A Pawprint in Time

Can I Live with You? Please?

2009-04-13T10:25:00.004-04:00

It breaks my heart to see a dog (or cat) absolutely begging with every fiber of their being to NOT be "owned" by their "owner." That is quite literally a daily occurrence at our house and it quite literally breaks my heart a little more each and every time it happens.

I've seen formerly owned pets on the run, destitute, unloved and starving, who looked happier than these dogs (and cats). The sadness in their eyes makes a bee-line straight to my heart.

It is all made even worse, many times worse, when one of them refuses to go back "home" and ends up running to us for refuge. It is complicated, too complicated to explain in detail here, but we are not their "owners" and cannot take responsibility for them, since they ARE very much "owned" if not truly loved.

Still, I can't shake the heart break and the desperate, helpless, burning rage that flows through me to see animals cowering and literally running from the very people they should be most eager to run towards. But then, if I were a dog or cat, I'd rather be feral than live with those people, too.

Animal cruelty takes all forms, some are seen visibly, outwardly, while some are buried deep within. And negligence reaches across a very broad spectrum indeed. If only I could save them all!

Food for Fun!

2009-04-08T12:44:00.001-04:00

See something of interest?

Are you intrigued?

Pick a link, or two, or three, and click away!

There's something fun for everyone.

Best of all, each click offers a promise.

Free food to those who need it most!

Do it today, do it now, do it tomorrow, do it next week.
But most of all, JUST DO IT!
A moment of your generosity can truly save a life!

Thank You!

2007-05-31T12:46:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post to say thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who love the furry ones and help to spread the word when one of them is in particular need...

Thanks to folks like you, the cute little pup from this post now has a new adoptive home and the chance for a life filled with fun and good fortune.

THANK YOU!!!

Open Mike Week

2007-05-20T23:04:00.000-04:00

I'm officially declaring this "Open Mike Week" here at APIT... for reasons beyond my control, I am unable to guarantee regular postings for the next week or so. But rather than struggle to find things to post, I'm going to defer to you, my readers.

Use the comments area to talk about anything you like, to share stories or concerns, suggestions or thoughts, virtually anything related to animal welfare or animal rescue or animals, wild or domestic... anything you like. Feel free to converse at your leisure with other commenters or jump off and start a new topic. It's all fair game.

I truly hope to be back to full capacity soon, but in the meantime, this place can and should serve as it was intended... as a place for everyone to come together to help the furry ones! So I'm officially passing the mike to all of you... do with it what you will!

Helping Hands

2007-05-18T11:27:00.000-04:00

This poor little fellow was found this week in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. He is
somewhat thin and timid.

Several people helped to get him on a lead and one of the ladies took
him home. His rescuers took pictures of him and put flyers up around the
area where he was found and then they received a rather startling response.

The current owner had him up for adoption. She took him from a friend of hers,
only to find out that her landlord wont let her have dogs. So he was was kept in
the yard on a lead and chewed his way off.

He need lots of love and seems very scared. The girl who has him said her husband
won't let her keep him... if you are interested in helping an adorable and ever so needy
furry one, please email Linda immediately!

This is an urgent situation. This little fellow's life hangs in the balance...

Speaking of urgent... if you missed yesterday's post, please go back and read now to see if there might be some way for you to help!! Please...

Abandoned!

2007-05-17T09:10:00.000-04:00

60 Abandoned Cats Desperately Need Our Help!

"CINCINNATI, OHIO -- An evicted man walked away from his home in the East End of Cincinnati, Ohio, not telling anyone about the 60 or more cats and kittens trapped inside without food, water or medical attention.

Three small rescue groups with minimal resources and no shelter facility have brought 30 cats to safety in foster homes, and are now calling on other area rescues, and the community, to help.

Funding and experienced fosters are needed to save the 30 remaining cats before a May 21, 2007 deadline." (Click hear to read the entire article)
On May 21, The 29 Remaining Cats Will Be Killed To Rehab The Property - Find out all the details here!

If you want another way to help, how about ordering a unique piece of photo art of your favorite pet picture? Just drop me an email at musleannan@gmail.com to find out how to help. Or check out Paw Prints, designed to raise money for animal rescue and animal welfare charities.

I'm offering an introductory price of $25 per image, with $20 of that going directly to the charity or cause of your choice. And everything is done by email, quick and simple... it's a win-win situation. Come away with a unique piece of sentimental artwork and do it while helping to save the lives of the furry ones. What could be better?

Wolfen Thanks

2007-05-15T15:05:00.000-04:00

Congratulations!

Over the past 60 days you've given wolves a fighting chance
against the Bush Administration's proposal to strip them of
their Endangered Species protection and leave them vulnerable to
mass killing.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that more than
200,000 citizens registered their opposition to a dangerous plan
that could doom up to one half of the wolves in Greater
Yellowstone to a cruel and senseless death.

I'm proud to report that NRDC Action Fund supporters like you
generated 137,000 of those 200,000 comments!

Thanks to your support, we also made sure that concerned
citizens turned out in force at public hearings across the
Northern Rockies to testify for wolf protection. Wolf supporters
outnumbered opponents at key hearings in Cheyenne, Wyoming and
Boise, Idaho, where the wolf faces fierce hostility from state
officials.

And the outcry we raised was bolstered by more than 250
scientists, who expressed their own opposition to the Bush
Administration proposal.

What's next? The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service will review all
the comments it has received and will make a decision in about
six months on whether or not to maintain protection of the wolf
under the Endangered Species Act.

Although the American people have spoken out loud and clear in
favor of such protection, it is far from assured. The wolf has
powerful enemies in the Bush Administration and state
governments.

That's why, in the months ahead, we will be building even more
public pressure on the administration . . . bringing the plight
of wolves to the attention of the media . . . and making sure
that scientific evidence in favor of protection gets a full
hearing.

Thank you again for making your voice heard during this
critical comment period for the wolves of Greater Yellowstone.

Sincerely,

Frances Beinecke
President
NRDC Action Fund

Celebrating Life

2007-05-14T11:01:00.000-04:00

This weekend, we celebrated Mother's Day and I see that as a celebration of life and love everywhere. So today I decided to come out of my shell and post a little tribute to one of the brightest lights in my life... my Jerry. Since he came into our world quite abruptly six weeks ago, he has been one of the highlights of our life.

Yes, there are already too many kittens and puppies on this earth, and for those poor creatures, today is a bleak and meaningless time. But just for today, I'm going to focus on one little bundle of love that personifies all the love I have for every single furry one in the world, big or small, wild or tame. He is my constant joy, a reminder of all that is fresh and new and wondrous in the world around me.

His curiosity is addictive and his playfulness captivating... so I thought I'd share just a glimpse of him with all of you today as I celebrate far more than just mothers, but rather the creation of all life, and the beauty to be found within.

I also want to offer huge thankful hugs to Em today, for all the help she's given me recently with this blog. Em, of course, you are free to post as often as you like... and anyone else who would be interested in posting once, or twice, or much more, please just let me know! This place is for and about all the furry ones, and everyone is welcome here!

Horse Sense

2007-05-13T11:36:00.000-04:00

Horse Sense

by Rambeau

A regular reader of A Pawprint In Time, I am always on the lookout for news articles related to animal welfare. Although concerned with the treatment of all critters, I am particularly partial to dogs and horses. I commented on Em’s Friday post about losing precious canine companions, and for the past several years have been in a relationship with a special lady who has had horses for over 30 years. Moosie’s post from a week ago, Doing Our Part, touched on a topic which has been a concern for some time, the slaughter of horses for human food consumption.

About a week ago, I ran across an editorial by The Goshen News in Goshen, Indiana, entitled “Congress shouldn’t try to regulate our choice of food”, which referred to action by both the U.S. House and Senate on legislation to ban the sale of horses for slaughter, ultimately for use as an ingredient in human food. The editors argue that rather than be considered “companion animals”, horses are no better than what are considered livestock, those animals that non-vegetarians and non-vegans normally include in their diet. They opine that “elevating certain segments of the animal kingdom in the food chain” is wrong, and that eating horse meat is no “more or less wrong” than eating beef, chicken, pork, etc. Even dogs and cats were conspicuously absent from their idea of “companion animals”!

