January 2012
Featuring:  2011 Stats; Austin's Success
Story; "No-wheat" treats recipe.
Above and Beyond English Setter Rescue
Setter Tales News
A&B English Setter Rescue is run entirely by volunteers.  Every single volunteer has
his or her own special way of contributing to the rescue efforts, which in the end add
up to many, many happily wagging tails!!!  
Join us at Yahoo Groups
Click on the Candle
Reminder:
To all A & B Adopters
This rescue cares about our dogs from the day we hear about them needing
help until their last day on this earth.  Because we care, we expect every
adopter to call us immediately to let us know if their English Setter has
escaped their clutches.  We can and want to help -- you're not bothering us!

As a part of the A & B Family, it is your responsibility to make the phone call
to someone on the contacts page and to send us an e-mail if you have a
computer.  We can help bring your dog back home.  In most cases, with A &
B's help, our English Setters have been back in their homes within 30
minutes.  When a dog is lost, time is of the essence!  Please make a copy of
the contacts page and tack it onto your fridge.   
2011 proved to be yet another very busy and very successful year for
everyone involved with A&B English Setter Rescue.  A direct result of this is
the fact that over 100 Setters and Setter mixes were pulled out of bleak
situations and given a new chance at life.  

At the end of 2011, there were a total of 42 Foster Homes.

During 2011, just over 400 applications were received and 175 Setters
were matched with their forever homes.  These lucky Setters reached their
adoptive homes for the large part through the Above & Beyond Transport
Team network, who moved a total of 226 dogs on 127 transports - about
200 of these transports were for A&B English Setters.

At any given time throughout the year, there are anywhere from 12-18
wonderful volunteers acting as "buddies", one of the key roles to help
adopters and Setters find the perfect match for each other.

Well done everyone!  
SETTER SUCCESS  STORIES
The Setters we have adopted, and opened our homes and hearts to, all have stories to tell.  We all
enjoy a good success story.  Reading about a happy Setter is very motivational and rewarding for
those who spend countless hours and days doing everything they can to pull dogs from bad situations,
find foster homes and eventually good forever homes for them.  Does your adopted A&B Setter have a
great success story that you can share in this News Page?  Please send your Setter's Success story to
me at
canadasetters@esrescue.org, along with a good selection of photos that show how he/she has
found happiness in his/her forever home.

We look forward to featuring your Setter in our next News Page!
On October 25, 2011, an English Setter
named “Avery” (now Austin) began his
new life.  Austin had a rough start, having
spent the first 4 years of his life living in a
raised kennel in rural Georgia with nothing
but a barrel to curl up in for shelter, and
only a couple of outings a year when he
was used for bird hunting.  His owner
wanted rid of his dogs once they weren't
needed any longer for hunting so Austin
needed a place to go.

Thanks to a cooperative effort by a
number of kind-hearted volunteers who
desperately wanted to help him, Austin
was rescued from this sad life and unsure
future.  

The tremendous effort was started by
Samantha in Georgia who relentlessly
posted out his urgent plea to Rescue
Groups.  A&B English Setter Rescue was
able to offer a foster home in Texas,
allowing Austin to be pulled out of his
caged life, and be transported through the
A&B Transport Team to meet up with
Mary-Margaret who brought him to Texas.  
After being vetted by Dr. D’Lynn
Thompson, foster Mom Robin Hopkins took
very good care of Austin, nursing him back
to health from years of this outdoor life
and a case of heart worm.
A&B English Setter stats for 2011
Austin's Success Story and
Photo Gallery
"Austin's journey to his furever home began when we picked him up from foster mom Robin
Hopkins' home in New Braunfels, Texas.  He was introduced to his new fur sister, Ruby, our 12
year old Brittany/English Setter whom we rescued seven years ago.  We headed to Southern
California for a two day trip in our RV with our four year old puppy who had very few life
experiences.

When we first brought Austin home he ran around the yard, slipped and fell in the pool.  We
were happy to see he is an excellent swimmer.  He was terrified when the sprinklers came on
and ran whenever he saw a camera (we really wanted pictures of him).  He had to be coaxed
into the kitchen and barked at a large black skillet.

We maybe should have named him Shadow as he follows one of us all the time and won't go
anywhere without one of us.  When walking through the house we must be careful not to turn
around too quickly as we are likely to fall over Austie.  We think he will gain more
independence once he realizes this is how life is always going to be."

Stan & Mary
What a change Austin has
made in the 2 1/2 months as
a Californian!  We play ball
everyday and he finally
understands he must bring it
back for us to throw it again.
He's pretty good at
catching that ball.
Austin
We have a fairly large yard by
California standards and he loves
to run, and boy is he fast!  We
walk almost two miles everyday
on the golf course where we live
(when the golfers are gone) and
he is learning to heel very well.  
The golf course becomes an
extension of our yard.  He comes
when called most of the time and
will sit on command.  We are
amazed at what a fast learner he
is; his old fears seem to be gone.
Ruby is very tolerant of
him and only gives him
corrections when
necessary, like when he is
standing on her tail.  
Austin follows Ruby's lead
in most things such as
drinking water from the
pool.  He must bend over
a lot since his legs are so
long.
 
He is so big to be
leaning on Ruby, but
she doesn't seem to
mind.
Christmas was great this
year and Austin posed for
pictures even though he
refused to wear his
antlers.
He liked his doggy candy
cane.
Ruby and Austin usually lay close
together in the evening when we
are watching television.  He allows
us to give him love frequently and
comes running for his share if
Ruby is getting petted without
him.  If we sit on the floor, he
thinks he is a lap dog and tries to
sit on us.  What a joy he is!
How is that for a happy ending??
"No-Wheat" treats recipe

Try this very easy, healthy treat recipe guaranteed to please your four-legged best
friends!

1-1/2 cups rice flour
2 tbsp's peanut butter
2 strips of bacon
1 egg
about 1/2 cup of water

Fry bacon until crisp, reserve fat and cool.  Mix flour, peanut butter, egg and bacon plus
fat.  Add enough water to form a large ball.

Pinch off small pieces, roll into small balls.  Place on cookie sheet and flatten each ball
with a fork.  Bake in pre-heated oven at 350 F for 12-14 minutes.  Store in fridge and
dispense as desired!
The last piece of the puzzle for Austin was
meeting Stan and Mary Kutch, and traveling
to his new home in California.  Stan and
Mary describe Austin’s new life .......
on transport to TX
in Georgia
and on to California
Here Comes the Sun
- The Beatles