Loving for a living...

A new bright star in the midnight sky - sweet boy the Bleu

2012-01-27T11:11:00.002-05:00

He fought the good fight and he fought hard with his the Mom FURever and always by his side. But sometimes the Universe pulls harder on a soul than we would like and someone we l♥ve is called to complete his Circle of Life. That is how it was for the Bleu. He left us physically, but what he left behind is testament to the impact he had on so many when he paw'd this earth along with us.

♥Darling the Bleu, you are now in Heaven with your brofur, the Luke, because your the Mom loved you so deeply that she was willing to experience monumental pain to give you the freedom to run free of pain♥. I salute your the Mom for her courage and for her passionate love and commitment to you. It's NEVER good-bye, sweetheart, it is ALWAYS 'see you later'. All my l♥ve, your the Mimi

Please, if you have the time, would you travel to his blog to leave a word of comfort for his the Mom and for his brofur, the Reufus. They are in deep mourning.

"We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan." ~Irving Townsend.

A 'feel good' cry if there ever was one...

2012-01-02T19:18:00.002-05:00

I know it might sound sappy, but when I see videos like the one above it makes me proud to be someone who shares her life with these wonderful animals. No, not all dogs will lead the blind; however, within each and every K-9 ♥ is a love for mankind that cannot be duplicated or surpassed.

From our home to yours...

2011-12-31T18:43:00.000-05:00

Be sure to turn off our music on the right before you listen and watch. It's worth every minute!

One - imPAWtant - word...

2011-12-23T08:56:00.000-05:00

Let us NEVER forget those who have less - NEVER!

2011-12-20T09:30:00.002-05:00

Our economy is horrible. Many of us are without a job and worry about how we'll pay next month's bills. It's difficult to imagine how we will care for ourselves, let alone give to charity. But, it doesn't take money to make someone's Christmas brighter, warmer or better. Volunteer at your local animal shelter. Donate a bag of kitty litter (generic). Take a shelter dog for a walk. Brush a shelter kitty and listen to it's gentle purr. Many shelters allow pets up for adoption to spend the holidays with a 'foster family'.

I've barely touched on the many things we can do for animals that are less fortunate than ours. PLEASE don't forget them - they need you more at this time of year when many do not have adequate shelter and need extra kibble to generate the body heat that will keep them alive throughout the cold, winter months.

Five K-9 lives lost at the home of Kiss-a-bull, a tremendous fire.

2011-12-16T18:13:00.003-05:00

It is with deep sadness that I report a fire took place at the home of Kiss-a-bull in Houston, Texas during the wee hours of this morning. All humans are safe. Five dogs have perished - among those who died is Shelby, the sweet rescue who was found near death in a parking lot about 18 months ago and nursed back to health. There are five, bright, new stars in our midnight sky.

There is no mention of the fire on the Kiss-a-bull blog (entirely understandable); however, condolences may be left on their last post. Donations are being collected here to assist the family and surviving animals.

The last will and testament of a very intelligent dog

2011-12-11T14:42:00.002-05:00

POWER of the PAW needed immediately for GINGER JASPER, a cat who is a FURend to dogs.

2011-12-07T08:54:00.001-05:00

Ginger Jasper, the kitty who l♥ves eFURyone - cat or dog - needs some really HUGE PURRayers from alla' us PRONTO. He needs the POWER of the PAW in mega doses. After a furry long time of being sick his momma and dadda found out that his kidneys are failing. He is now at the dog-tor getting them flushed in hopes that the treatment will make him feel betters and will make him want to eat some food-ables. Please rally 'round this most worthy of love English kitty.

You will laugh. You will giggle. You will fall in l♥ve with 'The Grinch Who Stole Christmas'.

2011-12-03T10:38:00.001-05:00

You will laugh and you will giggle and you will ☺smile☺. These Parker Pups have brought new joy to a Dr. Seuss favorite. Talk about a great imagination and REMARKABLY obedient, sweet-natured Parker Pups! (Be sure to turn off this blog's music. Look to your right.)

☺Happy Thanksgiving to all of our FURends far and wide☺

2011-11-24T10:33:00.000-05:00

Let's hear it for the dog-moms! Woo-hoo - four paws up!