I am not a vegetarian, and I will leave this debate to others, but I take issue with the idea that horses are not companion animals. In the few short years I have been getting to know horses in general, and eight horses in particular, I can attest to the fact that in most cases today, the horse has a unique personality. He will bond as well as a dog or cat to his human caretaker, as I outlined in my letter to the editor. Do I make “horse sense”?

Rambeau

Pet's Memorial

2007-05-11T16:20:00.000-04:00

I was going to post something about animal rights, and how we shouldn’t ‘use’ animals for our entertainment.
However with this week coming to a close as National Pet Week, I thought it best to post something which reflects this occasion.

We always talk about those pets we have ‘alive’ and with us, but what about those pets which aren’t?

This post is dedicated to our furry ones that have departed, for ‘better pastures’ so to speak.
I will begin with a dedication to my wonderful deceased collie ‘Shep’, and then if you too would like to leave a dedication to your pet(s) that have passed on – you are more than welcome!

My dear Shep was possibly the best dog we have had so far, don’t get me wrong. All our dogs were wonderful, but with the first ones I was very young and being an irresponsible child I never let myself get ‘too’ attached.

However I got Shep for my 18th birthday, it was either a dog or a trip to Disney Land. And I so desperately wanted a dog that I quickly made up my mind.

My brother who also has a Border Collie, saw some pups advertised in the paper from a local farm. I was so excited, and went with him and my boyfriend of that time to choose one.

The farm was very nicely kept, and the farm opened up the barn where the pups lived. Mostly they came running out to greet us, but some stayed behind. Shep being one of those…

I looked at the puppies, it is so hard to choose and I really do hate doing it. As I feel bad for all the other puppies, I wanted a bitch originally but there weren’t many left.
I saw the farmer’s children trying to grab who would become known as Shep, out of the barn. They brought him over, and I picked him up and cuddled.

He was much quieter than the rest, and a lot less bouncy. But I fell in love with him immediately, even though my brother and boyfriend tried to convince me to pick another one who was much more ‘in your face’.

Shep however won my heart from that moment on, and he will remain in it for as long as I live. I told the farmer this is the one I wanted, and he introduced us to the parents – both of them working dogs who chased sheep and cattle for a living.

Shep was only £50, a bargain for an animal who brought such joy to my life. We took him home, and he cuddled on my shoulder all the way back in the car. He was in desperate need of a bath, but I cuddled him up that night making sure he wasn’t afraid.

He did cry most of the night, and no matter what we did nothing seemed to calm him. In the end I had to tuck him up in a blanket in my arms, and sleep with him downstairs on the couch.
That’s when I realised this little darling, was indeed going to be my furry baby and need all the attention that I could give him.

I watched him grow; I taught him tricks and how to fetch. I took pictures of him, and entered him in our local village dog show to raise money for charity.
He loved it and won best dog, in the show. It was like watching your child participate in sports day, and I was very proud.

His favourite game was ‘yellow ball’, and he died with that toy in his mouth as his body gave way to a brain aneurysm. I was devastated that day; I wasn’t ready to let him go.

He was very young still, and we expected many more years from him. But he was ready to go, and there is nothing you can do when that happens. I just hope wherever he is now; there is an endless amount of yellow balls, walks and love (never mind cuddles in bed!).

Shep was the most passionate dog I have ever come across, as soon as he thought I were upset he would have his head on my lap. Or he would jump on me, lying on his back with paws in the air ready for his lullaby. Oh yes he was a softy, and had a very special song.

In fact I shall share it (however I forewarn you it is cheesey):

I’ve got a sheppy big paws {he did have huge paws},
And ‘big paws’ is his name.
It takes a big doggy to have big paws,
And that’s the sheppy’s claim to fame.

So hush little Sheppy,
Close your eyes
La la lala la lalala
Mommy and granny {my mom sang this to him too}
Will soon be by
La la lala la lalala

R.I.P my dear friend, furry son and beloved pet.

Please as I mentioned above, feel free to send in your stories in comments or through e-mail. We would be happy to share them with you…

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

2007-05-08T15:40:00.000-04:00

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
(Written by Arwenya)

It is National Pet’s Week and what better way to celebrate, then reading about some touching animal welfare success stories?!

I was browsing the news websites, under the Google search of ‘animal welfare news’ and found this wonderful story from Yahoo. I thought I would share it with you, as many of us have cats. And we all know just how precious they can be (when not bringing half-dead mice to our doors), so thank goodness someone saved these little darlings…

Chinese animal rights victory takes cats off the menu
Jonathan Watts in BeijingTuesday February 13, 2007 The Guardian

China's nascent animal rights movement claimed a rare victory today after rescuing more than 400 cats that were about to be slaughtered for their fur and meat.
They were saved from a market in Tianjin after a standoff last week between 100 pet lovers and police which left one protester hospitalized.
Until recent years, respect for animal rights was almost non-existent in China, but the country's rising affluence has brought with it a pet-pampering middle class. Activists are becoming bolder, posting video footage of cruel treatment on YouTube and staging protests.

I am glad Animal Activists are finding new and inventive ways to get their opinions, and voices heard! If we don’t speak out for the less fortunate, who haven’t voices of their own – who will?
Speaking of those who are ‘needy’ of our help, Mooseluvr posted this plea to you on Sunday. And I shall bring it up once more, as Second Chance Rescue needs all the help they can get right now! Without this help they will not be able to do the fantastic work, which they are doing right now for the furry ones.
To remind you of that work, I have taken this quote from Mooseluvr’s post:

“She is responsible for rescuing, caring for and fostering out many, many homeless and needy dogs following Hurricane Katrina's destruction. She also single-handedly sought out owners and played a crucial role in reuniting displaced pets with their rightful owners.”

If you could spare any money at all, even if it is just $5 – every little helps!

But please do consider reaching into your wallets/purses today, and see what you could spare. We are all ‘hard up’ at times, and I’m sure if the furry ones could work for money they would to survive. However they can’t and they need our help desperately, lets give back the love and care which they have given us for so long now!

Moving on however, I have another success story to share with you all. This one is also from Yahoo, and is fantastic. I have a soft spot for monkeys, and to hear these two have been rescued and retired to a wonderful sanctuary in Florida makes me very happy indeed…

Hollywood chimps 'given freedom'

A pair of chimps who appeared on a number of Hollywood film and TV shows, are being retired following allegations of animal cruelty.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund and other groups sued trainer Sid Yost last year in a US federal court, accusing him of beating the chimps with sticks.

Mr Yost did not acknowledge any wrongdoing in the settlement, which saw the chimps leave California.
A spokeswoman for the Animal Legal Defense Fund said they were "thrilled".

"They're not going to be forced to perform unwillingly anymore," said Lisa Franzetta.

"This is such a happy day to see these chimpanzees being retired."

The Animal Legal Defense Fund was set up by a group of primatologists, lawyers, scientists and actors who have started a campaign called No Reel Apes - to call for an end to the use of primates in entertainment.
The group accused Mr Yost of using an electric shock stick on the chimps and punching, taunting and intimidating them.

Sable, a female, and Cody, a male, have lived at Mr Yost's ranch in San Bernardino for five years with Angel, an older female, who will be shipped to Florida next week.

The chimps have appeared in productions including That 70s Show and forthcoming Bruce Almighty sequel, Evan Almighty.

Mr Yost denied abusing the animals and said he would miss them.

Tobin Dunlea, an animal trainer at the ranch for seven years, also denied the chimps were abused.

"They love us and they trust and that's why we've done so well with them in the business," he told the Associated Press news agency.
Sable and Cody will eventually join Angel at a sanctuary in Florida.

Well that is almost everything I wanted to share with you in today’s post, however I did find a funny video from YouTube which I thought you may all enjoy. So please, cuddle up with your pet tonight. Consider donating or helping some cause in your area or the world, and don’t ever take those who ‘seem’ inferior to you for granted!

