4/08/03 (Tue) - No new sightings.  A Friend of Rumble's who lives near the University of Richmond wrote to tell us about an apparently lost female Black Lab mix with blue collar and no ID tags.  She saw this dog on Sunday - - before she realized it was someone's lost pet.  Her report is below.  If you're near the University of Richmond area, please keep an eye out for this dog.  You may just reunite a missing dog with its worried family!  Thank you. (Ad text:  DOG - Lab, black female, blue Aztec collar, no tags. Lost 3/31 near U of R & CCV West End. Reward. Call 282-8085.)   

4/09/03 (Wed) - No new sightings. A Friend of Rumble's wrote to us with wise words of caution on preventing the heartache of a lost dog (or worse).  She writes of the risk of people opening the gate to your fenced yard and leaving it open without your knowledge.  This usually happens when service workers enter your yard and aren't careful about ensuring the gate is properly closed when they leave.  (Most meter readers can use binoculars to read your meter, as long as it's visible.)  It can also happen when neighborhood children are playing.  Our friend's caution is below.

4/10/03 (Thu) - No new sightings. Wonderful news!  "Mountain," the beautiful, huge German Shepherd in Parkersburg, WV who belonged to the homeless woman, has been reunited with her!  Needless to say, both are overjoyed.  Several true Friends of Rumble had been working behind the scenes to try to help this fellow.  (It turns out his real name is "Lobo.")  We received the following heartwarming message from our wonderful friends at North Star German Shepherd Rescue in Massachusetts:

4/11/03 (Fri) - No new sightings.  Although we haven't had any actual sightings, a dear Friend of Rumble's shared with us a dream she had that gave us goosebumps!  As you might guess, the dream was about Rumble's return.  Now all we need is a dream-come-true!  However, we do have other dream-come-true news to share with you.  Dear "Kobe" is being adopted.  We are so thrilled!  We also are very happy that a new Friend of Rumble's referred to us a Shepherd whom she thought might be Rumble, "just in case."  He isn't Rumble, but we can certainly see the resemblance!  As you know, we are deeply grateful to know about any shelter, rescue, or lost dog you think might be Rumble, and will happily post them here if they are not.  Our latest "Just in Case" dog, "Hunter," is a gorgeous German Shepherd from the Triangle Area of North Carolina.  We cordially invite you to read all about Hunter on Rumble's "Just in Case" page.  
 

4/12/03 (Sat) - No new sightings.  Last month we talked about the terrible disease of  myelopathy.  A form of this disease which affects German Shepherds in particular, is known as "Degenerative Myelopathy."  We promised that we'd share what we learned.  Thanks to the many of you that wrote in with links and other information.  A few links that we found are below:

	Degenerative Spinal Myelopathy On-line Resources
	Dr. Roger Clemmons' Web Page (University of Florida) [Note: Link was experiencing problems as of this posting.]
	Degenerative Myelopathy (University of Missouri)
	Degenerative Myelopathy (a holistic perspective)
	GSD Myelopathy
	Degenerative Myelopathy Support Website (a British site)
	Neuropathies in Dogs and Cats

4/13/03 (Sun) - No new sightings.  Remember "Scout," the "Just in Case" German Shepherd sponsored by the Oregon Humane Society in Portland, OR?  (Scout's photo and information have now been moved to Rumble's "Just in Case Success Stories" pages.)  While we were in the process of promoting Scout, we received word of what an excellent facility the Oregon Humane Society maintained.  Friends of Rumble were very favorably impressed by them.  We have since explored their website in detail and are impressed too.  One interesting feature they have, which we haven't come across anywhere else, is a 24-hour-a-day "web cam" showing adoptable pets!  To view their web cam, click here.
 

4/14/03 (Mon) - No new sightings.  Since Rumble's disappearance, we have received many calls about possible Rumble sightings from the Woodlake area of Richmond, VA.  We learned that there was a German Shepherd who had been on his own in Woodlake for about three years.  We even saw him once.  He wasn't Rumble, but he's always seemed special.   He was seen regularly by the residents of the area walking the neighborhood footpaths. He would always step to the side to make way for children and their pets.  He frequently traveled the same route and often was seen lying for hours at a certain corner, almost as if he were waiting for someone.

