New Available BRATs: Jiji, Buddy, Cairo, Scout, and the A & A Team in Canada

NAME: Jiji
DOG STATE: Maine
DOB: 1/3/2006
GENDER: Female
COLOR: Red & white
WEIGHT: 28.8

Jiji (pronounced "gee gee", nicknamed Ji) is a sweet girl, a cuddler, playful but not over the top, likes both people and other like-minded dogs.

Ji's favorite activities including playing with a small tennis ball (she really good at the retrieving part not so good at the “drop”); she has a special teddy bear that she will dig out of the toy box and she loves bones. She hates to go outside in the rain (doesn’t like getting her feet wet) but the cold doesn’t seem to bother her. Most of all Ji needs a forever family to love and take care of her and in return you will get unconditional love.

Click HERE to find out more about Jiji!

NAME: Buddy
DOG STATE: New York
DOB: 10/2002
GENDER: Male
COLOR: Tricolor
WEIGHT: 30

Buddy is a happy and healthy boy whose personality shines through when he finds himself in the right, comfortable environment. He is all Basenji, which is a good thing, of course. Usually what he wants is to go outside to the backyard so he can chase squirrels. Buddy loves to play and is learning to ease up with the "easy" command when he sometimes plays rough. He is a good-natured boy who knows how to take it in stride when other dogs try to provoke him with dominant behavior or snark. He's also quite the snuggler, and likes sleeping in bed, but will also curl up on the couch or his dog bed, depending on what he prefers at the time.

Click HERE to learn more about Buddy!

NAME: Cairo
DOG STATE: Pennsylvania
DOB: 01/29/1998
GENDER: Male
COLOR: Red and white
WEIGHT: 23

Cairo is a lovable, snuggly boy of 13-years. He’s lived a long life but has still got lots of living left to do, and he’d love to do it snuggled up on the couch next to you! Cairo was well loved and very well cared for by his former family, and is a well-behaved basenji boy. He’s tall, slender, and rather petite in build, and at 23 pounds he’s still healthy and fit. He’s your typical “grouchy old man” and he rules the roost when it comes to the other dogs, but when it comes to the humans he’s all love and affection. He seems to like men best, and happily baroos whenever his foster daddy is around. He also is a great tail-wagger, and he gets his little curl spinning furiously when he’s happy to see you!

Click HERE to learn more about Cairo!

NAME: Scout
DOG STATE: North Carolina
DOB: 1997
GENDER: Female
COLOR: Red and white
WEIGHT: 27

Scout is one of the sweetest basenji girls you will ever meet. Her foster parents have had her on a great diet and exercise program that has made her feel young again. She is 13 years old, and very active -- remember that basenjis are a long-living breed! She came from a sad situation: her owners dumped her at a high kill shelter, but some nice lady recognized her as a basenji and called BRAT. A nice couple risked a big blizzard to pick her up on a Sunday, since she was scheduled to be put down on a Monday. Though Scout is now safe with her foster, she's still looking for her perfect forever home, preferably one with another dog younger than her. The diet and exercise program has been doing wonders for her, so her new family should be able to keep her on this schedule. It would also be best if her new family lets her sleep under the covers, since she has come to learn that touching her humans all snuggled deep under the covers is the only way to sleep well.

Click HERE to learn more about Scout!

And finally, we introduce The A & A Team…

NAMES: Angel & Abraham
LOCATION: Canada (Ontario)
DOB: 12/22/2005 (siblings)
GENDERS: Female & male
COLOR: Black and white
WEIGHT: 24 (F) & 28 (M)

Having just turned five years old, they’ve mostly outgrown their incredibly wild Basenji adolescence, and “Let's trash the house & swing from the light fixtures!” is no longer their favorite game. They’ve also got that troublesome housebreaking thing nailed down, and due to the breed’s longevity they have many, many healthy years ahead of them. Angel and Abraham are once-in-a-lifetime Basenjis: they have everything going for them except for a forever home as terrific as they are.

Click HERE to read individual bios and see more pictures of Angel & Abraham!

Looking for a rescue basenji? BRAT's listings are frequently updated. Please check back often!

The Cookbook of BRATs

Are you sick to death of fast food?Are you in a meal-time rut, screaming, "What's for dinner?!?"
Jump-start your taste buds with the first-ever BRAT cookbook: The Cookbook of Brats!

This 182-page, spiral-bound, two-color publication was designed and produced by Jackie Kuhwarth and illustrated with
adorable basenji drawings by Lynda Vital. It's a must-have for your cookbook collection, and your purchase of one—or more, for gift-giving!—will help BRAT continue its work to help basenjis in need.

