On Friday, Devon set off on a trip to rehab West Virginia shelters alongside 27 college-student volunteers. The trip was organized by Animal Lifeline and funded by the Petfinder.com Foundation and Animal Planet's R.O.A.R. Here's Devon's latest update from the field. Plus -- Denise Bash and Jen Daley of Animal Lifeline are writing in to answer your questions about pet rescue and transport all week! Write your questions in the comments section below.

It's hard to believe I have only been in West Virginia for four days. Every day we have worked at least a full 12 hours. If the sun didn't go down every night I have a feeling we would be able to work a few more, but with such a large task at hand, the long days are well worth the sacrifice. Within the last few days we have gotten an incredible amount of work accomplished.

Sunday we all split into teams and I was able to be part of the shelter educational outreach program. Not only did I help prepare and run the program, I was also able to listen to the presenters and learn about the realities of animal sheltering. Among the presenters there were a behaviorist, a veterinarian, a vet tech, and an adoption and transportation specialist.

Thanks to everyone who guessed Chloe's breeds last week. We were completely surprised by her DNA-test results! We had been convinced she was part Australian Shepherd, part hound. The most likely combination seemed to be either Australian Shepherd or Border Collie and Beagle. We were astonished to find out that she is 0% Australian Shepherd, Border Collie, or Beagle.

On Friday, Devon set off on a trip to rehab West Virginia shelters alongside 27 college-student volunteers. The trip was organized by Animal Lifeline and funded by the Petfinder.com Foundation and Animal Planet's R.O.A.R. Here's Devon's latest update from the field. Plus -- Denise Bash and Jen Daley of Animal Lifeline are writing in to answer your questions about pet rescue and transport all week! Write your questions in the comments section below.

The outreach project here in West Virginia is unlike anything I have ever been part of. Within my first hour of being here I had already helped save a life by being part of a rescue for a dog we found wandering along the side of the road. We took the dog, whom we had named "Cammy," to the holding facility of the Clay County Animal Control, which was the first site that I had visited.

Dr. Lauren Brickman writes a pet health and care column for Petside.com. Read all the Q&As she's shared with Petfinder here.

Q: What are the symptoms of a dog having a stroke?

A: While strokes can occur in dogs and cats, it is far less common than in humans.

Strokes can be definitively diagnosed with advanced imaging in veterinary referral centers. Before this type of imaging is done, your pet should be examined by a veterinarian. Simple blood tests and x-rays may identify another problem that is causing this to happen to your pet.

As the program assistant for the Petfinder.com Foundation, I get to experience many events for animal welfare. One of my most exciting events will be starting today: This morning I will be flying into Charleston, WV, to be part of an outreach program with Animal Lifeline. 

I'll never forget the look on one woman's face as she had to surrender her longtime cat. I was working at the MSPCA Boston Adoption Center at the time and this woman's plight literally made me ache. She had lost her job and, faced with eviction, she had nowhere to go. No one she knew could take in her cat and she was planning on spending that very night at a homeless shelter. Her face was tight and she was holding back tears as she signed the relinquishment papers.

Unfortunately, this woman is not alone. Petfinder's 2009 FurKeeps Member Survey identified cost as one of the top five reasons people give up their pets. And it's no surprise: Unexpected vet bills, the rising cost of pet care and sudden changes in a pet parent's finances can be devastating.

Here are a few ways that you can manage the cost of pet care and plan for the worst financial scenarios. Please pass these resources on and feel free to add any we missed in the comments section below.

My husband and I found Chloe's profile on Petfinder last summer and we immediately fell in love with her. She was discovered wandering on the side of the road in North Carolina, and was brought to our area by K-9 Lifesavers in Washington D.C. When we adopted her she was eight-weeks-old and weighed 9 lbs. Now she is a year old and her weight has been holding steady at 45 lbs.

See Chloe as a puppy after the jump!

Dr. Lauren Brickman writes a pet health and care column for Petside.com. Read all the Q&As she's shared with Petfinder here.

Q: My vet says my pets are a little overweight. What is the best way to help them get healthy?

A: It is very important not to let our pets become overweight. Overweight animals are more susceptible to certain diseases and joint problems. Lean pets tend to live longer than those with excess weight. Most pet food stores carry special foods that can help your pet stay lean or even lose weight. Diets designed for less active or senior pets tend to have less calories and fat.

Discovery News reports that the animal world has a new jumping king -- the copepod. A one- to two-millimeter-long crustacean, this tiny creature can "accelerate to a speed of 500 body-lengths per second when they perform an escape jump," according to a recent study. (Read the full article here.)

So how do dogs match up? Well, the Guinness World Record holder for the highest jump by a dog is a Greyhound named Cinderella May a Holly Grey (yes, that's her full name) who cleared five feet, eight inches in 2006. (There's no current record holder for longest jump by a dog.) The average standing height for a female Greyhound is 27-30 inches, meaning Cinderella jumped the equivalent of two and a half times her own height. Wow!

Thanks to everyone who guessed what breeds Chewy's DNA test would reveal! Most of you thought Chewy is a mix of Corgi, Basenji, Chihuahua and some kind of terrier. (Read all your guesses here.)

So several weeks after sending Chewy's cheek swab to the makers of the Canine Heritage Breed Test, the mailman brought me a lovely certificate with a photo of Chewy's equally lovely face printed right on it. And while 50% of the results were somewhat expected the other 50% were quite surprising!