2011-11-13T00:51:00.000-05:00

Often we read about a canine (or feline) performing an unusual act of bravery to help the human that he (or she) loves. Most recently pet owners of the feminine PURRsuasion have stepped up to the plate (mother instincts) to take on predators to save their dogs.

Now, I'm not going to say that women are more brave than men; however, men run back into the house to get a gun and the women - well, heck, they just run out to take on the bear bare-handed not thinking of themselves and their safety, but with a singular focus to save the life of someone they love. Let's hear it for the ladies!

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About two months after an Alaska woman punched a bear in the face to save her dog, a Pennsylvania woman has a similar story to tell.

Suzan Merritt heard what sounded like animals fighting in her yard on Thursday night. When she went outside to investigate the commotion, she found a bear and cub attacking Otto, her dog.

The 38-year-old was able to deter the bear's attention away from the German Shepard, but it soon came running toward her, WNEP reports.

The black bear swatted at Merritt and knocked her to the ground, but she got right back up and yelled until the two animals scampered off into the woods, she detailed on ABC's "Good Morning America."

The entire incident happened in about 30 seconds, the Morning Call reports. "[My husband, Chris,] grabbed a shotgun on his way out, but the bear was already gone."

Merritt received cuts to her neck, head, wrist and finger and needed several stitches and staples. Otto underwent surgery to repair damage to his right leg. Both dog and owner are expected to be OK.

Not all veterans walk upright

2011-11-11T13:09:00.000-05:00

Re-cycle, re-use, re-purpose, re-l♥ve

2011-11-10T09:06:00.001-05:00

POWER of the PAW WARRIORS needed for sweet boy, THE BLEU

2011-11-04T00:33:00.004-04:00

Sweet boy, the Bleu, who needs our PURRayers

So many of us circled 'round the Luke, who art in Heaven, when he was completing his Circle of Life. We gave our support and our l♥ve and we rose up with THE POWER of the PAW as only a tribe of WARRIORS do when one of their own is in need.

Please feel free to take the Bleu's 'button' for your bloggy

The Luke's tall and handsome brofur, the Bleu, is furry much in need of our help and our support. Handsome the Bleu has been fighting the good fight against that horrid and despicable C-word. He gained remission not long ago; however, it was fleeting and now he and his the Mom are traveling the protocol for another remission.

We must rise up as one. We must circle the Bleu and his fambly with our l♥ve. We must wear the cloak of PURRayer as WARRIORS for the Bleu. Please go to the Bleu's bloggy to show your support (and to learn much more about his journey) - PAWsitive support. No sad stories, please. Now is the time for PAWsitive thinking and PAWsitive PURRaying for miracles DO happen - they really and honestly do.

Please feel free to take this badge and wear it proudly on your blog

One Pibble puppy + one human = making a difference for thousands who are born and unborn

2011-11-03T07:58:00.000-04:00

If you do nothing else today, PLEASE read all of this article. Yes, it will take a little while but the story is amazing, true and inspiring. You may be only one person but don't you EVER think or believe that you cannot make a difference and change your government, yourself and the life of another living being. One puppy changed her life and the lives of thousands of puppies that have yet to be born.

By Donna Lawrence, for StubbyDog.org
Photos by Erin Arsenault

In October of 2008, my neighbor moved and was unable to take his dog with him. The dog was a Pit Bull, which meant that if he was surrendered to a shelter, he would most likely be put to sleep. I felt pity for this poor animal, who had spent most of its life tied to a tree unwanted by his human, so I agreed to take care of him myself until other arrangements could be made. This was a decision that would nearly cost me my life.

Every day I went over to the neighbor’s house, putting down bowls of dog food and fresh water, and then leaving. I did this for days without any trouble. Then, one morning during a routine visit to the neighbor’s house, the dog attacked me from behind. Because I did not know enough about dogs to read the warning signs, his life and mine were forever changed. I will never forget that day.

My life literally flashed before my eyes as I found myself on the ground in the jaws of this angry animal. He grabbed my ankle from behind and pulled me to the ground. Then he clenched my right leg between his teeth and would not let go. I knew he could easily overpower and kill me. I tried with all my might, but I could not loosen his grip. Panic set in, and I went into shock as I felt him ripping my leg apart. I was sure that I was going to die, or at least lose my leg. I knew it was going to take more strength than I had left to fight off the dog.

