Updates on our fur family and doggie art

  This is Corny, actually waiting for someone to say that they'll play with him.

It's been a couple of weeks now with the new critters in the house. The dogs for the most part all get along great! Corny and Biscuit very much enjoy the backyard, and having them go in and out off an on during the day has helped most of my bunch go outside more.  Which is always a good thing with little dogs.

Saturday morning it snowed a little here, of course it hit the ground and melted right away, but it was snowing. Corny loved being outside and playing. I also got to see him do dribble art. My brother says he does this all the time and he's making art, I wasn't sure whether or not I believed him until I saw the dog doing it. I'll try to describe what he does. There were a couple of things on the back porch (concrete pad) that had collected water from the melted snow and rain. Corny would put his feet in the water or get water in his mouth and on his snout, then he would wander around the porch with his nose down watching intently as he dribbled onto the concrete in patterns. He was very intent and serious about this. Needless to say I was  a bit flabbergasted.  I have decided when it's a bit warmer and I have a vid camera ready I'll try to film him doing it and post it here.

My littlest dog, Thumbelina and the Peke, Biscuit have obviously gotten to be buddies now. Where he goes pretty much, she goes, and vice versa. And she'll even play with Biscuit and Corny. However, Biscuit has another obsession he's developed. Our neighbor has a beagle and a dacshund and a young grandkid. Their dogs bark at us if someone is in the yard, and our dogs bark at them. Well Biscuit loves to go over to the fence and watch and bark at the other doggies, he really is trying to meet them. So they have this very intense conversation through the fence, unless their dogs aren't out, then he'll wait at the fence for them to come out to "talk". Sometimes it's hard to get him back inside.

My buddy Lil'Shit prefers to stay warm and cuddle a lot with us.  He is getting less and less coordinated lately, and I worry about him. He is less comfortable outside, so I have to be sure to keep puppy wee wee pads down. Thank god for tile floors! He will always go on the pad though. Overall though, he's been a good boy.

Cats..... Well where Yummy is concerned, it has been a trial. He has become a tyrannical bully lately. He has Corny completely buffaloed, all he has to do is hiss at him, and the dog will give him a wide berth. He is also intent on bullying and fighting with my brother's cat, Chronic. At first water squirt bottles would help chase him off, not so much now, he gets a one track mind and there is no deterring him except to lock him out of the room for a bit. Then he gets all pissy and goes and takes his frustration out on Djinn. What a mess he is! I think the Feliway is preciptating the fights now. Because it seems that the only areas that Yummy will attack Chronic is in the areas the Feliway is. Believe I will go unplug it when I get home this evening.

Djinn has figured out the big furry beast isn't going to eat him and could care less that Djinn is anywhere. He still sneaks by Biscuit most of the time though. But overall he's doing just fine.

Of course this past weekend, the dogs were a mess about food and stuff during our meal time. Poppy had absolutely no manners whatsoever! She quickly figured out the new person was a sucker and perhaps we could steal food off the plate. Naughty girl...... My dogs never used to beg for food at the table or during our mealtimes, my mother changed that. For the brief time I lived at home in 99, my mother would give the dogs scraps at the table. It used to drive me nuts! The only one who doesn't beg or run around under the table is Lil'Shit. My brother and sister in-law think it's humorous at mealtimes because of the sound Poppy makes. She will methodically run around the table and under it sniffling for crumbs or dropped food. The funny part is when she is sniffing she sounds just like a grunting little piglet. And nothing deters her from this routine. And don't even think of trying to retrieve the dropped item, it would be like putting said hand into a piranha tank, you're liable to get mistaken for noms and get bitten. Sad thing is, I rarely if ever feed any table scraps, only once in a very great while would I give them anything, and even then it's never at the table, only after everyone has finished eating.

Oh life is never dull around our house, no siree.

Declawing cats and other regularly practiced forms of cruelty

I have to give kudos to some California cities recently. Back in 2003, West Hollywood California outlawed declawing cats noting that it is in an of itself a form of animal cruelty. More recently several other California cities have followed suit. I am very happy to hear this. And yes, it has always been in the back of my mind that this practice was barbaric and extremely cruel.



Wikipedia gives this description of declawing:

Onychectomy is an operation to surgically remove the claws and part of the toes, most often of a household cat, though occasionally of other animals such as circus lions or dancing bears. This process involves amputating all or part of the distal phalanx, or end bone, of the animal's toes, and is popularly known as declawing.

Although common in North America, declawing is rarely practiced outside North America and is considered an act of animal cruelty in certain other regions (see "Declawing practices" below).

Apparently other regions in the country have outlawed it also.

Back in the 70's I worked for a veterinarian in Florida. I cried the first time I watched him "de-claw" a young cat. At that time all he did was anesthetize the cat, and using regular toenail (scissor type) clippers, lopped off the nail and last joint at the "knuckle". Imagine taking those selfsame clippers and removing your fingernail permanently at the first knuckle. But the poor kitties, coming out of anesthesia and you could see the pain in their eyes, you could see that it hurt to stand on the bandaged feet. My grandmother had her last two cats declawed, and they were forever tender on their feet, and were terrified to have them touched at all. The same type thing was done for removing puppy dew claws. Except curved scissors were used then to stop the bleeding a styptic powder or q-tip used on the wound. No anesthesia, and it was done within days of birth.

Docking tails on puppies wasn't much better as they were done so young and there was no anesthesia done on puppies. And Docking was done with a pair of sharp surgical scissors, and then a couple stitches put in. At least pups who were to have their ears cut, got the benefit of anesthesia. But it was after ear cutting that they had problems. In order to get the ears to "stand" tongue depressors with, hopefully cotton taped to the bottom, would be inserted in the ears, then the ear tips taped to the depressor to train the ear to stand straight up. This was done mostly on breeds like Dobermans, Pit  Bulls, Great Danes, and Schnauzers. Either way, it was still a painful and traumatic experience for the animals.

Other animals suffer tail docking also. Sheep are docked, mostly using very tight rubber bands to cause the circulation to stop and the end of the tail to drop off. Many horse breeds still have their tails docked as foals either for "fashion" or because they still believe that without docking working horses' tails that they become entangled in harnesses, or will cause other problems or are difficult to deal with.

Any of these for any animals is unacceptable anymore. It is mutilation, plain and simple. Fine if we make a conscious decision to mutilate ourselves, but why should we purposely mutilate our animals?