The cookbook features favorite recipes from BRAT volunteers, plus basenji history, famous quotes, and food tips. You'll find wonderful recipes from 11 chapters:

• Basenji Food
• Basics
• Appetizers and Snacks
• Breads and Baked Goods
• Soups and Salads
• Main Dishes
• Vegetarian
• Pasta
• Vegetable Sides
• Grain and Potato Sides
• Desserts

All proceeds will be used to rescue, rehabilitate, and re-home basenjis in need! SEE FOUR PAGES OF THE COOKBOOK, RIGHT NOW!

COST: $19.95 plus shipping. All major credit cards accepted. CLICK TO ORDER NOW!

Is It Spring Yet?

Technically, yes, at about 7:21 PM last night in NH. But, if you look out the window today...

We were starting to make progress...


The snow was melting...

The snowpiles were shrinking and receding...

It was getting warm enough to sit outside in the sun...

We were getting hopeful; no more of this...

or this...

(heat-seeking Benny)


No more need for robies...

Eternal hope for Spring...

Our early Spring blossoms are pussywillows...

with the promise of...

THIS!

Sunny daffodils :-)

CAN'T wait for THIS!!!

New Available BRATs: from DC to California

NAMES: Max & Nepos
DOG STATE: California
DOB: 12/15/2004
GENDER: Male
COLOR: Black & White (M), Red & White (N)
WEIGHT: 27.9 (M), 22.9 (N)

Maximus and Nepos are very handsome bonded brothers looking for a forever home where they can be together and share their love for each other with a Human Pack. These two guys are both sweet and easygoing. They love to just cuddle up on the sofa and enjoy a quiet evening. They enjoy walks in the park.

These two will only be placed together. Which is great, because its so hard for us humans to only welcome one basenji into our lives. Max and Nepos will start you out with a set of loving and easygoing basenjis.

Click HERE to learn more about Max and Nepos!

NAME: Sugar
DOG STATE: Texas
DOB: 01/07/2002
GENDER: Female
COLOR: Red & white
WEIGHT: 24

Sugar is very appropriately named. She loves to give "sugar" or kisses. She loves kids! She gets along great with most anyone or any dog. She is not timid. Sugar is 9 years old but you would never know it. She is lean, very fit and healthy. She likes to play although she is not a dog that is all over you. Sugar is happy to sit next to you on the couch and enjoys being petted or have her belly rubbed.

The ideal home for Sugar is a “Family” setting.

Click HERE to learn more about Sugar!

NAME: Isha
DOG STATE: DC, District of Columbia
DOB: 01/02/2007
GENDER: Female
COLOR: Tricolor
WEIGHT: 31

Isha is without question the most gentle and sweet Basenji her foster dad has ever met. Originally from the feral Wimauma, FL pack, Isha has undergone an amazing change to become a playful and social girl. People are just drawn to Isha. Whether it's her soulful eyes, or shy, gentle temperament or just the joy of her romping play, people tend to fall instantly in love with her. She has a charm that is hard to resist. Hyper-sensitive to body language and vocal tones, Isha never requires any correction stronger than a calm, firm, "No" or a direct gaze. In fact, she will generally take personally any correction for other members of the pack. Her foster dad has found himself scolding a naughty pack member and then turning to her to say "You're OK Isha. You're a good girl" and offer an affectionate stroke for reassurance.

Click HERE to learn more about Isha!

NAME: Pongo
DOG STATE: DC, District of Columbia
DOB: 11/09/2008
GENDER: Male
COLOR: Brindle
WEIGHT: 28

A strikingly handsome dark brindle boy, 2-year-old Pongo is still very much bursting with puppy energy. He is one of the sweetest and most social Basenjis you'll meet. He is excited to greet any new dog, especially loving to wrestle and rough-house with larger breeds and playing chase with other Basenjis. When it's time to settle down, Pongo wants to snuggle right up against your side or in your lap, preferring to be the center of your attention, though he has no problem sharing your attention if he must. Pongo bonds strongly to his person, preferring to always be in your company, including being able to burrow under the covers to snuggle with you at bedtime.

Click HERE to learn more about Pongo!

Basenjis in need come from a variety of backgrounds and each has a lot to offer. Please check out the listings of current available dogs on the main BRAT website to find one that matches you!

Basenji Supervision Required

One of the many joys of living with basenjis is the lack of dog hair festooning every surface. We can wear black with impunity, and we don’t have to leap to cover a chair before a guest’s posterior comes in contact with massive amounts of fur. We don’t have huge puddles around their water dishes as they are fastidious consumers of liquids. We seldom have muddy paw prints to contend with as getting muddy is not one of their favorite things. (Dasa will occasionally risk it if plants need to be disinterred, but mud in general is something they avoid.) However, since Ivan and Dasa don’t shed or drool, they seem to feel we need other incentives clean on a regular basis. They frequently offer assistance in this area as they aren’t quite sure we can handle it without their help.