So I cried out to God for help. I could feel the adrenalin pumping as I tried to kick him with my left leg. This just made him angrier, and he lunged for my throat. I caught him in midair by his collar, and he began to bite and chew my hand. Blood was pouring down my arm, but I knew that if I wrestled my hand out of his mouth, he would grab me by the throat and finish me off.

Again I cried out to God for help.

It was then that I heard a voice saying, “Throw him back with all your might and roll away.” I did exactly that. With strength I did not know I had, I threw the dog away from me and then rolled in the opposite direction and out of his reach. I jumped up, covered in blood and off ran to a neighbor’s house to get help.

Knowing I was in trouble, I prayed the whole way that I wouldn’t pass out, as I felt my body getting weaker and weaker. When my neighbor opened his door and saw me lying there, he rushed me to the emergency room where the doctor said to me, “You are lucky to be alive.”

When the shock of the attack began wear off, I realized how I had fought back and escaped the dogs’s grasp, somehow surviving the vicious attack in spite of the pain. It was truly a miracle.

Reflections

As I lay there in the hospital bed, with tears pouring down my cheek, my thoughts drifted to the dog that had injured me. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for him, knowing that he would pay the ultimate price. He would lose his life. I don’t blame the animal, instead, I blame the people who turned their dog into what he will remain in people’s memories: A dog that attacked a human being. Their neglect and isolation of the dog had resulted in his issues of fearfulness and territorial behavior. Chained to a tree, he had lived a very lonely life.

I said a prayer that day thanking God for saving my life. I had 45 stitches in my leg and drainage tubes running in every direction. The bite had gone completely through, penetrating both sides of my leg and leaving the bone exposed. It was nearly two months before I could walk again. Over time my injuries would heal, but the attack left me with deep emotional scars. My love for dogs had turned into fear instead.

Redemption

Less than a year after my attack I met Susie. Susie was a little Pit Bull mix puppy that had been found beaten, burned and left to die in a park. Her story was heartbreaking. For two weeks this tiny puppy lay hidden, suffering alone without food or water. She had second and third degree burns over 60 percent of her body. Her ears were burned to nubs, and scars ran all the way down her back. Her jaw was broken, and her teeth had been knocked out.

Suzie recovering from her abuse

A passerby in the park found her and called animal control. The poor puppy’s open wounds were infested with over 300 maggots, and they had to be removed one by one from her tortured skin.

Susie was taken to the Guilford County Animal Shelter, and for weeks she endured daily treatments for her burns, initially needing to be anesthetized to survive the pain.

Susie was only 8 weeks old when her owner did this to her, all because she had licked his baby in the face. He said that he had gone into a rage, dragged her outside, beat her up and poured lighter fluid on her. Then he had set her on fire.

For Susie, death seemed to be just around the corner, as she was severely dehydrated and malnourished. Susie survived. Another miracle! A friend of mine who volunteered at the shelter fostered Susie, helping with her recovery and nursing her back to health. I decided that I had to meet this precious puppy! When I did, it was love at first sight!

As she was recovering, as often as I could I volunteered to watch Susie. Spending time with her was incredible. How could this little puppy trust and love people unconditionally after what people had done to her? If she could trust again, then so could I. My husband and I decided to adopt Susie. She would finally have the love for which she had so desperately longed.

Susie’s Law

While Susie was healing from her injuries, the man that had hurt her was arrested. He would eventually go to trial for his crimes. Due to the current animal cruelty law in North Carolina, all he got was eight months of probation. Under North Carolina’s structured sentencing guidelines, there was no jail time for first time offenders.

North Carolina citizens were outraged! I joined in with several friends to change this law. Something had to be done to protect the animals in our state. After months of rallying support, a stiffer new animal cruelty law was passed.

Reclassifying our current class I felony cruelty to animals statute, which carries no active jail time, to a class H felony allows the judges in North Carolina to impose an active sentence on people convicted of felony animal cruelty. This increases the penalties for animal cruelty to a maximum 10-month jail sentence. The current A-l misdemeanor charge for intentionally starving an animal in North Carolina was elevated as well to a class H felony. This law was named Susie’s Law!

When it goes into effect on Dec.1, 2011, Susie’s Law will give animals a voice – a voice they had not had before.