Why would you declaw? People who are very vain about their furniture will cite they don't want the cat to scratch the furniture, or them. Well then, provide plenty of scratching posts sprayed or rubbed with catnip to attract them to their "furniture" rather than yours. And yes you can train a cat, it's easier than you think.

Why dock tails? Vanity? On horses, how do they swat flies then? Flyspray is really ineffective, flies happen period. Their tails are the best defense. On dogs? Why? Is it because you are afraid the tail will sweep off your coffee table? Is it the style? No need for the style anymore.

Some old timers think animals don't feel  the pain, they are just an animal. Uh excuse me? What makes them think this? Do they know personally that young animals, babies included here, don't feel pain at losing an appendage? Do you think an infant wouldn't feel it if you cut off his finger at the first knuckle? No different than declawing or docking. All the same actually, you are cutting off an appendage at a joint.

Ear cropping or docking, hoo boy, talk about a fashion gone way out of acceptance and style. Every so often I read about people cutting off their pit puppy's ears with common scissors and getting busted for it and charged with animal cruelty. They used to cut of pit's ears to give less purchase or one less appendage to be torn to shreds by the dog it is fighting. It's awful, ears provide protection to the inner ear of the dog. So stupid.

And my last gripe of the day is this, Spay and neuter your pets! Even "responsible" breeders are only adding to and compounding the over population problem. Majority of the litter your un-altered animal gives birth too is probably going to be euthanized because it cannot find a home.

While I don't agree with PETA most of the time. I mean their topics are not bad ones, they just get a little over exuberant on their efforts, this poster is probably one of the best ones I've see in support of spay and neuter.

Following up....

After yesterday's post with the brief blurb about the Shelter in Elkhart Indiana and the massive amount of abandoned pets they receive monthly (the original article on MSNBC). Apparently this plight touched many hearts nationwide and the donations have poured in, and people offering to adopt and pay to have the animals shipped to them. Read on the followup here.

Personally I feel this shouldn't have had to happen in the first place. We should all take the time to be concious about our own area shelters and instead of turning a blind eye to the over crowding, or massive amounts of pets being euthanized, pay attention and help however we can.

Petfinder.com along with many shelters have a program going called; Foster a Lonely Pet for the Holidays  This program is another good way to help ease the overcrowding, share love with an animal and perhaps help that animal find it's forever home.

 This is Thanksgiving Day, share some love, compassion and give thanks to those who work to help save lives.

Shelters, abandoned pets, and animals needing help

There are some upsetting things happening to animals that perhaps I feel we should pay attention to.



Currently I see more and more articles about pets being abandoned in record numbers. As the economy fell, and people started losing jobs, one of the first things they gave up to save a little money was their pets. One shelter in Elkhart Indiana is reporting an average of 600 to 700 animals being dropped off there a month, and sometimes as many as 30 animals a day, they are overcrowded and in crisis mode. They are also having to put the majority of those animals to sleep. They aren't the only ones in crisis. Local pet rescues or foster groups and sanctuaries are also running out of space, food and funds.

Many towns who have food depots for people who need the extra help for food are also taking pet food donations to help people care for their pets, so that they don't have to give them up. It is done with the hope that by providing food and for some areas, veterinary assistance the animals won't be given up and can stay in the home, and thereby help ease the load on the shelters.

There were also many, many reports about pets and livestock being abandoned when a house was being foreclosed. Many of these pets were just left in the house to "fend for themselves", or turned loose to survive on their own. I am not sure what the owners of these animals were thinking when they did this. Is it pride? Are they embarrassed to take the animal to a shelter or sanctuary and admit they can no longer care for it? Do they not realize that what they are doing to the animal is much much crueler than voluntarily giving it up?

Pets are just as hurt and confused and heartbroken as a human might be when going through all this.   The separation from all that they know, the upheaval, the fear of the unknown, yes they share those feelings.

Then there are the shelters who are closing because they have no funds coming in, as in the case of one in Colorado. And there is no knowing where the animals will go or if they'll just be euthanized.

The one thing that is most upsetting for me that I am seeing more and more articles on are reports of shelters with poor public relations, or very poor policies on how long they will hold an animal that is picked up and not claimed. Or poor and abusive management or directorship.

I read one incident in another pet forum about a shelter in Pennsylvania (I have not been able to corroborate this yet) about their policy of only holding an animal for 48 hours from pickup. Apparently this person posting this had a friend who had been out of town and had someone taking care of their dog. The dog got out and was picked up. When it was discovered and the shelter was called to see if they had a dog with that description, they were told no, no dog of that description. The reason for the no, was that the dog had already been euthanized. Apparently this is standard practice for this shelter.

Poor management happens. A shelter in Memphis, Tennessee has fired it's director for animal cruelty and abuse and an inability to follow proper procedures for euthanizing animals. It was also found this person had a previous history of this at the shelter in Albuquerque, NM. There are other articles out there about poor shelter management, doing a Google search turned up many such articles and complaints.

Despite all this sadness, there are good things. Like people coming together for a cause, extending their capacity a bit to help take in an animal, to help provide food and care through donations for those that may need it. And to help get the word out about local resources for people in crisis to help care for their pets.

To help with problem shelters Petfinder.com posts these tips:

Theres Something Rotten in My Town

Most animal shelters and humane societies are staffed with dedicated, caring individuals and operated with the animals best interests at heart. But should you ever come across a substandard organization

 

• Document problems before taking action. Write times, places and specific problems in a journal. Be specific. Be reasonable. Be sure.


• Talk to the shelter staff and management. Focus on apparent problems and learn why they exist. Then explore ways to help remedy them: improve phone service or animal care by volunteering; prepare a grant proposal to fund kennel improvements; consult with local veterinarians about establishing a program of health care.


• Rather than pointing fingers, try to improve the shelter from the inside. Offer to join the board of directors if your skills make you a likely candidate to organize volunteers, to oversee a fund-raising event. Encourage other like-minded people to join you.


• If you meet resistance or indifference, you might take your concerns to the board of directors; or, if a municipal shelter, to the city or county administrator who oversees it. Enlist the help of sympathetic people with clout (public figures, donors, media folks) and expertise (veterinarians, animal welfare advocates).


• Rather than expending energy on a seemingly fruitless struggle, direct your energies elsewhere. Work to support a humane society that does have strong and effective programs. Or organize a group of individuals to fill a void in your community: establish a nonprofit low-cost spay/neuter clinic; fund spay/neuter surgeries for low-income dog and cat owners; establish a network of foster homes that will rescue animals, have them neutered, set adoption criteria, and place them in permanent homes.