God Bless

Be Kind to Animals

2007-05-06T11:19:00.000-04:00

Today is the first day of Be Kind to Animals Week and I'll be doing my part to keep this at the forefront of your thoughts throughout the week. It is also the first day of National Pet Week here in the United States, though I think that should be an international event.

Please check out the links above to see what general things you can do to honor and promote these worthwhile endeavors. I'll offer lots of other ideas during the week, but in the meantime, I'll leave you with a very specific reminder of WHY such events must exist.

A Dog Sits Waiting

A dog sits waiting
in the cold autumn sun,
too faithful to leave,
too frightened to run.

He's been there for days now,
with nothing to do
but sit by the road,
just waiting for you.

He can't understand
why you left him that day.
He thought you were stopping
to go with him to play.

He's sure you'll come back,
and that's why he stays.
How long can he suffer?
How many more days?

He's sick now from hunger,
he falls with a sigh.
He lays down his head
and closes his eyes.

I wish you could see
how a waiting dog dies.

Now, to really bring this idea home, I am personally asking you to do whatever you can to specifically help a very dear friend of mine, and all the furry ones that she cares for and supports. She owns and operates Second Chance Rescue near Daytona Beach, Florida.

She is responsible for rescuing, caring for and fostering out many, many homeless and needy dogs following Hurricane Katrina's destruction. She also single-handedly sought out owners and played a crucial role in reuniting displaced pets with their rightful owners.

During my second trip to NOLA, I became very well acquainted with her and her rescue group. I just found out today that Second Chance is in an immediate and desperate situation. They need to pay off a substantial veterinary bill, which has accrued on behalf of her caring for so many unwanted and rescued dogs. If they can't pay their bill off immediately, they will be unable to provide for the animals currently in foster care or offer help or hope to any new animals.

The woman behind Second Chance is a marvel and I can not only strongly endorse, support and recommend her to anyone who has interest in animal welfare, but say beyond a shadow of a doubt that her heart is pure and her intentions and concerns are only for the furry ones.

So if you are in a postiion to offer any sort of financial support at all, however small, PLEASE contact her directly and see what you can do to help. TODAY.

Yes, this is a personal plea and no, you won't see me doing this very often, to this degree. But I won't apologize for doing it now.

This woman came through for me when I quite literally had nothing left to give and made it possible for me to prolong my own rescue endeavors even when she could no longer be there herself.

Doing Our Part

2007-05-05T17:59:00.000-04:00

Illinois Plant Likely to Resume Slaughter

By Steven Long

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia circuit has granted an emergency stay motion for Cavel International, the DeKalb, Ill., slaughter plant that was the last to close its doors at least temporarily ending equine slaughter in the United States.

Animal rights activists have been observing activities in feed lots across the nation as well as monitoring the movements of “killer buyers” as industry players anticipated a favorable ruling on the motion.

A ban on slaughter for human consumption has passed the Illinois House and may soon be considered in the Senate. It would close Cavel yet again. The firm is also fighting local water pollution allegations.

Two plants in Texas have remained closed for months after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans upheld a 1949 Texas statute making slaughter of horses for human consumption illegal.

The Illinois plant was closed earlier this year when a federal court determined that it is illegal for the owners to pay U.S. Department of Agriculture meat inspectors after Congress cut off funding for their work inside the plants last year.

The Humane Society of the United States will ask for an expedited appeal.

Recently, a foal was born to a Morgan mare that was in the kill chute at the Cavel Plant when the federal court ruling cutting off inspector funding came down. She, and other horses destined for the meat counters of Europe were bought by the HSUS and saved, then moved to rescue facilities in the West.
It is illegal to send pregnant mares to slaughter.

The foal was born at Fair Dinkum Animal Rescue in Wyoming (see the “Miracle Horse” in Texas Horse Talk Magazine, or online at TexasHorseTalk.com). The print edition will hit the stands early next week.

The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act is making its way through Congress and has already passed the House. It will permanently end horse slaughter in the United States and prohibit transport of horses in this country to slaughter in Mexico and Canada.

To stop horse slaughter throughout the world, just click on The Horse, then look down in the left sidebar for the poll where you can vote to make your beliefs known to the rest of the world.

And now a beautiful story heard before but is just as beautiful the second time around:

Two Horses

Just up the road from my home is a field,

with two horses in it.

From a distance, each looks like every other horse.

But if you stop your car, or are walking by,

you will notice something quite amazing.

Looking into the eyes of one horse will

disclose that he is blind.

His owner has chosen not to have him put down,

but has made a good home for him.

This alone is amazing.

If nearby and listening,

you will hear the sound of a bell.

Looking around for the source of the sound,

you will see that it comes from the

smaller horse in the field.

Attached to her halter is a small bell.

It lets her blind friend know where she is,

so he can follow her.

As you stand and watch these two friends,

you'll see how she is always checking on him,

and that he will listen for her bell and then

slowly walk to where she is, trusting that she

will not lead him astray. When she returns to the

shelter of the barn each evening, she stops

occasionally and looks back, making sure her

friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell.

Like the owners of these two horses,

God does not throw us away just because

we are not perfect or because we have problems

or challenges. He watches over us and even brings

others into our lives to help us when we are in need.

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by

the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives.

Other times we are the guide horse, helping others see.

Good friends are like this .

You don't always see them,

but you know they are always there.

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours.

"Be kinder than necessary,

for everyone you meet is

fighting some kind of battle".

What If Animals Could Talk?

2007-05-04T07:56:00.000-04:00

Today with Moosie's permission, I will be posting an essay I have written. Some of you may know me as Em, however on this blog for certain reasons I will be known by my other name Arwenya.
For a while now the issue of hunting has been a topic which aggravates me, and I wanted to write a piece putting the poor animals point of view across.
So I hope you read it, and leave comments with your thoughts and opinions on this subject.

What If Animals Could Talk?

What would you do/feel if animals could talk? Would you ignore their cries, as we do so many of our own kind? Or would you listen and rethink your actions?

Could you stare into an animal’s eyes with a gun held to their head, ready to pull the trigger, and then hear them beg you to stop? Pleading you to reconsider, as they have a family themselves and need to get home to feed their young?

Would you pull that trigger even after hearing their desperation? Could you?

I know my answer, and this was the very thing I was thinking as I wandered through the beautiful bluebell woods on Sunday. The birds were singing from the treetops, the sun glistened on the dew drop leaves and a deer rustled in bushes nearby.

The scene was pure perfection, so tranquil and for once it was almost like the world was living in harmony. That was until I came across a pen consisting of harsh wire, covering a fair amount of woodland area.

This pen was constructed to hold young pheasants, which hunters have taken from their parents to grow themselves with one purpose in mind – game.

That’s if you could call hunting harmless animals for fun, a game?

It is no more a game than war, at least in the circumstance of war there is an intent or cause behind it. As I hope to heaven above, that war is not just for pleasure and entertainment!

But these poor animals, who are defenceless against man. Do they know that they are being reared for such an inhumane use? Do they wish to just fly away, where freedom is a reality and not a dream of the past?

It is my hope that they don’t, it is my hope that they never realise the cruel intentions of mankind. As at least this way, whatever misery they go through is quick.

Hunting is most definitely wrong, you would not like your family to be split apart and killed mercilessly. I think everyone can remember a time when this happened to humans, and how barbaric the event was that it caused a world war.

Yes, hunters who kill foxes, deer, pheasants, alligators, etc. are no better in my eyes than Hitler himself. Those are strong words to use and quite an assumption, I hear you say, and that may be. But one thing that statement was is ‘true.’ It is not deniable, it is not forgettable and it isn’t ignorant.

My heart broke as I walked past that pen, and if there had been pheasants in it I would have considered opening the gates and setting them free. But considering isn’t enough is it? And I am ashamed of myself for that.

Because of my own fear of the consequences to my actions, and how setting loose some animals would affect my family, it made me second guess what I knew was right.