In addition to counter surfing, which she is determined to master despite being not quite tall enough, Dasa’s help consists of scratching at the door of whatever room I’m in, making it quite clear I’m neglecting her. I have a baby gate in the doorway to my work room (also known as a room filled with odds and ends that need to be sorted, donated, filed or otherwise dealt with at some unspecified point in the future). Dasa might be asleep on another floor, but should I step over the baby gate and attempt to sprinkle a bit of order among the confusion, she’s at the door, scratching insistently to remind me that I’m on the wrong side of the baby gate. I know they can easily hop over baby gates, but they don’t seem to remember that about this one, so please do not tell them.

Ivan is a wonderful helper with most anything he decides to oversee. Laundry can be very challenging for humans and, therefore, careful supervision is required to make sure we get it right. I learned from Reno that I should sit on the floor when I sort laundry because it’s easier for a little basenji to reach items and race off gleefully with a human always a few steps behind. Ivan benefits from this early training, and takes full advantage. My puppy boy sometimes parks himself on my lap as I attempt to sort laundry. This assistance requires me to sort with one hand and rub behind an ear with the other.

Ivan also industriously plucks articles of clothing from the dryer and runs off with them, having trained me to chase after him and quickly trade a treat before the article is customized. Despite my efforts, many dinner napkins and aerobics t-shirts bear evidence that I was not quite fast enough. Occasionally, I’ll find socks or underwear whose customization I missed until they’re ready to fold. Then I realize the Jaws of Ivan have made it unnecessary to fold these articles, thus saving my time for rubbing ears and tummies. Ivan is often so helpful I get no real housework done, but I do spend time with two small dogs, which is much more important.

Basenjis Vocalizing

Those who have a camera and use it often collect a history of their Basenjis through the years, and some even record their Basenjis vocalizing.  To hear some great examples of Basenji vocalizations, visit YouTube and search for "Basenji." 

Many people are new to Basenjis, and many have had several generations of them.  How did you first become familiar with Basenjis?  Some people came to love the breed through the movie, "Goodbye My Lady."  Others, like me, started their Basenji fascination at a dog show.

  

I remember the dog show here in Seattle where I first met the Basenji many years ago.  The strange sound from one corner of the large arena was haunting and I was drawn toward the eeriness.  As I approached, several Basenjis decided to do a group howl.  As one Basenji started, another would join in and finally almost all the Basenjis were singing a long and forgotten song from Africa that echoed through the building.  Once you hear that howl, you will never forget it.

While many people hold the misconception that Basenjis are "silent" dogs because they don't make a barking noise like most dogs, they are by no means quiet. The vocal cords of the Basenji are unique and unlike others of the dog world.  They allow the Basenji to make a howling noise, a baroo or a yodeling noise, and in some cases even a muted bark.  With such an vocal repertoire at their disposal, each Basenji is unique in the noises it chooses to make, and not all Basenjis choose to howl or even yodel.  Our BRAT boy Sanji does a very loud yodel when he wants something that is out of his reach.  He also screams as high as a young child,  if he is imposed upon or someone steps on his foot accidentally. In the evening when the boys are settling down, Sanji will do a high pitched growl to get Gumbo to hold still so that he can clean his ears.  The growls of a loved Basenji are generally not a warning growl like the sound a dog makes before a bite, but more like a grumbling old person.

Basenjis do sometimes offer a wimpy bark. Gumbo has done this bark since he was very young and saw his image reflected in a window. The bark is more a forced burp than a bark.   Now he is not fooled by the reflection anymore, but he will warn us if there is someone coming up our walkway-- three "burps" at the most.   We always thank him for the warning.  Gumbo has never howled or yodeled but he does have several interesting sounds.  At night if he needs to go out for a break he will offer a low throated voice much like someone verbalizing.  He will also join in when I sing, with nouns, verbs and cadence so close to a human voice that it makes me wonder, do these Basenjis hearing our language really try to converse with us on our level?  

-Marj Baker

North Texas Irish Festival

Two weeks ago, 17 of our wonderful BRAT volunteers in Texas got together and hosted a BRAT booth at the North Texas Irish Festival in Dallas, TX. It was a 3-day weekend event with over 100,000 attendees, running from Friday through Sunday, March 4-6. Our volunteers not only took the initiative to sign BRAT up to host a booth and be represented at the festival alongside 20 other rescue groups, but they also staffed the booth themselves in 4-hour shifts, all weekend long. In the end, it was totally worth it -- their great efforts resulted in some fantastic basenji awareness building in the Dallas community and animal rescue community, lots of interest in BRAT and adopting our rescued basenjis, some new BRAT volunteers, and some donations to BRAT!

For the volunteers, this was their first effort in participating in this festival or any venue of this nature. The event itself was lots of fun, as there were entertainment and vendors throughout the Park, and attendees were treated to plenty of Irish/Celtic music, dancers, bagpipes and story tellers. Our volunteers arrived early and set up a 10” x10” booth which consisted of a table, two chairs, a curtain backdrop with a 2’ x8” BRAT banner attached to it, and 2 large BRAT signs.


