Best Holiday Gift Ever...

It's no secret that dogs (all of them, not just my own) hold a very special place in my heart. Mark and I have been so lucky with Griffin and Lola, and this time of year especially, I think it's important to remember our furry friends that may not be so lucky.

Both Griffin and Lola came to us from the Baldwin Park Animal Shelter, via Animal Advocates Alliance. The Baldwin Park Animal Shelter receives anywhere from 30 to 100 dogs A DAY, that are either brought in as strays or dumped by their former owners. Unfortunately not all of these dogs make it out, as L.A. County shelters are severely overcrowded, and the dogs (even the adoptable ones) have a very limited time to find their forever homes.

I shudder/cry/dread the thought of what if we had not gotten Lola or Griffin in time? You may think, well they're adorable and well behaved, someone else would have saved them. That's not always the case. Great dogs are euthanized daily at these shelters.

Okay, before you swear off of reading my blog forever because it's just too sad and depressing, I want to share with you the latest networking list of dogs at Baldwin Park. Along with each photo and description, there is a video of the dog. If you are not looking to add to your family, but know someone who might me, please pass the list along.

Latest Networking List

In addition, there will be an adoption event this Sunday, December 12th, at Pan Pacific Park in Hollywood from 11am-4pm.

And please, please, don't shop, adopt!

Her name was Lola...

Scratch that, her name is Lola! The newest addition to Chez Braffe. She's part corgi, part terrier, and all love.
Mark and I have been talking about getting a dog for a little while, and went to a couple of adoption events yesterday. We found Lola at an adoption event that our friend Jana was volunteering at.

At first we didn't even think to get to know Lola, because we had been in search of a medium sized (30-50lbs) dog, and Lola probably comes in at about 20lbs when she's soaked... But Lola wasn't having that. She was the happiest dog in the bunch, and was hardly flustered when the German shepherd nearby started a ruckus with a cocker spaniel and had all the dogs around going bonkers. She just wagged her tail, and in that moment, we knew she was the dog for us.

We originally planned on waiting until we returned from Vegas (next Sunday) to bring a pup into our home, but knowing that Lola would be headed back to the shelter if she didn't come home with us, made us change our minds. Plus, we received a generous offer from one of the volunteers to watch her while we're gone.

We'll have to go through some training with her, because at 1-2yrs old (the shelter's estimate -they don't have much information on her, as she was brought in as a stray), she is unfamiliar with any commands. But she's a happy dog, loves people, other doggies, and life! -and we love her.