Spotted A Stray Dog- Was It Serendipity?

You know, sometimes things are not a coincidence. 

Sometimes, we are blessed enough to see how our presence fits into the grand scheme of things...how a series of events occurs and we are part of it...and we see how we may have actually saved a life. 

To set the stage for this afternoon's event, I injured my ribs last week giving Scully a bath. Long story...Suffice to say, it's been an extremely painful week. My mother needed to run a few local errands today. I didn't take anything for the pain so I would be alert to drive. It was painful but I managed. I arrived home about 45 minutes ago, made my Shakeology with some frozen blueberries added for some yummy anti-oxidants and flavor...and took the dogs out for their afternoon bathroom trip. 

Both Scully and Dovi ran to the car because it's such a gorgeous day, it was more than obvious that they were expecting a trip to the park. Feeling awful, I apologized to them and brought them back upstairs, explaining why we couldn't go today...

Mama needed something for the pain and a nap.

When we got upstairs, Scully just kept running to the kitchen with a pleading in those big, brown eyes that would have melted the iceberg that sank the Titanic.  He tugged at my heart but there really wasn't anything I could do.  He finally gave in and went to his pillow in the living room.  

Head bowed in the afternoon sun, he broke my heart. 

Again.

As usual.

As only HE knows how... doggoneit! ;)

I scooped him up onto my good side and buried my face in his warm neck. As I promised him a trip to the park tomorrow, I looked out the front window and saw a new dog across the street...a beautiful tan and white dog, maybe a boxer-mix. You could see a very sweet temperament in this beautiful dog, who was obviously lost. It was smart enough to walk on the sidewalk but walked right across the very busy state road...into the afternoon traffic. My heart stopped as I held Scully, who had no idea what might have just happened. 

The dog kept walking on the sidewalk as I hurriedly grabbed my phone and called the police. The dispatcher said someone would be right out. Luckily, this is a very small town and there's ALWAYS a patrol car up and down this street...and they like dogs! 

I watched and strained my eyes as the dog got smaller and smaller, trotting along into the distance...trying to pick up a familiar scent.  Just at the edge of my view, the dog crossed the street, once again oblivious to the oncoming cars and was out of sight. I hit re-dial as fast as I could and called the police again to let them know to look on the other side of the road. The dispatcher assured me that an officer was almost there. I thanked him and told him I just wanted to make sure the officer didn't miss it by looking on the wrong side of the road. He was very courteous. 

I hope that beautiful dog made it home before the police arrived...or that the police arrived in time to save it's life and, best- case scenario, it's been micro-chipped so perhaps it will be home sometime tonight. I don't know what would've happened to that sweet dog if I hadn't scooped up Scully and seen it from my window and I'm not pretending to be a hero. I'm just glad I got to be part of something extra-ordinary today... and hopefully something that saved a precious life. 

As for our boys, Dovi is by my feet, patiently waiting for me to finish so we can snuggle for a bit. Scully has moved from his pillow and is now digging into Whiskers' bed...the one he took over when Whiskers passed...and he's looking straight at me, barking/calling me to cover him up so he can have another nap...and Mama hasn't had her nap yet but the meds are kicking in so it will all be good.

and how was your day?^..^    ,

Saved A Dog From Below Freezing Temperatures

Hello Everyone.

I've stayed away from writing since last summer because I devoted my time to my beloved feline companion, Whiskers, who was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma in July. I've been unable to bring myself back here to write anything until I write about him and his last four months with us in this earthly life...

But the Animal Angels, God, Source, The Great Spirit, Heavenly Father and St. Francis had other plans...I avoided coming back to this blog for so long, They knew I wouldn't be able to not write about this!

Last Winter, I wrote a post about getting up in the wee hours of the morning ( or middle of the night if you see the glass half empty ) and being grateful for being dragged out of my warm, cozy bed to take Scully out to the bathroom. Click Here to go there now. Well, I'm grateful for another one of those middle-of-the-night bathroom runs because we saved a dog from below freezing temperatures.

