GRRAND Tails Rest of the Story July 2023
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Volunteer Spotlight
This month’s volunteer spotlight is on Nina Scott, who is the President of GRRAND, President/CEO of Dermatology Specialists Research, and a mother of two daughters (10-year-old Ella and 9-year-old Layla) and 3 dogs! Nina is located in Louisville, Kentucky, and is a former D1 scholarship athlete and varsity basketball letter-winner at the University of Louisville, graduating with dual Bachelor’s Degrees in Nursing and Sports Medicine. Some of her hobbies include tennis, travel, the outdoors, and just staying active! She is incredibly passionate about advocating for local community growth, child welfare, and animal rights in the state of Kentucky.
Nina joined GRRAND in 2007 after adopting her first GRRAND dog, Nikki, and after such an amazing adoption experience, she applied to volunteer to walk dogs on the weekends. She gradually became more involved in other areas – such as phone duty, screening applications, and planning events – which eventually led to her joining the board in 2016.
When Nina was asked what accomplishment she is most proud to have been a part of at GRRAND, she responded, “Negotiating for our new facility is definitely something I am most proud of as President. It was a stressful time as negotiations and planning took over two years, but we finally accomplished what we set out to do and couldn’t be happier with our new facility. The Pet Station Country Club has also been a positive addition for GRRAND as they really do a great job taking care of our rescue dogs.”
Nina and her family have fostered several GRRAND dogs over the years, although it is always difficult explaining to your animal-loving children why you don’t get to keep them forever! They currently have three furbabies – a 16-year-old named Andy who they adopted through GRRAND in 2010, a 5-year-old Newfoundland named Boone who was adopted through South Central Newfoundland Rescue near Indianapolis, and a 4-year-old GRRAND pup named Kirby.
Thank you, Nina, for all that you do for GRRAND and your community, you are an inspiration to many!
I Found Love - Adoption and Fostering Stories
Susan Bush and her family opened up their home to foster GRRAND pups during the pandemic, as our need for foster families was rising. Thus far they have fostered Red (he just joined the Bush family this past weekend and will soon be available for adoption), Molly (who got adopted after 6 quick days with their family), and Chip, who is still living with them and their other dog Meika.
“I really hope to foster for many years to come because when a dog is living in a loving home, as opposed to a shelter, they will learn how to be confident, happy dogs. I HIGHLY recommend fostering and of course, adopting from GRRAND. There’s so much support and a great sense of community with this organization and everything they do. They are simply wonderful people who are passionate about animals. It’s changed our lives for the better and it will be yours. Please apply and help out in any way you can.”
What has been your favorite part about fostering with GRRAND?
“We currently still have our first foster named Chip. We asked to foster a dog with the biggest problems, the hardest case because that’s where I really felt I could have the most impact. Chip was completely shut down after living his whole life in a cage. He was not even 2 years old and he was being used for breeding. He has bone on bone in both hips….it’s just so sad. When we first met Chip, he was cowering and shaking in the corner of the room.
Seeing his progress has been a huge highlight in our lives. It took weeks for him to be alright with us even approaching and petting him. We gave him space and time to settle in and get comfortable with our other dog, the noises in the house, and the people in our lives. We have had him for 5 months and he has gained so much confidence and strength. Our dog has taught him how to act like a dog and that it’s okay to be touched. He’s now going for small hikes, walks nicely on the left, and can sit. He is scheduled for a hip replacement in July and we look forward to hopefully seeing his movement improve and live a full, happy life!
Since we’ve had a long wait for surgery, we decided to foster again in order to save another animal from living in a kennel. This is when we found Molly on the website. She is a ten-year-old Australian Shepherd mix and just the biggest sweetheart. She came from a very sad situation as two of her family members passed away and a third abandoned her. She was on the side of a busy road when picked up and full of ticks, mats, and waste.
