February 2009 Newsletter New Beginnings Shih Tzu and Friends Rescue is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and re-homing small dogs in need. The dogs featured in this newsletter are currently being fostered in the states of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, & Wisconsin. Ideas, submissions, questions and comments about this newsletter, as well as correspondence regarding our foster dogs or contributions, can be emailed to : nbstr.board@yahoo.com or mailed to: NBSTR PO Box 63 Greendale, WI 53129

Have you ever wondered what becomes of the dogs that are rescued by New Beginnings? Do we adopt them to families and then forget them? No way! We want our placements to be sound, safe, happy and lasting. In order to ensure this to the best of our ability, we use a screening process that includes reference checks, a home visit, and many opportunities for conversation or correspondence between foster family and adoption applicant.   Fostering a rescued dog is a very personal and moving experience. Our foster dogs live in our homes as one of our own, and it’s not uncommon for the love and care the dog experiences to be the very first example of tenderness in its life. Some dogs stay in their foster homes for weeks, even months, before an appropriate home is found. Needless to say, the bond between dog and caregiver becomes quite strong, so it’s only natural our foster parents want the very best for their dogs. The discernment process in choosing the right home for a dog often opens the door to a lasting, close relationship between foster family and adoptive family.   An important aspect in our rescue is follow‐through and availability for support post‐adoption. In addition, we are addicted to news of how our foster dogs are doing in their new homes. This enthusiasm for news isn’t just limited to the foster parent of the adopted dog; we share our experiences with our fosters with each other, so it’s not uncommon for the majority of our volunteers to be familiar with the majority of our foster dogs. When a foster parent receives a note and photos of their former foster dogs from the adopting families, these are shared with the group as well, so we can all rejoice in the happiness of knowing another dog has found his or her perfect home. It truly is a community experience, and one we all cherish. In the following pages, we’ve chosen to share some of these happy occasions with all of you.   

Where Are They Now?

Some of our little cuties have shared Valentine’s wishes with you in this

month’s newsletter… Awwwww!

Happy Valentine’s

Day!

Valentine’s Day is a day for expressing love through gifts and cards and written words. We’re so pleased to offer in our February 2009 newsletter love letters of a different sort: expressions of the joy a New Beginnings foster dog has given to his or her adoptive family. Our volunteers can probably pass on lacy cards, chocolates, and floral bouquets, but updates like these make our hearts sing as only true love can. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

“We love shih tzu dogs and we wanted to rescue one. In June '08 I found NBSTR on line and checked into it. We found Teddy's picture and I contacted the lady that had him in her home for rescue. He has been the best dog we have ever had. We already had a 14 year old grey and white shih tzu named Oscar. Oscar at first was stand offish, but now they are buds. Teddy has become my doggie, he follows me everywhere. If I shut a door he stands there and whines and crys wanting to be with me. We are in IN. for the summer and both sleep with us on the king bed, but in winter months we go to FL and here we have twin beds. So since the beds are small and Oscar is the senior, he gets in bed with me first. Teddy starts out in bed with my hubby, but then he moves to the recliner with his head on the arm rest for a pillow. He is so spoiled and loved so much. They are our children to us since we are retired. Sue Carton and NBSTR was the best to work with and found us our new baby boy!! We love them both so much. Attached is our picture of our family. Oscar is the 14 yr old grey and white and Teddy is 5 yrs old and the blonde. He talks with his BIG brown eyes. Thank you NBSTR!! Don & Eris Sallee Lebanon, IN"

Bree is a former puppy mill dog. She was used as a breeder and, actually, when she first came to New Beginnings, she was such a mess it was thought that she was actually a gold male. As it turned out, she was a beautiful, sparkling white female. She was cleaned up, fully vetted and, when she was ready, Bree was adopted by the Mott family. Recently, our volunteer, Joanne Folk who fostered Bree, received the following from Bree's adoptive family: “New yearʼs Reflection Looking back on the months gone by, As the New Year starts and an old one ends, We contemplate what brought us joy, Itʼs Bree thatʼs who Recalling all the happy times, Remembering how she filled our empty hearts, We reflect upon who really counts, As the fresh and bright new year arrives, And when we ponder those who do, We immediately think of you.

