Issue 8

OCTOBER 2009

ABOUT YORKIE HAVEN

RESCUE (YHR)

Yorkie Haven Rescue is a non-profitorganization dedicated to the rescue ofyorkies/yorkie mixes regardless of age, sight,hearing, or other handicaps and is run solelyby unpaid volunteers. We ensure that allyorkies we rescue from “throwaway land” aresafe and can live their lives in a loving,caring, healthy and safe environment untiltheir forever home can be found. Our maingoal is not finding the right pup for a home,but finding the right home for each and everypup.

YHR receives no outside government fundingand is supported by private donations and ourown fundraising efforts. 100% of the moniesreceived goes directly towards the care of thepups in our rescue.

Please visit our website to see our rescuesthat are available for adoption. We have anonline application for adoption and also aform for surrendering a yorkie. We also havea boutique of fabulous items for your pup, acurrent list of our donors, etc.

www.yorkiehavenrescue.com

KIBBLE TALK

PET HEALTH INSURANCE - TO BUY OR NOTTO BUY

With healthcare coverage weighing heavily oneveryone’s minds recently, wefigured this would be the perfecttime to talk about pet healthinsurance, since humans aren’tthe only ones in need of medicalattention. Every stage of yourdog’s life presents different healthchallenges and concerns. Puppiesneed vaccinations, adult dogsneed preventive care, mature dogs can face anynumber of age-related problems and with the“irresponsible breeding” going on today, there aremore genetic health problems associated withbreeds A through Z.

Since the cost of veterinary care is increasing,thanks to immense advances in animal medicine,pet insurance helps pet owners to affordexpensive and unexpected health care proceduresfor their pets. As is the case with any type ofinsurance, the decision to purchase pet insuranceshould be accompanied with a careful cost/benefitanalysis, and pet owners should shop around forthe best policy.

The basics of any insurance plan, whether it is foryou or your pet are always the same: coverage,cost, and available doctors.

COVERAGE: Determine when looking at a policyis what exactly the policy covers. Some only covercatastrophic medical care, while others also coverroutine procedures like vaccinations and altering.

The pet insurance also may or may not coverprescriptions and other aspects of routinecare. In addition, many policies have a yearlyor lifetime cap on payout, meaning that petowners may end up paying out of pocket forcostly conditions.

As with human insurance, pet insuranceusually will not cover pre-existing conditions.Therefore, people who want to buy petinsurance should try to do it early, as olderpets can be prone to health problems. Somepets, especially purebreds, are alsogenetically predisposed to certain problems,and these may or may not be covered. Manypet insurance plans also do not cover cancer,which is one of the leading causes of death inpets. When buying pet insurance, find out ifan additional cancer rider can be purchased,to ensure that all eventualities are covered.

COST: While looking at a plan, find out whatthe monthly payments and deductibles are.Some pet insurance has an annualdeductible, while others deduct on aper-event basis, and almost all plans have aco-pay. Also be aware that one of themajor cons of pet insurance is that petowners must pay out of pocket forp r oc e d u r e s a n d t h e n su b m i treimbursement paperwork. Depending onthe policy, the insurer may or may not coverthe procedure, and it generally only covers apercentage.

It is possible to spend a substantial amounton pet insurance and not require that muchmedical care beyond routine procedures. Ifthe plan happens to be a catastrophe-onlypet insurance plan, this might be viewed as asubstantial loss. On the other hand, ananimal could also require multiple surgeries,expensive medications, or other expensivetreatments over its lifetime. By purchasing petinsurance, owners can make choices basedon the best option for the pet, rather than thebottom line financially.

Pet insurance is generally a sound financialchoice for pet owners who would be willing togo to whatever lengths necessary to care fortheir pets. It should, however, be paired with

responsible pet ownership, in an attempt to keepan animal healthy with preventative care. As withany insurance, pet insurance is ultimately agamble, and people should consider whether theythink the overall cost of the insurance is worth thebenefits provided.

Like any type of insurance, there are dozens ofcompanies that can provide you with quotes andplans which makes it even more difficult to decideif pet insurance is right for you and your four-legged companion. Ultimately, YOU will be left todecide which company, if any, is best for you andyour pet's needs.