As in the other post, some things never change because the "click click clicking" of Scully's doggie toenails on the hardwood floor woke me up. He walked around to "my" side of the bed and then walked back to the door and waited patiently for me to untangle myself from the sheets and stagger to get my jacket. I gently rubbed Dovi's tummy and asked him if he needed to go, too...might as well, right? He jumped off the bed and came out to the kitchen as I bundled Scully up in his two sweaters, grabbed him like a football under my arm the flashlight and off the three of us went..down the stairs and outside.

We were greeted by the loud barking of a dog clearly in distress. It was cold- 28 degrees F and there was frost on the windshields of the cars in the driveway. The dog did not stop. He slowed down a little....got a little softer and I prayed he didn't give up. 

After getting the Boys settled back in bed and under blankies, I grabbed actual pants, a scarf and my phone and went back down as quickly as I could. I prayed if he was still out there that I could help somehow.

There was complete silence when I went back outside. I listened intently and pulled my jacket tighter to my chest and neck. I waited...and waited and waited. 

Nothing.

I clapped my hands a few times, hoping the noise would startle him. I prayed his "guardian" had brought him in but I couldn't go back inside unless I was certain.

I couldn't stand not knowing so I yelled out in the quiet night, " Dog...Are you still there?"

He started barking immediately..this time with hope in his voice. I yelled back to keep barking and that I was on my way to help him but I had to find him. I went down my driveway on foot and went to the corner. Crossing the main road, I followed his barking to the back of a parking lot at the corner convenience store. I went as far as I could and never saw him. I knew for sure he was across a field and in a backyard.  There were some lights on in the huge house. It looked like it had several apartments in it but I couldn't be sure. It could have been an older farmhouse, too. He barked for me and stopped after a few minutes. I called the police and explained to the dispatcher where I was and that the dog had been outside in below freezing conditions for at least over a half hour. He said he'd send someone to check it out.

I called out to the dog and told him that help was on the way. I just wanted him to hear my voice and be reassured that he wasn't alone. I hoped somehow my voice calmed him. 

I walked to the main street and the police cruiser came to the stop light. I motioned for him to pull in and that I was the one who called. Naturally, as the officer pulled in, the exhausted and freezing dog stopped barking. I explained the story again and pointed out the location to the officer, who said he'd go over there...and he did. I called out to the dog and told him to bark so the officer could find him. It didn't take long for me to see the headlights of the police car pull in the driveway. The dog stopped barking. I don't know if he was afraid of a beating and that's why he stopped...so I yelled at him to bark again...and he did. I saw the flashlight making it's way to the back and knew the officer heard his bark. A light came on outside the house so I knew someone had answered the door. 

As I walked aback through the parking lot, I had mixed emotions. Had the people forgotten about him outside and fallen asleep- were they glad that someone called and saved their dog from freezing temperatures? Were they deliberately ignoring his barking and leaving him out there on purpose? Did I save him from the freezing cold only to be brought inside to get a beating for barking? My mind was sick over it. I said a silent prayer for his protection and safety and can only hope that since I'd never heard him before- and we've had plenty of midnight bathroom trips- that perhaps the guardian was overtired and fell asleep. It's hard to believe that no one in that house heard him but I heard him three or four blocks away but I did what I could and have to believe he's safe.

When I came back in the house, I gave each dog a snuggle and hug and told them we saved a life and that they were good boys. I told them I love them. They slept like babies, safe and warm and comfortable, knowing they are loved.

It took me some time to fall asleep and, as I write this, I wonder how that dog is and what he's doing. I am thankful for the connection we made during the wee hours of this frozen morning- as in thousands of years of History- we made the human- canine connection, a bond between the two species working together for the same purpose- to save a life. I hope to meet him soon somehow and know he'll recognize my voice as the human who cared enough about him to not let him die alone in the cold...outside his own home.

And of course, I'm so grateful to Scully, who had to go to the bathroom at that precise moment. Things aren't always random and there's something to the old saying.."Everything Happens For A Reason." 


Waggy Tails and Puppy Kisses from Scully and Dovi for you...! ^..^    .
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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! ;)

 

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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."  ^..^     ,

 

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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."

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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
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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.
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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.
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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.

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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.

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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!
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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.
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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...

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