Special Needs From the Editor In this issue of 'Tude News, we take a look at some of the challenges in caring for a "special needs" dog. From puppy mill dogs with psychological issues, to dogs affected by birth defects, injuries, deafness or blindness, these are the rejects, the damaged goods, the broken, and worn out...or so they are considered by many. Those people who are willing to accept the challenge, however, soon gain a much different point of view, which we share with you in the stories that follow. "Barking For Bach" is a rather lengthy article with more depth of content than one usually sees in a newsletter. The editors and the 'Tude News team hope, however, that our readers will find the subject as fascinating as we did and appreciate the fact that the content was not condensed to a lighter version, sacrificing detail for the sake of brevity. Enjoy! We welcome your comments. New Forum for New Rattitude Check it out! The New Rattitude Forum is now open and ready for use! This online forum is open to all of our adopters, supporters, and friends. We hope you'll register and join in the discussions. This is a great place to meet and connect with New Rattitude members to share your rattie stories and photos, discuss health issues, learn training tips, receive support and advice, and more. See you there! Increased PetSmart Adoption Rewards Because we have proven to PetSmart that all of the dogs we adopt out are neutered prior to adoption AND because of our "Pawgress Report" follow-up program to ensure open post-adoption communication, New Rattitude now qualifies for increased adoption rewards through our PetSmart Adoption Partnership in Georgia! Previously we received the regular $5 per adoption reward. Now for the next 12 months (renewable), New Rattitude will receive $15 per adoption in our Georgia region!   Thanks go to Paula Nowak for managing our Georgia PetSmart partnership and submitting the increased adoption award application. And thanks, too, to Norma Downing and the Pawgress Report team, without whose efforts we wouldn't have qualified.

					Barking for Bach Tilly's Journey from Puppy Mill to Emotional Well-being by Janell Brown After a year of fostering dogs, I was beginning to feel confident that I could handle just about any issue that came my way. Worms, mange, intestinal infections, impacted anal glands, allergies...you name it, I had seen it. But then Tilly came along, and I discovered that physical maladies were nothing when compared to the emotional damage a puppy mill can do to a dog. People hear the term "puppy mill" and immediately think of all the cute little puppies locked in crates. However, the most victimized dogs are not puppies at all, but their mothers instead. Breeding bitches at a mill are typically bred from their first heat until they stop producing. At that point, most are killed, but some, like Tilly, are dumped at animal shelters. Tilly had the misfortune of spending the first seven years of her life as a breeding bitch in what was likely a puppy mill or a large backyard breeding operation. After she and several other older female dogs were deemed "spent," they found themselves dumped at a shelter--better than a mill but still a dangerous destination. Very few people are interested in adopting skittish, growling 7-year-old dogs, no matter how cute they might be, so the shelter contacted rescue volunteers in an attempt to save them. Soon three of the dogs found themselves on a plane bound for Washington state, headed to foster homes--one of them my own. Over the first few days, I realized that Tilly was unlike any of the other dogs I had fostered. She cowered in her crate until she was gently tipped out of it. She rolled on her back and urinated on herself if the slightest eye contact was made, even from across the room. Unbeknownst to me at the time, she was exhibiting the typical behavior of a dog raised in a commercial breeding facility. I tried everything to get Tilly to connect to me, but nothing was working. In fact, she seemed to be getting worse. She had started biting me when I tried to get close. It got to the point where I was wondering if it was even possible to rehabilitate her. Was it crueler to make her face the real world where things like wind or running water terrified her? I wondered what the future held for this poor little dog.  One day, feeling quite discouraged, I went out to our backyard to look for Tilly because she often hid out there. When I didn’t find her, I wasn’t surprised because I figured she was hiding deep in the bamboo thicket as she usually did. Then a patch of white fur caught my eye, and I realized that she was lying by the sliding glass door. My son, whom she was terrified of, was inside practicing Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 to prepare for a recital. I wondered if it was possible that the music had brought her out of her hiding space, so I ran inside and asked my son to stop playing for a minute. The music stopped, and Tilly turned her head and looked at the door. There was a pause, and she barked the hoarse rasp of a de-barked mill dog. She waited a bit and when she had determined that the music was over, she jumped up and ran around the corner to the bamboo thicket. I ran back inside and shouted for my son to start playing again, and then I watched and listened. The music started up, and out of the bamboo popped a tiny head, ears alert and turned towards the house. Tilly scanned the yard for danger, and when she decided it was safe, she trotted back over to the sliding door and lay down with her body stretched out and pressed against the glass. It seemed that little eight-pound Tilly was a Bach fan. It was an "aha!" moment for me. For years I had worked with children--including my own--who had autistic spectrum disorders, and I started to wonder if