Giving back the gift of life and compassion for our War Vets

As the war progresses or digresses (depending upon your point of view) in the middle east,  our soldiers returning are having a tougher time coping and returning to a "normal" life. Many suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and or healing from physical injuries. Many suffer from depression, cannot find work, have other mental problems, nightmares, sever marriages, withdraw from the world and many end in suicide. This is a very tragic and very real situation.

Fortunately there are some very aware and forward thinking people and groups  who are working with these returning soldiers and animals. I have written before that animals are intuitive and healing and teach you compassion again. And now they are getting to prove this by helping our soldiers heal emotionally and give them the will to keep moving forward. They also help bring back the will to live and love again.

There is a program pairing dogs with soldiers as service dogs are for people with other handicaps. These dogs are psychiatric service dogs specially trained to help traumatized veterans leave the battlefield behind as they reintegrate into society. The results are very encouraging and positive, in dozens of interviews, veterans and their therapists reported drastic reductions in P.T.S.D. symptoms and in reliance on medication after receiving a service dog. The other good part to this service is that many of these specially trained pooches come from another program called, Puppies Behind Bars , a program based in New York State that uses prisoners to raise and train dogs for lives of service. To me, this is a win win situation for all involved!

   Another wonderful program emerging in Washington is the Dog Tags Program, done by the Washington Humane Association across from the Walter Reed Hospital. This  program brings together wounded soldiers and pups needing training to better their chances at adoption. This program brings them  together to teach, learn, and strengthen the bonds that heal.

In Las Vegas, New Mexico, there is a new emerging program called Horses4 Heros . This program is for returning military personnel, fire fighters, law enforcement, hospice care, corrections officers, critical care people, and their families. This is a riding program and is non-profit.

There is also the Operation Heroes and Hounds program. Operation Heroes & Hounds' presents injured members of the United States military with the unique opportunity of coaching and living with shelter dogs. The focus of the program is on personal transformation through The Loved Dog™ method, a playful and nonaggressive approach to canine coaching. Both service members and shelter dogs learn a new set of skills that will make a positive impact on their future.

Operation Heroes & Hounds participants include "the walking wounded" of the United States military suffering from non-visible ailments such as post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Shelter dogs selected for the program are in need of behavior modification through the kind, nonaggressive teaching of The Loved Dog method. Together, they can heal their emotional wounds while gaining new life skills.

All of these wonderful programs give each of us a chance to help our soldiers return to love and life. Whether or not you support or agree with the war efforts, you can support the men and women doing their jobs. Animals so much of the time are the best healers of emotional, and physical barriers. They teach us daily how to give back to one another, how to have compassion and how to love without restrictions and unconditionally. We can help these efforts  by just even volunteering our time or work with others to perhaps help start programs like these in your community.

We simply don't do enough for these people who are fathers, brothers, sisters, mothers or even friends, who lay their lives on the line for their jobs. We need to give back to them. You cannot be critical of them, as you have not walked in their shoes, have not seen the horrors, fear and pain they have felt. But you can help them with your compassion.

I want to live in a world where......

Cruising the web and news today I came across this iReport on CNN website called "Filled with Love". I was moved by some of the sentiment and ideas that were shown here on the vid link: http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-426451?hpt=Sbin



It's about the new outlook the managers/owners have about their wildlife park, Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Sedona, Arizona. Their mission strives to educate and entertain; to provide an exciting and engaging opportunity to love and respect creation and Creator. You see caretakers playing and caring for their charges, and animals interacting with the public, like the giraffe taking a treat from someone's mouth.

They list these as their values:  "As we attend to each animal’s daily food and husbandry requirements and to their holistic health and medical needs, we experience their gratitude and friendship – their appreciation of us. We consider their social orders, their natural beauty and essence, their sense of feeling safe and secure, their eternal spirituality, and our communion with them as a common community of life. Our commitment to the animals in our care allows them to portray their instincts, intelligence, and emotions. Wisdom is served by learning the integrity of their world, their honesty, their vitality, and their life-on-the-line reality. Their wealth is a life well spent. They thrive by living in the now, focusing their attention, their power, their affection, in acute awareness of life itself. By cooperating with them and their needs, our human family can, to an appreciable extent, integrate with theirs. Our loyalty rewards us with self-respect and self-fulfillment, for we have become something more than ourselves – and so have they. God is pleased."

While I fully enjoyed the video clip and sometimes think it would be wonderful to experience a closeness with these amazing animals, I remember too that they are wild animals, and as I have posted before, they will always be wild and have their wild instinct. And I sincerely hope and pray they never harm someone when that instinct kicks in. And again, I sincerely hope the managers and keepers continually strive to educate the public who visit that they are still wild animals and this is not how they act in the wild. My concern is that a lot of people will get the wrong message here about these animals.  They will get an unrealistic view of them and should they run across a cougar in the wild will they expect it to be a nice kitty and want his chin scratched? This is my fear. If you do a Google search I am sure you can find all the news articles about tourists in national parks, like Yellowstone in Wyoming who think that it's a big petting zoo, and will continually feed the bears or think they should take a picture of their child next to or on a moose. And then because the animal does what it normally does like protect itself because it's space is threatened and seriously injure or maim the person(s), the person or family sues the park. All because people have these unreal expectations of animals in their natural habitat and that all animals should be domesticated and controlled by humans. Sorry, it doesn't work that way folks. Quite often we aren't the biggest or baddest on the food chain.

Enjoy the clip, it's heartwarming to see and dream of, but never, ever forget that this isn't a natural environment for them. Love them from afar, respect them in their natural habitat and take only pictures.

It's spring!

Ok, it is finally spring! The weather was goofy the last couple of weeks, I don't think Mother Nature could make up her mind some days, rain, snow, both, or hail, and now the winds.

And now our wonderful companions want to commune more with nature.  Of course my brother's collie, Corny, has been communing with nature all along. Unfortunately he's been bringing it back inside with him! Usually this is in the form of mud.  And while I am all for him communing with nature, I  am ecstatic that the snow is for the most part over! Things are thawing and drying out nicely.  At least my 3 little guys are fussy and don't like being wet, much less being muddy. And the peke, Biscuit, doesn't mind playing in it, but he doesn't like to be muddy either. Maybe, just maybe I can clean the house without all the mud coming back in!

Now that they don't have snow and mud to play in, there are a myriad of birds to bark at, neighborhood doggies to yell to and sirens to howl at. The cats and the little old dog are enjoying the spring sun and fresh air now. The old man is a sun worshipper, and dozes daily in the sun now. The cats are also enjoying the increase in bird traffic providing new channels and looks to "kitty tv". And I suspect it won't be long before Yummy and Chronic push more to try to escape to the outdoors. Chronic was used to being an indoor/outdoor kitty, and I don't let my kitties out. Too many hazards out there for them. They are truly better indoors.  And according to my brother, Chronic is a screen ripper if he wants out bad enough. So this means I need to be creative in my screen covering to protect them and keep him in. If he tries it. So far with the nice days we've had lately, I have had the back door open with only the screen door closed and locked and one window open. He hasn't tried any of those screens. But he has enjoyed watching outside through the screen and enjoying the fresh air.