Resources

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
424 East 92nd Street
New York, NY 10128-6804
212-876-7700
Contact The ASPCA for Throwaways, a spay/neuter video available in English or Spanish ($15); adoption posters and public service announcements (cost varies). The National Shelter Outreach department provides materials, resources, training, referrals and advice to animal protection organizations across the country and maintains a library of resource articles on www.petfinder.com. Email outreach@aspca.org.

American Humane Association
63 Inverness Drive East
Englewood, CO 80112
303-792-9900
AHAs offerings include national and regional training conferences for shelter workers; Protecting Animals magazine for shelter staff; a comprehensive shelter Operations Guide; large publications catalog (free); public service announcements and posters (cost varies).

Humane Society of the U.S.
2100 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
202-452-1100
HSUS offers a free publications catalog; Simple Things You Can Do To Help End Pet Overpopulation booklet; Be a Pal (Prevent a Litter) kit; Animal Sheltering Magazine for shelter staff; national annual training conference and trade show; breeding moratorium campaign packet.

Take some time, if you truly care for and love animals, offer to be a foster home, or donate what you can in food or time or money to help make life easier for animals or ease the burden on your local shelter. Help get the word out to spay and neuter your animals. Maybe you are crafty like one of my good friends, she makes origami Peace cranes that she pays for the supplies and makes and sells for $5 each and all the proceeds goes to the shelter for their spay and neuter fund. She does these at her and her husband's place of business and sells them there. They really are beautiful and the monies raised do help the shelter and pet in our community. You can donate old towels, blankets, etc to the shelter, they always need those. If you know someone in trouble, find out all you can about local resources for the pets and owner, if you can even offer to provide the food for their pet if you have no local pet food depot. Or offer to care for the animal for awhile for them. Sometimes just these little things help a lot.

Anyhow, don't be a sideline watcher, get in there and help. It really doesn't take much time to do. Help stop the endless euthanasia of animals, do what you can!

The Tellington Ttouch, my experiences

Almost 2 years ago I literally fell into and became reacquainted with the Tellington Ttouch. I was researching another alternative medicine modality for my class and the page hit for Ttouch.com  kept coming up. I remembered when my brother back in the early 80's tried to get me interested in her technique which at that time, if I remember correctly,  was then just called the TTeam method and it primarily was for Horses. I guess at that time I wasn't interested or drawn to it. But this time, it felt as if I was meant to include it in my life.

So, for my research project and final paper I  learned about the Tellington Ttouch. I bought Linda Tellington's book The Tellington TTouch. From the moment I opened it to read it, I was sucked in. In the copy I have, there were very few illustrations to help me learn the technique. But I figured the basics out. And I would practice on the animals in the house. The dogs took to it very quickly, Mushy was also quick to become addicted, and Djinn took a little longer to accept it. Yum, eh, he didn't mind it, but it wasn't his cup of tea. So, I set out to learn more and found out that her headquarters were actually here in New Mexico. And as I poked around the website more, I found out that she was to be in town for a 3 hour seminar! I quickly bought 3 tickets to go.

I must admit I was very moved by Linda and the energy in the room. I got to visit with her briefly and she showed me the difference in the way I was holding my hand and fingers and helped show me the correct way to do the moves. Wow! I couldn't wait to get home and try it and perfect it on the pets.

Well, proof positive came to me that there are fundamental changes that occurred in my pets as I did more Ttouch with them and as it became an intuitive movement for me. As it became more intuitive it also opened the door for my reiki healing to flow so much easier than it ever had before. The cats who were shy, weren't anymore, or if they did not like to be held or loved on closely at all, changed so that they couldn't get close enough to me. Mushy was one of those. The dogs were much more settled around strangers than they had been. And animals that I had never met before, would be instinctively drawn to me and would lean into me to get closer.

As Mushy grew closer to me (I probably have blogged about this earlier) he reciprocated the love and healing back to me when I needed it through being very close to my chest and purring and altering his  frequency until it resonated within me for what needed healing. While Djinn is trying to fullfill Mushy's place and help when I need it, I really do feel Mushy's loss, he became my heart companion and I miss it.

I also learned to use it on myself and my husband. I found it to help him with digestive upsets and nausea, and help some with achey joints and inflammation.

Anyhow, now it has become an intuitive and integral part of me. And I have been using it to perhaps help all the animals in the house to help destress and calm down. It has had some interesting effects on one pup. The Peke, Biscuit, just simply loves it and blisses out. And now likes snuggling with me.  Corny the collie, likes it but prefers to stay focused on my brother. Their cat, Chronic, for some reason is terrified of me. This is very unusual for me, as I am primarily a cat person and have never ever had a cat be afraid of me. They have always been drawn to me. I cannot fathom why, unless for some reason my energy scares him. He'll come out, wander around but if he makes eye contact with me, he'll run or slink off. So other than when my brother first introduced me to him that first morning, I have not been able to have any contact with him. I am in hopes that he'll soon figure out that I'm not such a scary person.

This is Biscuit with his very blissful little expression while getting Ttouch.

Overall though, it has been a wonderful experience to learn the Ttouch, use it to help better another life. It certainly helps keep them healthier and more active as they age.  And it does help with fear and stress.

Guest Blog: Meet Cornelius (A.K.A. Corny / Corndog)

Meet Cornelius (A.K.A. Corny / Corndog)

Hi Corny tell us about yourself...

Corny: Well, I'm a Border Collie, Guess you could call me a tri-color Black and white with a bit of brown mixed in.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Corny:  Ummm  I sleep alot when im bored, I like to play ball... you got a ball I can play with? Food is good! hey look a ball... wait that's not a ball thats a duck... ooo it squeeks!  yay!!!  *SQUEEK**SQUEEK**SQUEEK**SQUEEK**SQUEEK**SQUEEK**SQUEEK**SQUEEK**SQUEEK**SQUEEK**SQUEEK*!

Uh... Corny Tay appension....

Corny: uh ....ok. sorry.

So do you like to go for walks?

Corny: Oh yeah!  You got a leash? Lets go? Hey look a ball!  Oh wait... Walk cmon let's go...let's go!let's go!let's go!let's go!let's go!let's go!let's go!let's go!

Hold on buddy...  just a few more questions? 

Corny:  Ummmm ok....

How do you feel about cat's?

Corny: Oh... They're ok...  I like Cats.  Although there was one cat Katelyn,  She used to pick on me alot.