the calming therapies that worked with those kids might work with Tilly. She was completely overwhelmed by the changes in her environment, and it was leading to paralyzing anxiety. My goal had been to desensitize Tilly to the sights and sounds of a typical household. However, every time she experienced something new, the anxiety would be too much, and her eyes would glaze over as she shut down emotionally. With my new understanding of how her little brain was working, I changed my tactics. The desensitization still had to happen, but I needed to spend some time on calming therapies to relax her enough that she would start to come out of her shell. Calming Techniques Each dog is going to be different, but here are some of the methods I tried with Tilly. Rocking: A couple of times a day, especially before I was going to introduce something new, I would rock Tilly for 10-15 minutes. There is something about the rhythmic movement that relaxes both people and dogs. She would start out stiff and rigid to the point that my husband noted that she looked like "taxidermy Tilly,” a nickname that we jokingly used whenever Tilly had one of her "frozen" moments. After a few minutes, she would start to relax, and by the time we were done, she would be resting her head on my arm and enjoying herself. Music: For Tilly, I found that slow classical music in the tenor and baritone range was her favorite. She absolutely loved the sound of the cello. A CD of chants was also a favorite. Anything slow and calm with an even beat was a good bet. Pressure Therapy: Feeling constant pressure all over the body will help with anxiety. Although there are dog coats and wraps made specifically for this purpose, a more cost effective solution is a regular lightweight dog coat with Velcro closures that can be adjusted for tightness. Also, a T-shirt can be put on the dog and knotted in the back to make it snug. Massage: Deep tissue massage, especially around the hips and shoulders, will stimulate endorphin production in the brain, calming the dog greatly. Anyone who has ever had a good massage can tell you how relaxing it can be. To use deep tissue massage on a dog, no special technique is needed, but the dog must trust you enough that your touch won’t be alarming. With Tilly, I would start by gently petting her and progress to massage. I tried to keep a hand in contact with her at all times, so instead of lifting one hand and then setting it back down, I would use two hands.  When one hand was lifting up to move back to her neck, the other hand was stroking downward. If the first hand is still stroking the dog, the sensation of the “new” hand won’t be as startling to a dog who isn’t accustomed to human contact. A great book about dog massage is Dog Massage: A Whiskers-to-Tail Guide about Your Dog’s Ultimate Petting Experience by Maryjean Ballner. Bilateral stimulation: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, or EMDR (http://www.emdr-therapy.com/), is a novel therapy for people suffering from post-traumatic stress or other anxiety-related disorders. It involves desensitization to a previous traumatic event through rapid left-right eye movements or other forms of alternating stimulation to both hemispheres of the brain. This is believed to allow the brain to reprogram information, thereby allowing an individual--human or dog--to feel a greater sense of calm. In children, the therapy is done by alternately tapping or squeezing the hands. For Tilly, I held her in a rocking chair and alternated gently squeezing her front paws 10-15 times, waiting a couple of minutes, and repeating the process three times. Herbal anxiety relief tinctures: Finally, blends of herbs like valerian root, chamomile, skullcap, passion flower, etc., can be very effective. They can be purchased at many natural food stores in the pet section. My favorite, Tranquility Blend, is made by Animals’ Apawthecary, but Bach’s Rescue Remedy and Homeopet Anxiety are two other popular brands. Scroll down to continue below

					News and Events Come Play! The 4th Annual Southeast Rat Terrier Jamboree is just a month away! The 2009 Jam will be held in Sweetwater, Tennessee on Friday and Saturday, April 24 and 25. A great weekend is planned including a cookout, competitive events, games, and, of course, ratties galore! New Rattitude will be sponsoring several fundraising activities, including lunch on Saturday, contests, merchandise for sale, and a microchip clinic. The Jamboree hosts will be holding a raffle with all proceeds to be donated to NR. Don't miss this event! For more information, please visit the link above. See you there! Spring Cleaning for New Rattitude You read the title correctly--the NR fundraising team is asking everybody to do a bit of spring cleaning to help New Rattitude. As warm weather approaches and you start airing out your house and sorting through the winter's clutter, set your unwanted items aside. And any time between May 1 and May 31, join New Rattitude in its first annual Nationwide Garage Sale. How does it work? It's simple. Pick a weekend in May to host a garage sale. Be sure to ask friends, family, and neighbors to join in the fun. When your sale is over and you've counted your cash, select the amount that you wish to donate--whether it's all or a portion--and send a check for that amount to NR's PO box. Wait! It gets better! All participants in the Nationwide Garage Sale will have their names entered in a drawing to win a prize. And in addition to the random drawing, the seller with the highest donation to New Rattitude will have a choice of one of four fantastic prizes! More details on this event are to come, but in the meantime, mark your calendar for the weekend of your choice in May, spread the word to your family and friends, and--what are you waiting for?--start that spring cleaning!

