More On Fostering and Saving A Life

Leroy, this sweet boy was left to die by a hit-and-run driver.

Thanks to a foster family, Leroy is alive.  

You may have heard of Leroy, a young pit bull, was hit by a car and left to die in Harrisburg, PA. Horrible but it happens every day all over America.

A hit-and-run driver got to him before Animal Control did. 

No one knows about Leroy's life before he was hit. He was considered a "stray," though this writer finds it hard to believe he was a stray considering he had a chain and lock around his neck that had to be cut off with a bolt-cutter.

Call me crazy, but I don't see how he could have escaped from a backyard and taken the chain and lock with him, still wrapped around his neck.

Looking at the photo, I can almost feel the weight of the chain and lock weighing me down around my neck, putting pressure on my spine.

Leroy could tell stories of what he's been through by acting out aggressively against humans, but he doesn't.  He's sweet and gentle, despite the intense pain he's in and the trauma of being hit by the car, being lifted and moved and taken to vet, where he was poked and prodded and touched...

As you can see, the car did a number on Leroy.

He sustained some very serious injuries. He has a soft tissue injury to his front left leg, a separated pelvis, and a broken femur that will need orthopedic surgery to repair.

We forget as we drive with a little bit of a heavy foot, just how much damage we can do to flesh and bones with a piece of heavy machinery.

A kind nurse advocated for Leroy, who would have surely been PTS...However, The Lucerne County Pit Bull Owners Group was contacted and they have taken him under their wings.

 

Leroy is adjusting well to his foster family- as you can see by the sweet and happy smile on his face.

Many thanks to his foster mom, Casey Elizabeth Heyem, who has this to say about Sweet Leroy:

"Leroy has shown nothing but love and appreciation since the first moment I saw him. He has taught me about forgiveness. Because despite his past, he is completely trusting and willing to please. My friends and family have all fallen in love with him as soon as they receive a facefull of kisses. Two days after surgery, he tried to jump up to kiss my face- his way of thanking me for feeding him. Through fostering, I am learning how to care for another life that depends on me. I'm so glad I was able to open my home for him. He makes it all worth it. "

Where would Leroy be without a foster home right now?

And how about Mickey, whom I introduced you to in my last post? Remember him? His "human" of six years passed away and Micky was taken to a high-kill shelter.  He was saved at the last minute. Here's his latest photo and link to its thread- Just click on the caption.  

True, Genuine Love.

 Now, to tug on your heartstrings even more, here's Roly Poly Little Matt.  He's around 8-10 months and was in the same high-kill shelter Mickey was in. Sadly dogs were PTS there today...and eleven yesterday.  Matt has been on the "kill" list for 2 weeks! A puppy no one wanted and is only alive right now as you read this because there was a foster available for Jennifer Kosanovich to take him to. He made it out " just in the nick of time" and here he is this evening in his new foster home:

Matt, wiped out after playing, in his temp. foster home tonight. He is a 8-10 month old mix breed, fully vetted boy in need of a forever home. Check out the FB page Hanna Marie's Rescue Angels for more on Matt and the other animals we have available for adoption!

I don't want to bore you with "this doggie tale" and "that doggie tale."  I DO want to keep the idea of fostering a shelter animal in the forefront of your minds...because YOU CAN SAVE DOGS AND CATS right now, just like the fosters of these beautiful creatures have. Scroll down to my last post and read the comments of people who are fostering for the first time in their lives and the joy they feel at being able to save an innocent life and feel love, undying devotion and gratitude from these beautiful animals.


Again, remember that there is an" URGENT PLEA For Temporary Foster Homes For Dogs In A High-Kill Shelter. ***Greenville-Columbia, SC *** Raleigh-Durham, NC & ***Nashville, TN areas- These Dogs Need You NOW! Rescues Are Willing to Pull The Dogs But W/out Fosters, We Can't SAVE Them! Plz Contact Jennifer Kosanovich On Facebook. "Friend" Her and Send Message About Fostering. Thank You. 

Also, there is an URGENT PLEA IN * SOUTH CAROLINA, *NORTH CAROLINA, *GEORGIA, *PENNSYLVANIA AND *NEW YORK STATES...Temporary Fosters Needed For Dogs In High-Kill Shelter. They Need You ASAP! Rescues Are Willing to Pull THe Dogs But Without The Fosters, We Can't SAVE Them!  PLZ Add Rene Rubenacker Crossposter  as a Friend on Facebook and Include Message About Fostering. Thank You!

And needed in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC areas and Greenville-Columbia ,SC areas add Stephanie Pico de Wilsky as a Friend and message her you'd like to be a foster.