Ummm You're a dog and a big one at that... how does a 15 pound cat pick on you?

Corny:  You dunno Katelyn... She was mean.  And claws hurt!

So you just moved here from Portland right? 

Corny: Where's here?  I just know im not where I used to be at home.  bunches of little doggies here...  They Bark alot.

Did it take a long time to get here to Santa Fe?

Corny: It...took...FOREVER.  It was so cramped in the car with me and mom and Christy and Biscuit and Chronic.   But I was a good dog.  I let them know when I needed to go potty and behaved myself and I got treats (I..just...love...Cheezburgers!) OH And when we were in this place called denver a big red truck went by and was singing real loud it made my ears hurt so I sang back and I guess it hurt Biscuits ears too because he was singing too AWROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo! You got a Cheezburger?

LOL no I don't but maybe later we can get one...

So how do you like it here

Corny:  Lot's of little doggies! and new Kitties...I like kitties.  Although they close me up now with the other doggies when they all go out and one of the little doggies took my bed and growls at me when I try to lay on it.  She's so mean...  But now theres a big yard I can go and explore...  I like to explore lots of new smells! Hey look a ball!  *NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM*

Hey Corny?

*NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM*

Corny?

*NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM**NOM*

Darnit...

Moving along....

Ok, I can happily say the doggies are getting into the routine bit quite well and are overall socializing well. Well being relative I guess where Poppy is concerned though. She is so grouchy or touchy if she thinks some other animal wants to usurp her spot. So she gets snarly.  With the new bigger doggie beds for Corny and Biscuit she believes that the biggest one is now hers. So poor Corny gives us the martyred look and sits on the mat.

The Feliway is working and seems to make Chronic more inquisitive than usual at night now. And my two are slowly figuring out the new "beasts" aren't going to swallow them whole.

Supper time for the furry kids, is becoming easier and less like a chaotic chinese fire drill. And Chronic who has been a carbovore most of his life is now appreciating that he doesn't have to survive on cereal and is enjoying the canned food a little more each day. Tonight he'll get a little intro of raw. The less waste I have to clean out of the litter box the happier I am!

Oh and Corny, the Border Collie, is feeling comfortable enough that he will now dribble water all over after noisily slurping at it. I realized this last evening when I stepped into the kitchen and thought at least 2 dogs had tinkled everywhere! My brother dashed into the kitchen and said, "Oh, no, that's Corny's water art! He is dribbling again!" I thought I still needed to get the mop out, but strongly controlled my small ocd by not instantaneously cleaning it up. Thank god for tile floors! And right now, I am actually glad I have less pets than I did have once upon a time. Talk about being stressful!

A few pics.....

Chronic the cat



A critter Christy pile in the morning:



The enclosure with all in while we go out for a bit:

Day 3 of our adventures.... :)

So it's day 3 now with all the critters in the house. Things are starting to get better.  HOORAY! Well except getting ALL of the doggies outside for the feeding routine, that's more like a chinese fire drill. I think it's easier to herd cats personally.

Got home last night from work all the dogs were outside and my brother was starting the supper routine for me. And my 2 kitties were sitting on the stairs with very confused expressions on their faces. They finally went in to eat when I went back there and called them. We got the doggies dishes all ready and set down. Now, his doggies didn't eat breakfast really and we withheld free food during the day so they would be hungry for supper and pick up the routine that much easier. Hey it worked! Once the initial confusion died down where Corny's and Biscuit's bowls were and who got what, there was much smacking of doggie lips and slurping to be heard. No one left a crumb anywhere. Polished dishes and they all went out fairly orderly after supper. YAY I  thought.

My brother had gotten the Feliway during the day and we plugged that in to settle the cats more. And so far that seems to be helping.

After we let the doggies back in, my two kitties had returned to the upper levels. We played a bit with Corny who is obssesive about toys and playing all the time, we finally got him to settle down. Djinn decided to brave coming downstairs, but lo and behold there was a very large black and white scary beast laying on the floor between the stairs that he was on and his mom, me. I thought perhaps he was trying to figure out how to get past the fur to get to the litter box. So my brother put Corny outside. Djinn quickly figured out the fur was outside and made a beeline for me for loving. That worked until we let the dog back in, then poof cat disappears or teleported. It was so fast I am not sure which.

Last night worked much better with the dog / cat situations. But last night Yummy and Chronic had another discussion, verbal, no fighting, just lots of talk. Then Yummy came back upstairs and slept with us. But my brother reported this morning that then Chronic, who is more nocturnal than my two, got very active and explored everything and played with anything he could in their room, disturbing their attempts to sleep.

This morning was an adventure unto itself. I let my pooches outside, fed the cats, and had planned to not bother my brother and his wife trying to get his dogs outside with mine. I figured he could feed them outside later if need be. I know, lazy of me right? Well my brother woke up, and brouught his dogs out to put them outside, of course my crew thought it was time to come back in and I hadn't even gotten to setting up the dog food bowls yet.  After much wrangling, and us pleading with the dogs, we got them all outside. Got their dishes set up, opened the door and let them in, and it was that damn chinese fire drill all over again! Everyone had to find their bowl and check each other's to see who got what and if we wanted to be a piglet and eat a bigger portion, well you get the picture. Got them sorted out with minimal fuss, they chowed down, checked each other's bowls looking for leftovers before we could get them back outside again. "Sigh" I can see this will still take a few more runs to get them down pat. But overall it was all good natured and worked out ok.

Good news this morning, my two kitties are doing much better about coming downstairs and while wary of the 2 new dogs, they are much better about them and are realizing they aren't going to be eaten or chased.

Hope supper this evening goes smoother, so we'll see.

A plea please, help stop this!

This morning I read an article I would very much like to share with you from the Humane Society of the US  about pets and animals being used in experiments in medical research and such. Please consider writing your senators and encouraging the end of this barbaric practice. We have the technology now that we don't have to torture animals for research anymore.

Read on....... (Copied from HSUS)

The Humane Society of the United States is urging 50 research institutions to stop purchasing dogs and cats from "Class B" dealers. The dealers are licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to round up dogs and cats from animal shelters, individuals and other "random sources" and then sell them for experimentation. The HSUS released a study identifying the institutions that still purchase from these dealers and support this dying industry.

A National Academy of Sciences report issued earlier this year concluded that Class B dealers are problematic and no longer necessary for supplying dogs and cats. In the wake of this report, The HSUS gathered information that identified 57 research institutions that purchased random source dogs or cats from Class B dealers within the past four years.