They set themselves up into 4 hour shifts, covering each day from open to close, with a minimum of 2 volunteers on each shift and as many as 5 during the busiest hours of the day. They had at least one basenji at the booth at all times, with several shifts having two. Folks walking by the table were treated to basenji paw-shakes, lots of basenji petting and adoration, great conversations about basenjis and BRAT, and perhaps even a yodel or two!

The table was kept stocked with:

• The BRAT tri-fold brochure handouts;
• Clipboards with “Become a BRAT Volunteer” and “Adopt A Basenji” signup sheets;
• Two binders with pictures & descriptions of the current basenjis available on the BRAT website;
• Three (3) donation containers.

In addition to setting up and staffing the BRAT booth, our intrepid volunteers also participated in the Saturday afternoon festival parade. Lori and Russ Stowe walked their two Basenjis, much to the crowd's delight, and Maggie Reinhold proudly led the way with a BRAT sign.

Overall, the festival was a huge success. Our volunteers' goal was to increase awareness about Basenji Rescue and basenjis, and they did exactly that: During the weekend they estimate that they talked to approximately 400 people about basenjis, with possibly another 1000 or so at least seeing the booth. There were donations made, as well as 8 people that signed up on the “Become a Volunteer” sheet, and 4 people that applied to adopt via the “Adopt a Basenji” sheet.

Our volunteers and BRAT in general also learned a lot from participating in this event. We picked up plenty of ideas about how to best participate in future "festival" events like this one. The key is to have basenjis present, because they are the real stars and they will attract the interest of children and adults alike. Plus, our basenjis loved the attention!

Our basenji "Stars" of the North Texas Irish Festival were:

• Pharoh
• Bana
• Zaire
• Bomba
• Bennie
• Sahara

Our event "Co-Stars" were the following BRAT volunteers:

• Lori and Russ Stowe
• Benjamin and Archana Menke
• Tina Brown
• Anita White
• Jessica and Doug Kincannon
  
• Linda Coker
• Justin and Alissa Long
• Nancy Watts
• Kathy Goldman
• Stacie Meeker
• Diana and Lubie Martin
• Rick and Maggie Reinhold

Many, many thanks to both basenjis and BRAT volunteers for their incredible and worthwhile efforts at the North Texas Irish Festival. You were a great success!

If anyone is interested in learning more about this event or how to set one up, please contact Rick Reinhold at rikmag13@aol.com

Crafty BRAT Fundraiser!!!

Yesterday I participated in the BeCause Craft Show to raise money for Basenji Rescue and Transport (BRAT). The BeCause Craft Show is a really unique event here in Vermont in which VT artists and and crafters come together and spend a day raising money for the local or global charity of their choice. So a big thank you to all who came out to the show and support all the wonderful organizations represented. Another big thank you to my friend Lauren who helped me run my booth + the Basenji table. And if you missed the show, you can still donate to BRAT thru their website or via my online shop in which I am donating some of my profit to Basenji Rescue.

Please enjoy the pictures of the event. :)

New Available BRATs: CB, Zen, and Lady

NAME: CB (Charlie Bravo)
DOG STATE: Texas
DOB: 5/22/2006
GENDER: Male
COLOR: Tri-color
WEIGHT: 28

Charlie Bravo, or CB is almost five years old, but he still has a lot of puppy left in him. He has tons of energy and loves to run with the pack. He loves to wrestle, too! If playmates are not available, he will just entertain himself with toys. He also loves to cuddle and will easily fall asleep with a human. He is a good boy, and is learning new tricks every day. So far he has learned to sit on command, down, come, and even stay sitting while getting his leash put on. He will even dance a little if you have a treat.

Click HERE to learn more about CB!

NAME: Zen
DOG STATE: Illinois
DOB: 02/14/2010
GENDER: Male
COLOR: Red and White
WEIGHT: 20

Zen is a young, handsome, wrinkly boy. He's a bundle of sunshine and energy; exercise is his middle name. He is a sponge for learning and should be taken to obedience classes. He does play fetch, and he even brings toys right back to you. He is crate trained, but doesn't like to be left alone in one. Most of the time, he's a good boy. He's cute, cuddly, playful, and lots of fun.

Click HERE to learn more about Zen!

NAME: Lady
DOG STATE: Indiana
DOB: 12/20/2002
GENDER: Female
COLOR: Red & white
WEIGHT: 24.4

Lady is a sweet and wonderful 8-year-old red & white female basenji. She enjoys snuggling in your lap and lots of walks! In fact, Lady is an "avid" walker! Other than snuggling, there isn't much more she loves than a long walk.

This pretty gal is sociable with other basenjis. She loves to play and enjoys being the nosy basenji in the group. She is not destructive and is house trained. Lady is also crate trained. But she prefers to sleep in bed with her people. She also enjoys snuggling on the sofa at the end of a long day.