* * If you live in PA and would like to foster for  The Lucerne County Pit Bull Owners Group please add Bullybreed Nina as a friend on Facebook and again, include a message about fostering. 

These folks are doing an incredible service and acts of kindness. Please open your hearts, spread the word around to your friends and families and foster- foster- foster!

On a lighter note, Scully and Dovi have been enjoying some walks in the fresh air, cr rides with the windows down, donut holes from their favorite coffee shop, Sip and Dip, and Animal Crackers from their Auntie Kori...not to mention sitting in the sun for Scully...sitting in the shade with Mama for Dovi, tummy rubs and back massages and lots of love for both of them...and as always, Scully has been vigilant in barking at the airplanes til they are out of sight to keep them from landing in the backyard. No flies on him! ;)

 

"Tweet

You Can Save A Life By Fostering A Shelter Animal

"Daddy, can I have him..PLEASE?"

"Awww...she's so cute..let's take her home- I've always wanted a puppy."

or a kitten...

Every animal that ends up in an animal shelter has a story..a birth, a mother's love and nurture, siblings... a history...experiences that they can never tell us about. People they've loved, people who've chased them or beaten them...fights they've been in, parks they've played in, toys they've chewed and Sunday morning pancakes from McDonald's they've enjoyed with their families...

The handsome dog in the upper-right corner of this post is Mickey. He was "red-listed" on May 16, 2011. "Red-listed" means he was on the list to die at the shelter..to make room for a new dog.  He was scared...terrified actually. He's a six year-old pomeranian mix. His owner died and Mickey ended up at the Greenville Animal Control shelter in Greenville, SC. This sweet boy had been with his "human" for years...I'm uncertain but I believe he was found alone with his "deceased human"- I don't know how long he was there- mourning his dead owner. He was traumatized after that, still mourning and taken to the shelter with so much noise, strange smells, whimpering and barking of 200 dogs...some dogs who didn't make it out.

Mickey was blessed...he was about to be "euthed"...and someone who runs a rescue group saw him and pulled him. Here he is now...happy in his temporary foster home.

A joyful snooze...enjoying Life!

He looks pretty happy to me...and just think..this photo would have never been taken if someone hadn't stepped up and offered Mickey a temporary home.





This is Mickey and Troy...another dog who would be dead if it weren't for a foster family...:

Dear Reader, the "Dog Pound" is now known as the 'Animal Shelter" and the "Dog Catcher" is now known as the "Animal Control Officer."  Things have come a long way since then...There are many "no-kill" shelters now, thank God...

..but there are STILL "high-kill" shelters...municipal shelters that have little money to keep dogs and cats alive simply because too many come in every day. There's little space when you've got 150 "owner drop-offs" in a day! IN A DAY! Yes, there is a shelter in South Carolina that sometimes gets up to 150 owner drop-offs a day. That number doesn't include the animals that are picked up by animal control officers.

This is heart-breaking but I MUST share it with you. When an animal is brought in by "the dog catcher," it's considered a lost pet and usually has a day or two, sometimes three days to live for the owner to claim it before it is PTS ( Put To Sleep) a.k. a..."euthed" (euthanized...which is the humane way of saying gassed or stuck with a needle).  These dogs and cats have a slightly better chance of getting out of there alive.

The owner drop-offs aren't so lucky. If it's a "high-kill" shelter and there is no space for that animal, no free kennel or cage...that pet that was just taken out of it's home, taken away from it's bed and toys...Fluffy, Fido, Chance or Buddy can be PTS immediately- no questions asked...That's right...as the former "pet guardian" or owner is turning the key in the ignition, Sweet Caroline or Happy Little Sheba is terrified by strangers handling her and probably already crossing what's known as The Rainbow Bridge.

Foster families SAVE lives. People still go to the shelter to adopt dogs and cats..puppies and kittens...but not enough. Rescue organizations can step in and "pull" a dog. They can contact the shelter and say "Hey, I'm pulling Bootsie and Sam- don't put them down" and the dog or cat is saved...This wonderful process is really sped up when private people or groups "sponsor" an animal..donate money in the animal's name to pay for vetting fees such as rabies shots, heart-worm testing and meds, spaying and neutering, etc...plus, these rescue groups are sometimes out-of-state, so transport fees are also taken into consideration.

This is where fostering comes in. The dog or cat has to stay somewhere after it's been rescued. If it stays in the shelter, it's taking up space so a different dog or cat gets PTS...this is horrible but true. Sometimes, private people who can't take a dog will offer to pay for boarding but that only goes so far.
A temporary foster home is needed so the dog can be taken from the shelter and be somewhere safe until it can be transported to the rescue group.

THERE IS A DESPERATE NEED FOR FOSTERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY!