					Pickles, Sage, and Baby by Jessica Mannon If you ring the doorbell at the Mannon household, it's not unusual to be greeted by two dogs rolling up to the door in custom-made wheelcarts. As you enter, you’ll see more unusual sights--dog wheelchair ramps and steps leading up to all the furniture. You might wonder what you have walked into!   Just over two years ago, a picture of a disabled rat terrier mix caught my eye. The dog’s name was Pickles, and after reading about her spinal condition and her back legs, which didn’t bend at the hock as they should, I was smitten. I put in an adoption application, and Pickles came home just before Christmas 2006. It quickly became evident that we were going to need some adaptive equipment to make our house "Pickles-friendly." My husband, Chris, and I installed doggy steps by the furniture and the bed. And since Pickles couldn't climb the stairs from the patio to the house, we added paving stones to make a series of shorter steps instead of three big steps.   While in foster care, Pickles had been given a steroid treatment for her legs, but unfortunately, it didn't help her much and caused significant weight gain. Pickles needed an exercise routine, but long walks tired her, and because of her inability to bend her rear legs, her toes would drag the ground, wearing down the nails and eventually bleeding. To accommodate her special needs, I designed a "unique" exercise routine for Pickles. Every day, I play a montage of her favorite songs on our record player, and Pickles dances to the music! To keep her going, I dance along with her. It's a lot of fun and it benefits both me and Pickles!   Three months after we adopted Pickles, I found Sage on Petfinder. Sage was 3 months old and a pure Jack Russell terrier. She was born with nonfunctional rear legs, and she was incontinent. We brought her home in March of 2007. One of her rear legs was severely damaged, and by June, it had to be amputated.  Sage was given therapy to try to get her remaining rear leg to work, but despite the exercise and therapy, the muscles began to atrophy. Sage began having severe pain in her leg, probably caused by a pinch somewhere along her spine, and she started to chew the leg. To prevent further damage, the last rear leg was amputated.   Being so young, Sage adapted easily. We designed a wheelchair for her, using PVC pipe and old stroller wheels, and of course, a vanity plate on the back! To accommodate Sage’s wheelchair, we added ramps next to the furniture and on the back porch. She doesn't use them often, but they are there if she needs them.   Four months after Sage was adopted, I received an e-mail about Baby, a beagle/rat terrier mix. Baby was the product of a puppy mill, and her disabilities the result of years of inbreeding. When she was born, she was the only one in the litter to survive. She is totally paralyzed from her waist down and is incontinent. Baby was at risk of being put to sleep, as the owner who had saved her from the mill was very sick and no longer able to care for her. It looked like there was no option for Baby. Who would take in a dog that was this much work? Animal control was called in to pick up Baby, and she was to be put down. When the animal control officer arrived, however, Baby's personality shone through, and the officer couldn't bring herself to put Baby down. She sent out a mass email and received one response. It was mine. I brought Baby home in July 2007.   Baby was a learning experience. She has to have a daily bath to clean up her rear end, and she wears diapers, as her sister Sage does. To keep the diapers on, we started dressing her in baby overalls, size 24 months. This serves a dual purpose--to protect her legs when she is scooting around and to hold her diaper on. Baby also uses a wheelchair, and for long trips, she has a stroller so we can push her around.   We have seven personal dogs, including these three. They take a lot of work but are so loving and affectionate that it's absolutely worth it. It has been fun to come up with modified exercise routines and adaptive equipment for dogs.   Dogs with special needs like these are often overlooked as family pets and typically have almost no chance of being rescued or adopted. I think they deserve that chance just like any other dog. They know they are special and will love you even more for taking care of them