The information came from HSUS surveys of the institutions and Freedom of Information Act requests submitted to the institutions and state agriculture departments. (In some cases these records were unavailable or prohibitively expensive, so there may be other research institutions that still purchase random source dogs and cats from Class B dealers.) The HSUS then contacted each of the institutions.

The survey suggests that research facilities are re-evaluating their use of Class B dealers. Officials from seven institutions indicated that they no longer purchase random source dogs or cats from Class B dealers. Five facilities reported they still do (or reserve the right to) purchase these animals, and the remaining 45 institutions did not provide any new information, raising the possibility that they still buy animals from the dealers but do not want to admit the practice.

"The Humane Society of the United States applauds those research facilities that have switched to more reputable sources and stopped purchasing random source dogs or cats from Class B dealers," said Martin Stephens, Ph.D., HSUS vice president for animal research issues. "We urge facilities that still patronize these dealers for random source dogs and cats to abandon this practice immediately, to make sure stolen pets and fraudulently obtained animals don't end up in the pipeline."

The following institutions indicated that they still purchase random source dogs and cats from Class B dealers: Aurora Sinai Medical Center (Milwaukee); Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine (Maywood, Ill.); Masonic Medical Research Laboratory (Utica, N.Y.); Medical College of Georgia (Augusta, Ga.); and University of Georgia (Athens, Ga.). The HSUS appreciates their honesty and urges them to discontinue this practice.

The HSUS applauded the institutions that have recently discontinued the practice, according to the survey, include the Carolinas Medical Center (Charlotte, N.C.); Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland); Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital (Hines, Ill.); Baylor College of Dentistry (Dallas); University of Florida (Gainesville, Fla.), University of Illinois at Chicago and The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (Oklahoma City).

The institutions that purchased from Class B dealers in the past but declined to respond to the HSUS survey are listed here, along with the institutions that indicated they still buy from Class B dealers.

The Class B dealer system is rife with abuse of dogs and cats. USDA inspectors and undercover investigators from animal protection organizations have documented a long history of illegal and inhumane activity by dealers of random source animals, including buying animals from "bunchers" (unlicensed dealers) who steal pets and deceptively respond to "free to a good home" ads, as well as mistreating animals at their own holding facilities before transporting them to laboratories.

Most research institutions are already operating successfully without buying Class B dealer dogs and cats. These institutions recognize the long-standing animal welfare concerns associated with the B dealer pipeline, the public ill-will generated by continued business dealings with these middlemen and the inherent problems with conducting research on random-source animals. They choose instead to procure animals purposely bred for research, rather than from random sources.

Facts

• More than 1,400 research institutions are registered with the USDA to conduct research on dog, cats and other regulated animals.


• About 500 research institutions use dogs and cats, including animals obtained from Class B dealers.


• 94,724 dogs and cats were used in research during FY 2007.


• From November 2007 – November 2008, Class B dealers sold about 3,000 random source dogs and cats to research facilities.


• Only 11 dealers of random source dogs and cats remain in business. Of these, seven are currently under investigation by the USDA for apparent violations of the AWA, and one dealer's license has been suspended for 5 years.


• Because of the problems with Class B dealers, the USDA spends a disproportionate amount of time and resources trying to track their activities, but the agency's oversight system is inherently incapable of ensuring compliance.

Timeline

• October 2009: U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, and U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., introduce the Pet Safety and Protection Act to put an end to the practice of animal dealers rounding up dogs and cats and selling them for experimentation.


• May 2009: The National Academy of Sciences releases report, "Scientific and Humane Issues in the Use of Random Source Dogs and Cats in Research," finding that Class B dealers are not necessary for research institutions to obtain random source dogs and cats and that "testimony provided to the Committee by USDA officials made it clear that despite new enforcement guidelines and intensified inspection efforts, not all origins of animals are or can be traced. The USDA simply cannot assure that stolen or lost pets will not enter research laboratories via the Class B dealer system."


• 2007: An HSUS and Animal Welfare Institute survey of about 1,200 USDA-registered research institutions indicates that 96 percent of the 192 respondents do not purchase random source dogs and cats from Class B dealers. According to a survey by the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges, at least 19 of the nation's 28 veterinary schools do not use live, random source dogs and cats from Class B dealers.

Day Two.... :)

Ok, it's day two for the critters now co-habitating with 5 adults in the house. Yummy for all his bravado and bluster, I am finding is a chicken at heart. He seems somewhat intimidated by my brother's cat Chronic. And poor Chronic is just absolutely scared to death. He mostly is hiding under their bed, but does come out to use the litterbox and eat. Last night he and Yummy had a verbal but polite conversation over the food bowl I believe. Just some talk no fighting thank goodness.

Both Djinn and Yummy are absolutely terrified of the 2 new dogs. And they will only come downstairs if it's quiet and they feel safe enough to get to the food and litter area. Otherwise they just hide upstairs right now. But I did get them down while all the dogs were outside this morning to let them eat some. Then Yummy came down later on an exploration trip until Biscuit decided to get off the couch to make his acquaintance, which sent Yummy quickly heading back up the stairs with a very disappointed Peke following. He actually did only want to say howdy.

Biscuit, the Peke, he figured he needed to keep all other animals away from his human mom and dad all night. LOL.... So anytime the cats tried to sneak into the litter box he'd chuff and they'd split. I think the collie could care less, just so long as he's with his humans he's ok. And won't leave their sides all night.

We will be trying the Comfort Zone Feliway for the cats and the dog version for the stressed out dogs. My bunch of pups I don't think care one way or the other. Well, except Poppy, she still won't share her space with anyone and thinks all the extra food bowls now are for her enjoyment. LOL I am sure there are more adventures around the corner.

Family and pets moving in....

Ok, as of 5:30 this morning, our little home currently has 5 adults and 8 critters in it. My brother and sister in-law have moved in with us with their pets.

Either my bunch is old enough they don't care, or they were still in shock by the time I left for work this morning. As most of you know, I have 3 older chihuahuas and 2 cats left to my herd. My brother has a wonderful mellow, happy go lucky Border Collie, a Pekenese rescue, and a very plump black and white kitty.

