I Do, I Do--As Long as My Dog (or Chicken) Is Invited

Of course, we already think of our pets as part of the family, so it is only natural that we would want to have them involved in our weddings. According to an article in the New York Times, more couples are including their dogs or cats in their weddings. One woman even talks of carrying her pet chicken, instead of a bouquet, down the aisle!

"We get asked about including dogs in weddings all the time," says Wendy DeCarlo-Young, dog trainer with Dog Obedience Group. DeCarlo-Young, who was named the best dog trainer in the city by Chicago Magazine in 2011, offers some tips for those thinking of including Fido:

First, be sure to check that the venue (church, hall, etc.) will allow a dog in the building, in the grounds, or in the ceremony.

"Then, it all comes down to the dog," she says. "Will the dog feel comfortable with all the people?" she asks. "It's best to have a handler for the dog, and to make that someone the dog is very familiar with. This takes all the pressure off of the bride and groom." It also allows someone to focus entirely on the dogs, she points out.

DeCarlo-Young suggests that that handler then be responsible for taking the dog home after the ceremony--unless, of course, the dog is allowed at the reception site.

 The next issue is training. "The dog should have basic skills," she says. "The worst thing would be to have an over-excited dog who would be jumping on people, knocking things over, or chewing flowers."

And then there is attire. If you are going to dress up your dog, DeCarlo-Young strongly suggests that you practice having the dog wear the special collar or bow tie long before the event.

Follow this advice and you can expect many happy returns!

Make That a Decade of Rescuing ALL Animals

Yes, we concentrate on rescuing, sheltering, and re-homing cats, dogs, and rabbits. But Red Door is the no-kill shelter for all animals needing help. Here are just a few of the other animals we've rescued during the past 10 years:

Sweet Pea & Lily, abandoned at the park, where they wouldn't have made it through the winter (big white ducks can't fly away);

Zsa Zsa, the tiny bantam chicken running down Ridge Avenue, dodging through cars;

Boris, who was left in a box--his injured wing needed some nursing;

Blanche, who was standing in a snow bank with frozen feet; and

Khaki and Cooper, two impulsive Easter buys who weren't wanted a few days later.

Everyone got care, food, shelter, and a new loving home where they could live as a companion animal. www.reddoorshelter.org

Home for the Holidays - A Coop for Tuketu

We told you about Tuketu, the young chicken who was running around an apartment courtyard in Chicago. Now we're happy to share these photos of Tuketu in her new home -- where she is living with four other hens as a hip urban chicken-companion animal.

First, here is Tuketu checking out her new coop.

Then, Tuketu settles in with the gals for some quality roosting.

And finally, Tuketu and her new friend Lydia do a little hunting and pecking.

Thanks again to Liz at Nutzy Mutz in Madison, WI for all her help. And thanks to Tuketu's new family for getting Tuketu to a new coop for the holidays.

What Means "Chicken Running in the Courtyard?"

Red Door's former steward Meghan had this inexplicable desire to name a rescued chicken Tuketu. The Native American name means, "Bear running in the woods," and so how that exactly applied to a chicken we aren't sure. But no chicken got rescued before Meghan moved to Texas, so the name was never used.

Then someone captured this chicken running in the courtyard of their apartmant building. OK, it's not a bear and it wasn't running anywhere neat the woods. But nevertheless, in honor of Meghan's fervent yet unfulfilled wish, we named the rescued chicken Tuketu.

We're happy to report that Tuketu is moving to Madison, WI, where she will join a group of three other hens for some backyard clucking and egg-laying and living a life as a pampered pet. We hope Tuketu will be able to explain her exotic name to the other girls.

Thanks to Liz at Nutzy Mutz for her help in finding a home for Tuketu. This one is for you, Meghan.

In Memory of Blanche

We rescued Blanche a year ago in January. She was left outside in the freezing snow and, for awhile, it seemed like touch and go whether the vets could help her recover from her frostbite. Blanche was supposed to be a big white chicken, but she was skinny and pathetic-looking when we first took in. Her feathers were stained and falling out. But we wanted to do what we could to help her.

Chickens like Blanche don't live very long lives--on average, six or seven months. They're bred for their meat, so they gain weight quickly and then their systems give out. So once we had Blanche on the road to recovery, then what? Most of our regular chicken adopters weren't interested in her.

But we found a great chicken-experienced guy named Wade. He was interested in adopting Zsa Zsa, the orange bantam hen who was hit of the shelter. And he agreed to take Blanche, too. That was 18 months ago.

These photos show Blanche and Zsa Zsa in their new home. As you can see Blanche blossomed into a beautiful white chicken, who --acording to Wade--was always the first to greet him at the door of the coop.

She lived a long and happy life with Wade, Zsa Zsa, and several other hens. We always hoped she would beat the odds stacked her against her--and she did. We're happy we got to know her and helped her find her home.

Gloria is Ready for her Close-Up

Gloria, one of Liz's chickens, didn't feel she got enough camera time with the Trib. Now she's ready for her close=up. Gloria is a chicken rescued by Red Door and adopted by Liz in 2007.

Urban Chickens, including one from Red Door!

Congratulations to Red Door volunteer Liz Sharp for her stellar interview in today's Chicago Tribune, promoting the beauty and wisdom of urban chickens. You can catch the entire story, including a videdo of Liz in her chicken coop, here:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-city-chickens-15-dec15,0,5400529.story

Friendo Finds a Friend!

It was a little while ago that we rescued Friendo, a bantam rooster running around someone's front yard. At the time, he had a bad respitory infection, but--thanks to Dr. Horton at Chicago Exotics--Friendo made a complete recovery! But finding a home for a rooster, no matter how small, isn't easy. That crowing can be pretty loud! However, we're happy to report that Friendo has now moved to Michigan, where he is living on a hobby farm. Former Red Door rooster Reymundo is there, too. But there is plenty of room for both of them.