AVAILABLE DOCTORS: Because not all vets willbe participating members of any one insurancecompany, you should check with the vet youcurrently use to see if they are members of anyvet insurance companies.

Below is a checklist of things to consider whenchoosing a pet insurance plan.

1. DEDUCTIBLE:

Choosing a higher deductible will lower yourmonthly premium, but means your out-of-pocketcosts will be higher each time your pet begins anew medical treatment. Choosing a lowerdeductible will increase your monthly premium, butmeans your out-of-pocket costs will be lower.Make sure that the pet insurance plan you chooseoffers you the flexibility to change plans anddeductibles depending on your needs today and inthe future.

2. POLICY LIMITS/COVERAGE:

The rising cost of modern veterinary medicine cansometimes make a low per-incident limit (or lowlifetime limits) unrealistic. Choose a plan thatcovers the true costs of unexpected illness andaccidents.

Look for plans that cover illnesses, accidents, andoptional routine care.

Illnesses: Any illness and accident plan shouldautomatically cover common ailments, but whatabout chronic diseases like cancer or diabetes?Are they covered as well? For how much?

Accidents: Cuts and broken legs arecommon and should be covered. In anaccident-only plan, look for surgicalcoverages that include removal of swallowedobjects and treatment of hernias.

Routine Care: These optional coveragesmay include such preventive measures asannual exams, vaccinations, teeth cleaning,and diagnostics such as blood panels andurine testing.

3. CLAIM REIMBURSEMENTS:

This may be the most misunderstood andmost important part of your pet insurancecoverage.

Generally, reimbursement is calculated in oneof two basic ways:

a) Either as a fair and straightforwardpercentage of your veterinarian's bill;or

b) As a percentage of a benefit schedulewhich limits the amount the insurancecompany is willing to pay (as some ofour competitors choose).

4. AVAILABLE VETS:

Look for plans that allow you to visit:

a) The Veterinarian You Choose - Don'tbuy a policy that requires you toselect a doctor you don't know from alist. Be sure you're allowed to visit anylicensed veterinarian.

b) Emergency Care - Illnesses andaccidents sometimes happen afternormal business hours; does yourpolicy cover emergency care at 2 am?What about follow-up care after thefact?

c) Specialists – When your pet needst reatment by a veter inaryophthalmologist (eye care) orveterinary oncologists (cancer), you'llwant to be sure your policy covers

specialist care.

5. EXCLUSIONS:

Pre-existing conditions, meaning those thatexisted before the original policy effective date,whether or not they were previously diagnosed ortreated, are usually not covered. These mayinclude the congenital conditions your pet is bornwith or conditions that some breeds aresusceptible to. Make sure the policy you chooseclearly states what is and is not covered in a waythat is easy to understand.

6. LIFETIME CONTINUOUS COVERAGE:

In the event of a chronic problem such as diabetesor cancer, it is important to know that your petinsurance plan will continue to help treat theproblem from one policy term to the next. Aninsurance plan that offers Lifetime ContinuousCoverage will not automatically disqualify claimsfor chronic issues as preexisting conditions afterthe policy is renewed.

The bottom line is you need to do your homeworkbefore purchasing any plan. Decide if you canafford to spend a small amount each month, or ifyou could afford to come up with a quick $3000 ifyou need to. Check with your vet about petinsurance companies they recommend or usepersonally. Ask them for their honest opinions,not a sales pitch. By taking the time and stepsneeded to learn and make an informed decisionabout pet insurance you could literally save yourpet's life.

PUP-IN-THE SPOTLIGHT:

CHASE

No, Chase did not get his name because hechases cars. But, he did end up in Yorkie HavenRescue because he was hit by a car. I better startfrom the beginning. Chase was a cute little pupwho was born in Texas. When he was oldenough, he was sold to his first owners whom helived with for approximately three years.