Click HERE to learn more about Lady!

Not sure if any of these are a good fit for you? There are many more listed on the main BRAT website. Perhaps the right basenji for your home is waiting now!

Team effort

There have been a few Facebook and BRAT postings about the recent multi-state transport of Gunnar from Iowa to Louisiana. Many people have thanked the transporters--I was among them--and we appreciate the kind words. But I don't want us to forget the unsung heroes in this, the "rest of the story," as Paul Harvey used to say: those initial volunteers that made it all possible. First, there was the volunteer who pulled Gunnar from a shelter in Oklahoma; there was Rick in Texas who arranged a transport to get Gunnar to his foster home in Iowa; there was Lindy, his foster Mom, and his adoption coordinator; and there was the new adoptive Mom, Bridget, who has opened her heart to provide this forever home. Those of us in the middle are merely supporting actors in this fairy tale ending. For those of us who have coordinated, we know how hard it is to choose just the right adopter, knowing you are disappointing some, but hoping and praying that your decision is the correct one. Lindy may never fully appreciate the amazing feat she accomplished by organizing eight legs of a very long trip--but it ran without a hitch and even ran early! Her persistence and dedication to getting Gunnar to his new home is exactly the reason I am proud to volunteer with BRAT. We have some amazing individuals giving their time and energy to our cause.

I was the final leg of Gunnar's epic trip. It was my privilege to place him in his new Mom's lap early Monday morning. I will never forget the joy in that moment. Gunner is home; he is safe; and he will live like a prince for the rest of his life. He even had a Welcome Home banner strung across the front porch when we arrived.

So my sincere thanks to everyone who made this happen, and for allowing me to be a part of that journey.

Canine Good Citizen!

Bow doing her perfect down stay, one of the parts of the Canine Good Citizen test

February 12 marked an important milestone in our household. Bow passed the AKC Canine Good Citizen test!

We have been working on obedience almost since the day Bow arrived nearly two and a half years ago. In January we began an intense course for the Canine Good Citizen test with two other rescue dogs -- a gold retriever named Paddie and a Heinz 57 named Pablo who was rescued just hours before he was scheduled to be euthanized. All three passed the test which is pass fail, not based on a cumulative score.

Considering that Bow has dealt with seizures and her brain tumor I questioned a few times if I should put her through the training. Should I just indulge her and let her do whatever she wants with what time we have left together. I am glad that I did not go with that scenario. Bow loves to "work" and has come to enjoy the socializing in the class. When she arrived she would freak out if she saw another dog within 50 feet and would start whimpering, spinning and chewing her leash. She can now let Paddie pass within inches and have no reaction. She has built trust of her slowly. She will probably never want to play a game of chase with her, but they have a respectful tolerance of each other I never thought possible two years ago.

Basenjis teach and remind us of many life lessons each day. I am glad that Bow and I pushed ourselves to reach this milestone. I think it has helped her health and agility to have gone through the process. I did indulge her with extra treats as a celebration.

Kaya: Alaska's "Luckiest" Basenji

Did you know that BRAT does rescues in Alaska?  We do!  And just this month, we’ve already pulled off a rescue there.  This is the story of Kaya.  

On March 1, 2011, a few BRAT volunteers forwarded us a post on Petfinder.com, about a little red and white basenji girl named Kaya, in a shelter in Anchorage, Alaska.  The post described her as, 

“Cute, petite and playful, this young girl is just a year old.  She likes toys, playing fetch, and walks well on her leash. She’s lived with kids, but has a tendency to play bite because she’s still just a pup. Her former owners don’t have time for her.”  

BRAT President Liz Newton responded immediately by notifying the only stationmasters in Anchorage -Lenore and Bud Senko- and asking them to go to the shelter to spring Kaya.  The Senkos said they could go get her from the shelter, but they couldn't foster her because they were leaving that weekend to go on a weeklong cruise celebrating their 45^th wedding anniversary.  However, Liz knew of a former adopter and current foster volunteer family, Richard and Gina Knox, who live about 50 miles away in Wassilla, Alaska.  The Knox family had adopted BRAT girl Zeta back in 2003, and they loved her well until she passed in 2009 at the ripe old age of 14.  Initially, Zeta’s foster, Debbi Johnson, had been nervous about flying a basenji all the way from Memphis, TN, to Alaska.  But it worked out perfectly, and the Knox family gave Zeta a wonderful forever home.  Now, Liz was hopeful that they could once again provide a wonderful and loving foster home, this time for little Kaya.  

The Senkos called the Knoxes, who, conveniently, just happened to be in a perfect situation to adopt a new dog.  Perfect!  After their girl Zeta had passed in 2009, the Knoxes had said they weren’t ready for another dog.  But as most dog lovers know, that resolution never lasts for very long.  Now, with a child away at school and a flexible work schedule, the Knox family had started thinking they might start looking to adopt a red & white basenji.  Then they got the call about Kaya, a young, playful little red & white girl only 50 miles away, and the situation was perfect!   Could it be fate?  