					Furever Home We are proud to announce that 27 more New Rattitude ratties have found their furever homes. CongRATulations to all, and to the new adopters, WELCOME to the New Rattitude family! Heatwave - Fostered by Linda Kuiper, adopted by Gloria Ladley Radar - Fostered by Linda Kuiper, adopted by Daniel Arwood Buster - Fostered by Diane McClane, adopted by Dawn Johnstone Paris - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Jeannette Ahorrio Lucky - Fostered by Noreen Seeders, adopted by Bea Austin Jackman - Fostered by Robin Woods, adopted by Shana Haynie Haley - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Lori Stock Calina - Fostered by Nadia Chiodini, adopted by Stephanie Bartelt Jewell - Fostered by Sue Krainik, adopted by Carolyn Kenyon Blue - ReHome Program, adopted by Kim Cresswell Willow - Fostered by Sherri Chatterton, adopted by Sarah Kaylor Sansha - Fostered by Paula Nowak, adopted by Carol Gilchrist Frostbite - Fostered by Linda Kuiper, adopted by Ann Lesser Mozzarella - Fostered by Jaime Restorff, adopted by Jessica York Montana - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Alfonso and Marci Hernandez Gilby - Fostered by Diane Hudson, adopted by Mary Beth Voss Murphy - Fostered by Jaime Restorff, adopted by Kelly Walsh Bleu - Fostered by Jaime Restorff, adopted by Raeann Dimock Kelsey - Fostered by Kathy Young, adopted by Darrel and LaDonna Barfield Bonney - Fostered by Debbie Collins, adopted by Dr. James Jordan Daisy - Fostered by Karen Stewart, adopted by Debra Hanson Bud - Fostered by Karen Stewart, adopted by Lindsay Hobbs Cheddar - Fostered by Jaime Restorff, adopted by Russell and Jennifer Willms Colby - Fostered by Jaime Restorff, adopted by Ken and Mary Kitten Brie - Fostered by Jaime Restorff, adopted by Carrie Zoltowski Gouda - Fostered by Jaime Restorff, adopted by Valerie and Charles Anderson Dexter - Fostered by Nadia Chiodini, adopted by Robert Kummer, Jr..

					In the Clinic Little Reese is just 5 months old but has already been through so much in his short life. His leg was badly broken in his former home, and rather than fix the injury they caused, his former family elected to sign Reese over for euthanasia. Through a great team effort, Reese was able to get into rescue, and his life was spared. The fracture required surgery and pins to stabilize, and he also had a cherry eye and an undescended testicle, which required another surgery. Sadly, the fracture repair was unsuccessful, and Reese's leg had to be amputated. Now we need to raise the $1,500+ that his injuries are expected to cost. Dogs in the Canine Clinic have incurred vet bills which will not be covered by their adoption fees. If you can help, please visit the link above to read about these dogs and consider a donation to help us cover these costs.. Canine Clinic donors are listed on our Donor Recognition Board. We appreciate every dollar...without the help of our supporters, we would not be able to rescue these ratties with medical needs.

					NR Volunteer Spotlight - Connie Hendsbee By Sue Kangas Florida volunteer Connie Hendsbee has always rescued animals, starting in her childhood when she would take in strays (primarily cats, since they were easy to hide from her parents). Today, rat terrier rescue is Connie’s work, hobby, and passion, all rolled into one, and it has become a total family affair. Connie specializes in training and rehabilitating the shy and unsocialized dogs, while husband Bob is in charge of the more confident dogs. They all love “Captain Bob,” who takes them out on his 35-foot charter fishing boat. Granddaughter Laura, who is 18, helps care for the foster dogs and sometimes even takes them to work with her for extra attention and socialization. Son Bobby, who is a trucker, helps with transports, and son Mark helps with home visits. Even Connie’s personal dog Chuck (a 14-year-old Chinook) lends a hand; he excels at teaching foster puppies how to grow up to be good dogs! Connie fills the very important role of adoption manager. As our “Apps Queen,” it is Connie’s job to screen and track adoption applications, assign them to an applications team, send out denial and approval notices, and send contracts to approved adopters. In addition, Connie serves on New Rattitude’s founding board of directors and is the Florida state coordinator as well as a foster parent.  Since New Rattitude’s incorporation just seven months ago, Connie has fostered a dozen rat terriers, including three Georgia puppy mill dogs and eight others (three adults and five puppies) from a North Carolina puppy mill. Having the luxury of being home all day and a great deal of patience, she enjoys the challenge of rehabilitating the mill dogs. Connie compares fostering these dogs to rock hunting, where a crystal that looks like a "throwaway" is discovered, but after being washed and polished again and again, it becomes a gem of great value and beauty. At the same time, Connie cautions anyone considering fostering a puppy mill dog. She spends about six hours daily working with her dogs. She says, “Yes, it’s rewarding for sure to take a dog that’s never been touched and--sometimes months after you’ve been working with it--have it nuzzle your hand. …Every single day one of them advances and even if it is a miniscule advance, I celebrate. …There is much joy along with intense work, but you’ve got to be pretty easy to please. I couldn’t touch some of them for weeks or even months, and they flinch when touched so it’s kind of hard on one’s spirit.” Connie reports that her greatest joy in life is to have a rehabilitated puppy mill dog adopted and go on to live life as a “normal” dog. Fortunately, she has been able to experience that joy many times over, as 10 of her 11 former puppy mill foster dogs have been successfully adopted! Thank you, Connie, for dedicating your life to needy rat terriers and sharing your many talents with New Rattitude!