With the new law in place, Susie and I wanted to do something more to help animals as well as people. Susie is in training to become a therapy dog and hopes to visit with burn victims in hospitals, offering blessings to all those who have gone through what she has.

I have written several books and also started a nonprofit organization called Susie’s Hope. We travel everywhere visiting special needs communities, pet adoption fairs, fundraisers, schools, churches and other organizations to educate people about animal cruelty and welfare. I believe that education is the best prevention when it comes to animal abuse. Children need to be taught to love and respect all of God’s creatures.

You see, Susie and I shared something in common. She was wrongfully attacked by a human, and I was wrongfully attacked by a dog. We both were miracles. We overcame our fears and found each other. We turned a negative into a positive. Susie and I went from being victims to living a victorious life, and now we are inspiring others with the power of love, hope and forgiveness. Most important, we want everyone to know that one person or even one dog can make a difference in this world.

Suzie today

Every living being has value - nothing should ever be FREE - NEVER!

2011-11-02T09:17:00.002-04:00

Years ago a friend of mine in animal rescue told me that you should NEVER offer any living being for FREE. If something is free you are telling the world that the life has no value and can be discarded or mistreated or abused or tortured.

My friend in rescue would scour the newspapers for 'free to good home' ads and would take as many of those puppies and kittens and adult cat and dogs into her rescue to re-home them (after spay and neuter and inoculations) as possible. She also charged those who wanted to adopt from her rescue a nominal fee believing that if they didn't have the money to pay for the adoption then they wouldn't have the money for good food and veterinary care (if needed).

She was right and I will never, ever forget all I learned from her. She is at the Bridge now surrounded by all of those furry souls that she ushered into a better life when here on earth. Please, never, ever put the value on a living, breathing being as FREE. All living beings have value. None is better than the rest or more valuable than the others.

Lily and Maddison will spend the holidays in France with their new PAWrents

2011-10-31T18:41:00.001-04:00

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

It’s the happy ending that Lily the blind great dane and her trusty friend turned guide dog Maddison deserve.

When the Daily Mail featured the heart-warming tale of the two great danes, who were looking for a new home, more than 2,000 dog lovers responded by offering to take them.

Now Lily and Maddison are moving from the Dogs Trust centre in Shrewsbury to live with the Williams family 35 miles away in Crewe, Cheshire.

Happy ending: Len Williams and his wife Anne with blind Lily and her guide dog Maddison. The couple have taken in the two dogs after reading about them in the Daily Mail

Lily, six, was barely a puppy when she was struck down by a condition that caused her eyelashes to grow into her eyeballs, damaging them beyond repair.

Thankfully her friend Maddison, seven, became her new eyes and led her everywhere. The two have become inseparable and Lily follows Maddison, almost touching her as they walk so she knows where to go.

But in July their owner could no longer cope with them and they were sent to the re-homing centre.

Forever friends: Lily, left, being guided while walking with Maddison right. The pair have been inseparable since Lily lost her sight

Anne Williams, 52, and her husband Len, 53, a retired fireman, fell in love with the dogs when they read about them in the Mail and their offer was accepted by the trust.

Mrs Williams, a business manager for an insurance company, said: ‘We've always had two dogs together, I like them to have company and so taking on two of them wasn't a daunting prospect.

'My daughter moved out five months ago, taking her two English setters with her, so the house has felt a little quiet without them.

Playful: Lily's lack of sight has heightened her other senses so she can often tell if Maddison is nearby without the pair touching

‘We live in the countryside and I miss having a reason to go for a walk - I can't wait to take the dogs out with us. We've also got a lovely big garden so it's the perfect setting for two huge dogs.’

The couple plan to take the great danes on holidays to France and the Lake District and ensure they both enjoy life with their new family.

Louise Campbell, manager of the Dogs Trust in Shrewsbury, said: ‘This is the happy ending we were all hoping for and everyone is delighted for Lily and Maddison.

‘The Williams family were the perfect match and we know they'll give the dogs all the love and fuss they so deserve.’

♥Maddison and Lily are going HOME - they have a home!♥

2011-10-27T17:55:00.000-04:00

BY AMY JAMIESON

The staff at the Dogs Trust Shrewsbury in Roden, England, knew dogs Lily and Maddison were special – they just couldn't understand why potential adopters didn't see it.