During this winter, which was bitterly cold at times, two wonderful Woodlake residents decided to try to help this fellow.  They left a blanket for him and braved the ice and sleet to ensure he didn't go hungry.  They began to gain his trust, and eventually he let them get within a few feet of him.  They named him "Ace."

On March 31st, Ace was caught and taken to the Chesterfield Animal Shelter.  Through the kindness of the Shelter's Director, Virginia German Shepherd Rescue (VGSR), the two residents who had been helping him, and so many others, Ace is now safe.  He is staying in a pet hotel in Richmond until some wonderful person can step forward to foster or adopt him.  Because Ace has been on his own for so long, he needs to be in a home where he can get some personal attention and training.  He needs leash training.  More importantly, he needs someone who understands what he has been through and has the time and experience to help him complete his journey toward fully trusting humans again.  A dog who has been abandoned by those he loved and has been forced to fend for himself for three years requires a lot of TLC.

Ace is friendly and has won the hearts of the pet hotel staff.  He receives visitors every day who bring him home-cooked meals.  He lovingly thanks them with licks and enthusiastic tail wags.  The first few days he was silent, but he makes happy barks of joy now.

Remember that corner where Ace would wait for hours?  It's a school bus stop.  Mother's frequently walk their children to that bus stop, accompanied by the family dog.  The mother and the family dog then return in the afternoon to meet the children.  We believe that Ace has been waiting on that corner patiently these three long years hoping to greet children he once knew and then walk them home.  The heart of a dog searching endlessly for those who abandoned him knows no bounds and transcends time. 

If you know a special person who could take Ace into their heart and home, that would be so very wonderful.   He has been neutered by VGSR.  Overall he has been evaluated as healthy, but is being treated for heartworm.  Ace has been dealt a difficult hand in life.  He so richly deserves someone to love.  If there's anyone who can help with a placement for Ace, we would be eternally grateful.  Just contact Virginia German Shepherd Rescue, Inc. at contact@shepherdrescue.org or 703-435-2840.  If you prefer, you can contact us at rumblehome@netscape.net or 540-377-9865, and we'll gladly relay your message.  Thank you very much. 
 

4/15/03 (Tue) - No new sightings.  Once again we'd like to mention "Ace," the German Shepherd we described yesterday.  He is such a special fellow and he's been through so much!  He needs a very special human to love who can provide him the love, trust, and training he needs.  The absolutely wonderful folks at Virginia German Shepherd Rescue (VGSR) are sponsoring Ace, but their fosters are currently full, so a home is desperately needed for him.  VGSR will provide screening to ensure that both Ace and his human are a good match.  Ace has had to fend for himself for three years after his humans abandoned him (we think), so naturally he has some distrust issues to overcome.  Yet despite this, he has been friendly and affectionate toward the VGSR volunteers, the pet hotel staff, and especially the two Woodlake angels who have helped him over this past winter.  As we mentioned yesterday, he will need leash training and he also seems to be a bit of a mouther, especially in situations when he feels threatened or insecure.  It is touching to see how appreciative he is to the people who bring him his meals and offer him some affection!  It is heartwarming to know that after all Ace has been through, he still yearns for love.  Below are photos of him playing with some of the toys his new-found friends have brought him.  If you know of anyone who could help by serving as a foster or adoptive home for Ace, please contact VGSR at  contact@shepherdrescue.org or 703-435-2840.  Thank you so much. 
 

