killing?

Austin Chronicle Cover from Today's Issue.... Looks like a particular Animal Advocate is 'unchained'
and making some noise! (No, your ears aren't that big.)

I hear people say all the time, "Everyone wants to save them all."

I don't buy that. Sure, it's a nice thought to believe that everyone in the Animal Welfare community wants to save them all. I know that my ultimate goal as the President of The Pet Alliance of Central Texas is to bring my community (and ultimately state, country and world) to true No Kill Status. I don't even mean that I want 90%. I want 100% of the Healthy, Adoptable and Treatable animals saved. If that number is 90%, I am thrilled with 90% but if 98% could have been saved... I feel like we failed those last 8%.

"Daisy" - Available for Adoption through The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter

If everyone really 'wanted to save them all' why aren't they implementing the programs to stop the killing. Why are they saying 'NO' to life-saving alternatives.

It's time to admit that things were wrong with the way things were done before (the way 'your parents' taught you) and start fighting for the lives of the animals. If you want to call yourself Animal Advocates, step up and ADVOCATE for them, STOP killing them!

Just a thought.

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio

www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

I Am One Person...

2011-01-07T23:38:00.004-06:00

"As an animal advocate, I would like to challenge every Rescue or Shelter that is killing more animals than you save to PROVE that you are doing all that you can... give the No Kill Equation a try... and IF it doesn't work to increase live outcome... I will shut up!"

- Stephanie Conrad, owner of The Pet Studio

As I am planning my first event, well my first event as a host, I have attended countless events as a sponsor, I can't help but browse other animal advocate and animal rescue and/or shelter websites to see the things that they are doing to promote the pets in their care.

Unlike some organizations, I can admit that I don't know it all and while I am planning and hosting this event, I sought out help and am working one on one with the staff of a wonderful organization, The Humane Society of Williamson County (HSWC) to raise money and awareness to promote their life-saving mission. Sure, this is a different style of teamwork than the average shelter is used to and while I am not personally adopting out animals, I am really struck at how just my little, one person business is making a difference by reaching out.

In 2010, The Pet Studio started from one painting, one small gesture that made a little impact on one other person's life. From that one painting, my business has grown to producing over 80 commissions in a little over 9 months. I am happy to earn a living doing something that I love but just bringing in my own paycheck isn't enough for me. After nearly 10 years of working in and around Shelters, Rescues and Veterinary Clinics, I decided that the little something extra my business would be able to do is promote, promote and promote adoptions in any way that I can!

In The Pet Studio's first 8 months of business (April - December 2010), I raised nearly $2400 with donations from each commissioned painting, raffle/auction donations and project donations (such as The Pit Bull Project, which raised $205 in a 24 hour period for Love-A-Bull, a Pit Bull Advocacy Group).

Now, I'm not bragging. I like to think of myself as a humble person and I often find myself overwhelmed if I get a compliment or reduced to tears when a project goes well. Am I proud that I was able to raise donations and promote life saving efforts? Yes! Do I love that I can have these bragging rights? Sure! Who wouldn't want to be able to say that they have done some good? My point is, with a little work, one person can make a huge difference!

A year ago, I did not have the voice that I have now. I didn't bother to get nosey or to question the direction of a shelter. I never thought to ask what they really valued as an organization because I assumed, "they are a 'shelter,' so they are doing the right thing". Oh, how wrong I was!

I don't, and never will, understand the selfishness that some organizations are showing as they fight life saving efforts. Is it that you didn't think of No Kill first, so you oppose it out of spite? Is it a fear of change? Are you afraid of irritating a politician sitting behind a desk somewhere? Do you really think every pet that enters your shelter isn't worth saving... or at least trying to save?

Regardless of the reason, there is no excuse for the killing. When one person wants to help change things, listen! When one person has an idea to stop the killing... try! When one person turns to two people, then 3, then a community.... there is real change! I see communities coming together across the country to end the killing (Reno, NV, Ithica, NY, Charlottesville, VA, and Austin, TX: on our way!)... why isn't every community trying this out? Is there one person standing in the way? Or is there just no one who wants to step up and say, "Lets Change"!

