Calling all UTAH Volunteers, Adopters & Fans

Dear Utah volunteers and adopters,

We need your help! Big Dogs Huge Paws is going to be participating in this years' "Get Outdoors Expo" at the Southtowne Expo Center in Sandy, UT on Friday, May 13th and Saturday, May 14th and we would love for you to help out!! We are sharing a booth with another rescue for the event, and we need BDHPI volunteers and supporters to help out at the booth (talking about BDHPI with those who stop by) and to bring adoptable dogs (we can even try to find you a foster if you don't have one and want to bring one!). Expo details at http://www.thegoexpo.com/.

Can you help us raise awareness for BDHPI by volunteering your time at this event, even just for a few hours? We've committed to being at the expo from 12 - 9pm on Friday, May 13th and 10am - 9pm on Saturday, May 14th; if you can help, even for just a few hours, it would make a BIG difference!

Please contact Carol Crane, Volunteer Event Coordinator at cccsyptec.com with questions about the expo or to find out more about this event and how you can help!

We need your help

The good news is there is tremendous interest in BDHPI and adopting from our organization. We get over 100 applications a month.

The bad news is that with over 100 applications a month we need a continuous group of volunteers who can help process them.

It can all be done from the internet and phone, it is great for Volunteers who are not able to be in direct contact with the dogs.

To be a part of our Application Committee:

1. Attend a 1 hour training session
2. Be responsible, responsive & people friendly
3. Be willing to become educated on BDHPI policies & procedures
4. Be willing to read through the BDHPI website and become educated on Nutrition & Training philosophies
4. Be willing to call references & conduct the applicant phone interview

If you are already an active Volunteer with BDHPI, please contract bree@bigdogshugepaws.com if you are interested in attending a training session.

If you are new to BDHPI you first must complete a Volunteer application which you can find on our Volunteer link at www.bigdogshugepaws.com

BDHPI Event in Dallas/Ft Worth Area this weekend

BDHPI will have a booth this weekend at Fate's Furry Friends! We need Volunteers! We also encourage the public to come meet some of our gentle giants!

If interested in learning more, please email crystal@bigdogshugepaws.com

Please keep scrollin'

Dear Adopting Families,

This is just a friendly reminder to please scroll ALL THE WAY to the bottom of our adoptable page. There are so many fabulous dogs down there. Some of us have been here since last summer. We think it's pretty darn unfair.

It hurts our feelings that we keep getting skipped over. Would it hurt to consider a mature fellow like Clifford? Or maybe a gal like Briar Rose who loves her people so much she just doesn't like to share with other dogs? Why with a face like she has, would Gertrude keep getting passed by? And, who doesn't love a big brindle female who promises to love you with her huge heart like Molly?

These are questions our foster families ask every day. While they love us, they would love it even more if we found forever families. We all deserve a new last name..Will it be yours?

Love,

Clifford

and Briar Rose

And Gertie

And Molly

Upcoming BDHPI Events- CO & TX

April 16th: Fate, TX

** Get ready for the Fate's Furry Friends Festival in Fate, TX! ** Big Dogs Huge Paws will be there with adoptable gentle giants! **

WHAT: A fun filled day with your human and canine companions! ** Raffles, Vendors, Animal Rescue Groups, Veterinary, Low Cost Vaccination Onsite, Bounce House, Rockwall County K-9 Officer and Much, Much More! **

WHEN: Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 10am - 2pm

__________________________________________________________

April 30th-Englewood, CO

APRIL 30th: Join Big Dogs Huge Paws volunteers, supporters and adoptable gentle giants at the Annual Chili Cookoff in Englewood, an event benefiting Englewood Unleashed!

WHAT: A a fun filled day to benefit Englewood Unleashed, a non-profit organization dedicated to off-leash dog recreation in Englewood (see website for details).

WHEN: Saturday, April 30, 2011

TIME: 11 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Malley Senior Center, 3380 S. Lincoln St. Englewood

** This is an indoor event; please leave your canine companions at home.

Update on Bear ( formerly known as Moses)

My puppy that we adopted from BDHP last spring is now 1 year old. He was Moses (now Bear) and is one of the St. Bernard/Lab mix puppies.

Bear is a wonderful dog. He's good natured, easy going, well behaved and loves to play (he also digs in the yard-- but we're working on stopping that!)

RIP Ginny

BDHPI lost one of our favorites this week. Here is a note from Kirstin, a BDHPI Volunteer and Ginny's Mom. Get out the tissues!

Today the world lost a beautiful soul. Ginny died suddenly from heart failure this morning. She was rushed to the emergency vet where they were able to restart her heart but it was too weak to keep going. The vet assured me that she felt no pain and had no signs of illness. There was nothing anyone could have done to save her.

Ginny was my second foster ever, but she was always mine. She came into my life two years ago, abused and neglected, afraid of everything. She hid in my bathroom for months, submissively peeing even just when spoken to. She was terrified of people, I didn't blame her. She spent the first three years of her life in a puppy mill, mass producing puppies in a cage with no real human interaction, no love, no knowledge that there was a life outside of this. Slowly she would inch out of the bathroom, further and further down the hall and into the house as she gained trust.

The first sign of her breaking out of her shell was when I fostered Lexi, a Great Dane who soon had ten puppies after coming to live with me. They became pals and shared responsibilities in raising the puppies. Ginny would get in the pen and help clean the pups while Lexi took a break, my dynamic mama dog duo.

Watching her gain confidence and learning how to be a real dog really struck a chord with me. She inspired me to change my life. She made me want to be an advocate, dedicating myself to spending the rest of my days helping animals. I left everything I knew and moved to Colorado to attend vet tech. school so I could fulfill that need, and help others like her. It was the most difficult thing I have done thus far in my life, but at least I had her by my side on this journey. I have never felt love for an animal as I do for her. She was the most loyal companion I have ever had. Even off leash at the dog park, she was rarely more than a few steps behind me. She made me smile even on the lousiest of days, greeting me always with her kind eyes, wagging tail and the softest ears you could imagine.

She died as she lived, by my side, on her bed next to mine. I only wish we could have taken one more walk or trip to the dog park or even just snuggled one more time on the couch. Though she may not have had the strongest heart, it was the certainly the biggest and now there is a hole in mine. Even though I couldn't save her today, we spent the past two years saving each other and I have plenty of wonderful pictures and memories to remind me of that. I can't help but think that she was taken from me too soon, I suppose someone else must need her more than I do, I just hope they know how wonderful she is and that she likes to be scratched right above her tail.

I will keep her with me always, my loyal baby girl who changed my life and gave me a purpose.

I love you Ginny Boo,
Kirsten Butler