Thanks for being one of the reasons weʼll have many happy new years to come! Sabrina Mott “

Where Are They Now? We’re Proud to Share Some Very Happy Endings for Our New Beginnings Foster Dogs!

"Emmie is doing fan-tab-u-lous!!! She seems very happy and has fit right in. She and Buddy continue to have a good game of tug each and every day. You would think Buddy would have the clear advantage as he is about 4 times Emmie's weight but what Emmie lacks in weight she more than makes up for in tenacity and energy. She just will not let go. And somehow, they have not yet tired of the game. They also have come to an agreement about snuggling arrangements. Buddy had a sibling named Bear who was just his size so, when he needed a snuggle, he would just drape himself over Bear. Unfortunately, that doesn't quite work with Emmie as she is about 1/5 of Bear's size and she would get smothered. So, somehow, Buddy and Emmie seem to have agreed that once she is comfortable curled up in a ball, Buddy may gently rest his head on her little rear end. I wish I could send you a picture but, as you may remember, when Emmie gets curled in she looks like a little fluffy black pillow so the pictures just look like Bud with his head on a pillow! I was worried about Emmie and the wicked winter weather but didn't need to be. She loves loves loves going for walks and bounces through the snow and doesn't seem to mind the cold. We walk 4 city blocks after dinner which is about 1/2 mile and she never slows down. No problems at all re housebreaking issues once she was done with her antibiotics. Her appetite is fabulous and she loves to chew on bones. She is looking just beautiful too. The vet adjusted her thryoid meds a little and her coat is now silky soft and lovely. She is always, always optimistic. Every new dog is viewed as a new possible playmate, anyone walking down the street is someone who might pet and adore her and any hand reached in a pocket or cabinet might be retrieving a biscuit. Susan Holland"

"Maya and Tango came to our home together as fosters from an exceptionally bad Puppy Mill in November 2007. Immediately, my mom and I knew we had two very special dogs on our hands and realized they had already found a home in our family, although we initially denied it. Maya was extremely shy, but the sweetest little thing despite her history. She has now blossomed into a fun, quirky, and endearing companion who actually smiles when she's happy. Tango was extremely fearful and shook when we first tried to touch him. I had to keep him on a leash near me for the first week so we wouldn't run and hide. Since then, however, he never leaves my side and has become an incredibly loyal companion. He has regained much of his confidence and learned to enjoy life: running around, playing, and chewing on things he shouldn't. Maya and Tango have filled our own lives with joy and a never ending flow of love and kisses. Heather and Sharon Dall”

"As a newly married couple we knew the next big step would be to get a dog. I was a little wary because growing up I never had pets but Mike convinced me to go to an adoption event to see a poodle/beagle mix. As soon as Mike held him he looked at me and said, "we're getting him, right?" I nodded yes, and Walter joined our family. Over the next year we learned what it took to raise a puppy and we were hooked. We loved the playfulness Walter brought into our home. About a year later we discussed getting a "sibling" for Walter. We looked on Petfinder but never found the right one, until Nutmeg. We filled out an application and Veronica called to invite us to an adoption event. As soon as we saw Nutmeg, Mike looked at me and said "we'll take her!" She was feisty and social, not to mention adorable. Veronica conducted a home visit and we knew Nutmeg fit right in with our family as she and Walter played outside. After what seemed like an eternity Veronica thought Nutmeg fit in as well, and said she was ours. We were ecstatic. That night she cried a little near bed time, but eventually fell asleep, soon she became a wonderful baby sister to Walter. He watches over her and she mimics everything he does. The puppy in Nutmeg has given us stress at times and a chewed up door frame, but her love of life and cuddly nature makes it all worth it. She wakes us up in the morning with kisses and goes to bed at night with a faint snore. Nutmeg is a perfect addition to our family and we are so grateful to Veronica and New Beginnings Shih Tzu Rescue for putting her in our life. Stephanie & Michael Pensinger"

"Penny Loo Loo, age 11 years, joined the Merril family about a year ago. When Penny came for her first home visit with her foster mom, Sheila, Penny settled right in and decided to stay. Poor Sheila had to go home without her. Penny soon became a member of the dog pack, which includes Riley (Maltese/Poodle, 3 years old) and Gracie (Shihtzu/Poodle, 1 year old). The three are quite inseparable as they travel through the house, go outside to play, and lounge about on Jesseʼs big bed. Jesse finds Penny Loo Loo to be quite adorable. Jesse always thought the adoration she felt towards her elderly dogs was due entirely to the fact that she had been with the old dog for many years. Much to Jesseʼs surprise, those feeling of adoration for elderly Penny are quite the same as the feelings she has had for her past dogs in their old age.