When you foster, you're helping to save TWO lives- the life of the dog or cat that is being rescued and the one in the shelter you're giving a chance to be seen and maybe live and be pulled or adopted. Two animals are being saved...two.

Please consider it. Find out about it. Spread the word if you can't. Everything you do will somehow save a life.

...and if you're not convinced, here are more dogs who are STILL alive because of fosters:

Mickey the morning he left the shelter and arrived at his foster family. He looks a lot different, doesn't he?

Pearl at the shelter

Neil happy to be alive!

Flower when she was brought into the shelter

Flower with her foster mom looking like she's full of energy!

All these dogs are up for adoption...


If you'd like to foster, simply contact your local shelter and tell them you'd like to become a foster...Many times all you do is provide the home and lots of love...some rescues even provide the food, etc.

You can also contact a local rescue group if you're interested in fostering a specific breed...You CAN save a life...you can save MANY lives over the course of a few years!

The following specific pleas I've put out on Facebook.  If you live in the areas mentioned, by all means, make the contact today! There are many dogs and cats who will be PTS today, tomorrow morning, tomorrow afternoon...you CAN save a life as soon as you make the call or send the email!

" >->URGENT PLEA--T e m p o r a r y  F o s t e r s Needed For Dogs In High-Kill Shelter. ***Greenville-Columbia, SC *** Raleigh-Durham, NC & ***Nashville, TN areas- These Dogs Need You NOW! Rescues Are Willing to Pull The Dogs But W/out Fosters, We Can't SAVE Them! Plz Contact Jennifer Kosanovich Here On FB. "Friend" Her & Send Message About Fostering. Thank You! Plz Crosspost This All Over. The NEED Is RIGHT NOW! "

This is Pearl's foster plea...which is still in place. CLICK HERE TO READ WHAT JENNIFER SAID ABOUT PEARL

" URGENT: HOME NEEDED FOR PEARL-Former Redlisted Greenville Dog.
Trying desperately to help a fantastic dog and an equally fantastic rescue friend. Can anyone adopt, foster or rescue Pearl? Transport is available almost anywhere on the East Coast. If we can find a NJ foster, there is a rescue to help Pearl. Plz read the following bio by Jen Kosanovich and let her know if you can help. TEAM PEARL! "

" ***URGENT PLEA: * SOUTH CAROLINA, *NORTH CAROLINA, *GEORGIA, *PENNSYLVANIA AND *NEW YORK STATES...Temporary Fosters Needed For Dogs In High-Kill Shelter. They Need You ASAP! Rescues Are Willing to Pull THe Dogs But Without The Fosters, We Can't SAVE Them!  PLZ Add Rene Rubenacker Crossposter here on FB as a Friend and Include Message About Fostering. Thank You! Plz Crosspost This All Over. The NEED Is NOW! "

Also needed in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC areas and Greenville-Columbia ,SC areas add Stephanie Pico de Wilsky as a Friend and message her you'd like to be a foster.

>->-> * * A special mention for Hannah Marie's Rescue Angels! They always manage to find room for just "one more" dog and pull it from Death Row. If you'd like to find out more and foster for them, please contact Jennifer Kosanovich or Brenda Lee on Facebook.  Also, it would be great if you could spare even a dollar or two to help them out. The chip-in in the upper right corner is for this incredible rescue.  In a little over a week, they saved 13 dogs from being killed and 11 of them have MAJOR MEDICAL concerns- we're talking thousands of dollars. Please help them out if you can...They've pulled Troy, Neil, Flower, Lady, Matt, Chelsea, Chase/Chance, Princess, Charles, MooMoo, Art, Powder Puff, Jose, Sophie, Bella (GSD), Bella (Pit Bull), Tinkerbelle, Olive and one more who will be named shortly! These dogs came from Greenville, SC aka GCACS.

There are so many wonderful rescues across the country and around the world I wish I could list them all here but if you search for them, you'll be amazed!

On a very sad note, I told you about the money being there but no fosters, rescues or adoptions came through and dogs and cats being PTS...

Honey was brought into a shelter in NYC on June 6, 2011...just six (6) days ago. Her thread states "owner sick"...She was an owner drop off... Click on her photo to read what little they knew about her. The shelter thinks she was about 13 yrs old so she wasn't given any sort of medical evaluation...she was old- "no one wanted her anymore." though people pledged $400.00 in funds for a rescue/foster to pull her or an adoption to go through. At the last minute, someone from Cape Cod was going to adopt her-an email was sent this past Friday, the 10th to the Brooklyn shelter but never answered... how many days did Honey get before she was put down? I think she went down on Friday or yesterday...Four days before she was in her home...four days later gone from this earth...

Rest In Peace, Sweet Honey. We tried to save you.