					When They Need Us the Most Helping Your Dog Adapt to a Major Life Change By Nadia Chiodini It is a sad fact that some owners make plans to abandon or euthanize their dog when it is diagnosed with a special need. Often, these individuals are not responding out of intentional cruelty but in the mistaken belief that the dog will now face a life of misery or that they are not up to the task of training their pet.  But when a major life change such as deafness or blindness occurs, what the dog needs most is the consistency of familiar surroundings and the comfort that only its beloved human can provide.   Special needs dogs do need special care; some need a little, and some a lot. But education, support from others, and assistive devices can help owners and their special needs dogs continue to enjoy their lives together.  Stories of success can give encouragement and comfort when one is facing the unknown, so I would like to share my own experience many years ago, when I learned that my 8-year-old dog, Wizard, had suddenly gone blind. Back then, there was no Internet where I could search for information or join support forums. I couldn't even find any books on the topic of training a blind dog. Wizard just lay around, barely moving, and I had no idea what to do.   Now, it might sound silly, but I was helped by a show that was on TV at that time. It was called "Kung Fu."  In it, the main character, Caine, is taught by a blind Shaolin priest, Master Po. I thought to myself, if a blind man could be a kung fu master, I could certainly teach my dog to get around! So I hooked him up to a leash and hooked the leash to myself. Everywhere I went around the house, Wizard went, learning to map his course through movement. At the end of two weeks, he turned his sightless eyes up to my own with an expression that said, "OK, Mom, cut me loose. I'm ready to try on my own." So I did, and it was amazing how well he got around. The most important thing I had to remember was not to move the furniture, close doors that were usually open, or leave objects in the path of his memorized routes.   Wizard still loved to go for a ride in the car and to visit the grooming shops where I worked. Everyone loved him, and no one even thought about his being blind. When he was 12 years old, we moved from a 4-room house to a much bigger house, but Wizard had no trouble learning his way around. He could even beat me to the front door when his dad came home.   Blind dogs aren't the only special needs dogs that thrive with proper handling. Deaf dogs can be trained with hand signals and vibration collars. I have known some deaf dogs to do extremely well performing for audiences. Recently, New Rattitude helped Popcorn, a 1-year-old deaf Jack Russell/rat terrier mix, find her forever home with a family that runs a performance troupe. Popcorn is now learning new tricks and having happy dog dreams about her new career as a performing dog.   Today owners of special needs dogs have a wealth of support available through Web sites, books, and assistive devices. A vest with an attached lightweight halo can prevent blind dogs from bumping into objects. Prosthetic devices and lightweight wheelchairs can give mobility to dogs with a variety of orthopedic ailments. I have even seen a video of a little rat terrier in its wheelchair, herding sheep!   With a loving, determined heart, a strong positive attitude, and tender care, a person can accomplish amazing things with a dog which has a special need. After all the love and devotion that dogs give us humans, shouldn't we return the favor when they most need us? They would do the same for us, and in fact, they do it all the time. We have dogs to guide the blind, to alert the deaf, to pull wheelchairs for the disabled, and so much more. Let's be there for them.   The Web sites below provide information, support, and products for owners of dogs with special needs:   Deafdogs.org Blinddogs.com Handicappedpets.com Specialneedspets.org/disability K9carts.com Dogs-4life.com/handicapped.dogs Petdoc.com/story/handicapped.dogs

					Continued from above, Barking for Bach Desensitizing After getting Tilly fairly calmed down, I began to work at desensitizing her. Remember, a puppy mill dog likely hasn’t seen anything but the warehouse beyond the crate where it was confined. Everything in a house is going to be new and frightening. I tried to choose one or two things at a time to be working on and then moved to something else when she had finally become desensitized. For example, every time the kitchen faucet was turned on, Tilly would run across the kitchen floor to the corner, urinating as she went. I began by holding her at the opposite side of the room while the faucet was turned on for a short time. Each day I moved a bit closer until she could be held next to the sink while the water was running. A dog can reach its limit and shut down, though. If the eyes have glazed over or are looking off in the distance, the dog has shut down, and it won’t do any good to continue working with it. It’s important to take breaks. Giving the dog time to calm itself and recenter is just as important as the desensitization time. In addition, a dog can