 Thus, the perfect plan was set – the Senkos would go to the shelter and spring Kaya immediately, and the Knoxes would drive to Anchorage that weekend to adopt her.  But, when the Senkos went to the shelter to get Kaya, they were told that she had already been adopted earlier that day!  So much for fate and the “perfect” plan.  

However, it turns out that fate had yet another hand to play.  While the disappointed Senkos were there talking to shelter staff, a "good Samaritan" brought in a female basenji who had just been "bumped" by a car.  Thankfully, her only injury was some road rash.  The shelter staff did not immediately recognize her as the same dog (Kaya) they had placed earlier in the day, but the Senkos convinced them to scan for her chip.  They scanned her, and the little female was indeed Kaya.  The shelter called the adopter, who said Kaya had jumped out of her car while she was running errands, and she did not think she could manage such an active dog.  The Senkos immediately offered to reimburse the adopter for the adoption fee she had paid, and they took Kaya home with them that same night.

The next day, the Knox family drove to Anchorage to meet Kaya.  Kaya warmed up to them in just minutes, and went happily home with them to Wassilla.  They were so glad to welcome Kaya into their home, and she’s fit in so well that it is as though she has always been there.  Kaya is a typical basenji puppy – “a Jack Russell on steroids,” so it’s perfect that the Knox family has a HUGE fenced yard (complete with a little duck pond) for her to run around in.  She met the cat (Muffler) and German Shepherd (bailey), both of whom are B savvy, and a bond was made right away.  Now, Kaya spends her days hanging out in the shop with Richard or at home with Gina, and sleeps in their bed or curled up with Bailey just like Zeta used to do.   It’s a “perfect” match, and the Knox family couldn’t love her more!  

All who were involved with this adoption agree that it was amazing how quickly and perfectly it came together, and feel that there must have been fate or a higher power at work here.  There are too many weird coincidences for things have worked out in such a wonderful way, without some sort of miraculous intervention.  At the receiving end of all of the blessings are little Miss Kaya, who couldn’t be happier in her new home, and Richard & Gina Knox, who are so grateful and joyous that they have a new baby basenji girl to cherish.  

BRAT’s new President, Liz Newton, was excited about how wonderfully this placement worked out, as she enjoys most of all her work on the front lines doing rescues and placements.  Liz says, “Making good matches is very rewarding to me and more important than any title I may have.”  As our post from yesterday highlighted, Liz has recently stepped forward to fill the vacancy in the President position left when our founder, Mike Swan, retired from the job after many years of wonderful service.  Liz has been a longtime BRAT Board member and already had her hands full with both placements and administrative work, but she was happy to step up to the helm when she saw the need because she believes strongly in BRAT’s mission.  She hopes to carry us forward, continuing to lead and develop BRAT’s rescue capabilities, and continuing on the front lines making great placements like Kaya. 

BRAT Board Changes

Last week BRAT's founder, Mike Swan, retired from his post as President of our organization. Liz Newton, who is a regional coordinator and a longtime member of the BRAT Board, has agreed to step up to the post and become our new President. We are grateful to Mike for his many years of leadership and dedicated service to BRAT, and for his wonderful vision of rescuing basenjis nationwide that he made into a reality when he formed BRAT. Mike, you are a pioneer and you will surely be missed! As we turn now towards our future as an organization, we are confident that Liz will use her skills and experiences from serving many years on the "front lines" of rescue, to ensure that we keep BRAT moving forward and expand our capabilities to rescue even more homeless basenjis.

In addition to Mike's departure and Liz's elevation to President, the BRAT Board also unfortunately loses Barbara McShea, who has been a coordinator and a longtime Board member. The Board would like to thank Barbara for the many years she served as an officer and Board member. We are very grateful to her for remaining with BRAT as a stationmaster who both fosters and coordinates many basenjis annually.

In order to fill these two vacancies, the BRAT Board of Directors is pleased to announce that two new directors have been added. Roberta Kosek and Chey Miller, both longtime regional and district coordinators, have been selected to serve on the Board. The board officers are now as follows:

• Elizabeth Newton, President/Director; 
• Roberta Kosek, Vice-president/Director; 
• Debbi Johnson, Treasurer/Director; 
• Jackie Kuhwarth, Director;
• Chey Miller, Director. 

Additionally, B. Ann Hageman has accepted the position of BRAT Secretary, and a new position has been designated and filled by naming Don Kuhwarth as Chief Information Officer. B.Ann spends many hours weekly reviewing new adoption applications, volunteer applications, and maintaining our databases of both. Don spends many hours weekly maintaining the security of BRAT's web site and databases, and in the next few weeks he will be contacting other stationmasters who manage information to determine how we can improve our processes. We are glad to have them both on board and thank them for their continuing service to BRAT.