Sadly, there are more like Honey than there are of Mickey, Pearl, Flower and Neil. Please consider fostering- it's an act of kindness...an act of love.

Thank you,

~ Scully, Dovi, Whiskers, Mickey, Pearl, Flower, Troy, Chaz and Sweet Chance, Augusta and Willis, who didn't make it are asking you to please pass this on.  ^..^   ,

P.S. If you are a rescue group looking for fosters and would like me to include you in this post, please feel free to contact me with the contact info and general locations/areas in which you need fosters. Thanks! 

Also a note from Hannah Marie's Rescue Angels: 
‎"  **All of this was possible THANKS to ALL of you friends for supporting us day in and day out, and a VERY special thanks to our foster parents, we could NEVER do this with out you..Thank you all so very much:))  "Tweet

Foster Homes For Pets Of Military Personnel

Guardian Angels for Soldier's Pet

Where do the pets go when their military humans get deployed?

In the early days of the War On Terror, military personnel had to leave their homes, their non-military lives so quickly, sometimes in 48 hrs, many had to put their pets to sleep because family members couldn't take care of them or they couldn't get their dogs or cats to a shelter in time. 

It was tragic.

I remember those horror stories of grieving soldiers going off to war, mourning their beloved pets and then going to a foreign land to kill or be killed. I am not speaking out on war one way or the other.

My purpose for this blog entry is to make people aware of at least one group I know of that can help find foster care for military personnel being called to active duty.

I stumbled upon them by accident, actually.

Guardian Angels for Soldier's Pet is on Facebook. Just click on their name and you'll get there.  

I snatched some almost verbatim wording from their About Us page on Facebook- They are an all volunteer 501(c)(3) public charity that supports military service members, veterans, and their beloved pets through programs aimed at reuniting pet(s) and owner(s) following deployment or an emergency hardship. 

They work to establish a network of foster families providing a loving and healthy home environment for the pet(s) until they can be reunited with their owner throughout the United States, among so many other things.

They also established and maintain the first Guardian Angels for Soldier's Pet "Military, Veterans, and Pet" (MVP) Sanctuary in Texas to further ensure there is a caring, loving, and safe home-like environment for these pets when individual foster homes are not available.

If you are in the military or know of someone in the military who is need of assistance with petcare while they are deployed, please share this info. 

It could save more than one life- human and animal.

P.S. Scully says "Sweet dreams to one and all."  ^..^     ,

 

Tweet

A Message From A Shelter Dog- Alone Again

I just found this on one of my Facebook friend's pages. Nothing else needs to be said...except, Scully, Dovi and Whiskers are great!

ALONE AGAIN- author unknown 

I wish someone would tell me what it is that I've done wrong.

Why I've had to stay chained up and left alone so long.

They seemed so glad to have me when I came here as a pup.

There were so many things we'd do while I was growing up.

They couldn't wait to train me as companion and as a friend.

And told me how they'd never fear being left alone again.

The children said they'd feed me and brush me every day.

They'd play with me and walk me if only I could stay.

But now the family "hasn't time"; they often say I shed.

They do not want me in the house, not even to be fed.

The children never walk me. They always say, "Not now!"

I wish that I could please them. Won't someone tell me how?

All I had, you see, was love.

I wish they would explain...

Why they said they wanted me, then left me on a chain."

Tweet

Signing An Online Petition Makes A Difference

There are so animals who need loving Forever Homes and there's only so much a few of us can do.

Perhaps you don't have room or live in an apartment where pets aren't allowed. Maybe you're on a tight budget now and can't afford food and proper veterinary care for a pet.

There's still some thing you can do.

There is a place called The Petition Site and there you can sign petitions to change laws around the world against animal cruelty, human rights, environmental issues, GLBT issues, etc.

Don't think your signature can make a difference? Read Ratchet's story and then click on the video...and then sign up!

YOU DO MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T-sLDb7YBw&feature=player_embedded
Tweet

Springtime And Fresh Air

After a very long, cold winter, Scully and Dovi have enjoyed being out in the fresh air and smelling every blade of grass they can find!

Each day brings new wonders for them to explore...the squirrel is back in the yard and we have doggie neighbors on two sides of our yard. Going out to piddle is NOW an adventure every time!

So much has happened in the world since my last post that I really don't know where to begin...

Through all the natural disasters and wars, etc., the pure love and devotion shown by animals never ends.

Here at home, Scully, Dovi and Whiskers have been there to comfort me, make me laugh when I'm sad and love in spite of my humanity.

That last sentence is enough to begin again- every day.
Tweet

Loyal Dog Won't Leave Injured Friend Behind - HELP JAPAN'S LOST & INJURED...

