The Big Birthday Boy!

Hard to believe that our Mater Tater or Mason is 4 years old today.  He is "hammin it up" of course.  He could be a bit angry that he is having to "share" his birthday party with his sisters this weekend; for all of you parents that do not have only children, ya'll know how that goes!!! 

Speaking of Birthday parties, I got the "dog" cake ordered from "Three Dog Bakery" this week, as well as the "human" ice cream cake ordered from "DQ".  Let's suffice it to say that there are probably two very amused ladies out there in the world right now.  I told the lady at "Three Dog Bakery" I needed the "big bone" cake because I had 4 pugs that would be eating it, to which she responded "Oh honey, you are going to have a lot left over" to which I responded "Oh we do this every year, and there is NONE left over!"  She said "Are you sure?"  I said "Yes, and we have a yorkie that comes to help."  She then says "Oh Okay" as if the yorkie, who is half the size of my smallest pug, made that big of a difference!!  This lady must not have been familiar with the appetites of pugs.

The call to "DQ" did not get any better.  I told the lady I wanted the cake to say "Happy Birthday" and to put a dog bone on it, to which she responded "IS THIS FOR A DOG?!?!"  I said "yes" without realizing she probably thought I was feeding the cake to my dogs, as well as not realizing she thought I wanted her to put an actual bone on the cake, rather than to draw one on it.  G-man was cracking up the whole time, and thankfully he reminded me to clarify for the lady- so that we would not be wiping dog biscuit crumbs off of a "human" cake!! 

I Love My "Dog Days" Off

So readers.. I know it has been a week or so ago that I last checked in, but I have been very busy with Birthday festivities in the past week (My birthday was Friday).  For my birthday, I used my "paid holiday off day" from work today so that I could enjoy a much-needed day of R&R here at home with my trio of pugs.  And we have been doing.... yes.. you guessed it.. nothing but being lazy all day long here around the house. On another note, KPR needs your help.  They WON a nation wide voting contest at the state level back a few months ago, which resulted in them receiving a grant that allowed them to put the money towards pugs needing homes, medical attention, and ultimately love.  This probably saved several pugs' lives.  Now it's contest time again and I've attached the KPR message, as well as the link to vote for the Kentuckiana Pug Rescue in the The Animal Rescue Site $100,000 Holiday Shelter+ Challenge http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces?siteId=3

KPR needs your help!  Please click on the link below and VOTE each day for KPR!!!!  It's easy and it's FREE! We have the potential of winning grant money!!! We need you to keep voting every day to stay in the running! Please share this with everyone you know!!! Make it a project for your kids and their friends!!!  Send this to your friends, family, and co workers! Ask them to vote each day for KPR!  Click here to Vote!  Enter Kentuckiana Pug Rescue in the Shelter search box, chose KY as the state and hit Enter! You will see the VOTE box right next to our name, click it, then confirm your vote!

Take Your Pick!

Here is a list of pugs who desperately need loving foster parents right now.  Some of these dogs have been without foster parents and in shelters or boarded in kennels for weeks now.  Please search your own heart and life and consider whether there's any room at all for a loving pug in your home for a temporary period of time right now.  You'll be happy you did!



Cosmo is currently in a shelter and needs to moved ASAP. He is estimated to be between 8-10 years old....he was picked up as a stray. He is not yet neutered. We have limited information on Cosmo, since he is in a shelter. We need a foster home for him ASAP!

Wally is a round, plump little fellow. He loves everybody and gets along great with other dogs. He is also very good with kids. He enjoys being held and petted. (He also really loves his food!) He is fawn, 8 years old, and already neutered. He was dropped at a shelter by his owner. It sounds like Wally would fit beautifully into any home. Is there room in yours? Wally is currently in a shelter.

