Welcome

Grab a cup of coffee and stop by each day to read our stories of love, hope, inspiration and education. Just maybe you'll shed a tear or find yourself laughing. We do what we do because every animal deserves a place to call home.

Friday's Friends...Gypsy


Gypsy is one of the many great dogs at the shelter looking for a forever home.

Here is what Joanne, one of our volunteers who walks her everyday, recently wrote about her:

“Gypsy is such an affectionate dog. Everyday, when I walk through the door leading to her kennel (the 6th down on the right), I see her peering alertly from her kennel already waiting for me. I walk down the run, our eyes meet, and then she immediately goes right to the exit shoot, waiting for me to open it. Getting her out is so easy. She is very disciplined, knows all her commands, and listens so well. I bend down and kiss her – she now has lipstick on her cheek!! It‘s like she waits for me to give her that kiss “hello”. As soon as we get outside to the play area, she rolls over onto her back and waits for her belly rub, totally relaxed and happy with her eyes gently closing. After rubbing her belly for awhile, I say “O.K., Gypsy, come on, let’s walk” (she gets up…she understands). We walk side by side around the play area and then, when I kneel down to kiss and hug her again, she stops. She knows I adore her. Later, when I take her back to her kennel, I tell her I’m going to fix her blanket. She looks at me and doesn’t go on the blanket until I’m finished. Then she lies down, content and happy. She is very low maintenance. Just wants to be loved. I pray every night that she finds her forever home.”




See more information about Gypsy here. Please contact us on our website, www.shelterlink.com if you would like to foster Gypsy.

An Evening for the Animals...


We hope you'll join us!

Really?

My husband texted me this morning about an article in today's New York Post.  The article was about the top dogs that bite.  And what did they name as the city's most vicious dog, Pit bulls.  Of course they had found a photo of some mean snarling pit bull to put alongside it.  Maybe the Post should have investigated why the number of "reported" pit bull bites is higher than any other breed.  Do you think maybe it has to do with the fact that they are the most neglected, abused dog breed there is?  That they are often discarded and left for dead by their uncaring owners who try to profit off of them instead of getting a real job.  I challenge any newspaper to do an article about the tribulations this breed faces.  To help educate the public about this breed instead of playing into their fears.  That's an article I would find worth while reading.

The pit bull I know is sweet and gentle.  They are abused, mistreated and over bred.  They are starved, un-socialized and used for profit.  The pit bull I know, despite all of this, still loves humans.  Still has their universal happy tail, wagging so hard when they see us, that their whole body shakes.  Still loves to give us a kiss to let us know they love us.  That is the pit bull I know.  I want to read articles about that.  Can't someone write a piece about that?

Utah needs a home!

Meet Utah, a very sweet male Cattle dog and Pit bull mix.  He is about 4 years old.  His current family, even though they love him, need to find him a better placement.  They have 3 young children and are suffering from this economy like most people, and can't provide adequately for their dog.


Utah was adopted from North Shore Animal League 4 years ago when he was about 8 months old.  Jack, shelter link member and certified dog trainer, went and met with Utah to evaluate him.  Jack felt Utah was a very nice dog, just needs more exercise.  He really enjoyed bike riding and walking with Jack.  He has been in a home with children his whole life, and has no problem with them.  He also seemed just fine with other dogs.


Isn't his color great!?  I love his black and white speckled coat.  I got to meet him today and take his photos.  He was tentative at first, but after walking for a bit, he relaxed and greeted me.  He's truly a very nice dog.  You could see Utah relax after walking for a few minutes, and really settle into his walk.  He was very good on the leash, didn't pull, and enjoyed sniffing and exploring.


Utah would make a great addition to a family that would like to include him!  If you are interested in adopting Utah, please contact us at ctrottaphotography@verizon.net. Please save this boy from going to the shelter!

One Person...


I came into the shelter and I was afraid.
As people came by, I sat back in my cage.
No one thought I was friendly, but I wanted to be.
I need one person to spend some time with me.