In closing, we'd like to once again thank our departing Board members for their hard work and years of service, and we look forward to working with our current and new Board members, as well as all of our dedicated volunteers nationwide, to accomplish our mission.

New Available BRATs: Zippy, Dutch, and Tut

NAME: Zappa (aka Zippy)
DOG STATE: Oregon
DOB: January 2010
GENDER: Male
COLOR: Red and white

Zippy in Oregon is a lively and energetic red & white basenji boy. Zippy is all about having fun and exploring. He is so very curious and oh yes - loves to play! He loves to wrestle, play bow, fetch, chase, and "zip" around, hence why he is called "Zippy". He is just a bundle of fun and youthful energy. He enjoys both male and female dogs. He will chase cats as well. He is good with respectful children. He will need a family that understands how much energy a young basenji boy can have and help him burn it off, so to speak.

Click HERE to learn more about Zippy!

NAME: Tut
DOG STATE: California
DOB: 2007?
GENDER: Male
COLOR: Red and white

Tut is a young red & white male of about 4-years. He came into BRAT after being found wandering the foothills of Central California by a rancher. He is a very playful teenage dog who enjoys playing with all breeds of dogs. He runs, jumps, boxes and does the B-500. He loves to play tug-of-war with foster sister Abbie or fetch a ball when his foster dad tosses it. He is extremely affectionate and loves to cuddle with anyone or find a place on the sofa or bed to curl up and take a nap.

Click HERE to learn more about Tut!

NAME: Dutch
DOG STATE: Maine
DOB: 12/21/2002
GENDER: Male
COLOR: Red and white

Dutch is a really cool basenji; he's typical in some ways and in many ways he's not. His looks are rather unique, too, not having much white other than his chest, toes and the tip of his tail. He is a confident boy, accepting of strangers. However in a new home environment, he is not quick to cuddle. He takes the time to get to know and trust you. While Dutch is very interested if you have food, he doesn't try to steal it. He may inch his way closer and give you "puppy dog eyes" and if that doesn't work, he will lie down and wait patiently. He's good meeting new people, good at the vet and riding in the car; knows sit, lay down and shake/paw.

Click HERE to learn more about Dutch!

Are these B's too far away from where you live?

Check out the list of available dogs on the main BRAT page to find a Basenji in need near you!

Hi, My Name is Tucker

Hi, hey there.

So my name is Tucker. I’m a young boy. Not sure of my origins; I know very little about me.

How did I get introduced to BRAT? Well, not in the best of situations. My previous owner sadly went to jail; once or maybe more than once, only he knows. In his best effort he told them he owned a dog; that’s me, Tucker.

Unfortunately my introduction to shelter life wasn’t all peaches and pearls. My unhappiness was very noticeable. Someone called BRAT. Hey, I thought that was my name!

My First Foster Mom took me in. She was told I have a lot of baggage, but there are no words for such a term in Doggie Language. So I chilled at Foster Mom’s place with her husband. Another human term, ugh. I’ll just call them Foster Parents. It’s nice and peaceful, so much better than the shelter. I was still not feeling quite right, though, so my Foster Parents let me be in a safe place by myself. My food changed – no grains, high quality and very tasty. Not the kind of stuff that the shelter could afford to give me.

I was a bit squirrelly when I joined the BRAT club. Foster Mom wasn’t sure if I would settle down. She couldn’t quite point to one thing to say why, but she wondered if I could ever be trusted. I would run the fence and get worked up whenever another dog came around. I don’t know why – I couldn’t help myself. Now they did have this female basenji, and we didn’t see eye to eye; maybe because she wanted to taste test me, or maybe I was just plain annoying. I don't know, I’m young. We would argue.

I started to feel differently over a couple of months. I didn’t need to run the fence. I didn’t feel so edgy or squirrelly. Foster Mom started to really work with me. I did well. She was pleased. She thought it was time to test the new, improved me.

Foster Parents are so wonderful, patient and caring. I recommend them to every Basenji!

Packing up time again. Nope, not the shelter - another Foster environment, this time to see how I do with long work hours. Basenjis have to work?? I arrive at this house, but it doesn’t look like a Foster Parents place. I’m a little confused, so it's potty time!!!

Wow, I met the resident Alpha Basenji Girl, and she has some social issues. Well since her mouth is open and making all these weird sounds, I might as well sniff through the gate and stick my nose in it. K, she’s safe, no chomping on me. I look up at Foster Parent and Alpha Girl’s Mom; are you going to help her? Because she’s wigging out. So I go back outside to enjoy the lawn while Alpha Basenji Girl is being just plain dumb.

So Alpha Foster Sister decides I’m fun, and not at all scary. I have a blast playing the Nylabone game with her. My foster mom laughs and laughs. I’m so cute at it that Alpha Foster Sister can’t resist me. I guess you’re wondering what her name; I call her Diva Hag or DH. I have other doggie friends, and the Lab next door is really cool.

