Pet of the Week: Tippy is tiny and friendly

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Tippy

Updated: February 13, 2012 11:53AM

Tippy is a purebred Japanese Chin. She is unusual because her face is all black except for a bit of white under her chin. (Get it, a Japanese Chin with a bit of white under her chin…).

Tippy is petite (13 pounds) and very friendly. She is healthy and had lived with a family until they experienced financial difficulties and needed to move into an apartment that didn’t allow pets.

Lucky Tippy got a foster home through Japanese Chin Care and Rescue Effort (JCCare), where she has been happily living, playing with the family, cuddling with them on the couch, and generally being treated like a queen.

They say that Tippy is a people dog. She loves to be with people, on laps, at bedtime (yes, she wants to sleep on the bed – right next to you!), and outside playing.

Tippy is not a couch potato and is agile enough to jump on the couch, the bed (obviously), and over a baby gate.

Like many small dogs, Tippy needs to be boss. That means that she’d do better in a home where she can truly be the queen bee, er, dog.

Tippy is current on her vaccinations, spayed and up-to-date on heartworm preventative. Her adoption fee is $300, which usually does not cover the cost of veterinarian bills, food, etc.

JCCare is also desperately looking for foster families (as are most shelters and rescues). Every dog that is temporarily taken in by a foster family means that another dog can be pulled from a kill shelter and saved. It’s literally a life saved.

Fostering is wonderful for families who don’t want to make a long-term commitment, but love dogs (or cats) and want to help. A foster might get adopted in a week or two months, but you will truly get the satisfaction of knowing that by taking in a dog for a short time, you saved one. And at no cost because food, vet bills, and other costs are paid for by the rescue.

Many dogs lose their homes through no fault of their own – because of an illness in the family, allergies, economic crises, or other reasons. They just need a chance.

If you are interested in adopting Tippy or fostering, please complete the adoption application at: www.japanesechinrescue.org. You may also call the foster mom, Nancy Derrig, at Clancy20@yahoo.com or call her at 773-216-4196.

Pet of the Week is written by Pamela Kramer. You may also email any animal questions to me at Pamanimalrescue@gmx.com. If you adopted through Pet of the Week and want to let me know how your dog or cat is doing, please send me an email!

Remember: Adopt a dog or cat! There are tens of thousands of homeless animals in the Chicago area alone that are waiting for a loving home. Here are some of the places to visit when looking for a family addition.

Aid to Animals, Barrington (847) 458-6325; Adopt-a-Pet, www.adoptapet-il.org/; Animal Education and Rescue, Libertyville, http://www.aear.org/; Illinois Doberman Rescue, www.ildoberescue.com; German Shepherd Rescue, Skokie, (847) 677-0561; Evanston Animal Shelter, (847) 866-5080; Orphans of the Storm, Deerfield, (847) 945-0235; Placing Paws of Libertyville, www.placingpawsrescue.org; Save-a-Pet, Grayslake, (847) 740-7788; All pets: www.Petfinder.org; Bird Rescue, Northbrook, http://www.rescuethebirds.org/.