Mary Puppins the Pet Nanny

06/03/2025

06/02/2025

An important reminder!

NO FACES NEAR FACES (and no exceptions!)

I say this lots as I work with families that need help getting their dog used to children in the household. I give this advice as it can prevent bite incidents!

Dogs often don’t like faces right near theirs as it’s not how they communicate and they can find it confrontational and quite intimidating. Also, if we are going to have an incident and a dog snaps, the last thing we want is a bite to the face 😢

children’s faces should NEVER be near a dogs face- no lying down on the sofa with heads together, no leaning over the dog to kiss them, no toddlers popping up to face height of a dog on a sofa, no toddlers crawling towards dogs on dog beds etc.

If a dog gets worried and tries to use distance increasing behavior- a growl, or even an air snap to ask the child to move away, it’s a worry of faces are anywhere near the dogs face. It’s a totally avoidable source of risk.

It’s also good advice for adults too! This photo is just a tiny amount of the blood that came out of my head last year as I had an accidental injury from my northern inuit.

I feel asleep with my head on her chest (as I often do, completely ignoring my own advice 😳), as she’s really cuddly and likes it. She woke up and did a huge open mouthed sneeze (he’s quite a dramatic sneezer)… and a canine tooth went into the top of my head. She has huge canines and it caused a wound in my scalp that poured with blood. My house looked like a crime scene.

Totally accidental, it was just a sneeze, but it could have been even worse. Hurt my head (lots) and also hurt her tooth but it could have been my face. It’s made me really remind my kids not to put their faces next to the dogs (and my dogs all LOVE my kids).

We also model for our kids with our own behaviour and it’s no good us telling out kids not to put their head on the dog if we are doing it ourselves!

So really- NO faces near faces and NO faces exceptions (even for me and I’m trying hard to stick to it!)

05/15/2025

These guys need a family 😞

05/14/2025

Ever wonder where wedding flowers go after the last dance?

Thousands of dollars. Hours of planning.
Stunning blooms that brought your dream to life… then tossed in the trash.

But what if those flowers could live on, bringing joy, comfort, and beauty to someone who truly needs it?

Lilies of The Field, a nonprofit near Auburn, takes leftover wedding flowers and transforms them into bouquet blessings—personally delivered to nursing homes, shelters, hospitals, and more.

What an amazing idea!

Free of charge. Full of love.
They handle the pickup. The couple creates the impact.

What a beautiful idea—one we should have everywhere.

Because your special day shouldn’t end at the dumpster.
Let it bloom again in someone else’s story.

04/30/2025

📣Zeus was transferred to Forsyth County Animal Shelter and has left for there. He was at this shelter at one point and they wanted him back as he was a staff favorite. We feel he is in good hands and they will help him find a great home.📣

We know you remember sweet, sad😥 Zeus at Hall County Animal Services . This affectionate boy is back in adoptions and he REALLY needs our help. 🙏

Zeus was at Hall County Animal Services in August 2023. He got adopted and thought all his 💭dreams came true, he thought he finally had a forever family. 🥺

We are so sorry to share that Zeus' dreams did 🚫not🚫 come true. While he did get adopted in 2023, he was found as a stray in Feb. 2025. When his former owners were contacted, no one came to get him.💔 We are so sorry Zeus. 😢

Then he got adopted in April 2025. Boy, did we 🎉CELEBRATE, but he was returned after there were issues with the resident dog and Zeus. 😥

This is probably Zeus' LAST chance at getting a FOREVER family. In an effort make the next adoption as 🙏successful🙏 as possible Zeus would be best in a home without dogs.

Zeus is friendly at the fenceline with doggie friends, but we want to eliminate any possible reasons for what would probably be his FINAL return.😭😭

Volunteers and staff are trying their best repair Zeus' broken heart, but he is still so sad.

No wonder Zeus looks so defeated.😢😢 We promise we are trying our best sweet boy.💙💙

Zeus is gentle, walks well on a leash, takes care of potty business as soon as he gets outside, and is treat motivated. He is a good boy.💙💙

Zeus is heartworm positive but this is a curable condition, and Fast Friends of Hall County will sponsor the medication upon adoption.

Can you help this deserving boy's dream💭 FINALLY come true FOREVER?

Hall County Animal Services
1688 Barber Road
Gainesville, GA 30507
678-450-1587 ext 9
[email protected]
[email protected]
Open Tues-Sat 9 AM to 4 PM

04/19/2025

🎉BOOKER ADOPTED🎉

His eyes say it all. Nine year old Booker at Hall County Animal Services just wants to be loved, but his time is almost up.🥺💙

This sweet senior made his way into the shelter and after ‼️4 pm TODAY (Sat., April 19) he will be euthanized unless he gets adopted or rescued.‼️

Booker is calm, walks well on a leash, and is so gentle and unassuming. He has been OVERLOOKED and now his time is all most up.😭😭

It stinks to be a senior in the shelter. We are still trying, but we are worried 😟 😨 for this sweet boy who has ZERO interest and didn't ask for ANY of this.