Jesse is now aware that elderly dogs hold their own charm and unique qualities and that Penny, in spite of just joining the family one year ago, clearly brings a joy to the family that only an elderly dog can. Because of Jesseʼs experience with Penny Loo Loo, Jesse is convinced she will always keep an elderly dog in the mix. Jesse Merrill”

“Dear Trish, foster mom to Lucy, As your next door neighbor for the past three years, you know how much I have cuddled and coddled all the foster dogs that resided with you. Like you, I fell in love with each one and cried as they left for their forever homes. I wanted to adopt each one, but you let it go as wishful thinking. Actually, as you finally told me, they just weren't right for me until Lucy came along. Lucy was ten years old and had been with one family. She was not abused, but rather was loved and well cared for. Circumstances, however, forced them to give her up and she luckily landed in your house - lucky for me, that is, but not for Lucy. She doesn't like to be around other dogs and with the four you already had, she was not happy. She shook. She drooled. She shied away from the other dogs. She wanted to be held and to feel secure in her own domain. I felt sorrier for Lucy than I had for any other dog that passed through your care. So once again I told you that I would like to have Lucy,and this time you said yes. The difference, you explained, is that Lucy was leash-trained and would not go out without a leash. She did not need a fenced-in yard (which I did not have), but she needed someone to walk her and be with her outside. And she needed a quiet house with a sedentary person who would let her sit on a lap. In other words, we were meant for each other. (continued on next page)

(continued) I brought Lucy over to my house before I adopted her to meet my two cats. That was okay. After a few sniffs they ignored Lucy like they do most other living creatures that come and go. So, with their blessing, Lucy came to live with us. She settled right in, quit drooling, found a comfortable bed to sleep on and a soft lap to nestle into. She's a quiet dog, rarely barks unless someone comes to the door or she sees a reflection in the window and thinks we are under attack. She talks to me, however, making little snoofing sounds and guttural sounds. Whenever I play bridge and don't let her sit on me for three hours, she talks nonstop.

Lucy is a beautiful dog that makes me very happy. In return she is in a loving house, is comfortable and well-cared for. She eats well, even if she prefers the cat food. In the cold weather she walks down the street in her red wool cape looking like superdog. I was very lucky that Lucy came to your house when she needed rescueing. Now, when I come home I come in and say "Lucy I'm home." But I could just as easily say "Lucy you're home." Fondly, Lucy's mom, Florence”

 

"I have had the two fur balls for a year and a half. Lady was very weak when she came and has had the most problems. When she came her eyes were in very bad shape, after about six months of treating them her left eye got very infected to the point that the vet said it should be removed which I had done, it seemed to help her right eye as it has cleared up to the point that she can see pretty well. Her hearing is almost nil. She gained a lot of water weight that water pills got rid of and the last three months or so has gained strength to the point that she will give Sweetie a bad time. Sweetie, even though she is two years older is the "Sherman Tank". Even though her eyes have cataracts, she still sees well and her hearing is excellent. She never walks, always runs, anywhere she goes and always complains that she is hungry, which is not true, as she has gained five pounds! Her worst problem is the skin warts, I have had one or two removed after every grooming, They were both groomed last week and she has one that will go as soon as the weather breaks. I also have the 16 year old Chihuahua that has lost her hearing so it is nice to have one out of three that still understands me. The medication here run like so: Pepe, heart pill, anti seizer pill, eye drops. Lady has been able to quit all except eye drops. Sweetie was put on eye drops last month when she was in for her wart removal. My wife has been in the nursing home six years this past December, with Altzimers, so I am thankful for all the company my fur balls give me, and do like "love" taking care of them! We make quite a team, Pepe is 16, Lady is 12, Sweetie is 14 and Arnie will be 86 Come February 16th..