Quite thankfully I didn’t have to make this decision, but maybe it would have been good if I did. I understand the fear people have when they ‘fight’ for animal rights, but someone has to stand up for them don’t they?

Someone has to speak out on their behalf, because animals can’t!

For all I may have wanted to open that gate, it wouldn’t have been right. To free one living thing only to hurt another would not have been the best decision. What would have been the best choice is to join the protestors who march outside government offices, or walk the streets asking for signatures on petitions.

You can’t fight these causes alone, as one voice is unheard on ignorant ears who deny themselves the compassion for living entities. However 10, 20 or 50 voices stand out among any crowd. They give power to statements, and they make the deaf listen.

So please next time you walk past a petition stand for animal rights, stop and reconsider your actions. Just write your name, even if you don’t stay around to offer more help.

These people, ‘we,’ are always grateful for whatever help you can offer…

Links which further discuss this topic, and support the 'BAN':

CPHA

League Against Cruel Sports

IFAW

Live Science

Animal Aid

For the Love of Horses

2007-05-03T00:01:00.000-04:00

Thank goodness for friends... friends who care enough not only to pass along messages like the following, but friends who even go a step farther and not only respond but offer to do something to help!

Friends like this restore my faith in humanity!

I'll warn you in advance, the following email is difficult to read, but with the help of those who love the furry ones, this story will have a happy ending! Please note that Blogger wasn't cooperating with letting me upload photos at the time that I posted this, so i will keep trying until it finally works... so PLEASE check back to see the photographic evidence...

----- Original Message -----
From: Cheryl@reasonhorserescue.com
Sent: Monday, April 30, 2007 11:38 AM
Subject: Please Help Horses in Dire Need!!!

While thinking about moving to the Tunkhannock area and going to look at a house off Margaret Hollow Road that was going to have an open house, my friends and I came across a disturbing site. I wanted to check out the area and as we drove by a beautiful horse farm on the right that my friend Lisa was driving came to a sudden stop and an expletive of sorts came out of her mouth. We saw two skinny horses standing on the side of a shed eating dirt. Being horse lovers and volunteers of a horse adoption agency that my friend Lisa runs we were appalled. Upon quick inspection we were unable to find any hay or water and nothing edible left in their small pasture. Upon closer inspection of the two horses we found them emaciated; both to be so thin they had bones sticking out of them and both blind in one eye probably due to the extreme malnutrition over the years.

We thought we would see what was going on and knocked on the door of the closest house to find out whose horses they were. We thought maybe somehow we could help. We knocked on the door at 135 Margaret Hollow Rd and met Kim Corby. Kim has been horrified at how these horses have been treated and told us everything. What we found out is these horses are owned by a man who lives on Keelersburg Road in Tunkhannock. He feeds them rarely at best and when he does come out to feed them it is often at night. She has seen these horses jump the fence to drink out of her garden hose as she waters her lawn. She and her husband have given them buckets of water to drink out of because they have none otherwise. Neighboring horse owners throw hay out because they can't stand to see these horses starve to death. One day the man came by to drop off hay and couldn't find his horses he knocked on the Corby's door to ask if they knew where his horses were. They replied with not knowing and the man simply left without spending a moment to look for his horses. Hours later, the Corby's were called by a neighbor down the street to alert them that the horses that live next door to them were at their house eating the lawn.

For one month straight the Corby's kept a diary along with daily pictures of the horses care and contacted the Lackawanna County Humane Society. As overwhelmed as they are already, they came out and ordered the pasture be cleaned up and the horses fed. The Corby's were told that the man was able to produce a person who said that he buys 10 bales of hay from him for the horses. Well, if the horses don't get the hay they can't eat it! The Lackawanna Humane Society at the time did all they can do but were unable to do anymore.

We wanted to do something to help so we went back to our farm, grabbed some hay and decided that at least for tonight, these horses would be fed. While doing so, we made a call to the Wyoming County State Police Barracks to report the abuse and neglect of these horses. After speaking to a Corporal Walsh, he informed us that there was nothing he could do. He stated that it is basically our opinion that these horses are being mistreated. However, if a veterinarian would call and report it then they could do something because it came from a horse professional.

So now, we find these two horses left to eat dirt, bark off any tree they can find and have to escape when they can for more food and water. The Corby's mentioned that there used to be three horses and they think one died. After talking with other neighbors, they had heard that the man asked for help on disposing the body to another area horse owner but was denied the help. After taking a walk behind the Corby's house, they were amazed and horrified along with the three of us to find horse bones behind their house. We can only assume that the dead horse was simply dragged out of sight.

Here are pictures of everything we found. I have also included the Henneke scale which is a scientific method to judge a horse¢s body to take opinion out of the equation. You can, for yourselves, judge if these horses are thin or not. We are asking for your help to save these two horses. Who can we contact to prevent horse abuse? Is there a horse professional that will join us to report these horses so the State Police can help? Who will hold the man responsible for his obvious mistreatment of these horses? Someone please help.

Kim & Charlie Corby would love to show you their month long diary on the mistreatment of these horses they have taken and can be contacted at 570-996-5158.

You can contact me at 570-237-6194 or contact Lisa Smith at The Retired Equine Adoption Society of the Northeast at 570-333-5266.

These horses are in dire need. You can see them for yourself located next to 135 Margaret Hollow Road off of Creamery Road in Tunkhannock ( Wyoming County ) and maybe you can try and speak with the man of Keelersburg Road in Tunkhannock and ask him why he would have horses that he won't take care of properly!

Someone please help!!

Sincerely,

Cheryl Willis

Concerned animal lover

Visit us at:
ReasonHorseRescue.com
or
www.myspace.com/reasonhorserescue

*UPDATE*:

A friend of a friend of mine has offered to take one of these two horses in temporarily until other arrangements can be made. It is her understanding that according to the latest update on their website, they have been surrendered to R.E.A.S.O.N., and will be soon available for adoption.

Speaking for Wolves

2007-05-02T00:01:00.000-04:00

This post is dedicated to wolves everywhere, those purebred and those others who might be slightly more domesticated, but no less miraculous in nature... and especially for one furry one in particular, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge last night and now waits contentedly on the other side for those who will eventually follow.

We only have one week left to answer the wolf's "Mayday" distress call.

On May 9, time runs out for Americans to speak out for wolves and their continued protection under the Endangered Species Act.

In these last critical days of the public comment period, the NRDC Action Fund must build overwhelming opposition to a Bush Administration plan that could doom hundreds of wolves in Greater Yellowstone to a cruel and senseless death.

Please help give wolves a fighting chance at survival.

During this final week, we will escalate a massive campaign to rally hundreds of thousands of Americans to the cause of wolf protection before the crucial May 9 deadline.

We can do it -- but only with your generous financial support.

The wolf is the very icon of wildness in the American West. But if the Bush Administration has its way, hundreds of Rocky Mountain wolves will be left at the mercy of Wyoming and Idaho, which are seeking to permit the shooting of a majority of wolves in Yellowstone's wild country and central Idaho.

Thanks to the Endangered Species Act, wolves are howling again today in Greater Yellowstone. It was only 12 years ago that a female wolf gave birth to eight pups in the national park -- the first birth of a gray wolf in the park in 70 years!

We must not let the Bush Administration roll back the clock on wolves by depriving them of life-saving federal protection.

Click here now to answer the wolves' Mayday distress call -- while there is still time to shield them from extermination.

Sincerely,
Frances Beinecke
President
NRDC Action Fund

Food for Thought

2007-05-01T10:14:00.000-04:00

A good friend of mine found this letter to the editor in a newspaper he read online. It refers to a dog magazine, (about dogs, not for dogs to read, silly!), that listed premium dog foods. I don't know how old the article is but it certainly seems worth the read.

Not all commercial dog food is garbage

Re: the April 7 letter from James T. Hammond on commercial dog food and his preference for home-cooked meals for canine companions: That certainly is an option for good health and avoiding the tragedy of losing a pet to contaminated dog food. Several years ago, I discovered another alternative.

