This week’s featured dog is Dede, a petite pit bull mix. She looks to be part hound and is just a baby still at six-twelve months old. She has the most endearing face and sad eyes, but honestly she is a happy, social girl.

Little Dede was found running loose on the streets all by herself and was brought into the ACCT shelter on October 13, 2011. When she came in, she was totally emaciated and weighed only 20 pounds! She also had a horrible case of fleas, which caused some hair loss on her back. Since she’s been at the shelter, Dede looks so much better. She has put on a few pounds and her fur is coming back in.

Despite having a rough start in life, Dede is a happy, friendly girl. Rather than getting depressed at the shelter, she has actually brightened over time. It’s so sad to know that the shelter is probably the best ‘home’ she’s ever had. But now she has a chance to start over.

Dede adores people and although she’s a bit submissive, she gets very excited to have people’s company. She approaches you with her head timidly low and her tail wagging like crazy! When you sit with her, she will try to snuggle up against you as close as she can get or climb into your lap for love and warmth. Even though Dede was pretty much starving when she came to the shelter, she takes food very gently and has no food aggression at all. She is a pleasant mannerly girl who never barks, whines, or growls.

Dede seems to be good with other dogs too. She was introduced to one of her shelter mates and she was very social and appropriate with him. She also has met other dogs while outside with her volunteer friends and she approaches them the same way she does people – timid yet very excited to say hello and interact.

If you would like to meet Dede and you have small children or other dogs, please bring them with you so they can meet Dede too. If you have cats, the shelter staff will test her to see how she reacts to them as well. You can’t help but love this dog and want to take care of her. For more information please email: Help4PhillysHomelessAnimals[at]gmail.com or stop by the shelter (111 W. Hunting Park Avenue, tel.: 267-385-3800).

The Schuylkill River is expected to crest tonight and into tomorrow morning at about 15 feet, its highest level since 1869, according to local authorities. It is already lapping at the Schuylkill Expressway across from Center City and has overrun its banks in some places. This shot was taken at about 3 p.m. today from the South Street Bridge.

Almost a million people along the East Coast are already without power and it seems like a good bet that many of us will be without it for some period of time. We have collected some info on power outages and other info below. Oh, and the State store closes at 9 p.m.

From PECO:

• Customers without power should contact the company at 1-800-841-4141.  The more customers who call to report an outage, the more effectively PECO can dispatch crews and restore service.  The company’s automated telephone system can quickly record your outage, allowing our Customer Care representatives to remain available to handle reports of dangerous situations.

• Stay away from downed wires, damaged electric equipment, and tree limbs and branches contacting electrical equipment.  Always assume PECO’s equipment is energized – even if there is an outage in your neighborhood. Report these dangerous conditions to PECO immediately.

• Turn off and unplug appliances and other devices to prevent possible damage.  Remember to keep one light on so you know when service has been restored.

• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.  Move meats, cheese, milk, etc. into the freezer to stay colder longer.  A partially full freezer can keep food frozen for up to 24 hours, and up to 48 hours when full.

From the City:

• What should I do if the street floods due to a clog inlet? A: Call the Philly Water Dept at 215-685-6300

• What shelters are open? A: Three shelters are scheduled to open at 6pm today: Bartram, Lincoln & Roxborough High Schools

• Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW): 215-235-1212

• Philadelphia Water Department (PWD): 215-685-6300

The CVS at 43rd and Locust is not the place to go if you are on a last-minute hunt for batteries or water. They do have plenty of over-priced aromatic candles left though.
 

While sitting at the kitchen just before 2 p.m. today we heard a glass start to move. We figured since it was garbage day on our block that the truck was coming through. Or our dog fell off the couch. Maybe someone moving in next door. Nope, it was an earthquake.

Folks in West Philly were among millions to feel the effect of an earthquake that rolled up the East Coast just before 2 p.m. today. Buildings in Center City were evacuated.

SEPTA sent out a warning that trains and subways would be up to 15 minutes behind schedule. Fire and police crews scoured the city for structural damage and gas leaks. Police asked that people only call 911 for an emergency.

The quake was reportedly felt as far north as Rhode Island.

Today’s pet is Kahuna. He is currently living at the ACCT shelter.

Kahuna is a mostly white, 3-5 year old boy with some brindle patches, and a cute little brown spot above his eye. He’s a medium sized dog.

He loves to play with toys – rope toys, squeaky toys, and kongs. Another great thing about him is that he loves being around people.

Kahuna has a pen pal who is teaching him lots of stuff. He’s learning commands, which he’s doing very well with because he’s very smart. His pen pal is also teaching him to walk like a gentleman on the leash by using an Easy Walk Harness. Kahuna walks pretty well now, but can get a little excited when he sees people or other dogs.

Kahuna loves other dogs so if you want to see him you can bring your dogs with you. He is up to date on all of his shots. He is also microchipped and scheduled to be neutered. In other words: he is ready to go home with you.

If you’d like to meet Kahuna, stop by 111 W. Hunting Park Ave, walk straight to Adoptions (or Lifesaving, if you’d like to foster him). For more information call 267-385-3800 or email: acctadoptions [at] pspca.org

If you cannot adopt him permanently but would like to help anyways, you can consider fostering Kahuna until he finds his happy ending. Fostering will save not only this dog’s life but also the life of the dog that would move into Kahuna’s kennel at ACCT.