  Mr. Sun Worshipper himself. He looks so happy!

Ah the last point about spring and the changes our companions go through that signal warmer weather. Shedding is up soon, oh joy, enough fur in the house now to make numerous new furry critters! LOL

Ah... spring, funky weather and mud covered dogs!

Ok, the picture above pretty much says it all where the mud lovin' dog is concerned in our house.

Today is the first day of spring. The birds know it, although the weather can't make up it's mind. Yesterday afternoon it started raining, then came the thunder and lightning, soon it started to pour and hail, which then moved on to sleet and ended with 3 inches of snow by this morning.

While I will say the snow is pretty, I am not happy to see it back again. The collie, Corny, and the Peke, Biscuit, however were very happy to see it back. They love to play out in it, chase snowflakes and bounce in it. And Corny loves to make mud puddles and holes in the yard for these mud puddles. Darn it just when my yard had finally dried out and it was enjoyable outside for us humans.

Corny has a thing for any form of water, be it in liquid, or flake form. And he loves it even more if he can make mud and wear as much of it as possible. This leaves a lot of muddy footprints in the house, dried mud flaking off with fur all over, and very dirty towels requiring washing every day. Thank heavens for tile floors. And with that being said, I am getting to know my mop far more than I ever hoped to. I have to give my brother credit though, he usually tries his best to dry Corny off or wipe as much mud off as possible before letting him loose in the house. It's about like fighting a losing battle though. And Corny loves to be outside as much as possible, which is fine if it's a nice day and dry out there. He has also developed his dribble art to a new 3 dimensional form now. This means there are little peaks and valleys of firmly caked on mud all over my patio. And if you scolded him for the mud mess, and bring him in, he'll put his feet and muzzle in the sole water bowl and dribble it all over the floors in the house. And I hate to say it, I have no idea how to break him of this habit. Yesterday alone I cleaned out and refilled the water bowl no less than 4 times.

He is the sweetest dog you might ever like to encounter, but he has his bothersome habits like this. Good thing I also have slip covers on all the furniture and can wash the throw pillows, because he also thinks he's a little dog and should be on the sofa. Yesterday after one particularly close lightning strike and thunder I suddenly found myself sharing the little love seat with an 80 pound scaredy cat.  Silly thing..... Overall he's a great dog, and tries to please and loves to be the center of attention. I just wish I could figure out why he has this obsessive thing going with the water and the mud and dribbling it all over.

Anyone else ever have this type of thing with their border collie?

If I didn't have dogs.....

I got this bit through the email, and thought it would be nice to share it here. It's so true for most of us!

I could walk around the yard barefoot in safety.

My house could be carpeted instead of tiled and laminated.

All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be free of hair.

When the doorbell rings, it wouldn't sound like a kennel.

When the doorbell rings, I could get to the door without wading through fuzzy bodies who beat me there.

I could sit on the couch and my bed the way I wanted, without taking into consideration how much space several fur bodies would need to get comfortable.

I would have money ....and no guilt to go on a real vacation.

I would not be on a first-name basis with 6 veterinarians, as I put their yet unborn grand kids through college.

The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: out, sit, down, come, no, stay, and leave him/her/it ALONE.

My house would not be cordoned off into zones with baby gates or barriers.

My house would not look like a day care center, toys everywhere. My pockets would not contain things like poop bags, treats and an extra leash.

I would no longer have to Spell the words B-A-L-L, F-R-I-S-B-E- E, W-A-L-K, T-R-E-A-T, B-I-K-E, G-O, R-I-D-E .

I would not have as many leaves INSIDE my house as outside.

I would not look strangely at people who think having ONE dog/cat ties them down too much.

I'd lookforward to spring and the rainy season instead of dreading "mud" season. 

I would not have to answer the question "Why do you have so many animals?" from people who will never have the joy in their lives of knowing they are loved unconditionally by someone as close to an angel as they will ever get.

 How EMPTY my life would be!  

A Chastity belt for dogs? What the Heck?

Ok, a friend sent me the link on this article.



There is a man who has developed a Chastity Belt for dogs. The female wears it while in heat, much like a maxi pad that leaks for dogs and prevents pregnancy in the process. UH.... HELLO!!!??? This defeats the purpose of spaying and neutering and give people just one more excuse to not do the right thing and spay or neuter their pets. He claims as posted below, that he is all for spaying ad neutering however.....

"I'm all for neutering and spaying," says Dexter Blanch. "But in some cases, it is a health risk for the dog. In other cases, the pet owner is squeamish about putting the dog through surgery. And then there are people who plan one day to breed their pet."

""The Pet Anti Breeding System – or PABS, as he calls it – a polypropylene belt with an eight-buckle locking system and a washable mesh pad for female dogs.
The device allows the pooch to do all its natural bodily functions, except one, of course.
The PABS slogan: "When the heat is on, lock it, and stop it."
"The dogs can urinate and defecate," Blanch says. "But they can't copulate or impregnate."
Amorous canines won't get hurt trying to penetrate the PABS sheathing, Blanch claims. "

This gives people just one more out as far as I am concerned. He talks about the fact that it would have to be washed out regulary as it is made of a mesh material that allows bodily functions to happen just fine, like urination etc. But it doesn't say it will keep the blood spotting off of your floors or furniture. And as a dog is usually in heat up to 21 days at a time, twice a year, washing this thing out daily so it doesn't smell, and hopefully for the fabric to last some is simply just, well, YUCK! Why would I want to wash my dog and her "underthings" everyday?

Ok, enough of the YUCK factor. Now to the part that counts..... Being in season is very very stressful for the female and the male. They will try to mate regardless of what is there in the way, and they are so focused on the heat cycle, they will attempt it over and over and it puts way too much stress on the heart and body systems. Male dogs become agressive and will fight, females get no rest, etc. This not only causes veterinary bills, but you are in fact shortening your pet's lifespan. Trust me, the truly are much happier and healthier fixed than not.  Spaying and Neutering your pet does give them a longer and happier life.

Now, did anyone find his idea ludicrous?  I only hope someone doesn't come up with this idea for cats! Cats barely tolerate one either dressing them or doing much of anything to them. Can you just imagine the amount of pain involved with trying to put this device on a cat? I forsee sutures in one's future who attempts this. (just picturing it has me rolling on the floor laughing!)

The "Link" (The correlation between Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse)

Ok, so I no sooner post the last one about animal hoarding, and my brother turns me on to a local news broadcast about the "Link", the link between people who abuse their partner or family will also usually be an animal abuser. Apparently the article linked it to it being an ongoing problem in NM.