One day while visiting relatives in BatonRouge, Louisiana with his family, Chase gotout of the backyard and was in search ofsome four-legged friends to play with. Hewas not familiar with the area and was lost inno time. A nice couple found Chase runningaround the streets, picked him up and calledthe number on his collar to let his family knowthat he had been found. Chase wasobviously not as important a member of thefamily as he had originally thought, becausethey informed the couple that they werealready back in Texas and could not comeback to pick him up. They offered Chase tothe couple and they accepted. His firstowners mailed all of Chase's information tothe new owners, which included his vetrecords and a polaroid of him as a puppy.

So in early 2009, Chase had a new family tolove. Unfortunately, his new home did not

have a fenced in backyard, so they put Chaseon a chain in the yard inthe evening to "do hisbusiness" and haveoutside time. Chasewas not fond of thisarrangement and oneevening proceeded toget loose from his chainand get hit by a car. A

nearby neighbor, not knowing who Chasebelonged to, saw Chase get hit and calledanimal control to come and pick him up.Now, through no fault of his own, Chase wasbrought to "doggy jail" and was in severeneed of medical attention. He sat at animalcontrol for a couple days until his ownerscalled and found out he was there. Theyquickly went and bailed him out and were toldthat they would need to get him to a vet rightaway because his leg was broken. The nextday, Chase was brought to the vet and it wasconfirmed that Chase had a broken pelvisand a severely shattered femur. His ownerswere informed that surgery was necessaryimmediately and would be costly. Theyrealized that for Chase's own good, theywould need to find a rescue group to take himso that his medical needs would beaddressed and he could find another

permanent home after he had healed.

Chase's owners e-mailed Yorkie Haven Rescueadvising of their situation and the urgency of thematter. A local YHR member contacted themimmediately and requested that they meet at alocal vet’s office early the next morning. Theybrought Chase and signed him over to YorkieHaven Rescue and he was admitted to thehospital so his medical needs could be addressed.

Chase had surgery onAugust 11, 2009, andwas picked up by his newfoster mom on August14 . He had a cast onth

his leg and came withinstructions for "strictcrate rest" except forpottying if the leg was toheal properly. When this was explained to thefoster home that would foster Chase, she wasn'tphased and said "she would do what had to bedone for his recovery".

According to his foster mom, Chase has been aperfect patient and is asweetheart of a man. Heloves other dogs of any size,humans, and life. He lovesto give kisses and when youlook into his eyes, you cantell that he is so grateful toget attention. He is one thatmakes friends wherever he

goes and has the best disposition.

Chase has had the necessary vetting, i.e. neuter,teeth cleaned, etc., so when the doctor says giveshis leg a clean bill of health and lets him run againon all fours, he will be ready to join his new family.We told Chase that the third time is a charm (andpermenant). Please consider enriching your lifeby adding this great guy to it.

Chase in his second

home

Chase after his surgery

Chase recuperating

in his foster home

DOGGONE GOOD EATIN

Bow Wow Biscuits(found at healthyrecipesforpets.com)

Ingredients:

2½ cups whole wheat flour

½ cup wheat germ

½ cup powdered milk

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder

8 tablespoon bacon grease or margarine

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons chicken or beef broth

½ cup ice water

6 slices of crumbled bacon, optional

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Preparation and Cooking:

In a big mixing bowl, mix all ingredients

thoroughly to form a dough. Roll the

dough out with a rolling pin and use a

cookie cutter to make shapes for cookies.

Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 20 - 25

minutes.

Your Pup Will Wuf You!

POETRY CORNER

A PET’S LOVEWISH Author: Unknown

A companion, a pal,

A very best friend.

Someone to trust,

To love 'til the end.

Someone to trust,

When feeling blue.

Always a smile,

T'always greet you.

Always a smile,

To dry up your tears.

A person to be there,

To quiet your fears.

A person to be there,

When lonely or sad.

Loving regardless,

If hating or mad.

Loving regardless,

If caring or cruel.

No matter what,

Genius or fool.

No matter what,

They stand by you.

Who is this person,

Have you a clue?

Who is this person?

I'll tell you who.

This is your pet,

That loves through 'n through.