This video has been all over Yahoo and the web and I feel like I need to also spread it and keep passing it along.  The video is in Japanese and you can click the link, scroll down and read the translation. The title of this post says it all and if you haven't watched this touching scene, then please do so now by clicking here.

Or watch it here now without the translation.

Now can anyone honestly tell me One Life is not worth saving? Look how loyal and caring, protective and loving this dog is for the other- we don't know if they knew each other before the earthquake and tsunami yet we are putting them down in shelters every day. There is something very RIGHT in this video and something terribly wrong in our society.

Tweet

Idle Is Back In The United States

Wonderful news for Idle, the war-hero service dog who was stranded in Iraq with six of his companions (click here to go to that post).

I received an e-mail update and I'm thrilled to announce that Idle and Nugget are back home in the U.S.

Plans and arrangements are bring made through Operation Baghdad Pups to bring home their other five companions by mid-March. Any and all donations are appreciated and used to re-unite dogs with their service men and women back in the States.

I will post more as I receive updates.

Many thanks to those of you who signed the petition!

Tweet

Charity's Law

I never thought the day would arrive that I would be sending out a plea for something like this.

A plea to make Bestiality illegal in this, the United States of America.

And the World.

But here in the States, I naively thought it was ALREADY illegal in every state.

It is NOT.

Only 31 states have laws protecting animals from bestiality.

Only 31!

These innocent beautiful puppies in the photo were bred by a man intending to fight them and/or sell them to dogfighters but the reason for their surrender was that he caught his 13 year old son committing sexual acts on them. The shelter was going to euthanize the dogs, however, a rescue group stepped in to try to save them. They were named Charity, Hope and Faith.

These Pit Bull puppies only a few months old were surrendered to a North Carolina animal shelter injured and in pain with the man who dropped them off stating "the big dogs down the road got to them". Through other information collected by members of the rescue community, a witness too afraid to come forward and a vet assessment the unthinkable would be discovered about what really happened to these puppies.

This Petition aims to bring justice to Charity who did not survive her injury by this perverted boy and although Hope and Faith have a long road ahead with many surgeries to correct the damage Charity's death cannot be in vain without any justice. The boy not only sexually molested them but foreign objects were found inside when trying to repair the damage. This is why we are asking everyone to sign this Petition asking all states without adequate protection for animals from acts like this to create Charity's Law making acts of bestiality illegal and a felony. Technically the act of bestiality could be construed to fall under some animal cruelty statutes as is but there should be uniform and stringent laws that address bestiality directly so ambiguity about this act does not exist and the proper vehicle is provided within the law for prosecution of an individual engaging in this cruel and perverted practice. While the teenage boy in Charity's case may have eluded the law ensuring there are laws ready and able to prosecute any individuals in the future engaging in this activity will help further protect the innocent animals of our society.

States with laws providing a misdemeanor punishment for the crime are:

Arkansas, California, Iowa, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin

States with laws providing a felony punishment for the crime are:

Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.

States without any laws regarding bestiality (note some of these states may have statutes about bestiality that only address crimes against a minor):

Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Vermont, Colorado, Louisiana, Montana, New Jersey, Wyoming, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Kansas, Nevada, West Virginia,

Only 17 states make this crime a felony. There are no federal laws specifically prohibiting bestiality although the subject is covered in relation to books and pornographic materials as well as in the arena of exploitation of minor children but there is no universal law or consistency amongst the U.S. states making bestiality the crime it should be.

Please click here or the box in the upper, right hand corner and sign the petition NOW. Then, please pass this along.

Tweet

Scully's Birthday

Yes, today is the day we celebrate Scully's birthday.

February 17th.

I don't know if it's really his birthday.

I really don't know where he was born, but I do have the feeling he's a local boy.

I brought him home from the Warren Animal Shelter on November 17, 1999.

The vet who treated him really couldn't tell how old he was because he was so underdeveloped- just a little-bitty pup.

Starvation will do that to a growing body.

The vet's best guess was between nine months and three years old. So, I counted backwards to February 17th and marked the day ever since.

As for our birthday celebration, we started out with cookies in the car on the way to the park, where we went for a nice walk. It was a glorious, spring-feeling walk. We stopped and smelled grass, leaves, twigs and branches, fence posts and footprints in the melting snow. He and Dovi played in the snow and I detected several doggies smiles.

He had a nice nap in the car, looking like Tarzan because he managed to pull one arm out of his sweater. Coming back up the stairs, he curled up for another nap on his bed with his favorite blanket.

Smelling a nice dinner cooking, he got up and patiently waited for a nice bowl of yummy birthday dinner...a little dry dog food mixed with ground beef, rice, potatoes and some nice vegetable broth.