I have to challenge these shelters to reach out to their community, build a relationship with other businesses and promote teamwork with other businesses and animal advocates to get your communities homeless pets out of the Shelter ALIVE and into their forever homes!

As one person, I am making a difference in a way that works for me and that works for the organizations I reach out to. Your way may not be the same as my way, but what are you going to do as one person to make a difference?

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio

www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

You forgot to give me a Name…

2010-12-31T12:36:00.003-06:00

Despite the radical changes that the No Kill Movement has made across the country, I still find myself surprised by the shelters who oppose this model.

This morning, as I browse the listings of animals at my local [Austin, TX] shelters, I am truly excited to be part of a community who is embracing this model. With Town Lake Animal Center’s live outcome numbers steadily climbing throughout 2010 , I cannot wait to see where we will be at this point next year.

Contrary to Austin’s success, it seems that the city where I grew up is moving in the opposite direction. Houston, TX is fighting the No Kill Model. Houston has 5 (!!) high kill shelters that kill approximately 80,000 animals each year. BARC, Houston’s city shelter’s kill rate actually rose from 57% (October 09 – March 10) to 69% (July 2010) yet they continue to do nothing to change.

Not only am I disappointed in the shelter leadership for allowing this, I have to wonder why Shelter employees continue to do as they are told and end the lives of healthy, happy and very adoptable companion pets.

Has the shelter system, including employees, become so desensitized to these helpless lives that they cannot attach themselves emotionally? I think this is exactly the problem. In addition to the excuses of why these animals cannot be saved, I must note that many of these pets are not even given a name.

As Animal I.D. # 22294987* is injected with the lethal blue liquid and lay dying on the exam room table, how is the person holding that needle going to feel attached if the life before them has no name?

As a shelter leader or employee, how do you feel compassion for a life that is nothing more than a number in your system?

While the changes brought by the No Kill Model can be intimidating, setting goals, and actually reaching those goals, holds the shelter accountable for every pet, every life that enters into that Shelter’s care.

If a shelter cares so little about the animals that the leadership doesn’t even name each pet, how can a community trust the lives of their homeless to them?

Houston and every other city fighting the No Kill Model.... it's time for change! Real Change! Step up and take responsibility for your actions. Admitting that the past hasn’t worked will be saving lives in the future.

Stephanie Conrad
The Pet Studio
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Sources:

- City of Austin: http://www.cityofaustin.org/health/pets/reports.htm

- No Kill Houston's Bett Sundermeyer article: Deception, Spin and Lies

- No Kill Advocacy Center: http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/

*Not a real I.D. number, just making a point!

"Justin's Law" Could Kill My Dog

2010-12-18T11:57:00.012-06:00

Preface: Some people are trying hard to implement a Breed Ban in Texas, which would, if enforced, cost Texas taxpayers approximately $31 MILLION and more importantly, kill, punish or banish every loving Pit Bull pet in the state. In 2011 " Justin's Law " could be passed and our dogs could die.

Dear Serenia Clinton,
Cc:
Every other politician or person supporting BSL and Justin's Law.

Cynthia Stevens Kent (lawyer)

Chuck Hopson (Texas State Representative)
Senator Kevin Eltife (Texas State Senate, District 1)

First and Foremost, I would like to send my condolences to you and your family. The loss of your son, Justin, after a dog attack (in 2009) is a terrible tragedy. My heart goes out to you during the difficult recovery of your loss and I do hope that you find peace within yourself and your family for Justin.

As a mother, I feel the hurt and the pain of your great loss.

However, my children differ from yours in the fact that they have four legs and their words are a series of woofs and expressions. Just as your son was attacked, my pit bull mix Holly is being attacked…. by you… by your lawyers… and by the politicians who are so poorly educated about Pit Bulls and dogs in general.

My daughter, Holly; Pit bull mix and myself sharing a nuzzle.

Much like children, every dog is the product of his or her environment. A pit bull puppy is not born with a hidden agenda to kill, nor is the breed pre-dispositioned to become aggressive.

You and your lawyer are making claims that all Pit Bulls are vicious dogs when the real issue here is the loss of your son.

Killing my daughter, one of the loves of my life, who happens to be a Pit Bull mix will NOT bring Justin back. The Breed Ban will NOT make the pain of losing your child go away and it will certainly NOT be justice for Justin.