"People just kept on walking past their kennel, not interested," Dogs Trust spokeswoman Hannah Macey tells PEOPLE. "Some people were put off because of the fact that Lily doesn't have any eyes – it's a bit shocking to look at."

A medical condition caused the Great Dane to lose both eyes when she was just 18 months old, and her beloved canine pal, also a Great Dane, has stuck by her ever since. Maddison acts as a guide dog, leading Lily by her leash or by barking so her friend can hear.

Sadly, the pair was given up by their previous owners in July, and Lily and Maddison have been awaiting a forever home. No one had given them a second look – until this past weekend.

The local newspaper Shropshire Star spotlighted Maddison's amazing ability to guide her friend, usually with Lily's nose touching the back of her pal's tail as she leads the way. In just a few days, their story went global and the shelter was bombarded with requests for adoption from as far away as Argentina.

"Where before not one person came forward to give them a home, we've now got hundreds of people from across the world that want to take them in," says Macey. "It looks like they possibly – not confirmed – may have found the right home and could be going home this weekend."

As the shelter decides on the best place for them, the girls continue to keep each other company by cuddling and playing together. And even with all of the media attention, Maddison's focus never waivers.

"Maddison has got quite a nervous temperament," she says. "Her main focus is making sure that Lily is around her and OK."

Totally wordless Wednesday by Miss Freyja

2011-10-26T03:01:00.000-04:00

It's totally wordless Wednesday. You didn't expect her to say anything, did you?

Please, please, please, if you live in the UK read this and HELP these dogs find a home!

2011-10-25T18:17:00.002-04:00

Please, if you know of anyone in the UK who has a fenced yard and oodles of love to give this pair, tell them about Lily and Maddison. I swear, if they were in the US I'd be making arrangements to bring them to my home.

'Maddison will lead and Lily will walk nearly touching her so she knows where to go. It’s lovely to watch. Maddison is always looking out for her'

By NADIA GILANI

When illness forced vets to remove Great Dane Lily’s eyes, the prospects of a fulfilling life didn’t look good.

But then no one had reckoned on her pal Maddison stepping in to turn guide dog.

The pair have been inseparable for years but now find themselves looking for a new home because their owner could no longer cope.

The catch for anyone interested is that the Great Danes come as a package. They have been waiting at the Dogs Trust re-homing centre in Shrewsbury since July.

Homeless: Blind Great Dane Lily and her kind-hearted canine carer Maddison

Forever friends: Lily, left, being guided while walking with Maddison right. The pair have been inseparable since Lily lost her sight

Manager Louise Campbell said: ‘Maddison is Lily’s guide dog. If they are out and about, for the majority of the time Maddison will lead and Lily will walk nearly touching her so she knows where to go. It’s lovely to watch. Maddison is always looking out for her.’

Lily, six, was barely a puppy when she was struck down by a condition that caused her eyelashes to grown into her eyeballs, damaging them beyond repair.

It was after this traumatic event that her relationship with seven-year-old Maddison developed as she took her under her wing.

The best buddies lived together until their owners decided they couldn't look after them any more.

Miss Campbell said: 'With her lack of sight, Lily's other senses have heightened so although we don't split them up often she can tell if Maddison is nearby.

'They curl up together to go to sleep and they are very vocal with each other.

'We haven't analysed their different barks but if Lily wants to go forward and Maddison is in her way, the bark will have a different pitch.

'They are very close to one another and enjoy each other's company'.

Playful: Lily's lack of sight has heightened her other senses so she can often tell if Maddison is nearby without the pair touching

Miss Campbell said that Lily does all the things normal dogs do and if you saw her from a distance you wouldn't realise she had anything wrong with her eyes.

She added: 'They are really happy with life, the glass is always half full with these two.

'They have been with us for a considerable amount of time but they are quite happy and go about their daily routine - they are very affectionate.'

She believes the dogs' size and advancing years, as well as the fact they have to come in a pair, may have put off potential owners and she warned that anyone contemplating taking the dogs in should look at their lifestyle and think of the responsibility involved.

'They are not gigantic when you see them outside. These are two lovely big girls who deserve to live out the rest of their lives together in comfort', she said.

Dogs Trust cares for around 16,000 stray and abandoned dogs every year through a network of 17 re-homing centres.