Just like "Oliver Twist", this little orphan needs to find a stable, loving home. He appears to have been abused in his past because he exhibits a quirky self-punishing behavior. He basically disciplines himself when he does something wrong by running to his kennel, but then he shows fear based aggression by growling from his kennel when others come near it, but he hasn't ever hurt anyone or gotten out of line. He has been described as a very sweet pug with a timid disposition. While Oliver was recently rescued and taken in by a friendly couple his good fortune turned out not to be permanent. He is neutered, but has been wearing a belly band because he does like to mark sometimes (of course he is currently in a home with two unaltered animals so this is surely having an impact on his behavior). He was found wandering the streets in another state and moved to KY with his current owners, but the other animals in the home are not getting along with him and since they were there first he is being sent to us. Surely we can all work together to find him a wonderful temporary home until his forever family and happily ever after is found. Oliver is thought to be around 4-5 years old and is a fawn male pug

Artie has had a rough life. He is currently in foster care, but we need to move him to another foster home. He needs to be where someone can give him more attention, including medicated baths. When he came to KPR, he was missing fur and had open sores on his body. He is now crate trained, he plays, he's learning to sit, stay and walk on a leash. He's only had one accident in the house since we started crate training but iwas not his fault. Thankfully he was socialized. He's great with kids, with another pug and even chickens.

Frankie still needs a foster home. He is estimated to be 10 plus and has some health issues, including an enlarged heart. Frankie has had a rough life, spending most of it outside. He needs a loving foster home. Can you provide the home he deserves?




Remember.. All you need to do is go to http://www.kentuckianapugs.com/ and fill out a foster application to get approved.  You choose if you foster and which pug you foster!  No obligations to at least get your name on the list and signed up as being able to foster... What if the perfect pug came through for you?  Please remember our soldiers today, as well as those that lost their lives today 9 years ago

Submit your Tasty Treat Recipes

So.. the pugs' annual birthday party is coming up October 2nd.  Yes- we do have a birthday party in honor of our dogs each year.  It's not just a simple affair either; it's a big to-do with much needed planning and coordination.  Picking the date for the event only requires common logic: we have the party the Saturday inbetween Mason and Lily's birthdays, since they fall roughly 2 wks apart (i.e. Mason: September 26th, 2006; Lily: October 8th, 2006).  Not only do we celebrate Mason and Lily's birthday, but sissy Annie, who shares Lily's birthday, comes for the party as well!  And just to wrap it all into one solid date, we go ahead and put Wrigley's name on the cake too!  Yes- we do order specially prepared, dog friendly ingredient(s) birthday cake for our pugs one day a year.  If you know anything about pugs and their tendencies towards obesity, you can imagine how thankful a group of pugs are for birthday cake.

Those in attendance are usually close family and friends, but this can become a number as high as thirty people!!  Therefore, the creation of finger foods require much of my attention in preparation for the party.  I try to spice it up each year and prepare different things.  This year I'm asking for you to submit your favorite appetizer recipe to this post, all taste buds welcome!

Welcoming Wrigley

January 2nd, 2009: G-Man and I drove up to one of the biggest houses we had ever seen in person, let alone been in.  It was in a golf community in a very wealthy area.  We were there to pick up a black female pug that had been labeled as "unmanageable" by her owners.  G-man and I had recently become volunteers and approved foster parents for the Kentuckiana Pug Rescue (KPR).  This was our 2nd foster, but our first actual surrender visit (visit to the owners "surrendering" the pug to KPR), and we knew the "surrendered" pug we were picking up was going to be our foster pug until she found her forever home.



The following is the information that her owners had provided about her in conjunction with their decision to surrender her to KPR because they could no longer care for her: 

"What I Don’t Like:Being picked up or patted by grownups. I'll run away or scoot just out of reach, but will never snap. She will jump and snuffle at a person's feet, but will not remain still long enough to receive any affection.