4/16/03 (Wed) - No new sightings.  Yesterday we heard from a Friend of Rumble's who is a volunteer with German Shepherd Rescue of Southeastern Pennsylvania (GSR-SP).  She told us in the nicest way about an error on Rumble's "Just in Case" page regarding the "Three Shepherds" (originally from Pittsburgh).  We've shown "after" photos of "Rusty" and "Arwen" for some time, but were checking PetFinders regularly waiting for a current photo of "Sam."  Finally we found "Sam" posted on the GSR-SP PetFinders "Pet List" page the other day, and promptly added his photo to Rumble's "Just in Case" page.  Only trouble is, it turns out we've posted a different "Sam"!  The very happy news is that the first Sam was adopted by his foster family.  (It's an "occupational hazard" if you rescue - - sometimes the rescued dog happily steals your heart forever!)  We were so glad to hear that Sam #1 has been adopted by his foster family.  Yay!  And regarding Sam #2 - We're happy to feature him.  We hope Sam #1's good fortune of finding a forever home will rub off on Sam #2 too.  In fact, we would like to take this opportunity to invite you to read the write-ups and see the lovely photos of "Rusty," "Arwen," and "Sam #2."  They sound like wonderful German Shepherds and just might be that perfect family addition for someone you know. 
 

4/17/03 (Thu) - No new sightings.  Great news!  We can officially celebrate Kobe's adoption now!  It's been a long wait but well worth it - - Kobe has found his forever home, at last!  We received word of another Shepherd in a shelter that a Friend of Rumble's thought just might be Rumble, so "just in case..."  The dog was listed as a female, but our friend thought this could possibly be a typo.  Those things do happen!  We're calling her "Princess Georgia," and she's in Prince George, VA.  Her photo is on Rumble's "Just in Case" page.  We are so grateful when you alert us to dogs in shelters or rescue that you believe might be Rumble.  And if they turn out not to be Rumble, they are the very ones we created Rumble's "Just in Case" page for.  We are not a rescue group.  We're just a working family who has lost a beloved canine family member.  Rumble's "Just in Case" page is our way of saying thanks for taking the time to alert us to the Rumble look-alikes out there. We are grateful for your good deed toward us and are passing on the gesture in hopes that the dog will be the real winner.
 

4/18/03 (Fri) - No new sightings.  Thanks to a great Friend of Rumble's for forwarding us information on "Big Bear" in Silverdale, WA, another "Just in Case" dog.  We certainly see the similarity - - he even weighs 125 lbs!  According to the evaluation , he knows "sit," "stay," and "down," he is house-broken, neutered, and not aggressive.  To see Big Bear's photo and more information, please visit Rumble's "Just in Case" page. 
On another subject, a dear, dear friend of ours has lost her beloved dog to bloat.  We'd like to remind everyone again of just how serious bloat can be and how very fast it can strike.  We've read that bloat is the #2 killer of dogs, after cancer.  It can attack dogs of all sizes, although historically it has been associated especially with deep-chested dogs such as Shepherds, Great Danes, and Dobermans.  We'd like to strongly encourage you to visit the "Bloat in Dogs" site to become familiar with typical symptoms of bloat and the kinds of things you can do that might prevent it.
 

4/19/03 (Sat) - No new sightings.  As a personal thank you to the Friends of Rumble, if you should ever lose your own dog, we will post your lost dog notice on Rumble's "Lost Friends" page.  For practical reasons, we've learned we can't post lost dogs that belong to people's friends or that appear on various internet lists.  We tried that for a brief while but our mailbox was simply overwhelmed with requests.  Many never even mentioned concern for Rumble, so we think they thought we were just another lost dog service.  Yesterday we received a request from someone to post two lost dogs that they had heard about through a series of cross-posts.  In this case, we decided to make an exception because the circumstances are so disturbing to us.  Here is the story:   

4/20/03 (Sun) - No new sightings.  We received colored photos and the most heartwarming note from the human mom of "Valentine" and "Onyx," the two lost/stolen dogs we featured yesterday.  The reward for information leading directly to their safe recovery has been raised to $1,000.  Their family is so very grateful to the Friends of Rumble for anything they can do to help.  They live in Massachusetts, which makes their search efforts especially difficult.  As it turns out, both dogs were adopted as rescues from very bad situations.  We cannot imagine why anyone would be so heartless as to take these two from their devoted family.  Like Rumble, they are not valuable except to those who love them.  If anyone who lives in or near Caroline County, VA could print and post their flyer, that would be so wonderful.  Also, if someone in that area could share a copy of the flyer with local veterinarians and shelters, the family would be deeply appreciative.  The note from Valentine's and Onyx's human mom follows.  It is for all the Friends of Rumble who help them in their efforts to recover their beloved dogs: 