The Great Dane is seeking an owner who would be willing to give both her and best friend Maddison a new home

Word-less but not cute-less...

2011-10-05T10:26:00.000-04:00

Ready an' able to bark bark bark at anyone that comes within 50 feet of the family buggy.

Scout 'n Freyja, always ready to see what noms momma has in her grocery bags.

It is our responsibility to l♥ve ALL animals, not just the ones at out feet

2011-10-04T09:51:00.001-04:00

If you see this - don't make him wait forever. Stop your car, open the door and take him to safety. When we love animals it is our responsibility to love ALL animals. We are their only hope.

"Woof!" I said as you started the car,
"Hooray!" I said, it's my first time afar.
The scents we were passing were all new to me,
For it was my first introduction to this mystery.
As we got out of the car I embraced you with joy,
After all you remembered to bring my favourite toy!
You threw it once or twice, of which I retrieved,
But on the third it seemed you were ready to leave.
You threw it long and hard and I chased it like lightning,
But when I turned to bring it back I saw a sight quite frightening.
I gripped my toy hard as I tried to comprehend
What it was I did wrong to make our relationship end.
You walked back to your car as I sat there still loyal.
Why am I subservient and you so royal?
Your engine started, and you peeled out into the night,
You didn't even care about my overwhelming fright.
As I sat in my pose determined you would come back,
The sun faded behind me while the surroundings turned black.
Day after day I stayed in that park,
Lying... waiting... too feeble to bark.
As I lay there dying thinking of you master,
I asked myself how I got into this horrifying disaster.
With my last breath of life, I whispered your name
Then I collapsed in a heap overrun by pain.
Why didn't you love me master? Why didn't you care?
Had I no significance, was I just a clump of hair?
I stayed there master and I waited for you
I guess taking care of me was just too much to do.
I'm gone now master, no more You-and-I
But what I can't figure out is why you didn't even say goodbye...

DONT ABANDON YOUR PETS. You are their lives !

Read, learn, be aware and do what you can to make a difference!

2011-10-03T13:57:00.001-04:00

Yes, we love our dogs. Yes, harming our pets is something we can't even imagine. However, not all cultures are kind to animals. When we take on the responsibility of loving our companion animals we also take on the task of doing what we can to make the lives of ALL their brothers and sisters better, regardless of how many miles separate us from them.

Vietnam Dognapping: Mobs Chase Down Dognappers, Club Them To Death

MIKE IVES 10/ 3/11 09:17 AM ET

HANOI, Vietnam — It was already too late when Nguyen Van Cuong heard a neighbor shout "Thief! Thief!" Two men on a motorbike had snatched up his beloved pet dog "Black" and were whizzing away.

Cuong and the neighbor sprinted in vain as the professional dog thieves hurled bricks, one of them slamming into the head of a bystander and killing him.

Similar fights have erupted across Vietnam between dognappers who sell man's best friend to restaurants and fed-up villagers who have increasingly turned to vigilante justice to pursue culprits because there is little police can do. Mobs have chased down thieves and clubbed them to death – even setting one on fire. But the bandits use everything from bricks to arrows to fend off the villagers and ensure their payday.

"Dog thieves are getting more aggressive – they steal villagers' dogs in broad daylight," said Tran The Thieu, police chief of Hung Dong village in central Nghe An province. "People are very angry to see their dogs stolen and dog thieves are rarely arrested."

Dog meat is a delicacy in Vietnam that's often on the menu at parties, especially in the north. Restaurants specializing in barbecue dog are especially popular at the end of each lunar month when men dine on canine in hopes of purging bad luck.

Dog restaurants in the capital, Hanoi, have boomed as Vietnam has become one of Asia's fastest-developing economies. But as inflation soars, some Vietnamese have looked for creative ways to earn money.

Because dogs typically roam free, they can be easy targets. Live dogs in Hanoi fetch about $2.70 a pound ($6 a kilogram) – a bit more than for live chickens. A 44-pound (20-kilogram) pooch can sell for more than $100 – roughly the monthly salary of an average Vietnamese worker.

It's a good wage for thieves who cruise neighborhoods on motorbikes, snaring pets quicker than a U.S. car thief can hotwire a Cadillac Escalade. Sometimes, they incapacitate the dogs first by shooting them with darts or arrows pulsating with electric current.