I have had him visit with the collie before, and they all did fine. The cats weren't so sure though. And after having met his kitty, Chronic, this morning I think he may outweigh my Yummy. Wonder if the house can stand two kitties who think they're rhinos. LOL

This should be an adventure with the animals at least. By the time I left this morning, Djinn was absolutely acting like he was traumatized from the get go, and was hiding upstairs, Yummy and Chronic we just staring at each other over the food bowl, and the dogs were actually doing all ok together so far. Only Thumbelina had to bark at the new person who she hadn't met until today.  And at last report via my brother before lunchtime, my bunch and the peke were all ensconced on top of Christy his step daughter on the couch while she slumbered away. Of course I worry about Lil' Shit probably the most as he is rather territorial. So we'll see.

And Sir Yummy is the laird of the manor, so if Chronic is as laid back as my brother claims there won't be a problem. LOL

In the meantime, I think it  is going to be a bit hectic round the house. And if need be while they adjust I may try a aromatherapy essence for pets to keep them calm, it was recommended to me by a friend, I think it's called Feliway. They claim it's the ticket to reducing stress of introducing a new pet to the household.



Here is Djinn watching from the bookshelves.  Hmmmm, think I will have to get new pics soon. Maybe take my brother and his doggies over to the dog park to socialize.

Breed Discrimination and Dog Fighting

I thought perhaps I would broach the subject of Pit Bull Terriers, and the discrimination of the breed and misuse of them. This issue is becoming more and more in the spotlight on the news wires.

Some facts, Pits weren't ever bred to be "killers". They were meant to be protectors and were bred for vermin control. They are fiercely loyal dogs and absolutely want to please their human companions. Their predatory hunting instincts have been turned into the "fight" for survival instinct by greedy unconscionable persons. And they are just about one of the top abused and discriminated breeds today.

Back in July, multiple animal rescue organizations (like HSUS, ASPCA, and UAN) along with law enforcement did a multi-state raid on dog fighting rings, over 400 dogs were rescued. Many with life long injuries and scars or loss of body parts. Like the picture of one of the rescues here:



Poor girl has no lips anymore and only half a nose, and she is just one of the survivors. After the rescue, several of the females gave birth in the shelter set up in Missouri bringing the count of dogs needing care, rehabilitation and finding their forever homes to over 500.  Many people gave less than 1/4 of the dogs any optimism of being adoptable or socialized. Recently  UAN  posted aYouTube video of the dogs and how many are finding their forever homes. Today the owners of the fighting rings are in custody and have admitted to breeding dogs for fighting and killing dogs who weren't agressive enough or fought well enough. And the manner in which they disposed of them is awful. Remember the publicity spawned by the Michael Vick case?

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/jHeO3Lu-CsA" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

If you wish to provide help or a possible home for these dogs, you can read more and contact the Missouri Humane Society

On breed discrimination..... This breed is much maligned and many cases of untruths surround them. They are the current objects of the breed "witch hunt" as it were. Because so many people do not understand them, and because they have been so linked in the media for their fighting aggressiveness, people are frightened anytime anyone says the word pit bull. This brings back memories for me of the terror the media spread on dobermans in the late 60's and early 70's and then it was German Shepherds, then Rottweilers. FACT!!!! Man always fears what he does not understand, and the MEDIA feeds this fear. And now any time you hear about a dog attack or of someone being bitten, the dog is always labeled Pit cross or Pit Bull, even if they have no trace whatsoever in them.

Yes, Pits have an extremely strong bite, Yes they can hold that bite. HOWEVER, they are not bite first type of dogs. They ONLY bite IF they feel they or their family or territory  are being threatened, or they feel that their survival is at stake. They will always bark and growl to warn first. We are the stupid ones to not heed the warnings. And yes they are muscular, and active, so they require someone who can play with them, run with them, and stay active with them.  I'll let you in on a tidbit here, Poodles will bite you faster than most any other breed. And small dogs because of their size are quicker biters than pits are because they are fearful of being stepped on or injured by us.

I love the breed, I have had several share my life with me. One was such a beautiful momma dog, that she wanted to mother everything. And the cats care was her personal job. The cats adored her. Her pups (not planned by a high jumping neighbor's shepherd) all went to wonderful homes with kids and they were life long companions to the family and kids. She was also so very loyal and protective of her territory and family. She did her job with love, loyalty and perfection. Even went through a screened window to chase off a burglar who was trying to break in. Good dog!

Fact is, they truly are wonderful dogs, and like any dog of any breed, their traits can be used against them by greedy people. And currently they are the hunted by the witch hunters.  Any dog, can be used to fight if you instill their survival instincts enough.  Perhaps it's time to help educate people on the breed? And vote against breed banning in any state?

Small Dog Mentality....

So, I went back to work today after two days off from a bad back. The dogs are always happy to have someone home with them all day. Understand, I have a small herd of Chihuahuas, 3 to be exact. Once upon a time it was 4. They are all a bit older and for the most part mellow. Lil'Shit being the eldest and most needy these days. With Thumbelina being the smallest and thinks she's the most independent and ferocious.

Things I have learned over the years living with little dogs (as Yummy the cat sits draped over my shoulder and encouraging me to write this).

1. They truly have no concept of their size. Their whole attitude says Rottweiler.

2. They are vengeful when things don't go their way. For example, you come home from work and turn around without sitting with them for at least 1/2 hour and go out again for supper. You come home to find that the coffee table is cleared off and what was once on it is now littering the floor, or.... you find a lovely pile of fresh poo behind the front door, or..... something is chewed up. And as you grumble and clean up they sit there looking like innocent angels blaming the cat.

3. Never, ever come between a small dog and their food or bone, it's a sure fire way to get bitten.

4. Never underestimate their loyalty and protectiveness to the person they choose as their person. Patting that person's knee or even kissing or touching that person is another way to get bitten.

5. They can love everyone when they choose to, unless you are the vet with a syringe or nail clippers. Then they become miniature tasmanian devils, all teeth!

6. The smaller they are, the cuter they are right? Don't let the size fool you, they're a devil in cute clothes.

7. They can be very needy when they choose to be, and are kind of like leeches, pick them up and you can't detach them from you again without some sort of surgery involved.

8. Only if they choose to will they allow themselves to be housebroken. If they choose not to be, there is absolutely nothing in the world you can do to change it.

9. You will never be more stubborn than they are. See #8, you can leave them outside all day in the hopes that they will figure out that outside is the place to go, and it won't work, they won't leave the door, and will hold it all day till you give in.

10. They are either very finicky eaters or eat everything except what is good for them. All but one of my dogs loves the raw diet. The other, if you put it in her bowl she won't touch it. But if you drop a piece of raw meat on the floor accidentally, she'll gobble it down like a piranha.