4/21/03 (Mon) - No new sightings.  Wonderful news!  "Sam #2" in Pennsylvania has been adopted.  Yay!  On another note, we'd like to share a touching "domino effects" story with you.  Friends of ours recently lost their beloved Shepherd to a tragic accident.  While grieving deeply, their hearts were open to the misfortune of other dogs.  A few days later they visited Rumble's site, hoping to hear good news about Rumble.  That particular day, they decided to click on the logo for Virginia German Shepherd Rescue (VGSR) and visit the VGSR site.  Amazingly, the featured VGSR Shepherd that day was a spitting image of the beloved Shepherd they had just lost.  They know each dog has its own personality and never want or expect otherwise, but they felt this particular Shepherd was just meant to be with them.  So they gave "Bear" the forever home he's been waiting for his whole life.  We pay tribute to our friends for their loving generosity.  Their story has been added to Rumble's "Domino Effects" page. 
 

4/22/03 (Tue) - No new sightings.  More wonderful news!  "Big Bear" in Washington State has been adopted.  Yay!  One of the organizations we feel has such a great objective and an equally great outlook is Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah.  They are a big organization, but that's probably good because it gives them some clout.  Their main objective is "No more homeless pets."  If you visit that page, it includes some very interesting and thought-provoking articles.  To see a map showing upcoming local programs and events in the U.S. focusing on the "No More Homeless Pet"/no-kill goal, click here.  To view a listing of "No More Homeless Pet" programs by state, click here.  If in some large or small way each one of us does something to help lost and abandoned pets, we are making the world a better place. 
 

4/23/03 (Wed) - No new sightings.  Great news again!  "Princess Georgia" has been adopted.  Yay!  Yesterday a friend of ours forwarded to us an email request he received from a friend of his.  The request was to ask everyone who cares about homeless animals to please try to remember to click on the "Feed an Animal in Need" button daily.  The ad sponsors pay for a bowl of food a day for a homeless animal for each daily click people make (at no cost to you).  In December, 673,097 lbs of food were provided.  In March, that number had dropped to 662,837 lbs.  It's so easy to do and makes a difference for the animals.  We maintain a copy of the button permanently at the bottom of Rumble's "Just in Case" page, but we'll also leave one on this page for while too.  We thank you and the animals thank you!
 

4/24/03 (Thu) - No new sightings.  We have a special treat for you today!  Even though Chili's 11 puppies have all gone on to their wonderful new homes, we're still very much in touch with the new puppy families.  Today we'd like to show you "progress report" photos on two of the pups at 3 months.  The cute little guy on the left, who looks like he could be a miniature Rumble, is "Maka."  Maka is happily at home in California.  The sweet little angel on the right is "Mystic."  She favors Chili in appearance and has a wonderful home in Ohio.  Photos of Maka and Mystic are also in "Rumble's Scrapbook." 
 

4/25/03 (Fri) - No new sightings.  Recently we were at the Vet for a routine visit when a call came in to Vet's office asking for the poison hotline number.  We thought this might be a good opportunity to share the links for several sites that we think have helpful information on poison control.  These are the types of sites you might want to bookmark now, since if the time comes that you ever actually need them, you won't want to lose even one second doing a web search. 

	ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center - 888-4ANI-HELP (888-426-4435).  Fee is $45 per case; credit cards only; no extra charge for follow-up calls. 1-900-443-0000 — The charge is billed directly to caller's phone. Follow-up calls can be made for no additional charge by dialing 888-426-4435. There is no charge when the call involves a product covered by the Animal Product Safety Service. (This summary was obtained from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA) website.)
	Poison Information (Dogs) - Information on some common household poisons from the urbanhound website.
	List of Toxic Plants -  A list of plants that can be poisonous to your pet and a description of some of the clinical signs you might observe from the ASPCA website.