Come meet Booker TODAY (4/19) 9 am to 4 pm and be sure to bring your current dog(s) to meet him too (it's a requirement to adopt an urgent dog).

If you aren't ready to adopt, please share Booker.

More about Booker...

📣SWEET SENIOR ALERT📣

🧡Booker🧡

🧡9 years old.
🧡Found as a stray.
🧡Very sad here, poor thing.
🧡Extremely calm and gentle.
🧡Will need a meet and greet with current dogs.
🧡Seems very healthy for his age.
🧡Just a sweet gentleman.

Booker is such an easygoing, gentle soul. But in this photo, you can see the sadness in his eyes ☹️. It’s clear he misses his owner. Was he abandoned? Did he escape? We may never know his story—but what we DO know is that Booker is longing to leave the shelter behind. What he truly needs is the ❤️, comfort, and stability of a loving home 🏡.

Booker is HW+ but this is treatable and curable and NOT contagious. Please defer to staff for treatment options offered through the shelter.

‼️Booker is URGENT this week‼️ Can you help us find him the second chance he deserves?

Hall County Animal Services
1688 Barber Road
Gainesville, GA 30507
678-450-1587 ext 9
[email protected]
[email protected]
Open Tues-Sat 9 AM to 4 PM

03/09/2025

Our pet food pantry is running low, and we’re in need of dry cat and dog food donations. These supplies help local pet owners facing financial struggles keep their furry companions fed and healthy.🐾

Your generosity makes a huge impact in the lives of both pets and their families.

Donation drop off location⤵️
Hall County Animal Shelter
1688 Barber Rd
Gainesville, Ga 30507
Hours: Tuesday-saturday 9am-4pm
https://linktr.ee/hallcoanimalservices

03/04/2025

02/24/2025

Please consider fostering!

HCAS, 1688 Barber Road, Gainesville, GA

We wanted to offer some clarification and information on fostering. Every urgent week, or when an animal is deemed urgent, people comment that they can foster. Here are a few things that are important to know.

1. If interested in fostering, YOU will need to reach out to the shelter or rescue. The volunteers are NOT involved with arranging fostering. Simply commenting, “I can foster” on social media may NOT be seen by staff or a rescue, so PLEASE reach out to them personally.

2. The approval PROCESS to foster for HCAS, which is dictated by the Department of Agriculture, typically takes 5-7 days to be completed. Additionally, you must live within Hall County, or 15 minutes from the Hall County line. Therefore, it is very likely, only CURRENTLY APPROVED fosters for HCAS will be eligible to foster urgent animals, due to the time needed to approve a new foster applicant. If you are interested in fostering dogs or cats in the future, complete the application online NOW and a staff member will contact you. Completing the application and being approved does NOT mean you HAVE to foster, it just means that you CAN foster.

https://www.hallcounty.org/FormCenter/Animal-Services-11/HCAS-Foster-Application-173

3. You MAY foster through a rescue; however, they ALSO have an approval process. They may have their own criteria, and depending on which state they reside, criteria set forth by that state.

A note about URGENT ADOPTIONS:

We STRONGLY ENCOURAGE a potential adopter to come and meet the dog or cat early in the week, spending plenty of time getting to know them, to determine if they are a good fit for the home. IMPULSIVE adoptions completed near an urgent deadline are a concern! Additionally, adopting with the intention to re-home can be VERY difficult, given the number of animals already needing a home.

We need LASTING, FOREVER, and COMMITTED adoptions. Please consider this before adopting!

Hall County Animal Services
1688 Barber Road
Gainesville, GA 30507
678-450-1587 ext 9
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Open Tues-Sat 9 AM to 4 PM

11/20/2024

Cat Cafe at the Gainesville library branch!

Hall County Animal Shelter will be at the Gainesville Library on December 2nd from 1-3 pm with cats and kittens to cuddle and play with! Don't miss out on this free event! Coffee will be served and all cats will be adoptable. This program is intended for adults 18+.

11/15/2024

Be sure to use straw and not hay for bedding in these. Have you made one before?

This is a simple, inexpensive way to keep community cats protected from the elements. Has anyone made one before?

11/10/2024

🎉ALL SAFE🎉

Flowery Branch, Ga

🔥Last Chance-Sun., Nov. 10, 2 pm -5 pm @ PetSmart in Flowery Branch🔥

‼️Cabbage and Radish need an ADOPTER, FOSTER, or RESCUE to LIVE. Green Bean needs a FOREVER Family‼️

📢Adoption Event📢
✨️PetSmart Flowery Branch
5873 Spout Springs Rd
Flowery Branch, GA 30542
✨️Sunday, November 10
✨️2 pm to 5 pm

🙏Thank you Lucky Cat Rescue for allowing these dogs to attend your Adoption Event🙏

🚨PLEASE SHARE THIS Event!🚨

Hall County Animal Services
1688 Barber Road
Gainesville, GA 30507
678-450-1587 ext 9
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Open Tues-Sat 9 AM - 4 PM