One day I was taken to a place called the pen.
It's a place I'd been to before, now and then.
But this time it was different, for you see
There were some nice folks looking at me.
I tried to be loving, but I was still shy.
I was returned to my cage, I guess I knew why.

I made up my mind, if I got another chance
I'd shake off my shyness and take a bold chance.

One day it happened, I was out in the pen
I couldn't let that shy thing happen again.
I was happy and loving, and felt the love back
I was playful and cute, really on the right track.

And all that effort paid off, you see
When the person watching said he'd adopt me.

I had found my one person, and he had found me.

Marty~ December 19, 2006

Don't Pity a Shelter Dog...






So True...



The Life...

I really have the life.

I get up each morning, eat my breakfast, and some dogs go outside to play.  There are always toys there for me, and nice people to toss them around.  I love to run after them.

Then I go back to my kennel.  I'm still happy.  I know lots of people will be walking the corridor looking for a dog to call their own. "There's a nice family, maybe they'll adopt me"- but they just moved on.  I guess I was the wrong color or breed for them.  I'm a pit bull and many people mistakenly think I'm a tough guy. Not so.  I love everyone.  In fact, it isn't well known but "Pit" stands for "People I Trust."

Won't you trust me to be the kind of pet you've always dreamed of?

                                                                                                                                                  Marty 1/10/11

The above work is written by Shelter Link volunteer, Marty.  Marty is the first volunteer at the Islip Animal Shelter.  He has been volunteering there now for six years.  Marty's experiences at the shelter have inspired him to write.  In fact, he has a collection of original poems and stories which I will be sharing here.  They give you an inside look into shelter life and are quite thought provoking.

Hammy, a sweet, gentle boy at the Islip Animal Shelter.

Thanks for reading!



He's Perfect...


Come meet Timmy at the Islip Animal Shelter.  See more here.


Could You Be The One?



Read more about Kringle here.

Shorty...

I am so happy for one of my favorite boys at the shelter, Shorty.  Shorty left the shelter on Saturday to stay with one of our volunteers, Elizabeth.  He is the latest dog to join the ranks of Shelter Link's foster dogs.  Elizabeth loves Shorty as much as I do, and decided she had to foster him.  It was a nerve wracking morning waiting to see how Shorty would get along with Elizabeth's two dogs, but in true Shorty fashion, mellow, calm,  and happy-go-lucky, the dogs did great together.  I watched Shorty happily get into Jack's truck to go off and get groomed before arriving at his new home.  It was a very sweet moment to witness.  He looked very curious as he sat and waited for Jack.  Take a look at my boy now that he is all cleaned up!


I have never seen his coat so white!  I can only imagine how good it must have felt to get all cleaned up. He looks amazing!  Shorty is super special to me.  I have been taking him out at the shelter since August when I started volunteering.  Not only is he the most gentle, happy soul, he also just happens to be deaf.  You would think that being deaf would make this boy nervous, but it has quite the opposite effect for him.  He is so calm and well balanced.  He's just a big mush, happy to give you a kiss or play with a toy.  And that one ear up, matches his silly personality.



Shorty is doing awesome at Elizabeth's house.  He is throughly enjoying sleeping in a warm dog bed, and playing with his toys.  He loves going for walks too with his new best bud.

Shorty will be meeting my two dogs this weekend to see how they get along.  I am crossing my fingers! We'll be watching Shorty in a few weeks for Elizabeth, and it will be a trial of some sorts to see how he does here.  If all goes well, we may be adding this gentle giant to our pack.  I can't wait to see him this Sunday outside of the shelter enjoying life!


For those of you deterred from adopting a deaf dog, think twice about it.  Sometimes not being able to hear is a beautiful thing for a dog.  No loud stimuli to make them nervous or crazy.  I have found that a large part of what makes Shorty such an amazing mellow guy, is his lack of hearing.  And training is easier than you think, Shorty knows a lot of basic commands with the use of hand signals.  I'll keep you updated on Shorty's progress.

Thanks for reading!