What are my Potty Habits? She goes outside 2-3 a day (first thing in the morning, late afternoon, evening), but can take up to 15 minutes to do her business. She prefers to wander around and sniff, or to interfere with the other dog while she does her business. She also has a tendency to wander off, which often turns into (for her) a game of chase because she does not come when called. Almost every day, she will soil the rugs once or twice - even after being taken outside. She will give no indication of her need, not even to make eye contact. She just goes and does it, then gallops happily back."



What I found odd is that the owner of this roughly $750,000 home had not found the resources to build and/or provide a fence for Wrigley to prevent her from "wandering off."  Upon meeting one of the cold and detatched owners, a few conclusions were confirmed.  At the very least these people cared enough about their dog to surrender her to KPR rather than take her to a shelter (KPR is a NO KILL rescue/shelter).  As I stood in the foyer speaking with the surrendering owner, the jolliest black blurp of fur came skipping towards me, snorting the whole way.  I picked Miss Wrigley up and she rode in my lap while my husband drove us, all the way home.  She never whimpered or cried once- for her owners or for anything- the whole way home and thereafter.
 
 
A few weeks later I had to provide KPR with a biography of Wrigley for them to post on their website as they posted Wrigley's profile, announcing her availability for adoption.  One of our jobs as foster parents were to assess her behavior in our home for about 2 weeks and then provide this information to the rescue so that whoever adopted her would be fully informed.  I had mixed feelings while writing this bio, as even at that time my husband and I were strongly considering adopting her.  I've attached the bio I provided here:
 
"Wrigley is a loving, 3 year old, black female pug, who will be celebrating her 4th birthday in March. She is a petite little girl who weighs 18lbs and seems to be in excellent health. She is potty trained and has not had one single accident in her foster parent's house, but she is used to following a potty routine and goes out once in the morning, afternoon, and evening. She has a wonderful personality and is named Wrigley for a reason. She loves wriggling around in your arms or on top of you before settling down! She is playful and bounces around with her little tail wagging, just waiting to be petted! She loves to snuggle up next to her foster parents or is content lounging beside them on her doggie bed. Wrigley loves her toys and gets excited when you play fetch, but prefers smaller, plush toys because of her small size. She also had some teeth pulled previously, so it's easier for her to get her mouth on plush. Wrigley loves treats (of any kind, but has to be watched closely with Greenies and other smaller treats, as she tends to swallow before chewing because of her missing teeth). Wrigley sleeps with her foster parents and her foster brother and sister, all in one bed!! Wrigley will only cry if you put her in a crate. Though she was fine at first, her foster parents quickly spoiled her to the point that going in a crate now will simply not do! She enjoys playing with her foster brother and sister in their fenced in back yard, and is good with younger children as well. Wrigley is used to staying out all day with her foster brother and sister and having free range of the house when her foster parents aren't home, as well as when they are. Wrigley responds to "sit," "treat," "out," and "potty." These are terms she didn't seem to be familiar with at first, but caught on real fast when her foster parents continously used them for her to learn. Wrigley is a very special little girl and would make anyone a wonderful pet. All she wants is your love and attention...."



2 months later I wrote the following as a follow-up "rescue story" regarding our adoption of Wrigley:

"Today, March 18th, 2009, marks the 4th birthday of our precious addition to the family, Miss Wrigley Milby. She has been such a blessing to my husband and I, as well as her brother and sister, Mason and Lily. From her much extended morning/afternoon naps, to her nighttime kisses before bed, she has made us smile at least once each day since the day we rescued her.

It’s sometimes very hard for us to comprehend how such a loving pug could have been such a burden for another family at one point in time. The major negative habits that Wrigley was labeled as having when she was surrendered have never once reared their face in our household. She has had only one potty accident in our household in almost three months. Furthermore, it was claimed that this little girl did not like being held or receiving affection. Miss Wrigley loves snuggling with her forever family- so much in fact that my husband and I just bought a king size bed for more sleeping space at night and for the babies during the day of course (since all they like to do is sleep). Little Miss Wrigley could also give kisses all day long, leading us to entertain the thought of entering her into the “best kisser” contest at this year’s Pugapolooza.