Of course he came and thanked me when he finished. He's always so grateful and loving. Dovi came and thanked me,too.

My eyes are welling up as I write this...I pray I have many more years with my Scully Boy. He's been such a blessing to me- my Best friend and Faithful Companion.
Tweet

Help For Idle And His Companions

I received this e-mail today and am sending out a plea that you take action and pass this along.

I am asking that you take the simple action of clicking here and signing the Wall to bring Idle and his companions home, where they belong!

A pop-up will appear for the International SPCA. You can fill it out or close but please sign Idle's Wall, which is at the bottom of the article.

Thank you. Time is of the essence. They need the signatures by next week.

This is the email I received today:

Dear Jenny,

Your help is desperately needed.  Idle (shown here in the cage he now lives in) is a very special contracted working dog stranded in Iraq. This honorable canine served in Iraq as a contractor for the U.S. military and other Coalition Forces. He risked his life day in and day out by sniffing for landmines as well as car bombs at check points and on U.S. military bases.

Please sign the wall of support for bringing Idle to the United States! »

Since his career ended, Idle has lived in a kennel in Iraq with little human contact except from the people paid to give him food, water and short walks. When SPCA International heard about Idle's horrible situation and the plight of his six friends and kennel mates, they were heartbroken. Their team went to visit the kennel immediately and made a commitment to rescue these dogs and give them the retirement they deserve with a loving family in the U.S. Next week, SPCA International will return to Iraq, ready to fly Idle and his fellow retired friends to safe, caring, forever homes, but they need your help.
To ensure safe passage for Idle and his six friends, SPCA International is building a list support for Idle's safe and speedy rescue. Some in Iraq might see Idle as a commodity, rather than a deprived friend and wartime hero, and they may try to stop him from gaining freedom. 
By signing the "Wall of Support" for Idle, you will arm SPCA International with the grassroots support they need to ensure Idle's freedom and safe passage.

Thank you for helping a military hero! Emily Care2 Campaign Team

Take action link: http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/AgcN8/zK29/x8x.

Tweet

Barking Dogs Are Great Communicators!

I love to talk.

Those of you who know me personally know this is an UNDERSTATEMENT! LOL

I love to visit with friends and chat.

We laugh, share a meal or a snack and just talk about the news, world events, recipes...all the usual topics.

Dogs, I've noticed are a bit different. They don't waste words or " barks."

However, Scully and Dovi do enjoy being more "verbal" with me these days.

Scully barks at planes, as I've mentioned in an earlier post, and he barks and barks until the airplane is out of sight. He also scratches the ground and mumbles, as if to say "and don't come back!"

He also barks to "call me" and tell me something- usually "Mom, cover me with my blankie" or "Mama, I would like you to move my bed to the Living Room so I can be in the sunshine now" or "Mama, please move my bed back to the bedroom because it's time to go to sleep now." 

Simple communication but very effective.

I've come to understand now why sometimes Scully and Dovi bark in the car when there are no other humans around. 

Most humans think dogs bark just for the sake of barking but they really don't. For a dog to bark, they really want to tell us something important. Dogs need to be able to bark (as Scully is doing right now as I write this post).

As for Scully and Dovi, they get aggravated and start barking at stoplights. They just don't want to wait at the red light until it turns green so they bark at it and bark at it and actually become quite perturbed. I've got to get a camera to capture the indignant look on Dovi's face, as if to say "How DARE they make me stop and wait to go home!"

As soon as the car begins moving, they settle right down quietly and enjoy the ride until we stop at the next red light. The day I realized the barking wasn't random made me realize they are even smarter than I believed. I always believed animals are much more intelligent than we think but to discover that unlocked a whole new world of understanding them better.

They really DO tolerate us!

Take care until next time and see what your dog is trying to say when he or she is barking! I guarantee it's something interesting and important to them.
As for me, my Scully Boy is telling me he would like me to pet him and cover him so he can have a nice nap.

Tweet

Hero Kitty Does It Again While Dogs Sleep

I don't write often about Whiskers because he is a sweet, gentle, senior cat who enjoys life, gives me love and no trouble whatsoever. He is a joy.

Whiskers spent his first few weeks of life in a box at the animal shelter and didn't know what is was to be outside. That was in August 2001.

When he came home, he was just 6 weeks old and quickly adjusted to Scully and Dovi, even learning how to carry his toys in his mouth like the dogs.

This morning, Whiskers is my HERO! Once again.

Waking up at 6 a.m. to a very dry mouth and dry apartment, I got out of bed to put a pan of water to boil on the stove. We needed some moisture in the air.