11. Speaking of piranhas, who needs a floor cleaner in the kitchen. You drop food, you either need to be very very very quick in getting it off the floor or be prepared to lose fingers. Doesn't matter what you dropped, even if it's a lemon or dill pickle, it's human food and it's theirs when it hits the floor.

12. Be prepared to have  bells on their collars or some other noisemaking device for when they start aging and losing sight or hearing. You need to know where they are, otherwise you are always falling over them.

13. Older little dogs and stairs. Be prepared to carry them up and down the stairs as their coordination and balance is not that great on their own and they tend to fall down the stairs without injury quite often. Or put up a child gate at the bottom of the stairs.

14. Oh, speaking of child gates..... don't get the ones with the diamond plastic mesh in them, they are too easily chewed through by a tiny determined dog that feels they should not be locked out of any room in the house.

15. Strange chewing habits..... Let's see, I had one who felt she must audition for Frederick's of Hollywood and create all these custom crotchless panties and pants if she could get to them. Her daughter has a thing for chewing through small plugged in electrical cords, like those for cell phone charging. Another loves anything of paper, tissue, napkin, or paper towels if he can get to them.

16. And be prepared for other OCD issues as they get older. Lil'Shit has a think about licking everything, fabric, ankles, toes, shoe insides, you name it. It's rather unnerving when he goes up to a guest and begins licking their ankles. LOL Hmmmm, Poppy on the other hand, if she feels you are even remotely close to where she has staked her claim, even if she is sound asleep, she will bark sharply and growl and snap. Usually no one is remotely close.

17. If they wish to be trained they will be and it'll be a breeze, usually they don't wish to, and will tolerate only the absolute things they must tolerate, like leashes.

18.  And either they are very social and love everyone, or they are scared of everyone new and have to bark constantly, or just only like their owners.

A few observations on the laws of pet ownership...

I thought perhaps I would do something on the laws of physics and how they apply to my pets anyway.

We've all heard "An object at rest tends to stay at rest", well that doesn't quite apply to pets now does it?



Here's my take on things:

1. A cat in full sleep mode attains a semi-liquid condition and cannot be picked up easily.

2. Waking a dog suddenly from full sleep mode tends to get the offender bitten.

3. If your book, magazine, paper, etc is open either on a lap or flat surface, this is an absolute invitation to your cat to occupy said space for maximum attention.

4. If you have more than 2 pets in a house, expect to find fur in your food and drink.

5. When you are in a hurry to be dressed to leave for something important will be the time the cat hacks up a furball into your shoes, or the dog to develop diarrhea on the carpet.

6. Forget being able to wear all black again, it doesn't matter the type of fabric, it is an absolute magnet for all possible light colored fur in the home.

7. Cat's tails will always find a way to be where you are just setting your foot down when you are never ever fully awake. You will be soon though!

8. Cats really do expand to fill a space! A kingsize bed is a necessity for the pets not a luxury.

9. Pets will seek out the warmest locations in cold weather, this means under the covers snuggled up to you until you try to roll over then you get the switchblade effect.

10. Trying to be considerate of your sleeping spouse and quietly creeping in to bed is a sure way to get bitten by the dog who thinks you're the bogeyman after his mamma.

11. Your having a tummyache is a sure invitation to the heaviest cat in the house  to come make you feel better by standing with all his weight on two feet or actively kneading your tummy.

12. Intimacy is an invitation for the pets to give you the "Oh Yuck" digusted look and stare at you.

13.  If you are looking for something important, and in a hurry, this is probably the signal that it's been chewed up by one of the dogs or been drug off an hidden by a cat as a toy for later.

14. Don't leave sparkly items out, like jewelry, the result is the same at #13.

15. Sneaking downstairs for a midnight snack is a sure signal that the dogs are to bark at you instead of barking at the person sneaking through your backyard.

16. You glass with ice water in it is much tastier when the paw is dipped in and licked off. This ensures that it is no longer the Hooman's water.

17. Never wear too much cologne, you will surely be watered down (peed on) by the dog before you can leave for your date, thereby ensuring you change clothes at least once to reduce the aromas.

18. Going to bed too early because you're exhausted is a mistake, it will ensure that the dogs feel you didn't spend enough time with them and they will howl and sing for the next 10 to 20 minutes.

19. Trying to be considerate of others still sleeping and not turning on lights ensures you will trip over a cat, especially if it's anywhere near the stairs.

20. If it's lit up and sparkly it must be the Christmas Tree and therefore requires climbing and playing with all the sparklies!

21. If the plate has food that has melted cheese or roasted meat on it, if you get up from the table to get something it will certainly be gone before you get back.



22. If it's a bag, or box and it's empty, it's now the cat's playhouse and ankles and toes are fair game.

23. No matter how frustrating they can be at times, they still give you unconditional love.

I am sure I have missed some in here some where, but these are what I can remember or come up with, have anything to add?

Extreme Sheep Herding? LOL

Oh, my! A friend shared this link with me and it is hilarious! Very creative Welsh sheep farmers.

Enjoy!

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/3SYVNfrZMN8" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]

"Fur" Kids? Are you a "Fur" Parent?

  Do you consider your furry companions, who share your life, your kids? Do you pamper them, dress them, and doll them up as if they were your real children? If you do then you probably call them your "fur"kids. I guess there is a bit of hoopla over this term now, and it's becoming more mainstream in it's use. Heck, even I have used it from time to time. But, I don't dress mine up and pamper them quite so much as to buy them diamond collars, or give them pedicures with polish, etc.

Lately we see pictures celebrities carrying around their pampered pooches, we see halloween for pets, we see more and more pet shops carrying dog and cat sweaters and clothes. I wonder about how the pet feels, and have asked some I know and they'll blithely say that their pet loves to be dressed up! Ummmm, excuse me, but they have fur, why do we need to clothe them?



Ok, I understand the idea that because they are dependent on us for their care and safekeeping, in that way, they are like children. But for me I haven't quite wrapped my head around the idea that they need to be dressed like humans. It's been reported though that some people with both 2 legged and 4 legged "children" at times will dress their fur kids better than their actual kids.  Perhaps I have a problem with this, ok, but consider this, maybe if you're dressing your fur kid in better clothes, or they have better jewelry etc than your actual kids, there is in my estimation a problem. Is it perhaps still a wish to dress up the baby? Or is it more like dressing up dolls? Pets can't talk back to us about what you're doing to them, nor can they tell you perhaps they don't wish to be dressed up.