This is truly the story of a wonderful, charming little girl who had just been denied some much deserved love and attention throughout her life. She is our Wrig Pig, Snuggle Bug, Wriggle Piggles, Wrigley Piggley, Miss Wrigley, wriggle worm, and most importantly, our pride and joy. We love Wrigley and thank KPR for their existence. Another pug’s life changed for the better. Thank you for all you do."
 
 
 
Wrigley is now 5.5 years old.  We adopted her at 3.75 years old in January of 2009.  Therefore, we have had Wrigley in our lives now for almost 2 years.  It seems like only yesterday I was faced with the burdening decision of whether or not to turn Miss Wrigley our foster pug into Miss Wrigley our forever pug by adopting her.  It was a difficult decision at first, but not because she was a "bad" pug.  
 
Bringing Wrigley into our home forever changed the entire dynamics of our family, as well as mine and my husband's relationship(s) with Mason and Lily.  The dynamic duo had been bonded and been together since puppyhood and practically birth, in addition to being half-brother and half-sister.  It shouldn't be a stretch to imagine the welcoming committee Wrigley first received from our other two when it first started to set in to them that she wasn't leaving the next day.  We didn't know if we were ready to permanently take Wrigley into our home or not.  In the end I couldn't bear the thought of Wrigley going to anyone else when I knew for sure she was being loved and cared for unconditionally where she currently was.  I said a prayer and hoped that my own dogs, Mason and Lily, would eventually come around. 
 
My husband and I made the decision to adopt Wrigley, our dogs did eventually accept her as their own, and it was the best decision we could have ever made.  Our lives were forever changed for the better by adopting a pug.  I hope you will have a similar story to share someday! 
 

I've attached the very first pictures I took of Wrigley at our house.  They are actually the same ones KPR attached to her bio.  This is your chance to provide your own rescue story to share on this blog

Sunday Samaritans

Today I was reminded of the joy found in making a difference in an animal's life.  My husband's grandfather was recently given a new puppy.  G-man's grandfather is older and not in the greatest of health; therefore, this new puppy had been left in a small crate for a long period of time to the point in which the dog was sitting in and covered in his own feces and urine and food.  He was scared, whimpering, crying, and stinking!  My heart was broken. 

Seeing this terrified little creature caused me to reflect on what it must be like for all the pugs and other stray dogs when they are left and/or abandoned by their owners for simply no reason.... Or when owners no longer have the resources or time or means in which to properly care for their pets, and rather than do the honorable thing and find them a loving and decent home in which the animal will be properly cared for, they continue to take on a responsibility they can't manage while the animal suffers and is deprived of love it could find elsewhere if given the chance.

Of course my husband and I couldn't leave the dog in that condition.  We got a 15x15 chain length, gated kennel and gave the puppy a permanent vacation from that 1x1 crate.  We also gave him a complete and thorough bath, complete with shampoo!!  He sure looked nice all cleaned up.  We also made sure to give him plenty of attention before leaving.  Now that he has a home big enough to roam around in throughout the day, he will be fine.  He is a farm dog, so as soon as he's a little bigger he will be let out of the kennel for free range of about 500+ acres of farmland.  Being fed properly was never an issue, as he had plenty of food and milk when we got there and when we left. 

The sense of satisfaction and happiness obtained from such a small gesture that only required a little bit of time is unexplainable.  I hope you will read this and consider helping out at a local animal shelter or rescue.  All animals need a little time and TLC.  Even if it's just for 20 minutes- that might be the only 20 minutes of affection that dog receives in an entire day.  Next time you see an animal out, stop to pet it.  I promise it will make you smile!  Have a wonderful Sunday evening! 

Room for Ralphie???