sense frustration, and this can damage trust in its human. Human health and well-being Progress for a mill dog is made in miniscule steps, and this can be very frustrating at times. It’s important to focus not just on the emotional well-being of the dog, but on one’s own emotional health as well. The following tips will help keep humans sane during the rehab process. Celebrate progress, no matter how small. When I was working on Tilly’s submissive urination problem, I was actually counting drops of urine. My husband came home from work, and I excitedly related how “she’s down from five to two or three drops each time she gets picked up now!” See the big picture. There will be much backsliding, and new healthy behaviors won’t necessarily occur every time. Try to think of where the dog was when it started and where it is now, rather than just focusing on a single moment. Document the dog's behavior in the early stages. Because progress is at times painfully slow, it is helpful to have videos or photos of the dog from its first days in your home. Sometimes when you look back at those early photos, it will be easier to let go of your frustration at the current pace of training. Turn to others with similar experience for support. This is probably the most important thing that I did for myself. By turning to fellow rescuers, I was able not only to learn from their experience but also to feel less isolated. Deciding to foster a puppy mill dog If you are thinking about fostering or adopting a puppy mill dog, be sure to fully think through what you might be up against. Tilly is now a fairly happy, healthy dog who loves her new life as a companion dog, and I don’t regret our time together, but I honestly don’t think that I’d do it again. To help you decide whether or not fostering a puppy mill dog is for you, here are some questions to ask yourself. Do I have the time? To truly make rehab work, the therapies, desensitization, and bonding time need to happen regularly throughout the day. If you work full time, a mill dog is not a good option. Do I have the stamina? For the dog’s sake, take on a mill dog only if you can make a long-term commitment to it. Sometimes it can take over a year to rehab a mill dog. Some dogs never get to the point of being adoptable and will end up living in their foster homes indefinitely. Am I prepared to deal with the behavior issues? Dogs that have spent much time at a puppy mill will likely have many behavior issues. These may include: excessive fear and/or aggression fear of humans (both from mistreatment and/or lack of contact) excessive need to dominate or submit to other dogs food aggression marking and claiming of territories, even in females submissive urination hoarding of food or toys If you are interested in learning more about the autism/animal connection, consider reading Temple Grandin’s book Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior. To learn more about puppy mills and rescued mill dogs, check out the Humane Society’s Website, www.stoppuppymills.org, and to see a short video of one of Tilly’s early attempts at playing, visit YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCuQNjZ_rOA

					Want to Get Involved? Join The Pack! Volunteer participation is critical to our success and our ability to save dogs. New Rattitude has many volunteer opportunities and ways that you can participate that involve as little or as much time as you wish to contribute: fostering, transporting, adoption screening, fundraising, organizational tasks, shelter monitoring, public relations, newsletter, special events, and more. As a member of our team, you will always be treated with respect and your contributions appreciated. Volunteer education and training is ongoing, and support and advice willingly shared. If you are interested in joining our team, please fill out our online Volunteer Application! Donate Cash donations go directly to pay for veterinary expenses for our rescued dogs, including vaccinations, heartworm testing and treatment, spay/neuters, antibiotics, etc. Since we are an all-volunteer organization with virtually no overhead, 100% of your donation goes to care for the dogs. To donate, send check or money order to: New Rattitude, PO Box 14064, Lansing, MI 48901. Or donate via Paypal by sending a payment to: treasurer@newrattitude.org GoodSearch/GoodShop GoodSearch.com is a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up! Go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter New Rattitude as the charity you want to support.   GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's, and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting New Rattitude as your chosen cause.

					'Tude News Team Managing Editor: Susan Beard Copy Editor: Kathy Puckett Staff Writers: Janell Brown, Sherri Chatterton, Nadia Chiodini, Debbie Collins, Jodi Cotner, Norma Downing, Patti Jeffries, Sue Kangas, Levecke Mas, Sharon Smith Webmaster/Archives: Bethany Adams 'Tude News is published monthly. Freelance submissions are welcome. To submit a story or story idea, please contact the Managing Editor at newsletter@newrattitude.org. Visit our archives to view previous issues of 'Tude News.