Arnie Ryba"

“It will be a year ago that I adopted Emma and Elliot! We affectionately call them "the girls" just because it is easy to say! They are soooo loved. I honestly don't know what I'd do without them! They have been an absolute joy! Love coming home to their adorable faces and wagging tails! It had to be fate that brought us together..I mean c'mon the IN connection:) They are soo loved by my brothers family, my parents and friends!They adapted so well to their new home. Especially after having the security of a home for 9 years. Besides going to the spa (I mean I think they like it) Their favorite things to do: 1. sleep 2. eat 3. sleep The toys I bought for them upon their arrival are now used as decorations or pillows! Speaking of pillows their favorite spot to sleep, besides in bed with me..right in front of the patio window! They love it! the are not good watch dogs. Family has stopped by, and they slept through the whole thing.They still wear their warm little coats from their foster mom! Especially in this frigid weather(I'm lucky to get them out the door:) Needless to say I have been blessed by these little babies! They are affectionate(yes even Emma) and very warm dogs. They have such amazing personalities: Emma: anything goes~umm except brushing..:( Elliot: he directs the walks. If he doesn't want to go..then we don't. How is it that a grown woman cannot move a 18# pooch? Anyway I am thankful to my nephew, he started the search to help me find a good match, and then we found these two ! So a big thank you to New Beginnings for bringing us together! Renay Montalbano”

Chewie

"Bella and I had a hard beginning. We bonded right away but she had eye problems that were hard for her and for me. It bothered me so much and I felt so bad all the time not knowing for sure what to do for her to make her comfortable. Finally it got to the point where the Vet said we had to do something because she was evidently in pain. So she went in and had both of her eyes removed. We had been together only about 5 months then. I e-mailed her foster mother and got a site for blind dogs and the first thing on the page was to treat them like any other seeing dog. That's what I did. She adapted beautifully! Then we also had the problem of her snapping at me and others sometimes. So, we were working on that and figured out where it was occurring and she does not do that anymore either. It did not take long for her to get over that. With her blindness, she is amazing. There are so many people that tell me they would never know she was blind. I can take her places she has never been and she will hardly ever run into anything. She goes up and downstairs and if I move a piece of furniture she seems to sense that and never runs into it. We have certain things that we do at certain times and she knows the schedule and if I don't follow that she looks at me as if to say "that's not right". I took her on a trip to Michigan (the first long trip) this past summer. She was great. My daughter had 4 dogs and they got a long great. When she had trouble getting around them she would go under the one dog's belly or between her legs. She is like a greyhound. It was pretty cute. We go up North camping with my family and she loves it. I can take her off her leash up there, but I still watch her so she doesn't get into the bushes or trees. But she fines her way out of there too. She is adorable and Iove her. We are attached at the "hip"!!! Barb Asp"

"Cupid, a darling fluff of white, arrived in our home in October. We understood that he had a rough start in life and that we were inheriting some habits that we would have to improve. Cupid was very timid and afraid, quite unsure of his new situation. In addition, the veteran of the household, Reggie, a 12-year old Yorkie who is set in his ways is still not sure about the whole situation. After clearly demonstrating that indeed the house belongs to him and that Cupid would be allowed in on special dispensation, the two got along fine; however Cupid’s attempts to re-arrange Reggie’s favorite dog bed have not gone unnoticed.

Cupid immediately took to our two children, Olivia (4) and Chris (6). However, he was less sure about Eric my husband and they have had to have long conversations about who is in charge in the house. It turns out that Eric is in charge (and that ultimately, I am in charge) and once Cupid realized that he did not have to defend the whole household and could simply relax in his dog-bed and chew his rawhide that this was the life he had dreamed of.

Cupid has learned to sit, shake a paw and laydown. He is learning to roll over and to sit/stay/come. He is very smart and learned quite quickly. He gets slightly annoyed however and squints at us, when Reggie receives a treat for doing absolutely nothing. The privilege of the ‘first dog’, I suppose.

