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Cesar Millan and Simon, a red and tan Doberman

At a photo shoot on June 2, Cesar Millan met Simon, one of our Dobermans. Simon's obedience training was profiled in our May 23 update, and his manners were on full display during his meeting with Cesar. Ron, the boy who trained Simon as part of our Renaissance program, can be proud of his work!

Cesar participated in the photo shoot to promote our upcoming event, Wags to Whiskers and its companion event, Dogs Days at MOA, running October 15–19. (See Events for details.)

Sanctuary shenanigans

Although the sanctuary staff works hard, their days often include amusement, as evidenced by these excerpts from Emily Wirth's story about Dottie, soon to be published in its entirety on our Dogs pages.

Dottie, a pitbull mix and one of our newer canine residents, is a sweet, affectionate, and playful female pitbull mix.

Dottie loves bounding through the trees and the tall grasses out in the exercise fields, but will quickly return when called for a pet or a kiss. She is also quick to drop and roll over for her favorite of all things, a belly rub.

Dottie rolling over on her back in the grass
Above, Dottie, wearing a fashionable red and navy polka dot collar to accentuate her “dottiness,” enjoys a good laugh.

Dottie is an easy going and energetic girl, who is always first to ask for attention. She loves her play time and finds great joy in each toy that her roommate Shane, a young Doberman, brings to her to romp with.

Dottie is also fearful of storms, and has tested some escape routes during stormy weather. During a recent thunderstorm, the staff thought that Dottie had headed for the hills and escaped over the fence, as she had done a few times when she first arrived. She remained completely invisible for 2 hours, as the staff frantically searched for her. To our delight and astonishment, a shaking and adorably scared Dottie emerged from under the safety of her futon to let us know she hadn't in fact left, but was just too scared of the weather to tell us at the time.

We figured that it was possibly her fear of storms which had caused her to be displaced from her first home, and to avoid “losing” Dottie again, we installed a hot wire in her run to remind her to keep four paws on the ground and off the fences!

She has since learned that the safest place for her to be is in her bed in the safety of her townhouse, where the staff can sit and soothe her through her moments of fear. Dottie has not tried escaping since.

Previous Animal Updates: August 24, 2007

Something is always happening in the lives of Home for Life® residents: achievements, visits from sponsors and supporters, and milestones. This page highlights just a few of the many events that residents experience throughout the year.

The importance of confinement-free housing to sheltering animals successfully

By Irene Muschel

I never realized how important confinement-free housing is for the health and well-being of animals in shelters and sanctuaries until I visited Home for Life. Previously, I had visited animal facilities in which all or most of the animals were isolated alone in cages or tiny rooms. I was told by the directors that this was the only feasible way of providing care.

Confinement-free housing at Home For Life is the core of the humane care this sanctuary provides. Its effect on the animals' lives is pervasive.

four small dogs roaming off the leash in fenced field
Mark Luinenberg's recent photo session captured many HFL residents enjoying the confinement-free housing Irene describes. Here, the small dogs enjoy a romp off-leash.

Every animal here has the opportunity to walk, run, and climb if able. Even those who are severely handicapped, i.e. blind or partially paralyzed, are provided with settings and devices that encourage movement and interaction. In addition to large living environments, there are bigger areas to which many of the animals are brought for exercise and play. Even dogs who have difficulty getting along with others are provided with spacious accommodations that offer them continual visual, auditory, and tactile stimulation.

pitbull lounging on porch
Hal, who is happiest on his own or with people, holds down the fort on the porch of his very own doggie townhouse.

The animals at Home For Life have opportunities for ongoing relationships with the other animals who live with them. This is made possible by the confinement-free housing, which recognizes the social nature of animals, the comfort and pleasure they derive from each other, and the possibility of fulfillment of many of their needs without the continual presence of people.

Many other shelters I have visited—even those that declare themselves in their literature and fund-raising letters to be "cage-free"—keep all or most of their animals alone in cages or other tiny enclosures. These rooms, sometimes no larger than 3 to 5 feet square, with four walls that create total isolation, provide no possibility of visual, auditory, or tactile contact with the outside world. Only at times do the dogs have a limited view, and then only by standing on their hind legs.

What happens to animals in shelters and sanctuaries who do not live in confinement-free housing?

Animals who are severely confined and isolated often develop negative behaviors, such as withdrawal, twirling, or aggression that make them unadoptable or unapproachable. Others become extremely anxious, scratching at the walls of their enclosures.

Various justifications have been made for keeping animals confined and isolated. They include: "If we make the housing larger, we would not have room for so many animals," or "The animal has a private space," or "We take the animal out for a walk," or "We focus on adoption," even though the animal might be there for years.

Shelters end up euthanizing animals who develop withdrawal, aggression, etc. because confinement has been so devastating to them.

a cat on a cushion
The good life, as experienced every day in HFL's cat facilities, includes space for lounging and, opportunities to climb, socialize, and soak up the sun.

Donors who receive appeals from animal care facilities need to do their homework. Organizations can misrepresent their living facilities.

The best way to know an animal shelter or sanctuary is to visit. Other ways of learning include carefully reading and looking at websites, as well as contacting the organization and asking specific questions such as "Exactly how large is an animal's living space? Do animals live alone or together?" When an organization describes itself as "cage-free" or "no-kill," explore the meaning of those terms with the people asking you for a donation.

In summary, nothing justifies isolation and severe confinement. Each day in the lives of animals is important. We owe it to them to make the present time fulfilling and meaningful.

Irene Muschel lives in New York, N.Y. and visited Home for Life® this spring. All of her own pets are enrolled in Home for Life's Angel Care Program. Irene can be reached at benirv@hotmail.com.

Irene’s article was published in the July/August 2007 edition of Animal People. ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide, founded in 1992. Their readership of 30,000-plus includes the decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

Animal People has no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. www.animalpeoplenews.org

Thank you to Merritt Clfton, Animal People Editor for allowing Home for Life® to reprint this article.