All of the terrier puppies are out of the hospital and had their first round of shots and worming. They are: Dolly, dox/aussie/terrier mix; Pippin, same mix as Dolly; Victor, terrier/aussie mix; Victoria, same as Victor; Annie same as Victor and Victoria; Oliver, terrier/aussie/chihuahua. When they sit still I will post more pictures.

Meanwhile, we are looking for foster homes. Call me at (209) 345-5967 if you are interested in fostering a puppy.

Three of the puppies are now in foster homes. They were the shyest and needed more one on one attention. Meanwhile, my backyard is puppy central. My dog, Sherman is scared of his own shadow and pretty much holds the bottom rung of the pecking order. Except with the puppies. He has been wonderful with the pups and they follow him around like he is some sort of god. I've never seen him so happy and confident.

Grace seems to have tapped an internal mothering urge because she keeps trying to herd them back into their pen. Even grabbing by the scruff and trying to carry them. They are too heavy, but she keeps trying!

I will be the first to call my brood a batch of hooligans. They are here because nobody else wanted them or they were too behaviorally unstable. I love them and can't understand why no one else did, except for maybe Beijing. He is an a**hole, but he's my a**hole and I love him.

Here is a picture of my Sherman. Be glad you don't have to clean up the drool:

Humane Society of Stanislaus County is looking for volunteers for the following:

Foster homes (cat, dog, other) - Short or long term

Foster parents will be provided with crates/kennels, pet food, bowls, leashes, obedience training, 24/7 advice and support, vet care and gratitude. Please email us for application information.

Transport drivers

The lifeblood of rescue is volunteers and drivers. With rising fuel prices, it is getting more difficult to get animals to safety. We are compiling a list of volunteer drivers who can assist in relays to get at-risk pets to rescues, sanctuaries, foster and forever homes. Please email us for information on how you can help. Be sure to specify what type of vehicle you have, how far you are willing to drive, days available and type of pets you are most comfortable with. Drivers may be reimbursed for gas and other costs. HSSC will provide crates or carriers, leashes and any other items to help you and the pet arrive safely.

Bottle-feeding abandoned kittens

Kitten season for 2008 has hit Stanislaus County with a vengeance. Many times, kittens end up being abandoned when they are too young to survive on their own. Bottle feeding abandoned kittens is critically important to help these little ones make it and develop social skills with humans. For information on how to help, please email us.

More opportunities to help us save lives will be posted soon.