Cupid is adored daily, he makes us laugh and he gives many kisses. This certainly took a while. I remember the first day that he played dog ball with us; we saw that he really was a puppy at heart. He went from squinting at us and hiding to greeting us with wide-open eyes and a grin on his dog face. We are still working on allowing people to enter the house without Cupid defending the premises and will be hiring a trainer to help us on this front. In the meantime, we enjoy his company and continue to laugh daily at his antics. Best- Brenda M. Bush-Moline"

"Hi Bernadette, Our experience with New Beginnings was definitely a positive one. The adoption process was quite thorough and in-depth. I never thought I wanted to take a rescue dog because I thought it might be mean tempered or hard to deal with. Harlow is anything but. She has only growled once and that was when my son's puppy was over. It was just to let him know she didn't want to be bothered. We've had Harlow for 3 months and she is doing just fine. She is still a little shy at times when approached, but she likes to be around us all the time, usually under our feet. She loves to be petted and craves attention and meets us at the door when we get home. She hops up and down when she is happy and stands on her rear feet when she is about to get a treat. She gets quite a bit of attention and we are so happy to have her. She really is a happy dog now and we love her a bunch. I know we made the right choice with Harlow. Nikko and she are a good blend and act like they grew up together. They play together, but don't overwhelm each other. She really cares for Nikko because whenever he is getting a bath or hair cut, she is right there making sure he is okay. She has trimmed down and enjoys walking outside, even in the colder weather. Not too crazy about the snow though. We have passed on New Beginnings web site to a few of our friends and have told them how happy we were with our Harlow and with New Beginnings. Thanks so much for your help and especially for Harlow. Kathryn & Jim Tubbs"

“Brianna, a 4 year old Shih Tzu is a very special girl. Her start was definetly a different one. In late summer of 2007, New Beginnings President Bekye Walker Eckert received a phone call from the Wisconsin Humane Society advising her that they had a unaltered male Shih Tzu that was going to be nuetuered and needed placement in a rescue. Of course, Bekye said yes. However, when the dog was on the table to be neutered, it was discovered that he was a spayed she. She came into rescue and was named Brianna. My husband, Kevin and I were interested in adopting a new family member to add to our two other Shih Tzu's, Snuggles and Pepperann. We completed an application to adopt from New Beginnings; then one weekend went to Petco in Greenfield, WI to look at the dogs. We were originally interested in adopting a pair, but those two dogs had other ideas and weren't interested in being adopted by us. While we were there, another volunteer arrived with her dog. The dog was Brianna, and this little girl ran over to my husband and jumped into his lap. Brianna was full of kisses and was not leaving Kevin's lap for any reason. She shared kisses with me, as well as with my niece Anya, who was with us. This is one of those situations where the dog picks you. Well, of course we wanted to adopt Brianna; however, we still needed our home visit done. So, Bekye and Holly trekked to Fond du Lac WI the next weekend with Brianna in tow. We were approved and adopted Brianna on the spot! Well, let me tell you that Brianna changed our lives from the start. Bekye is a very persuasive woman, and asked us to volunteer. I immediately said we would love to be volunteers, but felt we would NEVER be able to foster, because we would end up adopting them all. But within a week, I had my first TWO foster dogs, Zoey and Snuffy. They were an adorable little pair who went on to a great forever home – elsewhere. Since then, I have fostered 52 dogs!!! It's been a wonderful experience being a volunteer for New Beginnings and knowing that we've helped save so many dogs. Back to Brianna, she has become one of the best therapy dogs - for us, that is. Whenever we get a new foster dog, whether it is a mill dog or owner turn-in, Brianna gets in their faces and makes them play. She is relentless! She also protects all the dogs whenever they have little squabbles. She gets right in and stops the fights! Without Brianna in our lives helping us to rehabilitate all the dogs, we would probably still be at our first fosters! She is a wonderful addition to our family, and we love her very much. We owe our thanks to New Beginnings and to Bekye for allowing us the pleasure of giving Brianna and so many others a new life. And I must also thank Teri G, Brianna's foster mom back in 2007, for doing such a wonderful job of fostering her! Laura Craig”