The tears you have cried for Justin will be joined by the tears of the thousands of dog owners who are losing their loving pets. Pets who have brought smiles to their parents faces, much like, I assume, Justin brought smiles to your face. Pets who have cuddled up next to their parents and fallen asleep in their laps, much like, again I assume, Justin did in your lap.

Banning a breed will not solve the problem caused by the two dogs that Justin came in contact with. Education for the public on responsible pet ownership, however, will solve this issue and potentially save lives. Education on key issues, such as spaying and neutering, proper socialization, proper housing for animals, and proper supervision.

Killing innocent dogs is certainly not the answer. Killing my daughter will not make this right for you or Justin.

Stephanie Conrad, Pit Bull Owner

The Pet Studio

www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

________________________

Interesting Pit Bull Facts:

- The American Temperament Test Society, who grades dogs of all breeds based on their behavior (focusing on avoidance, aggression, friendliness, etc) passed Pit Bulls and those dogs labeled as Pit Bulls with great marks!

The Pit Bull Breed passed with an 86% (772 dogs were tested)
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier passed with an 89% (115 dogs tested)

In comparison with other "friendly" labeled breeds:

The Beagle Breed passed with an 80% (71 dogs tested)
The Standard Poodle passed with an 86% (243 dogs tested)
English Springer Spaniel passed with an 84% (146 dogs tested)

The Golden Retriever passed with an 84% (746 dogs tested)

Chihuahua passed with a 71% (38 dogs tested)

-Pit Bulls have been popular family pets since the 1800s. Famous historical figures like Helen Keller, Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain and John Steinbeck all owned Pit Bulls. A current celebrity, Rachel Ray owns a Pit Bull and Petey, the loved pup from The Little Rascals was a Pit Bull!

- Sargent Stubby, a Pit Bull who served in World War 1 is a decorated Pit Bull, awarded nearly a dozen medals as well as a Purple Heart for his loyalty and bravery.

- The University of Texas's first mascot was a Pit Bull, named Pig.

- Pit Bulls are commonly mislabeled. Dogs such as American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terriers, American Bull Terriers, and even boxers can all be labeled as "Pit Bulls." The only true way to identify a breed is by doing a DNA test, which can be very expensive.

Sources:

This letter is a response to the proposed Pit Bull Ban in Texas. You can read " Justin's Law " here: http://tylerpaper.com/pdf/pitbull-proposal.pdf

Pit Bull and Temperment Testing Stats can be found on the ATTS website: http://www.atts.org/

Love-A-Bull, Pit Bull Advocacy Group Website: http://www.love-a-bull.org

Why I Support The No Kill Movement....

2010-11-12T18:08:00.006-06:00

When I first became involved in Animal Rescue, I was living in Houston, TX. I started as a Volunteer for a local animal organization where nearly 70% of animals who walked through those doors were killed. I never understood why these animals were not making it out alive, but naively assumed this was the only way to get the animals off of the streets. In Houston, I never questioned the killing philosophy. Wow... have things changed...

Moving to Austin, TX in 2005 opened my eyes to an entire new world of Animal Welfare. Working with a local, limited admission shelter, I was surprised to see the difference. Animals in Austin were treated with love and respect. This shelter boasted a wonderful program to place animals with owners who would understand their needs, care for them and most of all offer a loving home to these animals. It was a heartwarming experience.

My two babies, Jazz (Black) and Izze Belle (Black and White), adopted from Austin Humane Society.

Needless to say, this was not the only Animal Shelter I became involved with in Austin. I have offered volunteer hours, donations and support to the majority of our major shelters, as well as working for 2 Rescue Friendly Veterinary Offices in the Austin area.

In 2010, I discovered the No Kill Movement. The very straightforward 11 steps inspired by Author Nathan Winograd, set realistic goals and are the key to getting our Shelters to No Kill Status.

Being an advocate for No Kill certainly comes with it's share of criticism. I am often asked why I would want to support a Movement that gets such a push-back from huge animal organizations like PETA and the ASPCA.