Ralphie is a fun-loving, 2 year old male pug who desperately needs a foster home right now.  KPR has been using funds to have him boarded so that he doesn't get taken to a "kill shelter" for over a week now.  I bet a nice, soft bed would sure feel better to Ralphie than a cold, bare cage.  Some human contact, love, and affection would be nice as well.  The problem is.. there are no available foster parents to take Ralphie in right now until he finds his forever home.

If you have been thinking about owning a pet or getting another one for a while now, fostering for KPR is a great way to "test the waters"- so to speak.  You can try your pet out before you make a final purchase.  If you apply and are approved as a foster parent for KPR, KPR takes care of ALL the pug's medical expenses, etc. while they are in your care.  The ONLY responsibility you have is to provide temporary shelter and food.  Of course it doesn't have to be temporary if you decide you just can't part with your foster pug (that's what happened with G-Man and I) because they are just too darned cute (trust me... you might just decide this).  In the case that your foster might have just found their new forever home at your house, all you have to do is let KPR know you want to adopt before another family is interested.

Take a few moments to seriously consider changing a pug's life forever, even if your role in that is to just provide warmth and love to a pug for 2 weeks out of your life.  Foster parents are in high demand, possibly more so than ANY other form of contribution to KPR right now.  Consider your life and priorities, and if you see even a small opening in your busy week, think about giving your time to make a difference. 

Go to http://www.kentuckianapugs.com/
You can view pugs available for adoption, much like the ones you would be fostering if you decide to take this amazing and life-changing opportunity.

As a side note, you choose what pug(s) you want to foster.  No pug is ever forced on you, nor are you ever singled out and asked to take a pug.  Information about a pug available will come to all volunteers and foster parents.  If you are interested in that particular one, you just reply via email and let the coordinator know.  From there, arrangements will be made for the pug to be transported to you.  I've attached some pictures of Wrigley, our once foster pug, who eventually turned into our adopted pug.  We have never once regretted this decision.

Frantic Friday Furry Antics

So.... last night Mason, Lily, & Wrigley's friend, Levi, decided to come over with his momma, Aunt Bird, for a visit.  As you can tell if you have taken the time to read the post titled "Levi's Story" our pugs enjoy time spent with cousin Levi.  After several hours of observation on the part of Aunt Bird and myself, several truths have been revealed, as well as several questions raised for discussion/pondering.  Please feel free to comment and contribute you own wealth of knowledge in the area of dog behavior where you see fit:


1) Upon arrival, when Lily pats excitedly and repeatedly at Levi's face to the point of almost blinding him at the same time her tail is wagging and flapping uncontrollably, does that mean she's excited to see him or wants to hurt and/or "size him up"??  I'm goin' go with "excited" on this one, considering the fact that right after she would do it, she would hunch to the ground and start darting and running in circles, inviting Levi to chase her

2) Levi and Mason have obviously developed a certain fondness of one another that would seriously cause one to call into question their sexual orientation of preference.  This fondness includes sniffing each others privates for long periods of time, laying belly up beside each other, licking each others' faces, and even sticking each others' entire heads into each others' mouths, all in turn-taking fasion of course.  This fondness, however, has a very limited tolerance threshold, one that can easily and quickly be crossed if Levi comes too close to G-man or myself.  We witnessed the results of that ourselves last night when a free-for-all brawl between all of the dogs erupted immediately following Mason snapping at Levi after Levi attempted to be petted by Mason's daddy, G-man.  The solution: one dog per one human's hold, minus Wrigley (she's the "good" dog).

3)  Wrigley does not like to be humped, or at least not by Levi.  This is an absolute statement.  No guessing required here.  I easily arrived at this conclusion by watching Wrigley cling to my side, cry, and run from Levi immediately following each mounting attempt initiated by Levi.