Sammy was an OTI from Toledo Ohio, whose parents were having a baby and she thought he wouldn't do well with a baby. Last January, Christine Cuevas stopped in at Petco in Harwood Heights, met Sammy and fell in love. Christine wanted a dog for her young son, Alex, and Sammy seemed to be the perfect companion. Sammy has been renamed Shadow, and here is an excerpt from a recent email from Christine: "He is doing great; he still looks adorable with his tongue sticking out - which is such an eye catcher for so many people they love it. He and Alex are doing well together; Shadow mostly has gotten attached to me - mainly because I feed him and groom him so he likes to creep up on my bed at night once we're all asleep - I wake up to fluffy black rug at the foot of my bed :) he's so silly. Shadow has truly been a blessing in disguise; my grandma passed away last June. She lived with us and my mom. My mom was in distress but Shadow has been such a mental healing for her; he is her companion now. I drop off my son to school in the morning and now she watches over Shadow all morning; so neither one are ever alone. Then when i get off of work it's so funny because I pick up the boys (Shadow and Alex) :) at my mom's house. She loves him too. You asked if we're ready for another one...ha! Cute. But I've been thinking about a younger pup for Alex; since Shadow is a bit more mature than my boy he likes to play for a little while then goes off and hides when he's done...and my boy sometimes thinks Shadow is "boring"...but I love him cause he stays up with me when I'm working late on the computer and always, always is at my heels...so if you have any new additions to your family let me know...lets see, younger than 3 y.o. and house trained if possible. :) The good thing is that Shadow likes his space and now knows where to go if he doesnt want to be bothered :) my room. And he's so funny because he closes the door with his nose (not all the way but enough) to where you can't see him sleeping on his bed :) it's hilarious! But definetly keep us in mind for after the spring maybe for another addition to our family if you have a younger doggy ok. Thank you so much Gina; glad we met and you were able to find a home for adorable Shadow :) with my family Christine Cuevas”

Macy

Bonnie

Charlie

The editors of the NBSTR Newsletter wish to thank the volunteers and adopters who submitted these wonderful updates on the lives of our former foster dogs! This “Where Are They Now” feature will be continued on a quarterly basis, and the invitation to submit photos and stories telling your own “Where Are They Now” story on behalf of your adopted New Beginnings dogs remains open! Thank you!

Catch our volunteers and foster dogs at one of our weekly, bi‐weekly, or monthly meet & greets USun, Feb 1 –  12‐3p ‐ Petco (Homewood) 17930 Halsted St., Homewood, IL 12‐3p ‐ Petco (Norridge) 4161 N. Harlem Ave., Norridge, IL USun, Feb 8 12‐2p ‐ Petco (Greenfield) 4505 S 76th St., Greenfield, WI 12p‐3p ‐ Petco (Norridge) 4161 N. Harlem Ave., Norridge, IL 12‐3p ‐ Petco (Romeoville) 369 South Weber Rd., Romeoville, IL 1 ‐3p ‐  PetSmart (Maplewood) White Bear Ave., Maplewood, MN USat, Feb 14 11‐2p ‐  Petco (Kenosha) Petco, 6910 Green Bay Rd., Kenosha, WI 11‐3p – PetSmart (Fond Du Lac) 443 North Rolling Meadows, Fond Du Lac, WI                Petsmart (Shadow Lake) 7903 Towne Center Pkwy, Papillion, NE 10‐4p ‐  Elmhurst Animal Clinic, 850 S Riverside Dr, Elmhurst, IL  1‐4p   ‐  PetSmart (Burnsville) 14290 Plymouth Ave, Burnsville, MN USun, Feb 15 12‐3p ‐ Petco (Bloomingdale) 412 West Army Trail Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 11‐3p ‐ Petco (Homewood) 17930 Halsted St., Homewood, IL 11‐3p – PetSmart (Fond Du Lac) 443 North Rolling Meadows, Fond Du Lac, WI                Petsmart (Shadow Lake) 7903 Towne Center Pkwy, Papillion, NE USat, Feb 21 8a – 6p ‐  Twin Cities Pet Expo – Minneapolis Convention Center, Mpls, MN 12‐2p    Moochie & Co. (Hilliard/Dublin, OH ) USun, Feb 22 8a – 6p ‐  Twin Cities Pet Expo – Minneapolis Convention Center, Mpls, MN 12‐2p ‐ Pet Supplies Plus (Greenfield) USat Jan 24 12‐3p ‐ Petco (Bloomingdale) 412 West Army Trail Rd., Bloomingdale, IL 12‐2p    Moochie & Co. (Hilliard/Dublin, OH ) USun, Jan 25 12‐3p ‐ Petco (Homewood) 17930 Halsted St., Homewood, IL 12‐3p ‐ Petco (Norridge) 4161 N. Harlem Ave., Norridge, IL 12‐2p ‐ Pet Supply Plus (Greenfield)  12 – 3p ‐ Petco (Bloomingdale) 412 West Army Trail Rd., Bloomingdale, IL  