Sorry, I am just musing here, perhaps dogs don't mind it, but cats really don't like to be manipulated like this in my experience. And I am certainly not sure what guinea pigs or lizards or even ponies think of all of this. I understand that we truly do adore our furry companions, and they truly are part of the family, but they really aren't human (or hooman or bean if you're speaking "furkidese"). Please don't get me wrong, I truly adore my furry family members, but they get to be what they are supposed to be, kitties and doggies in all their furry glory. And even though they have personality and feelings they still aren't human.

As I said, these are just my musings and my feelings on the topic. What do you think? I am open to hearing you if you think differently on this topic.

Why do we love baby animals?

Baby animals, they make us think cute and cuddly thoughts, they also make us think of spring, and they bring out our protective instincts.



Most babies are very cute, some are a bit homely, but it's the fact that they are mostly helpless, needing protection, and so tiny that we melt when we see them and want to protect them. I believe we are the only species that does this. Doesn't matter what species of baby it is, we melt. And usually the first words out of our mouths are, "AWWWWW! How precious!"

Generally most babies are in need of protection, are helpless to start feeding and surviving on their own, either due to size or needing a parent's care. Some species though are just as deadly as the parent upon hatching or birthing. Like Rattlesnakes for one. We do need to perhaps remember some important things in admiring baby animals. Most babies require very little to no interaction or interference from humans, even thought our wants and hearts tell us to do different.  The best we can do for the wild babies is to admire them from a distance, try very hard to have as little as possible interaction or impact in their lives, and "capture" them only on camera.

  If you feel or are worried perhaps that a wild animal baby might need intervention or help, please don't attempt to do it yourself unless you are trained to do so. Contact someone from Game and Fish or the Wildlife agency in your state. Observe from a distance if you can. But don't take it upon yourself to step in and care. Sometimes mom just isn't visible and the baby is where it should be so that it is protected, like a fawn. And if the situation is that the parent is truly gone or hit by a car or such, please still let your wildlife officials handle the baby, they will know how to provide the proper care for the lil' guy.

Here's some pics  of cute babies.....









Remember, the less impact or actual interaction you have with wild babies, ensures their survival on their own.

A Dog's top ten peeves they have about us humans

I thought I would share this as I receivd it from a friend.

 

'1'  Blaming your farts on me..... not funny... not funny at all !!! l ---------------------------------------------- '2'  Yelling at me for barking. I'M A FRIGGIN' DOG -------------------------------------------------- '3'  Taking me for a walk, then not letting me check stuff out. Exactly whose walk is this anyway? -------------------------------------------------- '4'  Any trick that involves balancing food on my nose. Stop it! -------------------------------------------------- '5'  Any haircut that involves bows or ribbons. Now you know why we chew your stuff up when you're not home. -------------------------------------------------- '6'  The slight of hand, fake fetch throw. You fooled a dog! Whooooooo Hoooooooo - what a proud moment for the top of the food chain. -------------------------------------------------- '7'  Taking me to the vet for 'the big snip', then acting surprised when I freak out every time we go back! -------------------------------------------------- '8'  Getting upset when I sniff the crotches of your guests. Sorry, but I haven't quite mastered that handshake thing yet. -------------------------------------------------- '9'  Dog sweaters. Hellooooo ??? Haven't you noticed the fur? -------------------------------------------------- '10'  How you act disgusted when I lick myself. Look, we both know the truth. You're just jealous. -------------------------------------------------- Now lay off me on some of these things. We both know who's boss here! You don't see me picking up your poop do you? EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY. A DOG ALWAYS OFFERS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. CATS HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT!

Re-establishment of River Otters in New Mexico and other ponderings.

Recently last month several river otters from Washington state were reintroduced and released in northern New Mexico. This was an effort to return the sleek mammals to their historic range in the state.  It has been more than 50 years since the last river otters were spotted in this state. State officials feel that trapping and loss of habitat contributed to their disappearance from our state.



This is the second release of river otters in NM in the last two years. Nearly two dozen states, including neighboring Arizona, Colorado and Utah, have successfully reintroduced river otters, which biologists say play an important role in keeping semi-aquatic ecosystems healthy and diverse.

So while cheering on the otter, we probably should think on other species that we have tried to re-establish into their natural territories. These efforts have been greeted with emotions and feelings from jubilant to fear to outright anger. Take the Wolves, from the Mexican Grays, to the ones trying to re-establish in Yellowstone. Wolves are an apex predator. When we eradicated them from their native ranges due to misunderstandings and ignorance, we upset the balance of other species. Now we have problems with the "prey" animals who are now nuisances, and spreading disease among our cattle etc. There is much ignorance even today where they are concerned and many myths. Most wolves would prefer to hunt their own native foods, however, if that balance is severly upset, or the pack is starving, yes they might kill cattle, but it's our fault for being so arrogant to think the land and control of the land and it's animals is all ours. Hello! You're just providing a simpler meal for these predators. It's not the wolves, or bears, or mountain lions' faults, and they shouldn't be hunted for it either. I can understand the rancher's plight, but find a better medium please? Too long has the policy been to kill and eradicate a species rather than find a happy medium.

Ah but I digress.....  I am estatic that we, as a part of a whole, are trying to restore balances in our natural surroundings. I just wish perhaps that some people would be a bit more open minded to learn the parts those animals play in the balance of things and how our role in things has thrown it way out of whack. And that we could learn to live with our wild neighbors better. As they have been trying to adapt and live with us encroaching on their habitat more and more everyday, shouldn't we try to do the same? Shouldn't we try to make exceptions and adapt to live with them?

Where the wild things are....

Where are the wild things? Well..... They're in your back yard of course!

I thought I would do a bit today about one of my coworkers whose neighbor had a momma Bobcat move into her yard. She had a pair of kits whom she's raised in this persons yard. Talk about an interesting co-habitation arrangement! Be sure to read my small warnings at the end. And yes this is in New Mexico.

Here are some pictures of them:















Now, that being shown or said, remember if you are lucky enough to share your yard, or living space with wild animals, please remember they are wild, no matter how inquisitive they might care to be with you and your home or space. And being wild they deserve the respect shown to them for all wild life, let them be, let them care for themselves, give them space and admire them from afar or through your camera lens. Everyone will be happier that way. Once you "befriend" a wild animal, they have lost their fear and respect of us, and that makes them a danger to us, and them a target for abuse and torment.