We met with the transport couple as they arrived at GRRAND, so Molly could come home with us and not spend time in the shelter. We bathed her before anything else and spent days picking ticks, brushing, and clipping mats out of her fur. She was just a doll throughout the whole process. You could tell that she’d been well-loved and cared for in the past. Chip and Meika reacted really well to her and accepted her as part of their pack, which was really important to us, as we want to keep fostering. We now know that they will be kind and welcoming to a new furry family member. We had Molly for 6 days before she met her forever family. Despite the short time together, we really bonded with her as she was just so easy and sweet to be around.
The only way I could part with her was because GRRAND had done such a good job of finding the perfect home for her, which is the greatest reward for a foster.”
Summer Safety Tips from GRRAND
Overheating and Heat Stroke in Dogs
If you’re warm, chances are, your pup is warmer. But according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), dogs’ best cooling mechanism (panting) isn’t nearly as efficient as ours (sweating). This makes overheating and heat stroke common dangers for summer days spent outdoors. So how do we keep our dogs from overheating in the summer temperatures?
How to Prevent Overheating and Heat Stroke
- Avoid taking your dog on runs and walks during the hottest times of the day.
- When you do go for a walk, know your route, mapping out the best shady spots to stop to give your dog a chance to cool off.
- During downtime outdoors, make sure your dog has access to a shaded area from the sun. In Jefferson County, Ordinance 91.090 states that it’s the law to provide shade and free flowing fresh air for your pets.
- Know the warning signs of heat stroke. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), your dog may be experiencing heat stroke if they are heavily panting; are having difficult breathing; are lethargic, drowsy, or uncoordinated; or are collapsing or vomiting.
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How to Treat Heat Stroke
The RSPCA recommends these steps for gradually lowering your dog’s body temperature in order to increase their chance of survival. Once your dog has cooled down, the RSPCA recommends immediately taking them to the closest vet.
- Move your dog to a cool or shaded area.
- Pour cool (not cold) water over your dog. Avoid pouring water on your dog’s head.
- Don’t place a wet towel over your dog. Instead, you can place a wet towel under your dog or, in the case of an emergency, immerse your dog or continue pouring cool water over them.
- Let your dog drink a small amount of cool water.
- Continue pouring water on your dog until their breathing slows but they’re not shivering.
Dogs and Dehydration
Water is essential to keep your dog happy and healthy, but during the summer months, dogs, especially active ones, are losing an increased amount of water as they work to self-regulate their body temperatures. See below to learn how to prevent and treat dehydration during these warmer temperatures.
How to Prevent Dehydration in Dogs
Happy Pup Tips’ website recommends dogs drink about a half to one fluid ounce of water per pound of body weight on a normal day. Active dogs or dogs out in the summer heat will require more. Remember to keep fresh water handy, and if you’re walking, exercising, or traveling with your dog, bring a water bottle.
How to Treat Dehydration
According to Happy Pup Tips, dogs can survive for three days without water, but the effects of dehydration can set in much sooner. Symptoms include loss of skin elasticity, loss of moisture in the gums, loss of appetite, excessive panting, and a dry nose. If your dog exhibits any of these signs, call your veterinarian immediately.
5 Tips for Walking or Running with Your Dog This Summer
- Recognize the Risk: Running on grass is much different for your dog than running on concrete or asphalt. Hard surfaces have the potential to injure your dog’s legs, paws, or paw pads. Know the risk before you go. Dogs that are more experienced running on hard surfaces are less likely to suffer an injury.
- Go to the Pros: Starting your dog on a new exercise regimen? The AVMA recommends checking with your veterinarian to see if your dog is ready.
- What’s the Weather: According to the American Kennel Club, if temperatures reach 85 degrees outside and remain at least 85 degrees throughout the day, it’s best to skip that walk or run.
- Test It Yourself: Before going out, place your hand on the pavement. If it hurts to keep your hand on the pavement for at least 7 seconds, the surface is too hot for your dog’s paws.