Scenes from the 2009 Milwaukee Pet Expo

UNorth Dakota:U Lisa (218)280‐8290          HUlmhatlestad@hotmail.com UH  

USouth Dakota ULavina (605)359‐6059       HUrazziecat@sio.midco.net UH  

UNebraska U Jayne                                  HUjaynesamp@aol.com UH  

UIndianaU Margaret 317‐818‐0840  HUindytzu@sbcglobal.net UH  Gina  219‐926‐4531         HUginalola116@aol.com UH   Rich 708-785-2020 HUhoosierber@sbcglobal UH  HU.netUH   

UArkansasU Mary (870) 445‐2741       HUrired613@bullshoals.netU

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UWiconsin: UBekye (414)801‐3763           HUliving_floor_mops@yahoo.com UH   Mary Ann (608)217‐1072       HUrarapeco2@yahoo.com UH  Carol (262)889‐4046             HUcarolpfeiffershihtzu@yahoo.com UH  Laura Craig(920)539‐3334     HUklcraig58@yahoo.com  U 

UIllinois:U Nick (708)560‐9678          HUdalloyds@aol.com UH Linda 708-476-0710 HUlthibeau@ameritech.netUH  

UMinnesota: ULisa (218)280‐8290          HUlmhatlestad@hotmail.com UH  Erinn (952)457‐2909        HUeprischm@yahoo.com UH    UOhio USharon (614) 429-3477 HUohioshines4rescue@yahoo.com UH  

Help Wanted: We need individuals with design, marketing, and technology experience to help NBSTR with its fundraising and public awareness efforts through EBay, Café Press, the NBSTR.org website, e‐news bulletin campaigns, and other resources.  If you  feel you would like to use your design, marketing or technology skills in a volunteer capacity to benefit our rescue, we would love to hear from you! Please email HUnbboard@live.comUH. Thank you!  

 

Happy Valentine’s Day from Ceasar and Zeus

 

Milwaukee Pet Expo The 2009 Milwaukee Pet Expo took place Saturday, January 31st.  New Beginnings has taken part in the Milwaukee Expo each year since 2005, and has been a popular booth each time. This year was no exception.  Hundreds of expo visitors stopped by the NBSTR booth to admire, pet, and cuddle the NBSTR foster dogs, learn about our rescue, shop, meet our volunteers, and make donations. 

 Volunteer Carri Catalano and friend, at the 2009 Milwaukee Pet Expo.   

 

Volunteer Joyce March cuddles a tiny expo attendee  

 As always, our foster dogs were a huge draw 

 

 A very busy space in front of NB’s booth! 

 

NB Volunteers readying the tables 

 Order your favorite magazines for less, 

help NBSTR foster dogs! http://www.SupportOurGroup.com/ZM1810 

 

 Our foster dogs were ready and willing to melt hearts 

 Bridge Kids Angel Program We are creating a donation‐based memorial opportunity to both commemorate loved pets who have passed away and contribute, in their memory, toward the medical care of our hospice and senior foster dogs. Memorials will be featured monthly in the NBSTR Newsletter as well as on the HUwww.NBSTR.org UH website.   

Donations New Beginnings continues to need and be grateful for monetary donations of any amount to help pay for medical care of our foster dogs. Please send donations by Paypal to nbstr.board@yahoo.com  or by mail to NBSTR, PO  Box  63, Greendale WI 53129. 

Help us help Oscar! Oscar is the young foster dog of volunteer Courtney Slattery. He is loving and absolutely sweet. Oscar has a badly luxating patella that is causing him pain and will soon cause him difficulty with movement. He needs corrective surgery for his patella soon. We currently have an online fundraiser for Oscar's surgery. Please go to  http://nbstr.chipin.com/oscar where you can use your credit card to make donation. Alternatively, you may send a check to our PO Box, above, with “Oscar” in the memo line.

What’s Happening With NBSTR

NEW BEGINNINGS SHIH TZU & FRIENDS RESCUE

ADOPTIONS FOR JANUARY 2009

For information on available dogs, please visit: www.nbstr.petfinder.com or www.nbstr.org

The following photos are of New Beginnings former foster dogs with their new forever families. We are thrilled to have found such wonderful homes for our dogs, and wish for all of them happiness, patience, joy, and love.

Daisy went home in the midst of a snowstorm with her new family, the Muellers of Roselle, IL.

