It has come to our attention that the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA has chosen to accept sponsorship for this year's Wiggle Waggle Walkathon from none other than Petland, a company linked by the Humane Society of the United States to puppy mills across North America.

Not only do we feel this is grossly inappropriate, we also believe it to be a serious conflict of interest. The SPCA is responsible for monitoring the care and condition of puppies sold in pet stores. We believe that accepting sponsorship from the very organization it is the SPCA's job to police should not be permitted.

Please contact the OSPCA and the HBSPCA if you too believe that our humane societies should NOT be accepting funds from ANY establishment they will be inspecting, and certainly not one that supports the inhumane practices of puppy mills.

A note to those individuals who live in the greater City of Hamilton who agree with the Community Animal Rescue Effort (C.A.R.E.), whose members and supporters include Pride Rescue, Jasper's Rescue, GLOHW, AWA, 4 Love of Canines, CAGED and many others. Regarding the current pet limit of two pets per household (and the proposed limit of four) being unacceptable and believing it should be abolished completely in place of stricter noise, sanitation, care and behaviour by-laws that target irresponsible pet owners and backyard breeders instead of loving, caring pet owners and rescue groups alike...

Please contact YOUR local councillor and let him/her know what you think! Pets are family, and they need to understand that animal control by-laws affect more than animal control, they affect families!

The wards and their councillors can be found here:

http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/CityandGovernment/YourElectedOfficials/CityCouncillors/

Furever Home!

Jasper's Rescue specializes in "special needs" dogs, generally considered to be poor candidates for adoption. Some have medical issues, some have behavioural problems that need to be addressed. Others are simply "past their prime" or just aren't as cute as other dogs out there looking to be rescued. These are the dogs that find refuge here, although we do our best to keep our doors open to everyone.

Please remember that this does not mean that these animals have any less value as a family member than any other dog. Some, in fact, are highly coveted breeds who are just in need of behavioural modification to correct issues they may be having before being considered suitable candidates for adoption. Others may have certain needs which make them ideal for a particular type of home, but less ideal for others.

We have also earned a reputation for dealing with little dogs who tend to have special needs in comparison to larger dogs. These little guys need to be handled differently, and pose their own variety of behavioural and medical challenges unique to their situation and size. Hyperactivity, reactivity and sensitivity are just a few of these individual issues that set these precious little wonders apart from their larger cousins.

Of course, we do not limit ourselves to any one type or group of dog(s). We do, when the situation arises, lean towards those with the greatest need and the lower "adoptability factor." However, we generally have space available, leaving our resources to dictate whether our doors are open or closed.

If you have a dog or parrot in need, please contact us with all pertinent information regarding your pet and the details of your situation. We will respond immediately (within 24 hours) and of course are always available to answer any questions you may have regarding our policies, procedures, screening processes, adoption contracts, training, nutrition and general inquiries.

If you are interested in one of the incredible pets in our care, please read each pet's bio thoroughly, and don't be afraid to email us with any questions you may have about an animal's temperament or medical status. We love to talk about our foster kids!

Working with these birds has certainly brought out a level of patience that is not required with even the most difficult dogs, and of course, we love a challenge. We have had great success so far, and continue to expand our knowledge of nutrition, behaviour, care and training through our continued efforts with these incredible creatures.

Our past experience working with operant conditioning and desensitization has proven to be invaluable, leading us into a natural transition from one species to the next.

Newspapers for lining cages can be donated by dropping them off at Ryan's Pet Food at 50 Dundurn Street South. However, you MUST email us at jaspersrescue@gmail.com FIRST to ensure that someone will be there the day of drop off to pick up the papers. PLEASE do not just show up with bags of newspapers! While we appreciate your generosity and enthusiasm, the wonderful people at Ryan's do not appreciate tripping over bags of recyclables, and we are so very grateful for all that they have done for us over the years. THANK YOU!

Better still are used cages. There are hundreds of them out there, taking up room in basements and attics, and they can be put to good use! Cages can be arranged for pickup by contacting us via email, or by dropping them off at Ryan's Pet Food at 50 Dundurn Street South, Fortino's Plaza, Hamilton. Again, please email to arrange a drop off date.

We would also like to thank Ryan's for their continued support not only to our own rescue, but for their recent partnership with Pets and Animals Magazine and their commitment to rescues across Ontario through their Show Us Your Heart campaign, and Pets and Animals continued focus on rescue animals in need. Way to go to both groups, and we hope that this continued partnership leads to many more lives being saved!

Giant thank-you's also have to be given to Dan of Top Crop Distributing and to Kim (won't post your last name without permission!)! Top Crop has been a huge supporter of Jasper's Rescue for some time now, but really came through for us with some help purchasing three EZ Care King cages for our parrot rescues. We have found (honestly!) this brand of cage to be the easiest to set up, take down, move, clean, and simply to live with on a daily basis. Top Crop has also recently been kind enough to provide us with food in the form of seeds, treats and sticks for our precious rescues. You guys rock!

Thank you to Letha for donating some smaller cages, which were put into immediate use as travel cages for trips to the vet, the groomer and just for socialization visits around town. Some of our birds can be seen in these cages visiting Ryan's Pet Food from time to time, gaining much needed socializing time and educating customers simultaneously! Thank you Letha! You've made it much easier for us to get around town!