An advertising-free monthly publication, The Whole Dog Journal (http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/ or 800-829-9165 ), examines a variety of issues related to dog behavior, preventive flea and tick applications, yearly vaccines, diseases and nutritional information, among many others. They also list premium dog foods that meet a certain rigid selection criteria.

It must contain a lot of high-quality animal protein, whole grains and vegetables and they must be organic. Rejected from the list are dog foods that contain “meat by-products” or “poultry by-products” (the quality of these cannot be ascertained); fat or protein not identified by species, and any that contain artificial flavors, preservatives or sweeteners. Thanks to a changing culture, the list now has some 50 dog food manufacturers.

The downside is that none of the listed foods can be purchased from our vets, supermarkets or big box stores. I have found a few brands at feed stores in Northville and Saratoga; also at Agway. This quality of food costs more and it is less convenient to purchase.

While my heart went out to dog and cat owners who were frightened, or worse, struggling to save their poisoned family pet, I could find some peace in knowing that I was buying the highest grade of commercial dog food possible. Mr. Hammond probably has the best method for feeding our family pets, but buying the very best dog food is solid second best.

SUSAN H. RINGLAND

(no copyright info, but it's from the Daily Gazette in Schenectady, NY.)

Silent Voices

2007-04-30T07:23:00.000-04:00

On a day when many bloggers are choosing to honor the memory of the Virginia Tech massacre with a day of silence, I've opted to remind you once again of all those furry ones who perished needlessly in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Not because they deserve to be remembered MORE, but because they deserve the same remembrance and compassion. And although I agree with the gesture and collective joining of spirits in remembrance for the loss of any and all life, silence doesn't change the world... action does.

So I want to direct you to the trailer of an incredible documentary, Dark Water Rising. The movie is filmed by world-remowned documentary photojournalist and filmmaker Mike Shiley. Here is the description of the film from the filmmaker/director's press release:

Over 50,000 dogs and cats were left behind in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This forced separation created America’s first-ever major animal rescue.

A dedicated and compassionate group of volunteer rescuers and animal welfare groups from around the world risked their lives to sledgehammer down doors and brave toxic floodwaters in a truly heroic effort to save nearly 10,000 animals.

Some rescuers worked the official rescue organizations, like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Best Friends, and the American Humane Society, while others joined a more aggressive rescue outfit, code named Winn Dixie.

This film tells many uplifting stories of hope and survival as pets are reunited with their owners while other lucky animals find loving new homes.

Rescuers came from all walks of life and backgrounds to help out. From passionate animal activists to prison inmates, an entire cross section of America interrupted their daily routines to do the right thing in face of incredible odds.

Because of the media exposure of this historic rescue operation, Congress passed the PETS Act, which requires states to have animal evacuation plans in place in order to receive FEMA funding.

Dark Water Rising is a film about hope and survival in the face of the one of the worst natural disasters in American history.

It will renew your faith in the American spirit.

Dog Tired

2007-04-29T09:37:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been so dog-tired that you couldn't even lift a paw?

Windows to the Soul

2007-04-27T00:01:00.000-04:00

As I gaze at these pictures, I am reminded that the eyes are indeed windows to the soul, and it makes me wonder what the thousands of baby seals think in the moments before they are clubbed to death. Make me wonder, too, what the men are thinking as they murder these innocent creatures. How can they look at themselves in the mirror ever again?

I will spare you the graphically violent and obscene horrors of the annual baby seal slaughter but my ponderings have led me to a rather interesting story. Follow the link to read about harp seal activist William Walkman, who recently died amongst, and possibly under the blows of, the very seals he sought to protect.

I'm personally withholding judgement as there is not enough information given for me to decide what went on inside this man's heart. But I do want to do my part to get you all fired up about this senseless slaughter because it is one of our gravest injustices to the animal world.

Want to help? Just click any of the following links:

www.stopthesealhunt.ca/

www.harpseals.org/

http://www.stopthesealhunt.org

www.protectseals.org/

www.seashepherd.org/seals/

www.peta.org/feat-canadaSealHunt.asp

Tiger Tales

2007-04-26T00:01:00.000-04:00

I wrote this some time ago and a few of you may have already read it, but it came to mind again tonight and I think it bears repeating. Besides, the picture is too beautiful NOT to use... given to me recently by a couple of thoughtful, animal-loving friends who know of my soft spot for tigers.

Sometimes I wish I was a real tiger.

Why?

Well, because there's something to be said for being an animal, a fuzzy, four-legged creature. We humans have it in our nature to overanalyze every little detail of not only our own lives but those around us.

We feel the need to project our own views and expectations and preconceived notions onto those around us or those who come into contact with us in even the slightest way. We feel obliged to force ourselves on others, to try to sway other people's opinions of us, of themselves, of the world in which we live. We are always seeking something: the greener grass across the sidewalk, the job that eludes us, the perfect mate, financial security, happiness, love... the list goes on and on.

If I were a tiger:

- I would never be angry (or ever have cause to be)

- I would love unconditionally (I would know no other way)

- I would never want for more than I have (food, shelter and a mate)

- I would have no need or desire for money (I wouldn't even know what it was)

- I would have no fear of death

- I would feel forgiveness without thinking

- I would be free from emotional pain (and physical pain would merely be accepted)

- I would be strong and powerful; empowered within my soul

- I would be free (in mind as well as body)

- I would never worry, or fear or doubt

- I would never experience jealousy or envy

- I would have no worldly, earthly or material attachments

- I would travel light and carry no extra baggage

- I would never cling to my sadness or hold a grudge

- I would need no one else to make me feel beautiful (my beauty would lie within)

- I would have no ego and no vanity

- Each day would be unique and fresh, as if it were truly the first day of my life

- I would have no inhibitions and there would be no stereotypes

- I would have no expectations or preconceived notions

- I would be secure and self-assured, confident and capable

- I would revel in the pure pleasure of the wind, the rain, every sunrise

Sharing Resources

2007-04-25T12:15:00.000-04:00

Do you have unneutered pets or know someone who does? If so, here is a list of available resources, by state, for those in the United States.

Pets 911 - Locate veterinarians and low-cost spay-neuter programs for cats and dogs based on your zip code.

Low cost or free spay-neuter programs for cats (may only accept either pets or feral/stray cats and may be dependent on income requirements)
Thanks to a good friend of mine, here's some additional web sites geared toward the benefit of animals, with brief descriptions of each:

http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/ - This excellent site offers information and allows you to help out in many ways.

www.rspca.org.uk - The RSPCA's vision is to work for a world in which all humans respect and live in harmony with all other members of the animal
kingdom.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/ - Their work is driven by a passionate belief that we all have a responsibility to protect birds and the environment. Bird
populations reflect the health of the planet on which our future depends.

http://www.dogshome.org/ - The Battersea Dogs Home receives unwanted, stray and abandoned dogs and cats every day of the year. We do not place time
limits on the animals in our care, but continually strive to find them the best homes possible, and with your help we can achieve that. We have
hundreds of deserving animals needing new owners to provide them with love, security and companionship.

http://www.woodgreen.org.uk/home.asp - Takes unwanted and lost animals, provide shelter and care, find secure and loving homes and provide
advice, support and guidance for owners

http://www.bluecross.org.uk/ - The Blue Cross is Britain's pet charity, providing practical support, information and advice for pet and horse
owners. Through rheir network of animal adoption centres, they rehome thousands of animals each year. Their hospitals provide veterinary care for the
pets of people who cannot afford private vets' fees.

http://www.mayhewanimalhome.org/ - The Mayhew Animal Home believes that animals, as living creatures, are entitled to legal protection, oral
and ethical consideration, and have a value beyond economic measurement. They take in and care for unwanted or abused animals and re-home them with
responsible caring owners.