Many Vietnamese are of two minds about dogs. They may rely on the animals to protect their homes and often give them names, but don't consider them to be pseudo-family members as in the West. But that doesn't mean they don't care about their pets.

In Nghe An province, police chief Thieu says dog-related violence is escalating. Last June, a dognapper was chased and clubbed to death by a mob who then torched his body, leaving the charred remains as a warning on the roadside. Seven villagers were hurt in other incidents there when they pursued thieves who retaliated with knives, bottles and slings.

Most residents don't even bother calling police.

"Residents say the police just fine these thieves and let them go," Senior Lt. Col. Ho Ba Vo, vice chief investigator in Nghe An, told the newspaper Thanh Nien (Young People). "It's true. A thief only faces criminal charges when the property involved is worth at least 2 million dong (US$97). A dog is much cheaper than that and the thief is only fined for the attempted theft."

There are no charges specific to dognapping, and the typical fine for petty theft ranges from 1 million to 2 million dong ($50 to $100).

In the southern province of Soc Trang, two men turned themselves into police on Sept. 26, a day after fatally shooting a dog owner through the heart with an arrow as he was chasing them.

The lucrative illegal dog trade also crosses borders.

Last month in northern Thailand, police arrested two men trying to smuggle 120 dogs into Vietnam stuffed into bags. In August, 1,800 ailing dogs crammed into cages on a truck also were confiscated in Thailand on their way to Vietnam. Half of them later died, local media reported.

Scruffy medium-sized dogs are commonly seen jammed into wire cages on backs of motorbikes in Vietnam. They are slaughtered, skinned and roasted, and can be seen dangling from wires outside restaurants, tails straight and teeth bared. Dog dishes range from barbecues to soups served with pungent shrimp paste. The meat has gamey taste and a venison-like texture.

The tradition, also popular in parts of China, South Korea and the Philippines, faces resistance from animal advocates.

One former U.S. Embassy worker in Hanoi was so revolted by Vietnam's dog restaurants that he started the California-based nonprofit Kairos Coalition to promote humane treatment of pets. He says more Vietnamese are developing a Western-style love of pets, which may explain why the dog wars have become so heated.

"You are really witnessing the convergence of two trends," said founder Robert Lucius, noting that his group has partnered with Vietnamese animal rights groups and veterinary students. "The old way of the dog meat trade, where animals didn't count for much, is coming up against the new trend of keeping true companion animals that are loved, nurtured and valued for their own sake."

Meanwhile, the Hanoian who recently lost the 15-year-old dog he had raised from a pup, said police told him they apprehended the two men who allegedly threw the brick that killed the 54-year-old bystander.

Cuong said police informed him his animal, identified because of some fur missing on its tail, was sold for 900,000 dong ($45).

"It's very difficult to raise a good and intelligent dog," said Cuong, 54, who estimates he has lost about 10 animals over the years to professional dog thieves. "If I had caught the culprit, I would've beaten him up!"

He epitomizes some of Vietnam's ambivalence toward dogs. Asked if he would ever eat his own dogs, Cuong, who has deep-set eyes and a wispy goatee, shook his head fiercely.

"If I want dog meat," he said, "I go to a restaurant."

No truer words were ever spoken (for Khyra's mom and all who rescue)

2011-09-30T16:02:00.003-04:00

Stand up and be counted! Celebrate Adopt-a-less-adoptable Pet Week at Petfinder!

2011-09-18T10:26:00.000-04:00

Big black dogs.
FIV+ cats.
Senior pets.
Special-needs animals.

Many factors can make a pet seem "less adoptable." To promote these unusual (or, in some cases, too common) animals, Petfinder has designated Sept.17-25, 2011, as "Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week."

Visit Petfinder today. You can even take your cup of coffee with you and keep your jammies on!

Remember, the dog or cat doesn't see himself as 'different' or disabled or sick - YOU DO! We say, GET OVER IT, and get on down to your local shelter. Your next l♥ve affair is waiting just for you!

Let us never forget. Let us always honor. God Bless America.

2011-09-11T00:02:00.032-04:00

So many words have been written about what took place in America ten years ago today. Miles of video have documented the event and its aftermath. Today, Scout, Freyja and I wish to honor those who worked tirelessly alongside their handlers asking for no more in return than a tennis ball, a drink of water and love - above all love.

