Blog Posts

Stop Online Puppy Mills

3/26/2020

Thinking of getting a puppy? That’s awesome, here’s what you should know about puppy mills and what to look out for.
Puppy mills still exist, they’ve just gotten sneakier. Online puppy mills create beautiful websites that make them look like loving breeders, and dang aren’t those little faces cute. The reality is quite different. We want to help you make an informed decision when choosing your next best friend.

At Least Dogs Can’t Get Coronavirus

3/19/2020

As the uncertainty continues within the current state of our city, many people are experiencing a huge shift to their schedules,their lifestyles and their income. These are chaotic times and it is more important than ever that we strive to be good to each other. We have some resources we would like to share with you.

Become A Pet Partners Registered Therapy Animal Team

3/18/2020

You all know me as the co-founder of Real Dog Moms of Chicago, but did you know that my full time job is working as the Program Manager for Pet Partner of Illinois? With the current concern of the spread of COVID - 19 we are all sitting at home with our pets and seeking ways to keep ourselves busy. Eventually “normal” life will resume (it has to, right?) and we will seek wonderful new experiences to put the past behind us. I’d like to share one way I think you could spend your time now while at home following best practices to keep our community safe: become a registered therapy animal team. Since Pet Partners was the first in the industry to require training for the human end of the leash, now is the perfect time to take our online training course.

How to Help Animals During a Crisis

3/16/2020

written by Alysia Slusser

Unless you’ve been living under rock for the past month you should be more than aware of our current crisis. What you may not know is how this crisis will carry over to our beloved furry friends.

While we are all holed up in our cozy homes (hopefully) watching our favorite trash TV there are still animals being brought into shelters around the nation and with many adoption events having to come to a slow trickle, many of these animals are at risk. Animals will keep coming in and once the shelter is full very hard choices have to be made. If it’s a tough time to be human it’s an even tougher time to be an animal.

A Foster Fail Story: Wingman

2/17/2020

Written by Lisa Klobuchar

In the spring of 2015, the canine flu epidemic in Chicago was raging, and young rescue organization called One Tail at a Time was calling for dog-free foster homes willing to take strays from Chicago Animal Care and Control that were at risk of flu exposure. Feeling called to do something for the community during this crisis, I filled out a foster application. Then week after week I then hemmed and hawed, never feeling it was quite the right time to welcome a pup.

July rolled around and the vans of Chicago Animal Care and Control were patrolling the streets, especially busy during the days around 4th of July fireworks, when so many terrified dogs run for the fences. On July 8, one of them, a balding, rat-tailed, malnourished, brown-toothed 12-pound scruff, was captured near Western and 35th.

Why Foster for Peace for Pits?

2/10/2020

Volunteer rescue work is a challenge, but as with every challenge there comes rewards. In today’s world of animal welfare, organizations like our very own Peace for Pits is paving the way in rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming of bully breeds. We are doing this through education and a solid support system within our rescue enabling our volunteers to reach out to the community.

Resolve to Get Involved: One Tail at a Time

2/4/2020

By Jillian Braun - Jillian is a foster, volunteer, and Associate Board member at One Tail at a Time. She’s been involved with the organization since 2017 when she adopted her little southern mutt, Albus.

Enchilada's Freedom Ride

The number of animals that we lose in our shelters each year is daunting which can make it feel like an overwhelming problem to solve and hard to nail down a place to start. Luckily, at One Tail at a Time (OTAT) there are so many ways to make a difference, no matter your location, background, or availability!

Freedom Rides & Transports

One of the best feelings is to be the first person a pup sees when they’re being rescued. Take little Enchilada, here, who was surrendered by his owner at Chicago Animal Care & Control. Thanks to the Chicagoland Rescue Intervention & Support Program (CRISP), this little chihuahua avoided the shelters and was sent to foster through One Tail at a Time. Driving him to his foster where he transformed from a scared little pup to a confident dog was incredibly rewarding. All you need for freedom rides is a car and some spare time.

2019 RECAP & FUTURE CHANGES

1/26/2020

2019 was a huge year for Real Dog Moms. With your help, we raised over $81,500 for animal rescues in the Chicagoland area (over $30,000 more than we raised in 2018). We hosted 83 events and donated the proceeds to 32 organizations - our busiest year yet!

We’re ready to do more. In 2020, we've got our sights set on $100,000.

The goal of Real Dog Moms has always been doing good while having fun. We are here to help you have fun with your dog and meet fellow dog-loving people while giving back to those who need it most in our rescue community. There are already amazing people and rescues doing incredible things in the Chicagoland area and we want to support them however we can. In order to set ourselves up to help them even more, we will be handling our events and donations a bit differently moving forward.

HIKING WITH DOGS

1/12/2020

Written by and photos from RDMOC volunteer Alysia Slusser
Follow all of her and her pup Franklin's hiking adventures on Instagram @go.fetch.franklin

As the new year begins many of you are resolving to get outside more, exercise, and do activities with your dog, but may not be sure where you can go. We're here to help!

Before I get into my favorite places to hike I feel like it’s necessary to write a bit about how to hike with your dog. As more and more people want to get outside our places of beauty are being disrupted and as a card carrying member of Leave No Trace (read more on the 7 principles here) I'd like to take a minute to talk about trail etiquette.

Stitch Has a Need

1/11/2020

Stitch has a need, a need for speed <insert Tom Cruise meme here>.
On January 1st, some of the One Tail staff was supporting Mutts of the Midway's first CRISP shift. (Welcome Mutts, we love you)
Stitch came in as an owner surrender, due to the inability to afford his medical care. At 4 years old, Stitch is having 4 minute long seizures and may have either meningitis or a disk injury. When he was relinquished he was unable to walk and after two weeks with One Tail on steroids, he's gotten some mobility back, but this boy has a dream... the dream to keep up with his foster siblings.