Here Comes the Bride.... and Groom

Thinking about the upcoming PUGtober Fest causes me to reminisce on how mine and G-man's involvement with KPR first began.  It was May of 2007.  We had had Mason for around 7 months and Lily for about 5 months.  Even though they were great for us, after frantically barking at every dog they saw when we took them outside for "potty time", we decided it was time for them to brush up on their social skills and learn some polite and respectful etiquette by providing some outside stimulation and interaction with other fellow pugs, and what better way to do that than attend KPR's annual Pugapooloza!!!

Ya know I don't mean to brag or anything, but momma and dadda were sure proud of their pugs that day.  Not only did Mason WIN the most honorable title of and take first place in the "Best Kisser" contest (i.e. awarded to the dog that licked their owner's face the longest- did I forget to mention that "pug people" are a little eccentric like that?), but he also WON first place in the pug races, closely followed by his sissy Lily coming in for 2nd place.  Mason and lily also came as a bride and groom, and won first place in the "Best Costume" contest.  No we didn't tell others that they were really brother and sister.  I mean did we really want to live up to the stereotype that others already give to those who live in Kentucky??!!  I've attached pictures of the comical duo in their wedding gear.

This was one bride that clearly did NOT want a kiss.. or at least not one for the camera!

I am sad to report that Mason can no longer fit his tuxedo

Nor can Lily fit her wedding dress...

I will go on and say that at Pugapoolza 2009 Mason decided to be a bit stubborn and assert his free will not to participate in the "Best Kisser" contest.  He wouldn't lick G-man's face even once!  I guess he's gotten a bit lazy in his older years!

Fall Fun at the Fall Fest

Have you marked October 9th on your calendars yet??  I sure hope you have because October 9th is the annual PUGtober Fest in Shepherdsville, Ky @ the Parquet Springs Conference Center.  I've attached a list of this years' contests and activities and vendors.  There are many new activities/contests this year and I'm looking very forward to trying them all!  REMEMBER.... you can bring your pet, even if its not a pug, to this event!  There will be pugs available for adoption on-site!  Come join the fun.  It's worth the trip, even if you are just coming to take a look around!


Schedule of Events


9:00 Doors Open

9:30 How OLD is this PUG??? ** NEW CONTEST**

9:45 How OLD is this PUG??? ** NEW CONTEST**

10:00 Parade of Rescued Pugs

10:15 Foster Pug Profile

10:30 1st Raffle Pull

10:45 Best Shedder Contest followed by Curliest Tail Contest

11:00 1st Chinese Raffle Pull **NEW**

11:15 Vendor Highlights and Foster Pug Highlight

DON'T FORGET TO PLAY PUGGO!!

AVAILABLE TO PLAY ALL DAY!!!

11:30 2nd Raffle Pull

11:45 Foster Pug Highlight

12:00 Pug Races

12:15 Foster Pug Highlight

12:30 3rd Raffle Pull

12:45 Banana Eating Contest **NEW**

1:00 2nd Chinese Raffle Pull ** NEW**

1:15 Pug Owner Look Alike Contest followed by the Puggy Twins Contest **NEW**

1:30 4th Raffle Pull and Vendor Highlights

1:45 Costume Contest (Group and Individual)

STOP IN TO SPIN AND WIN THE PUG PRIZE WHEEL!!!

AVAILABLE TO PLAY ALL DAY!!!!!!!

2:00 3rd Chinese Raffle Pull **NEW**

2:15 Best Kisser Contest followed by the Longest Tongue Contest

2:30 5th Raffle Pull

2:45 Best Trick Contest

3:00 4th Chinese Raffle Pull **NEW**

3:15 Foster Pug Highlight

3:30 6th Raffle Pull

3:45 Closing Remarks,...Please continue to shop our wonderful and dedicated vendors! Thank you for attending. Please check our website for additional locations KPR will

be set up at various events throughout Indiana and Kentucky!!!


2010 Pugtoberfest Supporters

2010 Pugtoberfest Vendors


PUGzone

All types and styles of wonderful Pug items you can't live without! Lots of new Pug products this year!