So being the person I am, I researched it more. It isn't just in NM it is worldwide. The ASPCA has information on it,  and this is an excerpt of what they have to say:

"In recent years, a strong connection has been documented linking animal abuse and domestic violence. A New Jersey study found that in 88 percent of families where there had been physical abuse of children, there were also records of animal abuse. In Wisconsin, battered women revealed that in four out of five cases, abusive partners had also been violent toward pets or livestock. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence conducted its own study in which 85.4 percent of women and 63.0 percent of children reported incidents of pet abuse after arriving at domestic violence shelters. The Chicago Police Department's Domestic Violence Program took a look at the criminal histories of animal fighting/animal abuse arrestees for 2000-2001 and found that approximately 30 percent had domestic violence charges on their records. There is legitimate evidence that the individuals involved in violent acts against animals present a danger to the public that must be addressed. Intentional animal abuse is often seen in association with other serious crimes including drug offenses, gang activity, weapons violations, sexual assault and domestic violence—and can be one of the most visible parts of an entire history of aggressive or antisocial behavior."

Another article from The American Humane organization's  site:

Why it Matters

• 71% of pet-owning women entering women’s shelters reported that their batterer had injured, maimed, killed or threatened family pets for revenge or to psychologically control victims; 32% reported their children had hurt or killed animals. 


• 68% of battered women reported violence towards their animals. 87% of these incidents occurred in the presence of the women, and 75% in the presence of the children, to psychologically control and coerce them.


• 13% of intentional animal abuse cases involve domestic violence. 


• Between 25% and 40% of battered women are unable to escape abusive situations because they worry about what will happen to their pets or livestock should they leave.


• Pets may suffer unexplained injuries, health problems, permanent disabilities at the hands of abusers, or disappear from home. 


• Abusers kill, harm, or threaten children’s pets to coerce them into sexual abuse or to force them to remain silent about abuse. Disturbed children kill or harm animals to emulate their parents’ conduct, to prevent the abuser from killing the pet, or to take out their aggressions on another victim.


• In one study, 70% of animal abusers also had records for other crimes. Domestic violence victims whose animals were abused saw the animal cruelty as one more violent episode in a long history of indiscriminate violence aimed at them and their vulnerability. 


• Investigation of animal abuse is often the first point of social services intervention for a family in trouble.


• For many battered women, pets are sources of comfort providing strong emotional support: 98% of Americans consider pets to be companions or members of the family. 


• Animal cruelty problems are people problems. When animals are abused, people are at risk. 

And the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies has information on this problem also.

Ok, this is something that perhaps struck too close to home for me. It brought back memories of why my first marriage failed. And I am so very happy I had the fortitude to "wake up" when I did and stick to my guns to divorce him. Yes, he was an abuser. Not so much physically to me, the abuse directed towards me was all emotional and mental, but he did physically torment and tease the animals. That in and of itself is abuse. Strong ties there.

So, now some facts why this is so on the issue:

• People who abuse animals are often responsible for family violence

• Children who abuse pets tend to be victims too, or have been exposed to abuse and learn to behave aggressively toward other people and animals

• Animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people (Study done by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal, 1997)

• Nearly all animal abusers have been victims of abuse or exposed to abuse as a child

• Animal abuse and human violence are inseparable and if they are not addressed as an interconnected cycle of violence it will only continue to poison our society from generation to generation


• To create an environment which intimidates and terrorizes their victims

• To demonstrate power over the family

• To use the pet as a warning to family members that “Next time it could be you”

• To punish victims for acts of independence and self-determination: such as leaving

• To prevent the victim from leaving or coerce her to return by threatening the pet’s well being

• To degrade the victim and/or shift the responsibility of abuse through involvement in abuse

• To force the family to keep violence a secret

• To eliminate competition for attention


• To enforce submission


• To perpetuate an environment of fear


• To prevent the victim from leaving or coerce her to return


• To punish for leaving or showing independence

So, what can we do?

• Learn about the human/animal violence connection

• Talking to your friends and colleagues about the connection between animal abuse and family violence may help to encourage people to report any suspected abuse. Someone who suspects domestic violence but is too afraid to get involved may be more comfortable reporting animal abuse.

• Emergencies -911


• Report less urgent matters – Police line


• Report Animal Abuse to a humane society/SPCA


• Report suspected child abuse and neglect to Family and Children’s Services

• Be a positive role model to children.

• Teach empathy to children.

• Learn the signs of abuse and what to do if you suspect someone you know is being abused. Click here to learn how to recognize the signs.

• If you know someone who wants to escape a violent relationship, offer a safe place for an animal to stay (ensure that the abuser will not be able to find the animal- this is to protect yourself, the victim and the animals)

What Can Law Enforcement Do?

It is imperative that first responders understand the connection between animal abuse and family violence. When responding to domestic calls it is imperative to be alert for signs that children and/or pets might be victimized. Children may be more willing to discuss what has happened to a pet than their own victimization.

And not staying silent on the issue of abuse of any form. You may not want to be "involved" but you are already by being a witness to it. How would you feel if the abuser decided to kill his family and pets and no one reported the abuses they saw because they were afraid to be "involved"? In the old days it was a shameful thing and abuse was never ever talked about. Society is different today, report it. Only by reporting and caring can we bring about the much needed education, changes, and help for the battered and the batterer.

Animal Hoarding? More than you can handle?

   So this morning while checking the news and what's new on some of the sites I follow or network on, I came across this forum post on another social network site I belong to for animal owners in our area.

Apparently there is a filming company here or wishing to find people here who are possible animal hoarders or may have too many pets.  This was her post:

Some brand them as “animal hoarders.” We want to get to know them as people. We want to experience the special relation they have with their pets and understand why they do what they do. We also recognize that trying to care for too many animals can sometimes be overwhelming. There can be financial burdens, health issues, family conflicts, even the run-ins with authorities. We want to see how animal lovers - and their families - deal with these challenges.

We also want to offer help. We have the resources to provide free veterinary care, therapy, spaying and neutering, even food if required. We will not force anyone to do anything they don’t want to do. We will not report anyone to any authorities. If help is needed, we want to find solutions that work for everybody.

Our goal as TV producers is to tell true stories about people who are often misunderstood – and if we can, to address issues that are too often ignored. To learn more, contact us at realstories@petfamily.org – or call us at our toll free number: 1-877-MY8-PETS.

There are two sites associated with this post or person: Petfamily.org  and The Animal Hoarding Project Both are associated with the same group who produce Intervention. However, the woman assure one poster that this was to be a different situation than Intervention. They wish to genuinely help the people who agree to be filmed.

I and a couple others see potential problems here. Animal Hoarding is a crime in NM, it is considered neglect and abuse. While it is recognized as a probable illness in the person doing the hoarding, it doesn't make it any less of a crime. We wonder if perhaps producing this show could lead to law enforcement removing the animals and charging the person etc.  This could open a whole can of worms unless they can guarantee anonymity of the people being filmed.