Why are they taking pictures of me? I’m not standing still for this. Ok, well maybe one. Foster Parents are smitten with me and Diva Hag's mom tells BRAT how wonderful I am. So I’m posted on BRAT’s site. I do look quite handsome.

Wow! It's time for my “Forever Home,” my very own! I’m smitten with my Dad. Dad sent pictures to Diva Hag's Mom after a month or so. I’m so happy. Everything seems just great, but I noticed that my food tastes different. Hmmm, it seems I’m getting grains again.

I don’t think I’m feeling quite right. It’s been a couple of months since my food has tasted differently. I don’t know why, but I lash out at one of my fur siblings. I can’t remember the details or Dad’s and Mom’s reactions, but a month or so has passed since I first lashed out. I haven’t been able to stop myself from escalating my attacks on my fur siblings. I wish I could talk to one of my old foster moms – they would know what to do. I don’t feel right and now my skin is a bit itchy. I manage to take it out on one of my siblings a bit too seriously – I got through their dense, long coat and left my mark. Mom doesn’t trust me. Dad has to let me go, but first I have to stay somewhere else for a day.

Where am I now? I don’t understand. I don’t feel well. When I get home from my day away, I have a wound on my neck. My humans don’t get it – they think it was from a harness. I have been itching myself. The stress of a day in a kennel, where I was confined to a large crate for the day, was too much on top of my itchy, uncomfortable body. Why hasn’t anyone noticed the rash between my back legs?

I hurt and itch and lash out and don’t stop when I should. Moved again. My new Foster Mom notices the scratch mark on my neck and the rash between my legs the moment I step out of the car. – YEA – Someone noticed! There are a lot of happy, well-balanced basenjis here, but I don’t feel well. My Foster Mom realizes that I’m eating the wrong food. Finally, I get stuff that tastes right, but I don’t feel right yet. The happy basenjis leave me alone. Sometimes, I will forget my troubles and play with them, but mostly I’m itching. Foster Mom rubs a huge amount of hair off of me – is it shedding season? My neck is looking much worse. I shake my head like I have water in my ears. A gentle oatmeal baby shampoo bath provides some temporary relief. Foster Mom takes me to see the vet. I lash out at someone trying to help me – I don’t know why. I can’t help myself. I do it a few times. Right before my fit, Foster Mom sees the instantaneous change in expression and very dilated pupils. My eyes look almost black. The old Tucker is gone.

More pills; doing a little better, but just a little. I whimper, there she is, my new Foster Mom who consoles me. She wishes she could do more, but once the wrong stuff is in my system, it can take a couple of months to get out. The pills can only do so much. I am feeling a bit better at times, so I play with my new basenji siblings – Tucker is back. They look at me a bit strangely, but are very patient while we figure out how to play together. Hey, I think they like my style – head swing and butt bump. It was fun, but I’m still not feeling quite right. I don’t understand it, but I can’t stop myself from suddenly attacking my play pals. I don’t understand myself – is this a nightmare where I become a demon? The old Tucker is gone again. Foster Mom corrals and restrains me with a barrier as calmly as possible until the demon passes, but it takes days for my hackles to disappear. I don’t know what to think. One of my pals hurts himself and cries out like a child – I attack. I can’t help myself. I’m attacking all my friends.

Foster Mom is very understanding but I’m not and it’s unsure if I ever will be. Foster Mom is very distraught. It’s likely to happen again. She might be able to fix it, but it will take a very long time to be sure. What if a new home was to change something again? Foster Mom can’t control the rest of the world. She is so sad. She loves on me right until the end.

I have no more time, but I’m unaware. They hurt, it’s a hard decision to make and not done lightly.

It was such an honor to be loved by BRAT members.

Hi, my name is Tucker.

NOTE: To all adopters and even foster homes. Food allergies are serious and can really alter a dog and if mishandled, mistreated or misdiagnosed, can become a liability to everyone around them and a sad ending. The majority of dogs start to show food allergies between 2 and 6 years old, though it may happen at any age. In addition to wheat, corn and soy, other common food allergens are beef, dairy, chicken and chicken eggs. It may take 2-3 months to manifest symptoms once a dog has been exposed to allergens, and may take 2-3 months to clear their system once the allergen has been removed. Some possible signs of food allergies are skin rash, head shaking, itching, anal itching, foot, leg and tail chewing, hair loss, vomiting, diarrhea and behavioral changes. If the dog you get is sent off with certain food, don’t change it for several months and don’t add in different treats. Check your dog all over regularly to look for any rashes, bumps or lumps. If the dog you adopt becomes a dog you don’t recognize or exhibits behavior you don’t expect, call BRAT the FIRST time you notice any indication.

In Loving Memory of Tucker, Feb 2011.