http://www.nawt.org.uk/ - National Animal Welfare Trust is a national charity with branches throughout the country, dedicated to caring for
unwanted animals. Its principal work is finding homes for dogs, cats and other pets which would otherwise have been abandoned, left to stray or
put to sleep. Once in the Trust's care, no healthy animal is ever put to sleep.
(Also includes online pet shop)

http://www.thebrooke.org/ - Since 1934 the Brooke Hospital has existed to improve conditions for working equines mainly in Egypt, India, Jordan
and Pakistan. In many places, the animals lack even the basic necessities like clean water, shade and harnesses that don't cause sores. The charity
provides free veterinary treatment, preventative advice and education. Through a network of mobile teams and clinics the Brooke treats many
thousands of sick, wounded and exhausted animals every year while teaching their owners how to care for them.

http://www.mcsuk.org/ - MCS is the UK's national charity dedicated to protecting the wildlife of our coasts and seas, threatened by
overfishing, habitat destruction and pollution. Through our marine litter project, we campaign to end the dumping of plastics, sewage and other wastes at sea
- thousands of sea birds and marine mammals die each year through ingestion or entanglement.

http://www.bds.org.uk/ - The British Deer Society is a registered charity that provides a meeting place for all those interested in deer
conservation and biology. They are a membership-based organisation with around 5000 members. They provide advice to landowners, farmers and government on
all matters concerning deer, their welfare conservation and management.

http://www.frame.org.uk/ - Aims to eliminate the need for live animal experimentation and put an end to the suffering inflicted upon
laboratory animals. FRAME operates an innovative research programme to develop cell culture methods as alternatives to the use of animals in toxicity
testing, along with a number of other investigations designed to reduce drastically the number of animal experiments.

http://www.hsa.org.uk/ - The HSA is the only registered charity committed to the welfare of animals in markets, during transport and to the point of
slaughter. It believes in a positive, rational approach and, with your support, can make a lasting and practical improvement to the welfare of
food animals.

http://www.aht.org.uk/ - The Animal Health Trust aims to be pre-eminent in the understanding of diseases in animals through scientific endeavour
and its application to their welfare. Our approach is to develop new technology and knowledge for the better diagnosis, prevention and cure of disease;
to provide a clinical referral service for veterinary surgeons in practice; to promote post-graduate education and to communicate our findings to
others.

http://www.iar.org.uk/ - The aim of this charity is to provide a foundation for the compassionate treatment of animals through humane education and
training. IAR specialise in providing comprehensive sterilization and inoculation programs for stray dogs and cats and are well placed to
provide on the spot advice and solutions on topics as varied as the destruction of tropical coral reefs to the building of efficient kennel blocks in the
tropics.

http://www.bornfree.org.uk/ - From small beginnings, the Born Free Foundation has grown into a global force for wildlife. But a personal
passion for wild animals and desire for positive change remain at our heart. Described by The Times as ‘Big enough to make a difference, but small
enough to care,’ Born Free is not a big anonymous organisation, but a family of like-minded people who share the same goals. Our work to prevent
individual animal suffering, protect threatened species and keep wildlife in the wild sets us apart from the rest.

****** ****** ******

Feel free to post information about other services or services for those living overseas in the comments area.

Also, I am issuing an open call to everyone reading this blog! If you think you might have something to say, anything to say, about animals, wild or domestic, in any positive capacity, please email me directly about the possibility of making your own post here on APIT.

A Little Good News!

2007-04-24T00:23:00.000-04:00

You know what? Sometimes there are actually GOOD things reported in the news!

“California lawmakers have introduced a pack of animal measures, ranging from mandatory spaying and neutering to providing farm animals more space in pens.”

Please click the link to read more because this article highlights each of several amazing strides that California lawmakers are attempting to make with regard to the vast improvement of animal welfare within their state.

The benefits of spaying and neutering cannot possibly be over-emphasized… millions of companion animals die needless deaths each year because of overpopulation and irresponsible pet ownership. Domesticated animals are not bred to return to the wild and yet feral populations of dogs and cats are growing more and more commonplace simply because they have nowhere else to go once they have been shunned or abandoned by their owners.

It is time for change… now! As someone very, very close to my heart pointed out to me yesterday, this blog needs to be about the future, not about the past. But the past does teach us a great many things and if we are willing to learn the lessons, hard as they might be, perhaps we can learn to avoid such pitfalls in the future.

If you’re reading this now, it is because you love animals and want to make a difference in their lives. I urge you to help spread the word, to do whatever you can to encourage your friends to have their pets spayed and neutered, to volunteer at local shelters, to do whatever you can to make a difference.

We all need to take a hint from California and encourage our own lawmakers in our respective states and countries to pass similar legislation. After all, though it might just be a drop in the bucket, if there are enough drops in the bucket, eventually the bucket will be overflowing with love, awareness and understanding rather than the alternative, which is far less pleasant. Spaying and neutering is where this all must begin…

He-She

2007-04-23T11:53:00.000-04:00

A few days ago, I posted this picture and asked you to guess what it was... well, I've let you think long enough and it's time to share the story, or as much as I know about the story from being in the midst of it.

Once the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina receded from the devastated Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, rescuers made their way through the streets and the few surviving homesteaders appeared from their flooded homes.

Starving animals roamed the streets foraging for the smalles scraps of decaying food and military vehicles and soldiers could be seen everywhere. The destruction was all around us, but the Lower 9th Ward look like the worst war zone you could ever imagine. The smell of death and mold and human waste was overwhelming.

As rescuers searched the demolished homes and wreckage of those that succumbed to the storm completely, life began to appear in tiny glimpses. And as a defense mechanism, our humor protected us and shielded us from the reality in which we were now totally immersed. We found ourselves laughing hysterically at things that now wouldn't seem funny at all, simply because the laughter became the outlet for all those emotions that did not dare to be expressed.

But one day as we were searching, we came upon something that made my heart stop. It was a vehicle sitting askew in the front yard of a ravaged home... but there appeared to be someone inside the car. At this time, bodies were still being discovered on a daily basis, so this was well within the relam of possibility and it chilled me to the bone.

My partner and I approached the car slowly, terrified of what we thought we'd found, but compelled to look just the same. As it turns out, it was not a boyd, but rather a body double, perhaps once made for a fencing foil or some such thing. It was man-sized, real life in posability, and propped behind the wheel of the car as if it were real.

Our horror quickly turned to relief then fascination then gut-busting laughter as we hooted and hoolered at someone's clever ploys. But who would do such a thing? Who had the time or the means or the itnerest? In this bleak existence of life and death, with an ever blurring line between the two, WHO would do this?

We talked about it and were still not sure, though perhaps a military unit seemed moist likely, since they routinely patrolled the Lower 9th every few hours and were undoubtedly by now bored to tears with uneventful patrols. Anyway, we tipped our collective hat to whoever did this and went on our merry way. When we passed y the same area a few days later, we were more than a little surprised to see that the car was empty.

Where had he gone? And who had moved him? We continued on our way, patrolling the neighbiorhood, listening intently for whines or the caws of crows that often signalled life among the dead, until we caeme to a streetcorner littered with debris. A couch sat on the corner and lots of personal items, pictures, portraits, etc. had been purposely set up beside the couch by who know who. And guess who was seated comfortably on the couch?

But by now our "he" had been drressed as a "she," with an outfit and attire to match... she rapidly disappeared from the couch and was later spotted smoking a cigarette and pushing a Winn-Dixie shopping cart full of booze. How appropriate, considering that cigarettes and booze were two of the "lesser evils" used as coping mechanisms for rescuers when they were not "on duty."

And the shopping cart, too, was appropo for it came from the very same store where many of us set up shop for several months... we used a Winn-Dixie parking lot for a staging area and temporary kennel for the animals we rescued, before shipping them out to larger shelters and rescue agencies across the country.

Sadly, we never saw our "he-she" again after she walked off with her shopping cart. Maybe she had finally had enough and simply couldn't bear it anymore... wherever she is now, I hope she knows she gave us a few moments of pure, unadulterated fun and whoever was clever enough to create her deserves a round of applause and a heartfelt thank you from all of us.

Selling Out?