In my humble opinion,  I do think perhaps more attention should be drawn to this matter, I am not entirely sure exposing people in your community to Reality TV is the way to go about it.  Not everyone who has an excess of pets are hoarders. Some really do provide the needed veterinary care and cleanliness for the animals in their care.  So perhaps you know someone who might fall under the hoarder status, or are in denial about the abundance of pets in their home, and they often say things like, "If I don't care for them, they'll end up at the shelter and be euthanized."  Hoarding is a mental disorder, and it does get worse over time.

Pet Abuse.Com gives this definition on Hoarding (aka Collecting):

"Animal hoarding, sometimes referred to as "collecting", continues to struggle with public misconceptions. Members of the community and even law enforcement often view hoarders to be "someone who meant well but the situation got out of hand," conjuring images of the sweet cat lady down the street.

While their intentions may indeed have been good, the reality of hoarding is far from sweet, and is often quite horrific. Hoarders often have hundreds of animals in their home, living in filth and without veterinary care. It is not uncommon to discover several hundred animals in various states of neglect at one location. It is also very common to find vast collections of other junk and garbage on the premises, as well as many layers of feces throughout the home.

In the majority of hoarding cases, the hoarder firmly believes not only that they have done nothing wrong, but that the animals cannot survive without their "care". In many instances, hoarders will even be reluctant to relinquish the decomposing corpses of animals that died. Dead animals are frequently found in the freezer or refrigerator, or even laying around the house, embedded in the carpeting, etc. At times, dead animals have been left in the home so long that they have become mummified.

Hoarders may feel that they "love" animals, but they can be blind to the fact that they are not caring for them responsibly even in the face of starvation and death. Hoarders are usually unable to bear the thought of euthanasia, but vast numbers of animals are "saved" only to languish in a squalid, crowded environment where they suffer from

Living and working with WILD Animals

AP photo

After last week's devastating and shocking death of a whale trainer at Sea World Orlando, and all the analyst's reasonings etc. I had to post something about it.

An article on MSNBC quotes this: "Humans trying to incarcerate orcas or elephants or any type of large brain or large society species, it's proven it doesn't work," said Mark Berman, associate director at the environmental group Earth Island Institute in Berkeley, Calif. "They're just too big." No animals were meant to entertain humans, he said.

And another quote from someone else in the article:  Former SeaWorld head trainer Thad Lacinak says captive killer whales serve as ambassadors of the species to educate the public and help protect them in the wild. "These animals are invaluable in terms of what we can learn from them. And you cannot learn about killer whales through a pair of binoculars," Lacinak said.

Using killer whales to perform, or displaying animals at zoos, brings them to life for the public, he said, something that watching the Discovery Channel just can't do.

"We know for a fact that people do not learn in static conditions. They learn from these animals when they are entertained by them," Lacinak said. "That's just how people learn. They don't learn when they're bored ... They have a greater appreciation of the animals when they walk out." Lacinak also stated the obvious — that trainers know their jobs are inherently dangerous but take the risks because they believe they're outweighed by the rewards.

Ok, while the article relates this to other wild animals that are kept in captivity, like elephants, tigers, etc., they don't bring up the main point here. HELLO!!!!! THEY ARE WILD ANIMALS!  They were not meant to be companion animals like dogs and cats. They were not meant to be domesticated to the extent that you can trust them with your life. They still have all of their bred in WILD INSTINCTS!

They knew when they bought this animal that he had two deaths attributed to him. They knew they should always work around him with caution, but instead the trainer let her guard down and became complacent. And the whale knew it! Whales and dolphins like many other wild species KNOW when to take advantage or injure us. And I am not saying her death wasn't tragic in any way. But the fact is, she became complacent, she knew what she was dealing with. And my condolences and heart go out to her family.

Perhaps keeping an animal in captivity for the educational purpose is not necessarily a bad thing, but don't teach him to fetch and sit up and beg, don't degrade him by putting on a show. Especially something like a Orca. These animals may play on their own, they are protectie of their pods and family members, and they thrive by hunting. They hunt their favorite food, seal. And the sad thing is these animals in captivity don't get their proper and normal diet. I am sure all the animal rights groups would have problems with feeding the Orcas live seals. I don't particularly relish the idea myself, but they should be allowed to be free and eat and hunt what is proper for them. And looks wise, we are often mistaken for seals, especially by Great White Sharks.

Another wild animal case in point doing what comes natural, is Siegfried and Roy's tiger. Animals may put up with the degradation for awhile, but believe me they will retaliate to remind you just what they are. They are wild. Leave them in the wild. We need to appreciate that they are wild and can hurt us.

 

 

 

Don't think you should spay or neuter? Think again....

Once again the issue of spaying and neutering is a hot topic on another networking group I belong to. It started by a friend posting her experiences working in a shelter, and just how many healthy, happy puppies, adult dogs, adult cats, and kittens are euthanized on a daily basis because there aren't enough homes for them. Not evening defining "good" homes, just homes for them. And the kicker as she so eloquently put it was this, "every person that allows more dogs to be born into this already overpopulated dog world, should first have to assist in the euthanasia of healthy, homeless dogs for a month. If, after a month of euthanizing wo/man’s best friend over and over and over, you can still, without regret, allow more puppies to join us -- then I guess I don’t have much more of an argument. Hold those dogs in your arms as they take their last breaths – for no good reason except that there aren’t enough homes. NO MORE PUPPIES!!!" She went on to post about the one dog, whose death will always stay with her, "I'll NEVER forget one specific dog that was euthanized. He was 'average' looking, sweet, sensible, maybe 3-4 years old. Didn't get anyone's attention I guess because he was 'average.' When it was his turn to be euthanized, the drugs would not kill him. His heart wouldn't stop beating. The staff vet had to be called in. I was holding the dog and sobbing and said "Why won't he die?" and I'LL NEVER FORGET THIS -- the vet said to me "Because he's so healthy." They eventually had to give him a massive dose of whatever. To this day I wish I had added that little "average" dog to my pack before he was picked to go to 'the room.' If I'd only known."


We also perpetrate all these euthanasias by buying purebred animals from breeders who will indiscriminately kill pups or kittens that don't meet their standards, or are slightly deformed. And mill breeders will kill undesireable animals any way they can, look at how Michael Vick killed his, by electrocution.

Then I was reminded by another friend the 10 reasons people consistently come up with for "NOT" altering their pets:

THE TEN WORST REASONS NOT TO SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PET:


1. Just one litter and we’ll have Fluffy spayed.
Studies show that nearly the entire pet overpopulation stems from the "Just one litter" mentality

2. My dog doesn’t run loose, so he/she doesn’t need to be fixed.
Murphy’s law says otherwise

3. We always find a home for the kittens/puppies
And that means that an equal number of kittens/puppies with be euthanised at your local pound.

4. I want my children to witness the miracle of birth.
RENT A VIDEO!!!

5. My dog/cat is so cute and unique, there should be more of him.
The shelters are full of cute and unique dogs and cats with only a few days left to live!