LOOK WHO’S HOME:

ajay

In 2006, Ajay was turned into a shelter by hisoriginal owners. Things startedlooking up when he was adoptedby an individual who caredenough to have him neutered.We guess 6 days was the extentof that caring span since it was atthis time that this personsurrendered him to a differentshelter giving no reason for notwanting him any longer. Next onthe savior list, a yorkie rescuegroup pulled Ajay out of this animal control andkept him for 8 days before deciding that he did notlook “yorkie” enough and tested heartwormpositive. Heartworm treatment would be neededand they were not willing to do this for Ajay. Sobegan the hunt for another shelter/rescue group totake him. In all this shifting around, this sweetsoul of an animal had a bad cough, heartworms,fever, tapeworms, tracheo-bronchitis, and struvitecrystals in his urine, none of which were everaddressed. Yorkie Haven Rescue found out aboutthis baby and took him in on 11/1/06 andimmediately brought him to the vet who startedhim on antibiotics and cough medicine.Heartworm treatment was started the followingweek.

Even though Ajay was now in a loving foster homegetting all the personal and medical attention he

Ajay in h is

foster home

could ask for, he was still not out of thewoods. The heartworm treatment whichseemed to last forever for he and his fostermom, was extremely difficult on his body.The smallest task of being brought outside touse the restroom would send him into acoughing fit. This would frighten him evenmore and he would hide in a corner as if hehad done something wrong.

Finally, after a long, hard road, Ajaycompleted his heartworm treatment, wasretested, and the results were NEGATIVE.YHR cannot express how importantheartworm prevention is for a dog and westrongly urge everyone to make sure thattheir own pet(s) are current on prevention.Heartworm treatment (which is costly anddangerous), can be prevented with a simplemonthly heartworm pill, but since a dog hasno thumbs, has to be administered by thehuman (there's the problem).

Even though Ajay was up to date on allvetting and was healthy and heartwormnegative, he wasn’t getting much interest orapplications. We attribute this to the fact thathe looked more Chihuahua than Yorkie andpeople on a Yorkie site are usually wanting toadd a Yorkie to their family. Well, thankgoodness for Petfinder.com. One afternoonAjay’s new mom was on Petfinder.comsearching Chihuahua’s because they wantedto add a Long-Haired Chihuahua to their fur-family. But once shecaught site of Ajay,she knew her searchwas over and that hewas the one that theywanted. They had afemale Chihuahuamix named ChiChiw h o l o o k e dEXACTLY like Ajay.

After a few short e-mails back and forth toAjay’s foster mom, an application and thenormal application process, Ajay joined hisnew family in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on8/17/09 (almost three years in foster care).

Now a few words from mom:

"When we decided to adopt Ajay, we both wantedhim, but it was my husband who fell for him like aton of bricks. However, Ajay has become quite aMama's boy following me around the house andsleeping on a pillow up by my head.

From the day we brought him home, he has fit inas if he had been here his entire life. Of coursewhen he first walked in all the dogs had to do adouble take because he looked so much like ChiChi. When we took him to our Vet and we tookChi Chi along as well, she could not believe howmuch they looked alike she even suggested we doa DNA test. He now goes up and down the stepsto get up on our bed like a pro. He has alsobecome an almost perfect gentleman in hisbathroom habits. He has also become quiteplayful, not just with us but with the other dogs. We are indeed blessed to have had this little oldman come into our lives. You don't have to worryabout him any more, he has finally found hisFOREVER home after such a hard start in life.We thank you for our blessing and all of the workthat your organization does."

DID YOU KNOW . . . .

* * * * * * * * *

An estimated 1 million dogs in the United

States have been named the primary

beneficiary in their owner’s will.

* * * * * * * * *

Ajay and his new twin

sister.

PAWS UP TO YOU

If you have given Yorkie Haven Rescue adonation, purchased from our boutique,donated craft items to sell on our website,etc., we would like to take this time to sayThank You very much. Through your acts ofgenerosity, you, the public, are rescuers too.