To this, I respond with my story of Dallas:

Early in my Animal Career, 'Dallas", a cute little Pit Bull mix came to an open admission shelter where I happened to be working as a behavioralist at the time. Her elderly owner had passed away after suffering a heart attack and Dallas had been left alone in her home for nearly 3 days before being sent to the shelter. I happened to come in to work with some dogs that week and was informed by a Staff member that Dallas had not come out of the crate she was brought to the shelter in for nearly 2 days. Now a shaking, terrified Pit Bull mix, 'Dallas' was destined to be killed by the so called Saviors who ran the Shelter. The only reason she had not yet been killed was a lack of staff and the required hold time for animals coming into the shelter.

I didn't have much hope as I walked into the run where Dallas's crate was kept. She was balled up as small as she could get in the very back of the crate, obviously terrified with a broken spirit. As I sat on the ground in her kennel, I started to talk to this frightened pup. I tried to imagine what she was feeling and how scary this must really be for her. The smell of death from the thousands of animals who had already been killed here in this shelter, the loud sounds of dogs barking, the clanking of bowls being washed. This poor little dog had never known anything but her elderly owner and now he was gone.

After quite awhile of sitting in her run, I was crying myself, imagining what this poor dog was going through. Wiping my eyes, I looked into her kennel to see her watching me, this was the first eye contact she had made with a human over the past week. I tapped my leg and called her gently, and as she looked away again, I decided that this probably was not going to get her out. In my talking with her, I happened to ask her if she wanted to go for a walk.... at the word walk, her ears popped to the top of her head. Seeing this, I pulled my leash out and asked her again if a Walk sounded good. About 10 minutes later, she was still curled up in her little ball, but now she was half on my lap and softly licking my fingers.

Three weeks later, after lots of Volunteer time being put in, 'Dallas' had found a foster family with another Volunteer friend, who had begun to work with her as well. 5 weeks after going into foster, her foster family adopted her and she is now a happy, healthy 8 year old Pit Bull.

'Dallas' was one of a few who made it out of that particular shelter alive. I think about the trauma that she experienced and her ability to pull through that fear. With shelter's striving for No Kill, animals like Dallas will be given a chance at a wonderful life.

The No Kill Movement is about saving these beautiful souls and I want to be part of that! Don't you?

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio

www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Have you kissed a Pit Bull Today?

2010-11-10T15:10:00.004-06:00

Every morning I open my eyes to a happy little face staring back at me. This face belongs to my 50lb Pit Bull mix Holly Madison, who waits patiently for her mom to wake up, but once my eyes open, I am smothered with Pit Bull kisses.

Typical of the breed, Holly is full of excited, positive energy and is happy to get to know everyone she meets.

This Sunday, I was fortunate enough to be involved in the Pit Bull Awareness Day, hosted in Austin, TX by the Pit Bull Advocate group, Love-A-Bull.

Leading the Parade were Meghan Turner, co-founder of Love-A-Bull with Pit Bull, May, Shorty Rossi (of Animal Planet's Pit Boss) and Pit Bull, Hercules and the men of the National Geographic show Rescue Ink.

Love-A-Bull began as a simple meetup group, where a rather small cluster of Pit Bull owners got together to walk around Town Lake, in the heart of Downtown Austin, once a week. Two years ago, Meghan Turner and Lydia Zaidman, then members of the meetup decided to take things further and founded Love-A-Bull, Inc, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit mission-driven to promote responsible ownership, promote positive aspects of pit bulls and dispel myths through education and advocacy, to truly repair the damage that has been unfairly done to the reputation of these great dogs.

Love-A-Bull currently has 851 members and is now ranked the second largest Pit Bull Advocacy group in the country, following New York City's Pit Bull meetup.

The Pit Bull Awareness Day brought in over 1500 attendees, with nearly 600 Pit Bulls gracing the grounds of Republic Square Park. True to Pit Bull form, the park was a sea of happy, wiggling tails and slurpy kisses, including the Pit Bull Kissing Booth.

Pictured here is the 'Pit Bull Kissing Booth' and myself taking in a big smooch!

With so many people and animals crowded into such a small area, our Pit Bulls stayed true to form and made a wonderful impression on the city. With no serious altercations, our Pit Bull community proved that Pit Bulls are not killing machines, as the media often portrays them. These sweet dogs are full of love, loyalty and most importantly, they are part of our families!