6. It’s just not natural.
There hasn’t been anything "natural" about dogs or cats since we began to develop breeds thousands of years ago

7. I just couldn’t look my dog in the eyes if I had him castrated
GET A LIFE !!!

8. A female dog/cat should have at least one litter for health reasons
Medically, factually and ethically INDEFENSIBLE.

9. Neutering my dog/cat will make them fat and lazy
Too much food and not enough exercise make your pet fat and lazy

10. Fixing my pet will change his/her personality
The primary influence on an animal’s personality is the kindness and care with which it is treated.

And then if you can read all this above and still say oh, but this would never happen to my "Fluffy's" offspring, think again. Then look at this poster from the Humane Society and rethink it all. This poster says it all:



So.... think again, and I would ask you how you can justify allowing your pet to breed indiscriminately or how can you justify paying money for a "purebred" animal, and allow so many other souls to die?

Recycle that old fur coat, cap or stole.

Ran across this article today, it's about recycling your old fur made items (caps, coats, stoles, etc.) What a wonderful way to make use of something that is no longer politically correct to wear.

A 2-week-old grey fox sleeps in donated fur in this photo released by The Humane Society of the United States.

So, if you've got a fur coat gathering dust? The Humane Society suggests the ultimate recycling — giving it back for use for other animals. The Coats for Cubs program by the Humane Society of the United States helps orphaned, injured or sick wildlife by gathering fur coats and using them for nests, bedding or cuddly replacements for mom and dad. The fur is used for bedding for orphaned wildlife infants to help provide comfort, and reduce stress, thereby increasing the odds for survival.

The coats go to wildlife rehabilitation centers that take in baby raccoons, chipmunks, squirrels, coyotes, skunks and other animals, and has helped thousands of animals since it began in 2005 with the Fund for Animals.

The furs are always needed, but they are especially welcome in winter. The current Coats for Cubs coat drive technically ends on Earth Day, April 22, but the Humane Society will accept coats any time of the year.

Please! Help the animals at the Las Vegas, NM Shelter!

This is a cross post from an animal networking group in New Mexico. This woman has worked tirelessly to help the animals that go through the City of Las Vegas, New Mexico's animal shelter. What all this sounds like is that the Mayor and City manager are entrenched in their thinking and as a result are allowing cruelty to exist. Anyhow, here is her (edited to remove some names) post. If you can help, please do so. Even if it is to write the mayor and city manager or help get these animals out and into foster care. This lady is with the Animal Welfare Coalition.

"Since late August, there has been one attack after another. Everything we achieved and planned for welfare of shelter animals has been blocked or distorted. I could go through whole sequence but I am very tired. Simply, the Director of City Shelter would rather all dogs and cats were euthanized than any effort put forward to care for, adopt or transfer them. His name is Elmer Martinez. He heads several departments within the city. The shelter is the lowest on his list. He has been the motivating force behind the shelter supervisors' (past and present) obsession with killing and neglect. He is one of the most manipulating and deceitful individuals I have ever come upon. ( And I fought for the freedom of Black and Puerto Rican boys with the NYC courts.) I have seen hate and prejudice but never the amount of cruelty and corruption that I have witnessed here in Las Vegas. A simple request such as "Please shut the kennel doors on freezing cold nights" is answered by Elmer Martinez and Tim Dodge, City Manager, claiming that I and all of the Animal Welfare Coalition members are"undermining" the interim supervisor, Robert, whose decision it was and is to leave doors open. No, I just didn't want the dogs to get sick. AWC was not involved at all. The dogs are sick. The doors are still open. There seems to be no recourse as this a patron system and Martinez is supported by the higher ups in city government, the Major and the City Manager. I have given the best battle of my life. (NYC prejudiced judges seem like kindness and light after this.) In order to protect my own animals ( poisoning is accepted practice here, as is shooting ) and myself, I am leaving. Hopefully by March 1st. My heart breaks with the plight of the animals in this town. The pitiful irony is, there is no reason to slaughter the shelter animals. With very little to no help, I moved over 1000 dogs from shelter to rescues and good homes in the past year and half. With help, we could have researched many more rescues in the West and moved many more dogs and cats. With financial help, we could have had medical care and a van and gas to transfer. And on and on. We were getting there, then Elmer and Kelly forbid all volunteers. No dog walking, no cat petting, and no exercise pen, still. Now, no adoptions, "a chain of command" to report with any action to free an animal. I have been thrown out of the shelter and then told to come back and then told I was not allowed to be there so many times that I am dizzy. I have no idea what my status is right now. When I go in to photograph animals or help with animals, I have been told to leave by City Manager. At other times, I am called in to look at a dog that needs to get out. God knows. Again, tired of fighting. And the city has never paid me a cent or a "Thank You" for getting dogs out. Odd, very odd.
Somehow, I still have hope. Just can't hold it all up without real help. Time for relief to arrive.  Elmer is threatening to start the 3 day kill ordinance, which is unfortunately legal, in city ordinances. Oh yes, the City Council voted the shelter and Animal Control over to Public Safety, read Police Department , two months ago. It has not been taken over yet supposedly any day. Finally, the intelligent and very kind Animal Control officer has been so badly treated by Elmer that she has requested a transfer to Water Control. She loves the animals and cares for them beautifully. She could plan and build a humane shelter. "

Here is one proposal and reply from another member:

"My proposal: a massive letter writing campaign to the city of Las Vegas, telling them that we WILL NOT be bringing our company to visit Las Vegas until they right this situation. What I need from you is a 'bullet list' of issues to cite in our letters or phone calls. In other words, what are the 3 biggest issues there? Inhumane treatment? Facilities? Please let us know what exactly we should highlight in our letters and phone calls. We need to spread the word to the animal community to inundate the mayor's office.
Mayor Tony Marquez
City of Las Vegas
1700 North Grand Ave
Las Vegas, NM 87701
(505) 454-1401
The mayor's email address (no guarantee that he'll get this, so hard-copy letters or phone calls are better): mayormarquez@yahoo.com
Maybe it will help, maybe not, but at least we've done SOMEthing.
Also, letters to the editor of the local paper would also bring attention to the situation. Email letters for the Las Vegas Optic to: tmcdonald@lasvegasoptic.com"

I felt also that perhaps getting word out to the communities and other area major newspapers and news agencies  would help bring the spotlight on. I also would like to turn this over to the ASPCA as they try their best to monitor these types of things and can shut down shelters if needed.

Anyhow, please help get the word out and help the animals in Las Vegas. Thank you!

Reasons why you need a pet

There is no one perfect pet type or personality to fit everyone. Whether you love birds, fish, or another creature, there is a pet out there for you.  Pets offer a lot of positives for you, and are actually good for you. I thought I would list some of the pros of pet adoption. Notice I said "Pet Adoption" I am talking about adopting a pet through a rescue organization or shelter. By doing so, you are giving another soul a chance at a full loving life, and allowing it to help fulfill yours.

Anyway on to the pros......