The first hint of any sort of light was just barely showing as the crescent moon glowed in the pre-dawn hour. I really didn't want to wake up yet but knew I had to stay up for awhile. So, naturally, I came to the computer to check my e-mail. 

After a few minutes I added more water to the now boiling frying pan- it was a chicken fryer so it was pretty deep. I wasn't concerned about leaving it unattended- I was a few feet away in the next room.

I became engrossed in a weight-loss video and Whiskers would run to me every so often or come to the living room and vocally "call" me. I thought he was hungry but he had his bowl of dried food and water. He had already gone to his litter box for his morning constitutional. He was driving me crazy...It became incessant.

He was getting to the point of becoming frantic, running in and out of the living room, crying and wailing loudly...so I left the video and went to the kitchen to mix his wet food with some dry food. The pan was still on and the flame was pretty high. Flames do rise with gas stoves. I didn't have any light on, though it was getting a little lighter in the kitchen. It smelled odd and the sound of the water was very loud...different. I went to the pan and it was EMPTY and TURNING black! If it weren't for Whiskers, I might not have found it until it was too late!

I flipped off the gas as the pan continued to blacken...the smell of burning, scalding stainless steel permeated the air...I added a little water at a time to the pan and the water jumped and bubbled and turned to steam immediately...the smell was worse....I just added more and more until the bottom of the pan was completely covered...as I swished the water around in the pan, it turned black...

Whiskers calmly went back to bed, averting a terrible disaster...while Scully and Dovi slept deeply in their beds.

It isn't the first time Whiskers has saved us all but I'll save that for another day...

And it isn't the first time a cat has saved a family from fire while the dog slept peacefully. Thank goodness cats are pretty much nocturnal. 

Think about it, if you have a dog, you're covered during the day...and if you have a cat, he stands watch at night. Twenty-four hour protection, seven days a week...and they love unconditionally.

Now, they're MY kind of body-guards!
Tweet

Tender Moments

Scully loves his bed.

This is common knowledge.

He loves his mama...but he loves his bed, too.

Whiskers woke me at 5:30 this morning to go to his litter box, which is out in the front hallway. It's our morning ritual. I could set a clock to it.

He goes to his litter box and I go to the bathroom. I finish and let him in. Done. Back to bed we go.

When I got back into bed, Whiskers got on his blanket, which is at the foot of my bed. My electric heater was on and it was nice and cozy. The snow was silently falling and it was a morning that you just don't want to get out of bed because the blankets and pillows are "just right." Perfect for a long, Winter's snooze.

Dovi came in and jumped on the bed, coming right up to the other pillow. He loves to snuggle with me. He fell asleep, his little paws wrapped around my arm.

He growled and I opened my eyes to see Whiskers going back to his blanket. So I held Dovi and called Whiskers back...He came and snuggled right next to Dovi.

And there we all slept in Peace and Harmony. Whiskers beside Dovi (which is BIG because Whiskers bites Dovi on the nose when he wants to eat...don't ask me why. I have no idea.) Scully was warm and cozy under his flannel pillowcase and blanket and it was a beautiful way to spend the next few hours.

As Human Beings, we're not perfect and we let each other down sometimes..without meaning to or trying to...sometimes it's deliberate but when it happens to us, we can't control it. Somehow, our beautiful animal companions know how to comfort us. Sometimes, like Whiskers this morning, they come to us for comfort or sometimes just to "belong" and feel like part of the family.

Right now, Whiskers and Dovi are sleeping on my bed and Scully insisted on coming into the Living Room- bed and all...

As for me, I'm calm and feel a quiet Joy because no matter what's going on in the World right now, there is Peace in my Home.
Tweet

A Simple Thank You...

“Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.”

Henri Frederic Amiel

Gratitude...being grateful. Feeling grateful. Expressing gratitude with a simple "Thank you."

Each morning before my feet touch the floor, I say out loud or sometimes in my mind,

"Thank. Thank. Thank you."

I thank my Father in Heaven. You may thank your own Higher Power, the Universe, Source, Allah...whomever it may be.  It doesn't matter because the same "Thank yous" are heard.

I believe Holy Scripture in all beliefs teach us to be grateful in all things- for the good and the bad...for the rain and the sun- for we need both to survive, don't we.

Gratitude and being thankful are not acts left only to Humans.

Animals don't need to work at being grateful. They are already, innately grateful.

They don't need to be taught what Gratitude is or being thankful is. They show it when they feel it. 

Period. 

They live in the moment, as should we.

I know this because I've experienced it firsthand, as every person who has ever been blessed to have an animal in his or her life.