The Pet Studio would like to thank Love-A-Bull for all of the wonderful things you do for our Pitties. Thank you for hosting such a wonderful event. The Pet Studio is looking forward to attending the 2011 Pit Bull Awareness Day!

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio

www.petstudioart.com

In honor of Pit Bull Awareness, The Pet Studio is offering 10% off of any custom painting to the member's of Love-A-Bulls meetup!

More Photos from the Pit Bull Awareness Day Austin can be found on the Pet Studio's Facebook Page!

Sources:

www.love-a-bull.org

Meghan Turner, Founder - Love-A-Bull

The Truth behind PETA: The Killing, The Lies and The Lack of Ethics

2010-10-30T12:59:00.007-05:00

P.E.T.A...... People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.... The Animal Rights Organization set a new all time Record in 2009.... for the number of companion animals that they killed.

Yes, that's right... killed. In 2009 PETA took in 2,366 companion pets. This sounds wonderful until you look at the facts. Of these 2366 animals only 8 (!!!!) were adopted out, 31 were transferred to other facilities (presumably shelters) and the other 2327 were put to death in the hands of these so called animal rights activists. This means that 97% of animals taken in through PETA were killed last year! Wow.

This is not uncommon practice for this deplorable organization, since 2002 no more than 15% of animals taken in by PETA have survived. Now the death toll of animals in PETA’s care has reached 23,640, including more than 2,000 pets last year. This is not an animal charity, this is a death sentence for companion animals.

In 2005, at a press conference held after two PETA employees were arrested for animal cruelty after dumping hundreds of dead animals in a dumpster, Ingrid Newkirk, founder of PETA stated, "Euthanasia is the kindest gift to a dog or cat unwanted and unloved."

To top things off, PETA has announced that they will be offering to pay celebrity Lindsey Lohan's rehab bill if she stops eating meat.... seriously PETA! What!?! The celeb states that she cannot afford her $50,000 rehab treatment so rather than spending the money on helping animals (remind me why you advertise that you are animal activists....?) PETA chooses to spend $50,000 on Lohan's treatment.

Meanwhile PETA continues to denounce the credibility of The No Kill Movement, which has proven that animal shelters can stop the unnecessary killing of companion animals.

With absolutely no thanks to PETA the No Kill Movement makes it's voice heard and proves over and over again that adopting the No Kill Method is an effective and incredibly humane resource in saving thousands of lives every year.

Reno NV, an open admission shelter is saving 90% of sheltered animals.

San Francisco, CA, open admission is saving 86%

Austin, TX is now saving 73%, nearly 20% higher since Austin has adopted this mindset.

PETA consistently argues that turning an open admission shelter into a "NO KILL" shelter is basically turning the shelter into a hoarding warehouse, well, PETA this is not the case. With such high adoption percentages, these animals are being marketed and are getting OUT of the shelter, adopted to loving homes and not killed at the hands of someone who calls themselves an animal activist.

"If every animal shelter in the United States embraced the No Kill philosophy and the programs and services that make it a reality, we would save nearly four million dogs and cats who are scheduled to die in shelters this year, and the year after that. It is not an impossible dream." - No Kill Advocacy Center

Stephanie Conrad, The Pet Studio
www.petstudioart.com

Follow The Pet Studio on Facebook!

Follow No Kill Nation on Facebook!

Sources:

www.nokilladvocacycenter.org

www.nevadahumanesociety.org

www.nokillnow.com

www.wikepedia.com: Search "PETA" & "No Kill"

www.peta.org

B.S.L. is complete B.S.

2010-10-29T09:53:00.001-05:00

(Does this Pit Bull look dangerous???)

With election day coming quickly, do you really know where your politicians stand? With many issues on the news and in most areas of the media, there is one topic that effect hundreds of people in your area, Breed Specific Legislation. This particular topic is not hitting the news as often as unemployment, but this law could mean hundreds of homes losing a beloved (and harmless) family member.

What is BSL?

-Breed Specific Legislation bans or restricts certain types of dog based on their appearance because they are perceived as 'dangerous'. A breed ban usually requires that all dogs of that breed appearance be removed from the area where BSL has been implemented. Breed Restrictions may require owners to do some or more of the following: muzzle the dog in public, spay/neuter the dog (which everyone should consider anyway for health and population purposes), purchase insurance of a certain amount for the dog, place signs on the outside of residence where the dog lives.