Having a pet helps seniors stay invested in life. They help them with  keeping their minds stimulated, help them get exercise, keep them entertained, safe and loved.

If you live along, pets can help counter loneliness and depression. They'll help you to continue to focus on life around you. They give you companionship.

They'll help you establish a routine. Just the routine of caring for a pet can bring structure and purpose to daily life.

If it's a dog, they will help you establish an exercise routine. And regardless of our age, we all need some form of exercise and getting outside to play or walk your pet is a great way to set a daily exercise routine and keep you both in shape.

Pets are amazing stress relievers. It's a known fact that people with pets handle stress better and exhibit less stress than those without. Seniors especially need to keep their stress levels down. Just petting a dog or cat lowers the heart rate and never fails to bring about contentment and smiles. I know for me, just being greeted at the door when I come home every day from work with all these furry, wiggling, and happy bodies makes me smile, and makes my home my place of love and happiness.

Again if you have a dog, it will help you get outside, and stay connected to friends, or make new ones. It helps you stay connected to life and see all the wonder around you.

Taking your dog to a dog park helps you make new friends, and pets are great icebreakers for meeting new people.

A pet can stimulate interest in new interests and activities. It might inspire you to volunteer at the local animal shelter, or if you have a very social loving calm pet, you might volunteer to help seniors have contact with animals. Even some hospitals seek pet owners with amazing social pets to bring them to the hospital to spend time with patients.

Dogs of course can provide you with protection. Even a yappy smaller dog will discourage burglars. And little dogs are just as fierce in their protection as are big dogs. There are even stories of cats protecting their owners in the home.

And pets give you something to care for, they help you feel useful, they teach you unconditional love, compassion, and how to live in the moment and have fun. Having a pet means that you are making a promise to that soul to continue to be involved in another life, and to always keep your heart open to love.

I know for me, just hearing a cat purr is the most comforting sound and feeling I can know. Cuddling an animal, and feeling their unconditional acceptance of me and love for me is an amazing thing to realize. These things keep me grounded, sane and interested in life. And as I said, there is nothing quite like my coming home at the end of a stressful work day to 7 furry wagging and wiggling bodies the moment  I step inside the door. It makes a world of difference as I leave my cares and worries at the door.

Updates on the tribe of furry creatures occupying my home....

So, since last week things have been quiet and interesting. My brother and sister in-law flew home last Thursday to finish clearing out the apartment and get finished moving down here. So, that being said it's just hubby and myself and all these lovely furry creatures occupying my household. Seems lately you can't go anywhere in the house or sit anywhere without there being an animal in the room or on the piece of furniture you choose to occupy. Which is ok by me.

Currently I am off work for 2 weeks, hooray! And as I sit in my media/office room upstairs, I at the moment have 4 out of the 8 critters in here with me. Yummy the cat, and 3 dogs. The dogs absolutely love being up here with me. And there are two of them that zip right over and claim a bean bag for themselves.

Ok back to the topic. For the first evening, my brother's two dogs were rather forlorn that he and Peg weren't coming back immediately. But they have adapted fast. They are getting used to my bunch's routines about bedtime and where bedtime is. Usually my bunch are sectioned off in an area with their crates (I have one who has never learned not to soil where she sleeps and I simply got tired of cleaning the thing out!), and usually the other two, Corny and Biscuit, have been kept in their room at nights. Well, they don't get to do that without my brother here. So, they've been learning to sleep with the rest of the pack. And actually there was very little complaint about it from Corny. Despite my brother noting that he would talk all night. Although the first couple of nights Corny was completely intimidated by Poppy, who is probably 1/10th his size. She thought the fancy big bed could be all hers. And I would come down in the mornings and find him trying to be curled up on a chihuahua sized bed. Well, that's changed now. He gets to his bed first now.

And now Biscuit has become my constant sidekick. He and I talk, and play and he gives me lots of kisses. Even my husband is becoming attached. And I see him more and more engage my littlest dog, Thumbelina, in play. And they play kissy face, and wash each other's ears. Corny has mellowed some, and is very good and patient and plays in the evenings with us. And they all play outside. Well except for Lil'Shit who is just simply confused in his old age and if he's with one of us, becomes very protective.

Yesterday I went by Target and got a ball thrower for Corny and took him to the dog park over by the Animal Shelter not far from us. He loves to ride, and he knew right off that the new toy was for him. As I didn't have anyone else going with me, I couldn't take Biscuit too. So according to my husband, he pouted the whole time. Well, when we pulled up to the dog park and Corny could see all the other dogs frolicking and romping, he got so excited and barked and bounced around in my van, making the whole thing rock. But he minded well. When we got inside we played ball for awhile, but the smells beckoned stronger. So we went for a walk around the perimeter. He met and made new friends, played a bit with some of the others, loved on every person he met. And found the water bowl out there to drink and do a little dribble art! For his first time there, he was wonderful and had a great time. Now to get him there a bit more often.

On the way home from the dog park, he sat in the very back seat, leaned back and looked regal. Like I was his chauffeur or  something! Biscuit turned himself inside out when he saw me, as did all the others. I have to say that this is one thing that we are really enjoying, is coming home to all these furry bodies happily greeting us when we come in the door. Even the cats are all for the most part doing very well. No fights, and Djinn and Biscuit are also developing quite a relationship. They greet and play a bit almost every day. Hubby and I noted last night, that my brother's fur kids have certainly changed the energy and demeanor of us all, and it's a happy place and our bunch is so much more outgoing and animated. We laughed that we just might have to keep them all here.

Saving animals is not just for women!

Ok, so you think that saving or rescuing animals from abuse and neglect isn't a macho thing? You think caring about animals is not a manly thing? Well hang on to your seats gentlemen! Check out these tough guys, Rescue Ink.



I found out about them while surfing  ABC news and read a story on them. And then there is their website: Rescue Ink  I love their zero tolerance policy on animal abuse and neglect. Each member's history is a bit unique and varied. They will go in where other rescue agencies cannot or will not go in. And they not only rescue, they'll work to educate the abuser in the process. As you read their brief profiles about each one, I for one am happy that I am not on their target list. I am glad I am on the same side. But I mean, come on, would you want to piss them off?

Wow! Talk about an inspiring bunch of guys!  They break the mold on the idea that rescuing animals are only for women or wimps. And gentlemen, you know what I mean. Oh alot of you talk tough but would you really step out of your comfort zone to rescue an animal you witnessed being abused? Now, giving some of you the benefit of the doubt, I believe you would take time out to rescue or care aobut an animal that needed you.  Personally I think these guys do a great thing. I wish there were more like minded people like them across the country. And even though they are in New York, it isn't just household pets they rescue, they rescue horses, like the two colts here, and other animals, even chickens.



I am guessing that there is no rescue creature too small or large for them. And I imagine that when they put their efforts forth that there isn't much that would get in their way. I for one applaud them! Now if I only had the National Geographic Channel, I would certainly enjoy watching them in action. And maybe if the word got out a little more, maybe it would inspire others to step out of their comfort zone and help work towards a good cause and perhaps teach others a little bit about compassion along the way. And last but not least, remember, Never, Ever Judge a Book by it's Cover! You can not ever tell a person inside by his or her appearance.

