Playing cards from Dogstuff

It’s Hollywood’s fault, really. Well, that and irresponsible breeders.

First there was Legally Blonde. Then came The Simple Life with Paris Hilton and her dog Tinkerbell, followed by Beverly Hills Chihuahua. And, of course, Gidget, the star of those “yo quiero Taco Bell” commercials.

Chihuahuas have been portrayed as cute little accessories; demand has soared; and breeders have overcompensated. The result? Chihuahuas have surpassed pit bulls as the breed most surrendered at animal shelters.

The problem is particularly acute in California. A third of the dogs in San Francisco’s city shelter are all or part chihuahua. In Oakland, it’s more than 50 percent. And in Los Angeles, there are so many chihuahuas that they’re being airlifted to other states to find them homes.

Chihuahuas are cute, no doubt about it. They’re also nervous, high-strung, fragile, and not a good fit for most families.

Officials hope to stop irresponsible backyard breeding of Chihuahuas with new regulations and an education program. In the meantime, the airlifts and “Chihuahuapalooza” adoption programs will continue.

Dogs at risk are being rescued -- with your help

You already know that a portion of every online purchase at Dogstuff.com goes to support rescue. But we thought you’d like to know about a specific case of your rescue funds in action.

This weekend, K9 Northwest, a training and rescue facility in Tacoma, is on a marathon mission to rescue dogs from Camp Wolfgang, a rescue operation with 200 dogs (primarily German Shepherds, but other breeds as well) near Dallas, Texas.

Camp Wolfgang was forced to close by budget problems thanks to the struggling economy, and had to empty its facilities on short notice, leaving dozens of dogs at risk of euthanasia.

We’ve gotten word that the good folks at K9 Northwest reached Camp Wolfgang last night, and are on their way back to Tacoma with 27 dogs. We’re delighted to help sponsor this generous and compassionate effort with donations from the Special Rescue Fund at Dogstuff’s Rescue First program.

Thank you again for your support of rescue operations like this one.

There's a better way to get there (card from Dogstuff)

A little-known group of pilots donates their valuable time and skills to help animals find loving homes. Pilots N Paws flies animals from kill shelters around the country to places where willing adopters await. There’s video at the link.

Nothing to fear (card from Dogstuff)

Columnist Mark Morford talks about BBDS (Big Black Dog Syndrome).