Wind Spinners, quilted Pug Purses, luggage tags, Glass Pug Cutting Boards, pug magnets, RetroPet Pug

prints, t-shirts, hats and so much more! Plan to spend some time at this booth so you see all the great new

products!!! All proceeds benefit Kentuckiana Pug Rescue.



Alpha Pet Products

Great toys and acessories for your PETS!!!



Tupperware

A Kitchen Classic!!! Many show specials and a portion

of the proceeds will benefit KPR!



The Healthy PUGzone!

All proceeds benefit the PUGS of KPR!

Get your Pug healthy and happy! We have Vitamins, Malaseb Pledgets,

Pain relief, Hydrocortisone spray, fun shampoos, Dental Rinse and MORE!



Sara Beavin

Pet First Aid Information

Helpful information on how to handle a pet emergency!

Available pugs for adoption at a past KPR event

Another Small Example of how YOU can help....

I've attached a recent email sent from a Kentuckiana Pug Rescue volunteer:



"We all know the economy is taking a toll on people..but did you realize how it impacts animals as well?  Shelters, Rescues and Humane Societies are OVERFLOWING with animals discarded and abandoned as a result of families unable to continue to provide care for their pets.

This trickle down effect has also impacted the previous generosity of Companies donating products, items and gift cards to KPR to utilize as raffle items.  Our next event is PUGtoberfest on OCT 9th in Shepherdsville KY and we are asking if you are willing to donate items or gift cards we can use for raffles. If you are willing to send a gift card most will be used to purchase items to use for raffles. If you are willing to make a raffle basket or donate individual items, please bring them to the Event on Oct 9th.

Also, again, I would like to remind you of KPR's urgent need for FOSTER HOMES!!!!! As stated above, we have so many Pugs in Foster Care and more coming in every day. Currently we have at least 5 Pugs waiting to come into KPR but we don't have anyone willing to foster.

IF You have never fostered for us but would like to, please complete the Foster Application on our website www.kentuckianapugs.com"



Now I don't know if any of you reading this have ever been to a pug event, such as the PUGtober Fest listed above, but I'm tellin' ya: pug owners and lovers sure know how to have a good time!!!  These events are a fun and fabulous way of helping out the rescue and possibly contributing to more pugs and pug mixes finding forever homes.  The cool thing about these events is that EVERYONE and EVERY BREED is invited.  Don't have a pug?  That's fine!!  KPR and KPR events doesn't discriminate!  I have attended 6 of these events in the past, and have seen everything from a Jack Russel to a Beagle to a Mutt present!  Plus, the raffle gift bags, as also mentioned above are full of great gift items for YOU and YOUR PET.  Yes.  I did say your pet, meaning ANY pet!!!  There are cat gift bags, dog gift bags, human gift bags.  Some have treats.  Some have toys.  Some have actual pet food.  Some have actual pet beds.  Some have pet clothes.  Some even have toys for kids!  And you get to pick which gift bag and prize drawings you want to be entered into by dropping your tickets into the appropriate bag. 

All proceeds from the raffle(s) and most other activities at the event go to KPR.  There are usually around 50 gift bag/prize drawings, as well as fun contests you can enter your pet into while at the event.  I have won 5 of these gift bags in the past, and won 3 at Pugapooloza alone back in June of this year.  I have attached pictures to this post of gift bags I have won in the past, with my trio of pugs present to claim their winnings of course!  They were so happy to have momma bring them home more things they probably didn't really need, but it was all in good fun and I hope to see you at this year's PUGtober FEST October 9th in Shepherdsville, Ky.  Which gift bag will you be bringing home?

Also, if you are interested in donating items and/or giftcards for this years' raffle prizes, just comment to this post and let me know and I'll arrange a way to get those from you and to the rescue or a way for you to directly send to rescue.  As stated above, you can also make an actual gift basket and just bring it with you to the event or I can take it with me.  Have a wonderful afternoon!