Way to Go Guys! Join them on Facebook   and on MySpace  if you live in the New York area, voluteer!

General Dog Behavior and Some Observations

 Now, before I get started, let me note that I am not a animal behavioral specialist, nor a "know it all" on animals. This post is just some of my observations having lived with animals in my life my entire life. I admit I learn as much as I can about alot of topics, and I learn alot about people and animals by watching them. Body language says a lot you know. 

That being said..... I got home from work yesterday to a lovely happy sounding, tail wagging bunch. It made the day so much better and helped me smile after the long day. Later my brother and I got to talking about how much happier he felt his dogs were here. He noted that they had their tails up more, and were wagging them more and overall seemed less stressed. He talked about his concern with the grandchildren that had been living with them in their previous state, and how of course kids being kids, a couple of them the boy especially was always poking at Biscuit's face or pulling and grabbing or trying to poke at his eyes. There was concern there as the dog in his fear had nipped the kid several times as the kid didn't learn to leave him alone. The poor little guy was getting very stressed out. 

I talked to him a bit about it and some observations about dogs being protective and such. We went on to talk about why most dogs might bite a child. Alot of times the poor dog is blamed, and what might seem like an unprovoked attack might have other reasons why a dog would "out of the blue" and "unprovoked" attack or bite a child. The truth of the matter is, we simply don't know if there were preceding circumstances, perhaps the dog had been tormented by neighborhood kids, and came to associate kids with fear, aggravation, or pain. Or the owners taught it to be mean and protect and attack anyone within it's territory. Or perhaps it's an older dog, and the kid unknowingly or knowingly hurt it in some manner and the dog felt cornered and needing to protect itself. 

Some dogs that are sadly deemed vicious by police may not really be that way at all. In Albuquerque, NM there have been several incidents where police felt they were being attacked by a "vicious" animal and shot and killed the dog. In actuality, perhaps the bigger picture needs to be considered here. A dog is very much a part of the family "pack" unit. And it knows it's job is to protect it's family, that is instinct. In ANY situation where the police will become involved, the emotions are heightened of the people involved. And the dog will react to those heightened emotions, and it becomes confused and upset. Now, enter the police. All the dog knows is that there is something terribly wrong, and strangers are invading it's territory and space and acting very authoritative and aggressive.  The dog reacts to this by barking and perhaps lunging to try to warn the strangers away and protect it's family unit first. Then if the officers don't heed the warning, it may attempt to bite them. Again the poor dog suffers a sad and terrible fate, just for trying to protect. I am sure perhaps the officers may have told the people to restrain the dog or control it, or put it up. But the people are too focused on each other to think of their loyal family member. And so, quite often the dog is shot, because they are in a hurry to end a volatile situation and don't call animal control to come control the animal in a humane manner. And of course when people are calling the police hurriedly to come end the situation, they don't ever think to tell the dispatcher there are dogs involved. Ah well, it's a hot button issue for me. And is very heartbreaking to read about. 

So my point was, that dogs that are so firmly bonded to the family unit can act irrationally based on how we act. And something I learned long ago that my folks taught me was to show respect for all animals, because any one of them can do me injury. And like people if you treat them with respect you gain respect and trust back from the animal or person. Perhaps that is why so many animals do get along with me. I immediately show respect to them in their territories, while my body language shows nothing but calm and compassion. It works, and I always try to talk to them in an upbeat manner, positive. They will always respond to it. Some dogs though who aren't used to this approach or who were only taught what their owners called respect by beating them into submissionor cowing them, will be afraid of you at first, but soon are curious and crave it and will come to you. When you treat your dog with respect, understanding and compassion, you have a much healthier and happier to comply companion. 

My brothers dogs show it in our house, they are more content, less stressed, and very happy to communicate back with us or play gently and lovingly. Biscuit and I have this little smoochie game going lately. He'll play and talk if I gently blow on his head somewhere, and rub his tummy. He talks like a little Ewok, and if he could say words he would. Then I'll start making kissy noises, softly, and even though he has his mouth open, he'll turn a cheek towards me for kissies. And I make the soft kissy sounds, and he talks like he's giggling when I do it. Then we start it all over again and do the other cheek. He just loves this, and where he was once very afraid to have his face touched, has learned to trust me to touch his face gently with love all over, I can clean his eyes and tickle his whiskers now. And he loves to give me kissies back. This is a big change and trust issue for him due to the kids that wanted to grab his face and poke at his eyes. 

And my little girl, Thumbelina loves to be held close and whispered to, give a little kiss on her cheek and she'll reciprocate. Licking and lightly chewing on your fingers is an acceptance behavior. And they do communicate emotions that way.  And with each dog, they have such a different personality, and how they choose to communicate with you is very different from the others. But when you have a content, and happy dog, they won't hesitate to protect you. And if emotions are heightened, they do become confused and worried and want to make you feel better, and they will protect you at all costs. 

Please, consider you pets and their wants and needs too, don't become so wrapped up in each other you forget the protector of the family. 

 

 

Yes Scientists, Animals can think for themselves

While everyone is oohing and aahing over the cute octopus using coconut shells for shelter and as a safe place, it brought to mind my junior year in high school and my anatomy and physiology instructor. I don't even remember his name, but I will always remember this statement, " Animals cannot think for themselves, they only know what you teach them." I remember thinking back then what a crock and I still think he's an idiot. Anyone who lives with animals knows better.

So then why for all of us who know better and learn from our pets, are we all surprised that animals can think for themselves? Or that they problem solve? There are stories all the time of our closest relatives, the primates, using tools for many different tasks, like sticks to check water depth, or stones to open food or process food differently. Sea Otters who have long used stones to open  shellfish (clams, oysters, etc) to enjoy the good stuff within. Racoons that wash or moisten their food to eat and can open any garbage can we care to invent to keep them out of it, and they manage to get it open within minutes.

Or as the video shows below a compiliation of animals using simple things and solving problems to get to their goal.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/2En6zyJPs3I" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

So, again I ask, why are we surprised or amused by this? Sometimes we need to look to the animals to learn to think outside the "box" to solve problems. They are the original creative thinkers, perhaps we need to think more simply, more creatively and not over think things. Because when you over think things they never really work as well as you perhaps envisioned in the first place.

I know my bunch are very creative thinkers, and they are great observers of human failings and inattentions. Take for instance, Yummy my big cat, he can figure out who is the most likely to not be as attentive at the doors when going in and out or letting the dogs out so he can escape. Lil'Shit was a very creative thinker in his younger days, and he still is I guess. He figured out like the dog in the video how to use the desk chair (which rolls), to get onto the desk by the kitchen counter and onto said counter to eat the left over burrito my husband kindly left for him. He also learned how to get onto windowsills and if there were blinds in the way, get through them (by chewing through them) to enable him to sit and watch for me to come home. Lately though, he doesn't get around too well in his age and sometimes seems very senile, but he's still smart, the little bugger. He now has a game that changes daily to work to avoid going back outside after feeding. I watch the intelligence that is very visible in my brother's collie's eyes. And I for one am a believer that talking to them through the expressions in your eyes and verbally enhances the intelligence and betters your communication with them.