2007-04-22T12:05:00.000-04:00

I am extremely saddened by the following article, about Noah's Wish, an animal rescue agency that was very active and visile during the Hurricane Katrina animal rescue efforts.

I feel it is vitally important to share this information with you. Please keep in mind that investigations are till under way, so no long-term judgments need be drawn at this point. However, the core issue at hand is hardly a new one, especially here in the United States.

Our land of opportunity often lends itself to being a land of the opportunistic, and I can’t stress strongly enough how it sickens me that some people take advantage of other people’s hard times and somehow end up improving their own condition even as another person suffers.

I have real-life association with this entire concept, however, and I need to explain some things about myself before I could even begin to dare to speak about anyone else. I’ve been in life-or-death, potentially catastrophic situations. I willingly put myself in that position many times in NOLA following Hurricane Katrina.

I am NOT comparing myself or my situation or circumstances to the millions of people who struggle to survive everyday and know that as their only option. But I do know from personal experience that any living being can reach a point where they feel they have given all they can, where survival and distraction from their current existence becomes their main focus, even if only for a while.

I saw that as selling out when I did it in NOLA. I simply reached a point where I couldn’t go on, where I felt I was no longer contributing to the efforts and had become part of the problem. I sold out by seeking out offers for free meals and more comfortable shelter because it was easier and because I was rapidly reaching a place within myself where I felt quite literally as raw and wild and animalistic as any of the animals I was still desperately trying to help.

Please understand that I’m not saying this to elicit sympathy or empathy or anything else about myself. I just want you to understand that everyone has their breaking point, and mine came much sooner than I would have liked. I am not proud of that fact and I am not proud of ANY of the choices I made once I reached my limits.

But there are another type of people in this world, the ones who intentionally prey on other people’s hardships and seek to use those to propel themselves higher up in status and position. Those people make me physically ill, especially when they rear their ugly heads in animal rescue efforts. And anyone who seeks to profit or boost their own circumstances in light of someone else’s suffering is despicable. Just as I consider my own actions in several instances to be despicable.

That said, please follow the link and realize that I’m posting it to heighten awareness, not to make a social statement, at least not until all the facts are out and the case is decided. But unfortunately, my point is that there are such opportunistic people in all walks of life and in all arenas of need and good intentions. We are hardly immune just because we make the needs and well-being of all animals a priority. In fact, it is for that very reason that we need to be ever watchful and ever mindful.

Tomorrow I'll post the story behind the funny looking picture...

Gone But Never Forgotten

2007-04-21T00:01:00.000-04:00

The events of this past week involving the tragedy at Virginia Tech have brought back vivid memories of another horrific, murderous rampage at a school. No, I’m not thinking of Columbine, though that was equally dreadful and senseless.

But I’m remembering in particular the events that occurred at Beauregard Middle School (and two other nearby schools) in St. Bernard Parrish, just outside New Orleans, Louisiana.

The murderous acts of senseless killing happened in the wake of Hurricane Katrina more than 18 months ago. And the full brutality of the events that unfolded will never really be told because those who experienced it cannot speak our language. The furry ones who lost their lives needlessly in those three schools were left behind despite their owners pleas. The owners were promised that their animals would be cared for and protected, but the depravity that followed was (and still is) beyond comprehension.

The pictures I’ve posted here were taken inside Beauregard Middle School in November, 2005, nearly three months after Hurricane Katrina struck. But as you can see, even three months later, the school was a ghoulish reminder of what had occurred. The school was still surrounded by police tape and it wasn’t clear if the contents remaining inside the building were related directly to the crime scene or if they were some bizarre form of Halloween entertainment.

But they tell the story without the carnage that is so horrifically visible and beyond measure in the photographs and video taken when the scene was first discovered.

I wasn’t there when the bodies were found. But I’ve talked at length with those who were. I’ve heard their stories and felt their pain, cried alongside some of them and done my best to support others.

These pictures are mine, because I had to see it for myself, even though it was long after the initial events. Somehow, for me, this one place epitomized all the horrors I experienced myself during my time in NOLA.

The senseless death and destruction, abandonment and terror experienced by the furry ones throughout the area and beyond… beyond even my wildest comprehension, even now.

I wasn’t there to see it first-hand in the beginning, and I am far from an expert on the events that occurred since then as far as legalities are concerned, but if you are interested in knowing more, or talking further, please feel free to email me.

I can guide you to stories about these tragedies that are told by (or written by) those who first saw it, those who experienced it, and those who lived it.

On the other hand, if you have any personal experience with any of these tragedies, or have anything at all to add as far as your reaction is concerned, please feel free to speak up… this place is for all of us and sharing our grief may be even more important than sharing our joy, especially at times like this.

Laughter is Key

2007-04-20T09:39:00.000-04:00

It’s time to share a few of the lighter moments of my rescue adventures. And yes, there were plenty of those, though admittedly they were grossly outweighed by darkness and despair. But when any creature lives 24/7 in a constant state of chaos, fear and anxiety from a traumatic experience of series of never-ending traumatic experiences, it sharpens the senses and oddly enough, actually enhances one’s wit. You learn to find humor and giggles in strange places and although those outside your immediate reality might shake their heads disapprovingly, they really don’t get it because they couldn’t possibly understand your own perception at the time.

Today’s picture is representative of the way some as yet unidentified person or persons opted to lighten up an otherwise despicable existence and how at least a few of the rescuers who discovered this “joke” expanded it and made it larger than life. I wish I’d carried a pocket-sized tape recorder to record experiences such as these, and the way we described things when we first discovered the, because the telling now isn’t nearly as funny as it was then. But then again, maybe that is because of that skewed perception I mentioned above.

As you may or may not know, the Lower Ninth Ward was the community of New Orleans most directly and catastrophically impacted by the breaking levees following Hurricane Katrina. The already poverty stricken neighborhood was sandwiched tightly between the Mississippi River and a series of canals and levees that ultimately broke, gave way, or flooded over. It was the last area of NOLA to dry and remained buried in mud for weeks longer than other parts of the city. This was where many of the rescues shown on the news occurred, the rescues by boat, showing desperate people and animals clinging to the tippy-tops of their roofs and screaming for help.

It is here that my story unfolds, though this story began after the waters ultimately receded, at least for the most part. But I’m not going to tell the whole story just yet… instead, I want you to take a look at this picture and tell me what thoughts it incites. What’s happening? Why? I’ll share the story behind the picture on Monday, because tomorrow’s tale will be much darker indeed. We will all need a good laugh by Monday. And I’ll be here to provide it.

So take a good look at the picture and then share your thoughts… I’m very interested in hearing your own unique perspectives!

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On another note, I received the following email today and I'm begging for you to do what you can to help with this oh, so worthy cause. It won't cost you a dime, but one click will make all the difference in the world to one of our furry friends!

Attention all you animal lovers. This is pretty simple.. Please tell ten friends to tell ten today! The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily to meet their quota of getting free food donated every day to abused and neglected animals. And with the recent pet food scare, I'm sure their food supplies have been drastically reduced. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on "feed an animal in need" for free. It's in a purple box in the middle of the page. This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising. Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know. http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

AGAIN, PLEASE TELL 10 FRIENDS!!!

Moose Luvr?

2007-04-19T16:35:00.000-04:00

I think that before I start sharing tons of personal stories with you, I should probably at least introduce you to the dog who inspired my profile name… so this is Moose. It’s the only picture I have of him, but I have a million others etched forever in my mind and I need only close my eyes to hear his woof and feel his fur once more.

As far as I know, Moose was a success story, though I have no way of knowing what course his life took once we parted company. I can only hope that he is now living out the rest of his days with a loving family somewhere far from New Orleans.

When I first met him, Moose was “just another” rescue, though of course not one single animal was ever “just another” anything. But Moose rapidly showed us just how true those words really were. When we first found him, Moose was living beneath his destroyed home… hiding in the mud and muck and stench, being guarded by two of his “brothers” (not related by birth, clearly, but as protective and watchful as if they were).