Every time I feed Scully, Dovi and Whiskers, each one comes to me after they finish eating and licks my hand or leg or nuzzles me. Every time. Since the first time I fed Scully over eleven years ago until this morning. It doesn't matter where I am, what room I'm in or what I'm doing. I get a lick or two on my leg or hand...then each one sits humbly and looks at me with adoring love...each one. Scully, Dovi and Whiskers.

We should practice Gratitude daily. Animals do it by Nature. We do it if we remember...

There's a lesson here somewhere...

Tweet

Midnight Bathroom Trip

I know my dog.

I know both dogs and the cat.

Like children...like other personalities we live with, we get to know them.

When Scully goes to the door, he's not telling me he wants to go for a ride.

He's telling me, "Ma, I gotta go to the bathroom- NOW!"

Midnight in the middle of July is no big deal...but midnight in the middle of January is.

The clicking sound of his nails on the hardwood floor woke me from my toasty slumber at one thirty this morning. I shook my head a little, trying to wake up and saw him peering at me with the intensity of "RIGHT NOW"

When ya gotta go, ya gotta go, right?

So, he ran to the kitchen door and as I placed his little red sweater over his head, he put his right arm through the armhole and then the left...he dresses himself with a little help from Mama. 


Then the other pink plaid fleece jacket...


I grabbed my jacket as we flew down the stairs.


He hopped down the 3 steps to the icy ground and ran to his favorite snowbank to do his business.


As I went around the corner to follow him, I was greeted with a beautiful sky.  Bella Luna was behind some wispy clouds and the haze in the air made the early morning alive with dark blue and glowing moonlit clouds.  Even more beautiful, however, was that the moon was low in the west...behind a beautiful, naked maple tree.  Imagine if you can, the moon peeking through the clouds from the behind the silhouette of hundreds of bare branches.


It was breathtaking and so peaceful.  I wish I could re-create it for you with a palette of pastels.


I thanked Scully for being a good dog and waking me so he could go to the bathroom.  He's never had an accident in the house since 2000...and only once since he came to my life.


The real beauty of all this is that I trusted him to wake me if it was important.  I didn't tell him "No no" or "Go back to bed" because it was inconvenient to me.  I get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night.  It's a luxury not to have to depend on anyone else to take me.  He, Dovi and Whiskers and all other indoor pets don't have that option.  I went with him and by my non-resistance, he gave me a beautiful gift early this morning, while the rest of the community slept.


I have come to treasure those early morning trips outside with him.  He is always happy and grateful...wagging his tail, smiling and giving me his forehead to nuzzle with my own.  He goes right back to his bed and I am left to fall back to sleep, pondering the beautiful, simple gifts of his presence in my life...and of his devoted love and loyalty to me.

He is one of the Lord's greatest blessings to me.
Tweet

Emergency Car Kit For Your Pet

Scully and Dovi are not crazy about the snow anymore.

Oh sure, as pups they loved to run and jump in it, chasing each other and sliding around in it.

They never tired of it.

Now...

They run in it...



...to the door.

They don't want to hear it...S-N-O-W...nope. It's a four-letter word.

Now, these dogs are bundled up with a sweater and a fake fleece doggie coat.
They waddle around like the baby brother in "A Christmas Story" but they still enjoy being outside- just for shorter amounts of time.

Rides in the car and walks in the park are still the all-time favorite things to do- next to snuggling with Mama and getting tummy rubs, so I thought putting together a little list for the car would be helpful to other like-minded "dog people."  Actually, you've probably already thought of this so please add anything at all to the list.  I welcome your comments!

1. Dry blankets for you and Fido or Fluffy. Emergency space blankets are small, compact and reflective.  Check out the camping department at your local retail store
2. Hand warmers for you and to put under their blankets or a thin cloth-never on their exposed skin
3. Emergency meds and veterinarian info for them. 
4. Small bags of kibble or canned food w/plastic utensils and bowls
5. Water
6. Chew toys to calm their nerves
7. Bach Rescue Remedy if it helps them.  Spray a little first so they're used to it
8. Leads (leashes) and collars- when rescue personnel arrive, your dog will bark and possibly bite them in order to protect you. Having them on a leash or in a doggie seatbelt will keep them safe and get you the help you need sooner
9. Emergency flares AND a reflective triangle- if you can leave your car, place the triangle far to the rear of your car, then place a flare farther out into the road and the next flare even farther into the lane to divert oncoming cars and trucks AWAY from you and your dogs!  If they see the triangle and at least two flares guiding them to another lane, they'll have time to move AWAY from you and not HIT you!

NEVER LEAVE YOUR ANIMALS ALONE IN THE CAR- EVER!!  Take them with you or stay in the car with them until help arrives!

We hope you never have to use this info but please be prepared and safe with your pets.
CLICK HERE for a list of other non-pet items you should have in your car kit!
Tweet