- Check for Injury: After each walk or run, the AVMA recommends checking your pup’s paws for skin damage, swelling, or pain.
Taking Care with Hot Cars
Many states like Kentucky have laws stating that “it is illegal to leave an animal in a situation that is likely to cause them harm” (WKYT 2019), and others, like Ohio, will protect civilians from liability for breaking into a car to rescue a pet that’s in danger. Thanks to the hard work of volunteers at Kentucky Animal Action, founded by GRRAND’s very own Mychell Lawson, Jefferson County law now specifically states that it is illegal to leave a pet in a motor vehicle if conditions are dangerous to the pet. If a pet is in danger, no matter the owner of the vehicle, first responders, including animal control officers, on or off duty can legally break a vehicle window to rescue the pet.
Minutes can make a difference between life and death. Most states and counties recommend calling 911 or animal control immediately if you see a pet in a hot car exhibiting signs of distress. For non-emergency cases, the Humane Society of the United States recommends calling the non-emergency number for animal control or the local police. For non-emergency cases in Jefferson County, call LMAS at 502-473-7387 or Metro Safe at 311.
Searching for a GRRAND Volunteer Coordinator
Answer the questions below. If you answer “yes” to most of them, please contact us right away because you may be the perfect fit for GRRAND’s brand new volunteer program coordinator position!
Questions:
- Have you been looking for a meaningful challenge in your life?
- Does the creativity involved in building something from scratch make your tail wag?
- Are you able to represent the positive attributes of teamwork and respect when communicating with others?
- Are you a positive, flexible team member who can motivate others to achieve a goal? (Think of a Golden Retriever motivating you to play!)
- Do you have experience coordinating volunteers or do you excel at researching the “How Tos” of a new initiative?
- Does your regular schedule allow for the time to create, implement, and sustain a new volunteer program for GRRAND?
- Are you on high alert (tail up, ears perked) for problems before they arise?
- Is your attention to detail almost annoying to others?
- Do you have patience and perseverance when tackling a new initiative?
- Do you speak babbling baby talk to your dog?
Volunteer Coordinator Overview: GRRAND has approximately 200 volunteers working on a variety of tasks from the intake of a new dog through every step until the dog is adopted, including follow-up. We have volunteers in Louisville, Cincinnati, and Lexington. The volunteer coordinator, with assistance from the board, will be responsible for recruiting, training, scheduling, retention initiatives, and volunteer perks.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Volunteer Recruitment– Find and attract volunteers on a regular basis. Work with GRRAND coordinators and team leads to match volunteers with GRRAND needs.
- Volunteer Training– Provide orientation and overview training to new volunteers via written guidelines or group meetings. Other GRRAND coordinators and team leaders are responsible for specific training in their respective areas.
- Volunteer Scheduling– Place and schedule volunteers once they enter GRRAND’s volunteer program.
- Volunteer Engagement– Keep current volunteers engaged with GRRAND once on board.
- Volunteer Recognition– Recognize volunteers in a variety of ways (spotlight recognition and other perks)
- Track Volunteer Impact– Capture the volunteer program’s impact to assess our success, grow the program over time, and qualify for grants (written by someone else).
REQUIREMENTS:
- Ability to work well with people and provide motivation for success
- Comfortable talking to potential volunteers either by phone or at public events
- Computer skills to assess volunteer software options for GRRAND’s volunteer program
- Organizational skills to develop and maintain GRRAND’s volunteer program
- Networking skills to stay up to date with GRRAND’s organizational departments and potential volunteer sources
TIME REQUIREMENTS:
- An incremental approach to developing GRRAND’s volunteer program may be best. We have some developed resources and this coordinator will initially assess what’s in place now and come up with a plan for future additions.
- Eventually, we expect this program will require significant resources and time to implement and manage. The plan would be to recruit volunteers to assist the coordinator and keep the time requirements to a manageable level.