Richmond Animal Care and Control has adoptable dogs for a special fee of $4.00 in celebration of the Fourth of July!

4th of July schedule RAC&C will be holding $4.00 adoptions for all pets ages 6 months and older on July 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th. We will be closed July 4. And ALWAYS: PETS AGES 10 YRS. AND OLDER MAY BE ADOPTED FOR NO ADOPTION FEE WITH AN APPROVED APPLICATION. All City of Richmond residents must purchase a $10.00 annual pet license when adopting. Richmond Animal Care and Control 1600 Chamberlayne Ave. Richmond, VA 23222 New Adoption Hours: RAC&C is now open for adoption Wed. – Fri., 1 – 7 p.m. Sat., noon – 5 p.m. and Sun., 1 – 4 p.m. RAC&C is closed to the public Monday and Tuesday. Staff is present Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Wednesday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

When choosing a companion please take everything into account!

It is extremely important that when choosing a dog you know what you are getting into. Some dogs like Katie (picture attached) must be groomed on a regular basis for not only their looks, but their health and well being! Dogs like Katie a maltese, must be groomed regularly or else their hair will begin to mate. These mates harbor bacteria, fleas and irritate the skin; sometimes causing open sores and infection. Getting any type of dog requires maintenance but some more than others, so please consider what all the duties will be prior to choosing your new mate. See Katies before and after pictures below!

Farewell to Lucas!

Today has been a sad, sad day. We had to say farewell to Lucas. This week his health took a sudden turn for the worse. He had not eaten much for weeks. Due to his ongoing battle with Babesia, an incurable condition common in fighting dogs, heart arrhythmia and other issues, getting around on walks was becoming more of a challenge. He couldn’t even lie down comfortably. Lucas’ quality of life had clearly deteriorated to the point where his primary caregivers here and our veterinarians reluctantly made the difficult decision to end his suffering. Lucas, one of the Vicktory Dogs, was a prominent, positive and very public personality. Our John Garcia calls him ‘The King’. He was the subject of articles and blogs by writers from all sorts of publications on many topics, from animal welfare to sports. The response to the first news of Lucas’ passing has been stunning—more than 800,000 Facebook newsfeeds (double the previous amount for any Best Friends Facebook item) since we first posted the news. We remember Lucas as an unforgettable, wonderful dog, who, through no fault of his own, was caught up in the horror of dog fighting. He came to us in 2008, along with 22 other dogs rescued from the Vick case, under a court ruling (along with Meryl) that he would have to stay with us for life. The law enforcement policy at the time was that dogs taken from fighting rings must be killed, a policy supported by leading animal welfare organizations other than Best Friends. But Lucas became a celebrity who, along with the other Vicktory Dogs, has helped us effect change. Best Friends has led the way in convincing other major animal welfare organizations that all dogs—even those from fighting backgrounds—deserve a fair, individual evaluation and a second chance at life. It’s ironic that one of the Vicktory Dogs the court feared most would become one of the greatest-ever canine ambassadors for change? The dog with the scarred face of a fighter was, despite ongoing health issues, a happy-go-lucky Best Friends resident who made a lasting impression on everyone who met him. I’ll always remember fondly the days when Lucas was in my office. We all loved having him around. Numerous visitors came to enjoy his friendly greetings. With his tail wagging and a happy grin on his face, he singlehandedly changed hearts and minds when it came to people’s views of pit bulls and, in particular, former fighters. He was bigger than the many obstacles placed in his life. He was stronger than his past abusers. Despite all his life challenges, Lucas was always an unerringly sweet, affectionate buddy to us all. The grief we feel is very real but John Garcia might have given us the best advice of all: “I think it's time not be sad, but to celebrate his life. He lived a happy life at Best Friends and Lucas helped saved thousands of other dogs' lives just by being who he was.” http://blogs.bestfriends.org/index.php/2013/06/20/vicktory-dog-lucas/ Goodbye Lucas … till we meet again. Gregory Gregory Castle CEO Best Friends Animal Society

New Dog's in town at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

FEATURE Wildlife Detector Dogs Trained to Sniff Out Illegal Wildlife Shipments Editor's Note: Today, a look at the USFWS' use of especially trained Wildlife Detector Dogs. First graduating class will be on front lines of battle to halt trafficking in protected species Wildlife Inspector Amir Lawal and Viper demonstrate how they'll be checking packages for illegal wildlife on the front lines of Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement. Photo: Tom MacKenzie/USFWS The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a message for would-be wildlife traffickers: there's a new dog in town, and if you try to bring illegal wildlife parts into the country, there's a good chance he's going to sniff you out. And there are more just like him. That's because today, the first class of "wildlife detector dogs" and their handlers graduated from training in searching for protected species. In coming weeks, they will be stationed at key ports of entry around the country, searching for wildlife smuggled across U.S. borders. The four retrievers - named Viper, Butter, Lancer and Locket ¬- have been trained as part of a national effort to stem the growing trade in threatened animal parts such as elephant ivory and rhino horn. "The recent rapid growth in the global trade in protected wildlife is pushing some species perilously close to extinction. Elephant and rhino populations in particular are declining at alarming rates," said Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement Deputy Chief Ed Grace. "The battle to stop wildlife smuggling is one we simply cannot afford to lose, and using dogs and their phenomenal sense of smell to catch smugglers will give us a real leg up in this effort." The use of dogs in law enforcement isn't new. Dogs are already used to detect illegal fruits and food products, bombs and drugs. Some have even been trained to track down pythons that are invading Florida's Everglades. Training dogs to find smuggled wildlife products was the next step. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service enforces the nation's wildlife laws, such as the Endangered Species Act and Lacey Act, and is responsible for U.S. enforcement of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This agreement between 178 countries restricts cross-border trade in protected wild animals and plants, from elephants and rhinos to Brazilian rosewood and wild orchids. Service inspectors are on the front lines of enforcement of these laws, inspecting declared wildlife shipments and working to intercept smuggled wildlife and wildlife products. Inspectors examine imports and exports at U.S. international airports, ocean ports, border crossings, international mail facilities, and FedEx and UPS processing centers. Using dogs will give inspectors a whole new capacity to quickly scan air, rail, and ocean cargo, as well as international mail and express delivery packages, declared or not, without the time-consuming need to open each crate, box, or parcel. The four graduating dogs and their Service Wildlife Inspector-Handlers completed the 13-week training course at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Detector Dog Training Center in Newnan, Georgia, half an hour southwest of Atlanta. The center normally trains detector dogs to sniff out fruits and plants to interdict potential insects or diseases that could hurt U.S. agriculture. For the Wildlife Inspector-Handlers, this is a new and exciting venture. "This gives me a chance to combine my two great loves, wildlife and dogs," said Amir Lawal, Wildlife Inspector at the port of Miami. "I can't wait to get started in the field with my new partner to stop illegal wildlife shipments." So smugglers beware! From now on, bringing illegal wildlife through U.S. ports is barking up the wrong tree. • Hi res photographs available for download at: http://www.fws.gov/home/wddtp.html • Watch the YouTube video at: http://youtu.be/awx5Z1hiwdE • HD video of the dogs in training and interviews with trainers and handlers available on request The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov. Connect with our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/usfws, follow our tweets atwww.twitter.com/usfwshq, watch our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/usfws and download photos from our Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwshq.

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