Problems with BSL:

-BSL has been proven ineffective in reducing the number of dog bites in the areas where enacted.

The Netherlands (Ban on “pit bulls” since 1993)—Dog bites continued to rise after a breed ban was enacted. The ban was repealed in 2008.
United Kingdom (Ban on four types of dogs since 1997)—Dog bites increased by 50% between 1997 and 2007, and a number of fatalities involved non-banned breeds.
Denver, CO (Ban on “pit bulls” since 1989)—“Between 1995 and 2006, Denver had almost six times as many dog-related hospitalizations compared to Boulder, even though Denver’s population is less than twice that of Boulder.” Boulder does not have BSL.
Prince George’s Co., MD (Ban on “pit bulls” since 1996)—A task force found that “the public safety benefit is unmeasurable."

-BSL is expensive to implement and enforce.

-BSL requires identification of a dogs breed, which is extremely difficult.

-BSL is opposed by many professional animal organizations, such as American Dog Owners Association, American Humane, American Kennel Club, and many many others, this is because people who know animals know that Pit Bulls and Bully breed dogs are good dogs!!

-BSL punishes innocent dogs!

Educate Yourself! -- www.stopbsl.com --

-Stephanie Conrad, Owner: The Pet Studio

www.petstudioart.com

Sources:

www.stopbsl.com

www.love-a-bull.org

No Kill vs. Pro Kill

2010-10-16T12:46:00.005-05:00

Today, as I wake up to check my daily blogs, facebook, twitter, etc.... I am APPALLED(!!) to read an article posted on the facebook of a fellow animal business right here in Austin supporting killing.

Boasting an article written by journalist Mike Stark condemning the No Kill Movement, this business is putting down all of the hard work the staff and supporters of Town Lakes already in progress No Kill implementation plan.

Stark goes on to say in his article that the no kill movement is more of a torture fest than it is life saving. "The flat truth is that [Nathan] Winograd's "No-Kill" model is limited. It can work when shelters serving smaller towns decide to limit intake (by turning away older, unsocialized or less attractive animals). It is simply unworkable in larger municipalities. Sheltering policy is difficult; it's a field in which the utopian ideal is seldom achievable. Instead, the animal lovers that run shelters make must make difficult choices and strive for best outcomes after considering the totality of the circumstances. [If Euthanizing] is the merciful decision, it may be the correct choice. Across America, there are thousands of shelters. "No kill" is probably suitable and the ethically sound choice for some shelters, but for many more, a "no kill" policy condemns animals to a miserable existence. In those communities, mercy must prevail."

I am amazed at how quickly Stark dismisses the facts:

-Reno, NV, is saving more than 90% of sheltered animals at its open-admission shelter.

-San Francisco, CA, is saving 86%.

-Austin, Texas, is now saving 73%. (nearly 20% higher since Austin has first accepted the No Kill mindset.)

Ryan Clinton, No Kill Advocate for Austin Texas replies to Stark with a the solid argument that while Nathan Winograd (author of Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution) states in his No Kill Model "Stop the Killing", this is not necessarily the No Kill Method.

The No Kill Method focuses on building programs to help decrease shelter intake (offering low cost spay and neuter programs, pet retention programs, return to owner programs, and successful TNR programs for our feral cat communities), implement new programs within the shelter (such as improving customer service and adoption counseling, improve marketing for your shelter, off site adoptions and improving volunteer and foster programs).

It seems simple to me: Decrease Intake + Increase Programs = More Live outcome!

Unfortunately there are always going to be those that oppose every idea, if for nothing more than to get a rise out of others.

The No Kill Movement is showing it's face and making a huge impact on many communities around the country, and I am thrilled to be a proud supporter of Nathan Winograd and the entire No Kill Movement.

Mike Stark, maybe you should spend some time promoting a shelter rather than wasting time trying to kill a positive and growing movement.

-Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio

Sources:

No Kill Austin: http://nokillaustin.org/

No Kill Advocacy Center: http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/

Mike Stark - "No Kill or Turture" : http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-stark/no-kill-or-torture-4k2org_b_760869.html?)