Pugnacious for pets

Local group gives unique canines a second chance

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Pugs, although not a conventionally handsome breed of dog, have a substantial following in the valley.

The Southern Nevada Pug Rescue, a newly formed nonprofit organization, is on a mission to rescue homeless, neglected, sick, injured or unwanted pugs, rehabilitate them and place them in a loving valley home.

Although the Southern Nevada Pug Rescue (SNPR) is a new organization, it is continuing the work of the founders of the now defunct KC's Pug Rescue.

KC's Pug Rescue was founded by KC Smith and Rudy Jacober in 1998 with the same mission. Smith and Jacober headed the organization until December 2005, when they moved to Tennessee.

"The rescue was getting so big," Smith said from her Tennessee home. "We wouldn't have been able to keep doing it ourselves anyway. It was just getting too big too fast."

So when Smith and Jacober decided to move, they informed those who had adopted pugs from their rescue of their plans and asked those who were interested to carry on the mission.

"We adopted out 311 pugs in eight years. We did most adoptions on the weekends. It just got to be too much for two people," Smith said.

After learning that KC's Pug Rescue would no longer exist, a group of adoptive families pulled together and formed a board, the SNPR.

"We're very honored and proud that they're keeping our dream alive," Smith said. "This really meant a lot for us, that they stepped up and they're following our dream through."

Lisa Wilson, the co-director of the SNPR organization, had been contemplating volunteering her spare time to help animals but was having trouble finding the right fit.

"I read on the Web site that KC and Rudy were leaving and were looking to get a board together," said Wilson, who has three pugs and works as a coach and physical education teacher at Cimarron-Memorial High School. "I knew it was the perfect opportunity for me to get involved."

Wilson said she had adopted a pug from KC's Pug Rescue nearly two years ago and continued to check the group's Web site on a regular basis, a common tendency among adoptive families.

The irony of Wilson's relationship with pugs is that she really didn't care for them, until her college roommate's pug woke her up in the nick of time to take a final.

"In college, I really wasn't a fan of them, and then one morning I forgot to set my alarm and the dog actually woke me up in time for my test," Wilson said. "Then I started to think they're not that bad."

Some people think pugs are adorable, and others think they're ugly, Wilson said.

"I can understand both," she said.

When the rescue receives dogs, they are placed with foster families until adopted by a fitting family.

Denise Mitchell has been fostering pugs for several years.

"I began fostering for KC and Rudy and I just continued on," she said.

Mitchell has four dogs, two of which are pugs; one is a rescue dog.

"When Lisa brings one to me and drops them off, I treat them like I do my own," she said. "Right now, I have Adora, and at first she was totally afraid, afraid of everything. I couldn't get a collar or a leash on her. She didn't know what a treat was. She wasn't comfortable around people or dogs. Now, she's really coming along."

Adora, who is about 2 or 3 years old, was used to produce litters of puppies and nothing more, according to Mitchell and Wilson. Adora was rescued by the group after spending a few days in an area shelter, and she has been with Mitchell since Jan. 6.

While Adora was found at a shelter, the majority of the dogs the rescue receives are from families that can no longer properly care for their pets.

"Pugs are some of the most loving dogs," Mitchell said. "And we just want to make sure they have loving homes."

Smith noted that new pug owners need to be aware of the most common problem with the breed, which involves their eyes.

"They bulge out, so they can get scratched easily," she said. "And the scratch can become infected. So you need to make sure their eyes are healthy."

The other main concern with the breed is that they don't respond well to heat.

"They are not outside dogs," Wilson said. "They need to be kept indoors. They have difficulty breathing in hot temperatures."

More information on SNPR can be accessed by visiting www.rescuepugs.com.