NBSTR volunteer, Joyce Whalen and her husband, Mike made Sammy (left) and Connor (middle) the newest members of their family in McHenry, IL.

Noelle looks happy in the arms of her new mom. She's found her forever home with the Collins family of Plainfield, IN.

Our lucky Ghilda found her new forever home in Indianapolis, IN with the Schau family.

Benny looks quite comfortable in his new home with the Frohmaders of Watertown, WI.

Snow happily joined the Danhaur family of Indianapolis, IN, and now has a forever playmate, too.

NBSTR volunteer, Misti Lehman of Indianapolis, IN couldn't resist adopting her foster dog, Emily.

Pierre, formerly Monty, has found the perfect home with Angel Spears of Plainfield, IL.

Happy is surely delighted to have found his forever home with Lisa Bobis of Lisle, Il.

Rocky, formerly Peanut with the Conner family and new brother, Moose of Indianapolis, IN.

Lucky little Ozzy was adopted by the Forbes family and now makes his home with them in St. Cloud, MN.

Doodles happily joined the Fries family of Milwaukee, WI, and he even has a new best pal!

NEW BEGINNINGS SHIH TZU & FRIENDS RESCUE

ADOPTIONS FOR JANUARY 2009

For information on available dogs, please visit: www.nbstr.petfinder.com or www.nbstr.org

From the look of him, Hudson is taking his adoption very seriously. He now lives with his new family, Patti and John Flynn of West Bend, WI.

Darling Brewster will be thrilled with his new, big, fenced back yard. He's found his forever home with the Reno family of Tinley Park, IL.

Adorable little Ike looks as happy as can be now that he's moving in with the Hurlburt family of Bloomingdale, IL.

Brandywine, formerly Brandy, has a new home with the Ronning family of Bloomington, MN. Hey, is she sticking her tongue out at us?!

Scruffy and Kiwi were overjoyed to have their dream of being adopted together come true. They were adopted by Rikki Fine and Frank Czajkowski of Schiller Park, IL.

The Gosker clan, of Winthrop Harbor, IL decided to bring Kermit into their home and hearts. Kermit now has a great forever family.

Giesse and Ann Lopez of Blaine, MN added Freddy to their family, and Freddy is ecstatic to have a pal there to play with every day.

Smitty, formerly Frosty, is the newest member of the Martinsen family of Mt. Prospect, IL He has a new fur-brother, Dave, and they're already best buds.

Katy Catherine (far left), formerly Baby, struck it rich when she was adopted by the Dorais family of Madison, WI. Now Katy has both human and doggie brothers and sisters.

Last we heard, Max is learning snow skiing and sledding from his new dad, Jon Dickey, of Colorado Springs, CO.

Christian Fears of Homewood, IL decided to make Cooper a part of her family. It looks like love at first sight!

Holly found her perfect match and now lives in Little Canada, MN with her new mom, Judy Dehn. She looks happy!

Our hearts go out to:Joanne Folkerts, for the loss of her rescued feral cat, “Mr. Kitty”  Cindy and Brad Bonato, for their loss of their Bulldog, Pewny, sister to Dozer, who was waiting for her at the Bridge  Starr Gill, for her loss of Oreo, beloved 18 year old Tzu  We grieve: Missy, a lovely little Shih Tzu who was too ill to grace us long with her presence. Thank you to Mary Spurlock, Sharon Hines, Bekye Eckert, and Joyce March for their loving efforts on her behalf.  Fred, a senior Shih Tzu whose family decided not to give him the second chance through rescue that we had so wanted him to have. Thank you to volunteer Erinn Prischmann and Esther Garavaglia for opening their hearts and homes to try to save Fred.  Rocky, a 5 year old Shih Tzu whose family made a very sad choice despite Erinn Prischmann’s valiant efforts to save him. Thank you, Erinn  Coco, a puppy who desperately needed our help but who  died before we could save him through rescue. Thank you Gina Hoener and Jayne Samp  for your emergency efforts for this little sweetheart. 

Rainbow Bridge Corner

My name is Otis and as you can see

I'm a very handsome male who would like to be

your long distance Valentine for Feb - u - ary!

Lucy says: On Valentine’s Day and every

day, life is precious. Don’t forget to hug those you

love…especially if they have four feet!

See you Next

month!!