Anyway, Moose refused to come out from under the house except for very brief periods when he would patrol the sidewalk and street directly near “his” house. But he was so skiddish and cautious that it was impossible to get close enough to him to grab him. My rescue partner and I got close enough to touch him a few times, but each time he ducked out of reach at just the last second.

We tried to lure him (and/or his “brothers”) into a live trap with whatever yummy morsels we could find… we even bought local wings for him from a neighborhood store right down the street. (Where I was proposed to, by the way, but that’s a story for another day). We spent several days doing everything we could to lure him out of his hiding place, but he wanted no part of it.

Then the piece de resistance! A fellow rescuer, (and I use that term very loosely indeed), known for his lack of finesse and cavalier approach to capturing animals had apparently been trying unsuccessfully to catch Moose for several days. We vowed that we would get him first… no matter what. But we wanted his “family,” too. I have very strong feelings about separating animals who survived such traumatic experiences together. Those feelings have led to the vast majority of the regrets I still feel about my rescue experiences in NOLA.

But back to Moose. We had learned his patterns so we staked out the road outside his house the next afternoon, just as the sun was descending. We made sure he was under the porch, baited our trap, and presumably drove away, parking just across the street but within easy access and eyesight of the trap. Don’t ask me how or why it worked that final time, in those final minutes of that final day, but it did… we got him!

Often times in rescue, the toughest part of the capture isn’t the trapping but the releasing afterwards… and now we were faced with a dilemma. Having already caught one of his brothers earlier in the day, we still had one more to go… and nowhere to put Moose so we could reuse the trap. (Moose wouldn’t fit in a standard dog crate since he looks to be at least ½ St. Bernard, lol).

Although he was none to happy with us at the time, he allowed us to get a loop lead around his neck and then he came out of the trap… and straight into my lap. We did successfully catch the final brother and headed for “home” (a stinky, dirty parking lot east of the city). Moose stayed on my lap for the entire ride home. As we drove through downtown New Orleans, Moose looked out the window as if he knew instinctively that he was safe, that he was going to a better place, and that he was loved.

We had found out from neighbors who weathered the storm that he had a bleak existence before the hurricane, being tied outside and used as the whipping boy to the man who “owned” him. But despite being dirty and hungry and very much in need of reassurance and a heaping dose of love, Moose was no worse for wear.

He did have a few “issues,” as we would soon discover. For example, he simply could not and would not be crated… he spent every sleeping and waking hour on my life in the van. He went with us on rescues because he could not be trusted to be left in a kennel, even under the watchful eye of fellow rescuers. Besides, he was so gorgeously handsome (after his bath) that we worried he would be stolen. So he went with us everywhere.

This soon became more than a slight problem for us because he had a propensity for howling whenever I wasn’t sitting beside (or under) him. If I got out of the van to do any kind of rescue work, to walk from house to house, or wander through a neighborhood, Moose would be howling in an instant. And his howls would increase exponentially in decibels and pitch, until he was shrieking like a woman who had just been mugged. Let me tell you, it’s tough enough to listen into the silence of a deserted town, hoping to hear the slightest whimper or whine to indicate life inside a destroyed, deserted home. But with that racket in the background? We didn’t have a chance!

Sadly, despite two endlessly long months of day-to-day animal rescue in NOLA, Moose was the ONE dog I most would have wanted to bring home with me, if I’d known I’d have a home to go to and if I’d had any idea at the time that we rescued him when I might be going there. But those two criteria were, at the very best, vague uncertainties and shadowy doubts. And dragging him from place to place was beginning to interfere with our other rescue operations and locking him in a crate in the middle of a parking lot for an undetermined period of time wasn’t fair to him either.

So when my cell phone rang one afternoon not very long after we had rescued him, and I heard our “boss” on the other end of the line, saying that he had a shipment of rescues going out to a no-kill shelter in Michigan, I told him to let Moose go. I insisted that he go with his “brothers,” but even as I knew I was doing the right thing for Moose, I felt a piece of my own heart breaking.

As I struggled to get through the rest of the phone call, my mind reeled. I couldn’t get back to the parking lot before he was loaded up and gone. And truthfully, I couldn’t have found the strength to be there even if I could have. I just couldn’t say goodbye, not to my Moose, the one dog who personified all that I had seen and experienced up to that point. The dog I worried over and cried over and held and cuddled and shared my darkest secrets with. For he was more than a dog, more than a friend. In that moment and at that time, he was my salvation.

He gave me a reason to keep going on days when I could barely will myself to lift my head. He loved me no matter what, when I was at my sweatiest, stinkiest and most despicable, he loved me just the same and maybe even a little more. And oh, how I loved him back… and he knew it.

In the end, for him, I made the right decision. I stayed in that parking lot for another month. But after he left, life just wasn’t the same for me. I made the responsible choice, the wise, selfless decision to give him the best shot at the remainder of a happy life filled with promise, even as I felt my own world closing in on me. And looking back now? I’m glad he wasn’t there to see it because he wouldn’t have approved. Not at all.

Anyway, this is my Moose, exactly as he always road in the van. Even on cold or rainy days. He always had to have his head out the window or at least right next to it, always on my lap, always touching me. This is Moose as he will forever live in my memory… happy and free! And I sure do luv him!

Why Here, Why Now?

2007-04-18T18:32:00.000-04:00

This blog was inspired by the events following Hurricane Katrina's catastrophic destruction in August, 2005.

By the way, the dog shown in this photo is one of the success stories, a survivor of Katrina, safely reunited with her family after several months of terror while she roamed the flooded streets of NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana). Her name is Shea.

During the months following Katrina's fury, I saw and experienced firsthand the very best and worst of humanity. The images, feelings, emotions, and sensations will live in my heart (and my nightmares) forever.

But it's time now for me to give something back, to take all that I saw and continue to feel and turn it outward in hopes of making a difference.

Though it has taken nearly two years to come to fruition, this blog exists as a place to unite all animal lovers and rescuers, to incite debate and stir people to action. It is quite literally the beginning splash of a ripple effect that I hope will one day eradicate the myth that the furry ones are somehow less deserving of our humanity than we are.

Cyberspace is the fastest, easiest and most accessible medium for delivering information and trying to reach out to people worldwide. If a ripple is to become a torrent, it needs lots and lots of power... and in our technological society, virtually nothing is more visually and intellectually powerful than the Internet. After all, it is powered by the people I am hoping to reach out to and drawn into my collective embrace.

Animals are our equals, all of them. They deserve to be cared for and respected, admired and loved. Their loyalty and faith, empathy and love know no bounds and we need to reciprocate those feelings. Those animals who have adopted us as members of their family deserve to be treated with the same compassion, concern and consideration as our “human” family members. They are our children and we are their caretakers.

The only way we can ever hope to stop senseless violence and cruelty is to find empathy within ourselves, compassion within our own hearts for every living thing. That is where the ripple effect comes into play, because if we live our own lives empathically and compassionately, those traits will inevitably rub off on those around us, and the cycle of healing will be unstoppable.

This blog is my way of doing what I can to heighten awareness and promote free thinking for the sake of the animals, both domesticated and wild. The relationship we create and develop and nurture with our animal friends determines our own future as much as theirs.

I’ve spent a lifetime working with animals and devoting my life to their health and happiness. But this blog isn't about me, nor is it my place... it is yours, and ours. I see this place as just another step on my journey, and I lovingly invite all of you to walk along with me.

That's why I'm here... how about you?

I hope to share many of my animal experiences here, to tell you of just some of the many furry ones who have touched my life and enriched my soul. Not all the stories are happy, nor will all the pictures be pretty. But each story has a purpose and each picture has a motive. I want to make you feel, to tug at your heart strings and incite you to action.

I openly welcome anyone and everyone interested in sharing their own stories here. Once again, just to reiterate, this isn't my place, it is ours, for all of us. Please feel free to share your thoughts, stories and experiences in the comments section here.

I hope to add some interactive features once this gets up and running, and I'll try to find some animal welfare volunteers and professionals to share their stories with you, too. Hopefully we can all grow and learn together.