July 1, 2009 - September 30, 2009

Ann LangloisBonny SheppardBreyl BrinkleyBrigitte ChoreyBuild-A-Bear Workshop*Cindee CopelandDonna McSloyElaine KimberleyElizabeth SantolaElizabeth WebbGita BhatiaHazel LevatinoJennifer BelangerJenny CorlasJimmy ShepherdJoanne VogelJodi PillesJohn/Jennifer BeardJoni BoykinJonnette MarshallJose/Gloria GonzalezJudy CollanderJulie ThompsonKaris McCutchenKristina ReedKristin BalonLinda/Terry ChenoreLinda FreedmanLindsey BrowningLisa RainforthLissette RodriguezLois CirrincioneMariko Hernandez

Marilyn NauhausMary DorseyMegan HartyMerry JonesMichelle BelausteguiMike McDuffNancy vonSeggernPam/Mike BunnPatrick LoydPatti BackmanPenny NeedhamRhonda DavisRobin/Pat BurkeRuthAnn JohnstonSandy DybdahlSherri StenbergStephanie HovermanSue HegdahlTerri/Larry WayTonia RachelVal/Eric MillerVan/Dana BallVicki Dykes

*The Build-A-Bear Workshop Bear HugsFoundation is committed to making life morebearable for children, families and pets, in need ofa helping paw. With the sale of each full-sizedBearemy’s Kennel Pals® friend -- a collection ofBuild-A-Bear Workshop® plush dogs -- one dollaris donated to domestic pet programs including localanimal shelters, stray pet rescue and rehabilitationorganizations, and pet education programs aroundthe country. These funds are available to qualifiednon-profit organizations in the United States andCanada through a quarterly grant process. Visitwww.buildabear.com for more information.

YHR STATS

Below is a summary of the pups Yorkie HavenRescue has taken in, adopted out, and those whohave crossed over to Rainbow Bridge while in ourcare.

May 1, 2006 - September 30, 2009

Intake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Adopted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Rainbow Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

January 1, 2009 - September 30, 2009

Intake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Adopted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Rainbow Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

YHR currently has 23 pups in fosterhomes that are available for adoption.

WAYS TO HELP

YHR

Fostering - YHR does not have a shelterand our members integrate each pup intotheir families. This is a very big responsibilityand fostering is not for everyone, but if youare interested, please send an e-mail toyorkiehavenrescue06@yahoo.com to requestmore information and an application. Allfoster homes must go through the sameprocess as an adoption applicant.

Grooming - Yorkies are a high-maintenance breed when it comes to coatcare. Many of us have learned to groom ourown dogs and can groom the rescues as well.Unfortunately, some of the rescues come tous as one giant, matted mess, makingprofessional grooming necessary. If you area groomer and live in a state near where aYHR pup is being fostered and can donate oroffer a discount to groom a rescue pup, you

will be listed on the donor page of our websiteand your services will be greatly appreciated.To offer your grooming services, please e-mail usat york iehavenrescue06@yahoo.comand let us know where you are located so wecan determine whether we have a foster pupin your area in need of grooming.

Surfing the Net - When surfing the net, usewww.goodsearch.com as your search engine anddesignate Yorkie Haven Rescue as your charity.For every search you perform, a donation is madeto YHR without any cost to you. Your clickinghelps keep the Haven ticking.

Shopping on the Internet - When shoppingon the internet, shop through www.igive.com andselect Yorkie Haven Rescue as your charity. Atno extra cost to you, a portion of each onlinepurchase will be donated to YHR. You shop, theydonate, the pups benefit.

Don’t know what to get those “hard to buy forpups”? Check out the Haven Boutique atwww.yorkiehavenrescue.com. You’ll get a greatgift and at the same time, donate much neededfunds to the welfare of YHR’s foster pups.

Last, but not least, by telling your family andfriends about Yorkie Haven Rescue and all of theways to help listed above, you bring awareness toYHR and animal rescue. Thank You!

Join Yorkie Haven Rescue in providing care andfood for animals in shelters and sanctuaries. Todo this, go to www.theanimalrescuesite.com andclick ONCE A DAY - EVERY DAY on the “ClickHere to Give - It’s Free” box. That is 365 chanceseach year to care for animals in need. If yourmemory isn’t that great anymore, don’t worry, youcan sign up for “free click reminder service” andThe Animal Rescue Site will send you a free e-mail reminder as often as you like to remind you toclick to feed.