My new family had been looking at websites and rescue organizations for a couple weeks. A friend invited them to a Havanese Funday. Just for fun they went and had no idea I would be there!

My name was Avy at the time and I was featured in the adoption corner of the HRI newsletter in August. I was being fostered in Ohio and my foster Mom brought me to the Funday to play with some other dogs. I was just about a year old and I heard my foster mom tell some of the people that I had been put up for adoption because my owners were long distance truck drivers and I was misbehaving in the truck.

I had never played with so many other dogs. Boy, that was fun! I sure loved running and jumping in the grass and playing with the other dogs. There were even a couple kids that liked playing chase with me. I didn't have much hair compared to the other dogs there. My coat had always been clipped close. At the end of the day, the family that hadn't brought a dog to play spent some extra time with me and were asking my foster Mom a lot of questions about me.

A few days later I went to a park with my foster Mom. I saw that family again only this time they brought another dog with them. Oreo was a big black and white dog that was lots of fun to play with. About a week later, my foster Mom took me to a house where I had never been before. Guess who was there-that family and Oreo! Boy, was I glad to see her! We zoomed all over the house together playing chase and she even shared some of her toys with me.

After awhile, my foster Mom left me there with the family, and they started to call me Otie! I liked that new name because they played with me, gave me treats, and lots and lots of love!

I haven't had any "accidents" in the house and I'm not afraid of too many things anymore. I had to learn to walk on a leash. It was tough at first, but now I think it's a lot of fun. I go on many walks with Oreo and my family. There are many things to sniff and see. Now it's 2007. I never knew I was missing a best friend, and neither did Oreo, but we found each other. We sure do love hanging out together and sometimes being ornery as well. I guess I'm that perfect dog! Oh yeah, my coat has grown quite a bit since August. My new mom says I'm going somewhere called a "groomer" tomorrow. I guess that'll be fun. She hasn't steered me wrong yet!

Love, Otie

When planning the Holiday party, we knew that we wanted to not only have a great time together with our friends and Havanese but that we also wanted to share some Holiday joy with others. The LSHC board of directors discussed many philanthropic options and came up with several ideas. One of the suggestions was to bring presents to donate to the Havanese coming into rescue with HRI. We hoped to make their transition into rescue and eventually their new homes a little bit smoother by providing them some things they might need. We set up an online poll for all LSHC members to vote on several different options and the HRI Gift Donation Project led the voting by a landslide.

At that point, I contacted Lu to get her input on the idea and she was able to provide us with some suggestions of items that might be most helpful. Rotating teeth combs, facial combs, washable puppy pads and belly bands were a few of the ideas.

Our party was held December 2nd at Chris Disser's lovely lakeside home just north of Houston, TX. As guests entered the party, everyone dropped their presents into a donated dog bed and started the celebration with a smile on their faces and in their hearts. It was great fun to check the bed periodically as it filled with donated items for those Havanese in rescue.

After the party, Chris packaged up the donations for us and mailed it all to HRI. While Holiday parties are always festive, I can't tell you how much the HRI gift project added to the true spirit of the Holidays for our group of Havanese lovers. We look forward to this becoming an annual tradition within the LSHC and think it is a wonderful way for local clubs to support rescue any time of the year. The members of LSHC were very happy to be able to share a little Holiday joy with the Havs of HRI who deserve it! Thanks for allowing us to assist.

Cherie Belcher President - Lone Star Havanese Club

The right foster home can make a world of difference for a dog. It takes a special heart to be able to live with and love a Havanese while knowing that you're preparing that dog to take a step into the world without you. HRI has some wonderful foster homes.

Having previous experience in Golden Retriever rescue, HRI was happy to welcome Marilyn Pozas (and her daughter who helps with socialization) to HRI. Marilyn is quick to say she and her daughter will help when a Havanese needs a foster home in California. When we've had several come in at once and we're trying to determine what to do, she has said, "Send them both! It will be fine."

Marilyn throws her heart into her volunteer work. She looks for resources in the community and her circle of friends to learn about issues important to a dog coming into rescue. She's taken one of her own animals to a new vet so she can learn about their practice and can decide whether or not they would be a vet to work with a new Havanese in foster care. Marilyn has even been known to travel hours with one of her foster dogs to meet the adoptive family so the dog didn't have to adjust to another person on her journey home. Thank you, Marilyn, for changing lives with your work in HRI.

HRI Volunteers: Lu Wyland with Nora (top) and Tony Van Slyke with Leena (bottom). Photos by Lynne Van Slyke.

The temperature was cold but anyone stopping by the HRI booth on February 10 at the Milwaukee Pet Expo got a warm and enthusiastic greeting. Five Havanese worked the crowds that day, introducing the public to our breed as our volunteers reminded people about responsible pet ownership and provided education on puppy mills.

Our Havanese themselves often work as volunteers at education booths such as these. Nora, adopted this summer, celebrated "Freedom Day," as it was her one year anniversary of being removed from a puppy mill in PA. She marched in the pet parade and received a lot of ear rubs and gentle pets from people stopping by to learn more about Havanese, HRI and puppy mills. She did a great job her first day "on the job" for Havanese rescue.

HRI provided pamphlets, posters and a puppy mill model for people interested in learning more about puppy mills, pet ownership, and choosing a responsible breeder if someone is interested in purchasing a dog instead of going through a rescue. Two photo albums with pictures of Havanese that have been adopted through HRI were presented as well, and a DVD featuring our dogs played on a laptop computer. Donations were accepted, information on adoption and volunteering was provided and many children played a Lollipop game to help support our rescue. HRI also had some great magnets for cars available and scarves that fit over dog collars.

At the end of the day there were a lot of doggie snores from the backseat after we volunteers packed up our materials and headed home.

- Lu Wyland

In 2005 a Development professional was commissioned to make a report to the HRI Board. We wanted our fledgling Development efforts organized in a thoughtful and professional way. We were given guidelines for growth including programs generally followed by non-profit organizations as well as those specifically tailored to HRI.

An Annual Appeal was a priority. November/December was given as the traditional time for these appeals (as you know from your mailboxes!). Last November, a wonderful letter written by Lu Wyland was sent to 750 volunteers, breeders who participated by sending them to their puppy owners, and to some club secretaries who sent them to their members and 'party' list.Our Online Newsletter also announced the campaign and printed the letter.

Six local clubs offered to match some of the donations. They are: Greater New York Havanese Club $1000, Delaware Valley Havanese Club $1000, Havanese Club of Southern California, $1000, Capital Havanese Club $500, Gateway Havanese Club $500, North Star Havanese Club $200. The total matched will be $4200.

Thank you; it makes all the difference. The campaign results have been very exciting. By the end of the year the donations totaled $16,041.00. This includes $500 of the matching grants. The local clubs have a year to complete their pledges. The final total will be over $20,000. It was the optimistic goal for this first attempt. You will never know how wonderful it was to have so much support from nearly everyone. Thanks to all of you.

Special thanks also to the very generous contributions from members of the Board, to the breeders who sent many letters out, to Jane Hohne who thanked each and every donor on behalf of HRI, to Michelle Burke whose web-site was a polished professional asset, and of course to Lu who wrote the beautiful letter and cheered on the effort.

We all know the need. We all know it is growing every year, with every article about Havanese, with every appearance on TV, with every inclusion on a chic list. We all know there are impulse buyers, people who cannot cope with a dog, and others who have life changes and must surrender a beloved pet.We must be ready to help them.

It has been a privilege to organize our first Annual Appeal. As with everything I have ever done for HRI, it was a joy.

Joan Ambrose