I am sure that at least 50% of the scientists who study animal behavior are pet owners, and if they are, why aren't they learning what their pets teach them at home? I'm sure they'd say to them and us, "Think outside the box, use your creativity,  live simply, and use only what you need to to survive. And be happy with each day."

 

 

Is the media and our culture to blame?

Reading the headlines and news articles this morning is depressing. The article that caught my eye was an AP article about the massive amounts of Chihuahuas being abandoned in shelters in California. As we humans are a morbid bunch, I read the article, knowing it wasn't a very happy article.



The article cites that the shelters in California are up by over 30% for intakes of chihuahuas and small dogs. Many blame our media and culture on the initial popularity of the breed, celebs like Paris Hilton and movies like Beverly Hill Chihuahua. Then as soon as the "new" wears off, they are being dumped by the hundreds.

Despite it's size a small dog can be just as expensive for care as a large dog. And if you have small children, you quickly find that small dogs are not suited well to a household with small children. For one, a small dog is much more breakable than a larger or stockier breed. And small dogs tend to be more timid and can nip or bite quicker when they feel threatened. Small dogs prefer to bond with one or two people.



However, chihuahuas aren't the only small victims of our media and culture, Guinea pigs are also being abandoned by the hundreds. Our shelter alone has quite a few guinea pigs and other small rodents for adoption.



Other animals like ferrets and  rabbits are also left looking for care and homes. And species or breed specific rescue organizations are filled to capacity too.

My heart breaks for all these homeless animals, being bred by the thousands, bought as presents or because they are the "animal d'jour"  or the latest fashion trend. Then they are being disposed of, abandoned by the thousands by uncaring people or people who find themselves financially incapable of caring for them anymore, or because their kid lost interest, or being left to starve in the foreclosed house. And with the economy still in the tank, there just isn't anywhere for them to go anymore. Millions of animals are being put to sleep (euthanized) daily because they are overbred and there is simply no home for them.

And yes, I do blame the media for alot of this predicament. Animals have really become a "fashion statement" or a statement of how well off a person is. Many people feel the need to show to the world how affluent they are by owning only a purebred, etc. And when the poor animal becomes a nuisance or out of fashion, it is disposed of without a care for it.  Less and less is seen about the truth of the over population of pets, and what happens to them. Even less is seen in the media about responsible pet ownership or spaying and neutering so animals like these don't have to die for our vanity. Even if you read today's article on the overpopulation of chihuhuas in the CA shelters, you won't see the mention of spaying or neutering your pets at all. Just a mention that these little dogs most likely come from puppy mills. And a great majority of puppy mill dogs sold in pet stores have many inherent health problems.

Yes, for those of us who do care, we need to help spread the word, educate friends and family about not buying purebreds, many great purebreds and dogs period come from adoption from shelters. We also need to help educate for spaying and neutering. If you must give a pet for the holidays, give the recipient a leash and collar and perhaps a gift certificate from the local shelter, or take them there to pick out their pet, and pay for the adoption. Let's all promise for the new year to help reduce the overpopulation of pets and help to decrease the numbers from the shelters by vowing that your next pet will be from the shelter.

What do you think your pet does all day?

Today's bit comes about from an article on MSNBC.com about what cats do all day when you're not around. They apparently did a study with about 50 housecats and a collar with a video cam. The results for me anyway were somewhat expected, but I guess others thought otherwise.

I think most of us would like to think our loving little furballs either sleep the day away or watch from some window for us to come home to entertain them. Not quite..... They're busy little bodies, playing, watching kitty tv (watching life go by out the windows), tormenting or playing with the other pets in the household, getting into mischief, and only 6% of the time is actually spent sleeping. For cats anyways. Some are a tad destructive or fascinated with other household item to keep themselves entertained, like this kitty who found the water flushing in the toilet fascinating.

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/WofFb_eOxxA" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

For our bundles of bouncy drooling joy, the dogs,  some of them for the most part are pretty mellow and lounge around or watch the world go by out the window. But there is the occasional dog who will be pissed off that you leave him alone all day or has separation anxiety.



They can get into mischief. Some even sing or howl or bark all day when you are gone. If yours is a singer (howler) your neighbors will be sure to let you know this as it can be rather disruptive. Usually it's the single dogs who do this. And sometimes having a companion they can bond with like another dog or even a cat will provide them the company and a playmate.

I know when Lil'Shit was younger if he was mad at us for some reason he was quite the acrobat and would get up on the darndest places and wreak havoc, so that I came home to a visual and tangible mess to document his displeasure. Usually it was the coffee table being cleared off, or if he found tissues, or paper towels or the like they would be shredded everywhere. We learned to pen him and the others up whenever we left the house just for sanity's sake and to preserve things. Now he'll howl and get all the others singing too usually as we are falling asleep just to let us know he's not happy with us.

But unless we're ready to install video surveillance while we're out I guess we don't really know what they're up to unless they leave us an aftermath display for us to draw conclusions from.

So.... do you really know what your pets do when you're not home or even asleep for that matter?

Holiday giving, going beyond to help your shelter

I mentioned I would post other ideas and things to help your local shelters. Well I wanted to talk about a dear friend who truly goes above and beyond to help our shelter. She is also a very big supporter of spaying and neutering your pets so we don't have the sad jobs of euthanizing so many unwanted animals.

Some time ago she decided to raise money to help the shelter help others with a spay and neuter fund. She and her husband own a local business here, for auto repair. In her spare minutes she makes these magnificent origami peace cranes and sells them at $5 each. All the proceeds of the sales goes to the shelter's spay and neuter fund. She also takes in gently used books to sell for a buck or two and that money also goes to the fund.

Those of us who are honored to have her as a friend also catch her contagious drive to help with all efforts to raise funds and supplies for our shelter. This past summer, she got us all out to go through our closets to clean out old linens, blankets, towels etc to donate and to compete to help donate the most pet food as the shelter had just taken in a fair amount of dogs from a hoarder north of our town and they needed help to provide for care for the new residents. My goodness, not only alot of us, her friends, turned out to help, but her customers filled a vehicle with pet food to donate also.

Her current project is the new thrift shop at the shelter's spay and neuter and wellness clinic in town and raising donated items to sell there to help raise funds.  She has asked us to donate to the store directly or bring them to her business and she'll make sure they make it to the store.

She truly is an amazing and inspiring lady. We all love her dearly and are very honored to have her as our friend.

Here are some of her peace cranes, if you are interested in them, please let me know and I'll be happy to email you with her information to order one.