4/26/03 (Sat) - No new sightings.  Today we learned about a man who is at risk of being sent to prison because he crossed a police barrier to rescue his beloved dog from a burning apartment building.  According to MSNBC's article, Jerrod Martin who lives in Nashville, TN, has been charged with "reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct."  The article quotes Mr. Martin and describes the rescue as follows:

4/27/03 (Sun) - No new sightings. This seems to be a time when dog stories are in the news.  There's an amazing and disturbing story we must share with you in case you haven't heard it.  It's very upsetting, but has a good ending.  It's the story of "Dosha," a 10-month-old mixed-breed dog who was hit by a truck, shot in the head, and put in a plastic bag in a freezer all in the same day, yet incredibly has survived.  According to the CNN story entitled "Dog hit, shot, frozen - - and lives" (which includes a photo of Dosha), on April 15th, Dosha was hit by a vehicle near her owner's home in California. Then a police officer shot her in the head, supposedly to put her out of her misery. She was believed to be dead, so she was put in a freezer at an animal control center. Two hours later, when a veterinarian opened the door to the freezer, she was shocked to find Dosha standing upright in a plastic orange bag (the equivalent of a human body bag).  When Dosha appeared on national television last week, she seemed in fine spirits apart from a gunshot wound to her head and other injuries sustained from being hit by the car.  According to the AP news story which quotes the office manager at the veterinary clinic where Dosha was being treated, "The gunshot was, of course, no good. The hypothermia was more life threatening when she arrived here. The car accident was the least of her problems." 
According to both the Clearlake Observer and the Press Democrat, many animal lovers are quite disturbed that such a thing could occur and donations are being collected to aid Dosha.  (Additional details are in the articles.)  We too are extremely disturbed that a dog who sustained no life-threatening injuries (or even any broken bones) would be shot, particularly with children present and neighbors begging that she not be shot.
 

4/28/03 (Mon) - No new sightings. Today we'd like to share with you a wonderful photo of one of Rumble's new little nieces.  (She's one of Chili's puppies.).  If Rumble could only see her, we know he'd love her and all her brothers and sisters!  "Mystic" from Ohio is already wearing a green ribbon for her Uncle Rumble (see photo on the "Green Ribbon Photos for Rumble" page).  We hope Mystic's green ribbon will help to maintain awareness of Rumble so that someone will see him and alert us.  Thank you little Mystic.
On another related topic, we'd like to report that on Easter Sunday there was a possible sighting of "Valentine" and "Onyx" in the back of a red pick-up truck in the Doswell area of Virginia.  It is believed that they are most likely in Caroline, Henrico, or Hanover Counties, Virginia.  If you are in those counties and think you might have any information at all that might help, please call the family toll-free at  (800) 248-4470.  There is a $1,000 reward for information leading to their safe recovery.  Their photos are posted above on the update for 4/20/03 and are also on Rumble's "Lost Friends" page.  Thank you.  
 

4/29/03 (Tue) - No new sightings. We know that we (as in all the family and Friends of Rumble) are only a small part of the reason, but we're pleased to report that the day we added the "Feed an Animal in Need" button below, the food program got many more clicks.  We may not account for all the increased clicks, but we know we represent some of them!  Just like our "Starfish" story of some weeks ago, we made a difference.  For those who missed our "Starfish" story, we've repeated it below:

4/30/03 (Wed) - No new sightings. We received an absolutely wonderful photo today of Rumble's Grandpa "London" and Rumble's litter brother "Noah" that we're pleased to share with you.  It was taken during a snow in February.  London and Noah live with their human mom and dad in Pennsylvania.  London is the dad of Rumble's mom, "Bita."  London and Noah are two of the most wonderful dogs you could ever want to meet!  In the photo in Rumble's Scrapbook, London is on the left and Noah is on the right.  Grandpa London is one of the largest Shilohs ever at 140 lbs.