Sometimes animals can communicate better what is felt, or should be felt, than us human beings with our inadequate words.

British search and rescue dogs honored at Ground Zero

;

POWER of the PAW warriors - please rally 'round darling Cleo

2011-09-06T15:25:00.000-04:00

So soon after sweet Kona's passing we must ask that you lend your support to another of our canine friends. It would be so furry wonderful if you would visit with darling Cleo. Her PAWrents have received a most devastating diagnosis for this wonderful girl. Please take the time to paw some words of support for her here.

Without each other - in good times and in bad - our world would be darker and colder and more lonely.

Would you take away this dog's life? Is it worthless? I DARE you to tell me he isn't happy.

2011-09-05T00:24:00.010-04:00

Watch this video and when you are done I dare you to tell me that this dog isn't happy or that his life is worthless or that he shouldn't have been allowed to live. I challenge you to tell me that you would stand by and allow someone to take his life.

I have lived with a blind dog. Prince knew my home better than most sighted guests and maeuvered in my fenced yard perfectly without hitting the fence or appearing to be handicapped. He went for walks. He counter surfed☺. He made many, many friends wherever he went. If I ever have the opportunity again to adopt a blind animal I will do it without hesitation. Not because I feel sorry for them or because I want to be seen as benevolent but because I am better for it and they have so very much to share with me and to teach me about life and living in the moment.

Adoption is the ONLY option!

It is with much sadness that we must report sweet Kona has passed away and has completed his Circle of Life. You may pay your respects by going here.

It is never good-bye. It is always, see you later.

Sweet Kona needs THE POWER of the PAW as he completes his Circle of Life

2011-09-03T19:17:00.001-04:00

Sweet Kona is getting ready to complete the Circle of Life. The humans that love him are in considerable pain. Kona's blog is remarkable - the photography gorgeous - the love is palpable. PLEASE, PLEASE take the time to go to Kona's blog and to offer your love and support during this most heartbreaking time in the life of a dog and its human(s).

I've been where Kona's fambly is and I will be there again and again until the day I die. Once or a hundred times - it never gets easier and it never gets better. Kona needs to know that he is surrounded by the POWER OF THE PAW. Run, don't walk to add your name to those who wait and pray and love...

Do you have one or more of these ADDICTS in your house?

2011-09-03T11:32:00.005-04:00

I just l♥ve the way this artist 'sees' the dog's ♥. Each and every one of his drawing is so 'right on'!

For every dog a fur-ever home and a happy ending...

2011-09-01T10:14:00.001-04:00

Do you remember my story of my friend Cindy and how she adopted Misha? I told you that Misha would have a forever home that would make any dog thrilled to be adopted by my friend and her husband. Yesterday Cindy sent me this photo of Misha as she surveys 'her' waterway (mouth of Lake Superior) from the fambly pontoon boat. Cindy tells me that Misha adores boating and camping and hiking and that she has fit into their fambly PURRfectly - even making friends with her two kitty siblings, Pippin and Stashu (both older shelter alumni).

Misha sees only blue skies and sunny days ahead

Why am I sharing this with you? To remind everyone that there are millions of older, large, black dogs in shelters waiting for their forever homes and that those older, large, black dogs are PURRfect in each and every way.

A little, lost terrier who took on a BIG JOB with the USPS.

2011-08-28T00:56:00.001-04:00

Owney was a muttly terrier who rose from the ranks of the homeless to celebrity status with his image on the new forever U.S. postage stamp. His life was that of a courageous 19th-Century pioneer pup, fighting the odds, if not the Indians. Although his life story has periods of unknown activity, as befits an independent type like Owney, it is sometimes necessary to fill in the blanks with an imagined version of probable events. Here, then, is a mostly true tale of as brave a being as ever worked in a branch of the government explicitly authorized by the United States Constitution.

Owney was born in Albany, New York. Probably. One can never tell with a one-night stand. He may have been born in 1886, 1887 or 1888, more or less. You see, births were not registered back then unless you were human. Owney badly wanted to be human and even more than that, he wanted to be a mailman in the RMS (Railway Mail Service). Some say that Owney began his career walking to work with a human postal clerk who took a shine to him and let him hang out at the work place. Others believe Owney simply crept into the post office, unnoticed, and began his career that very day, when he fell in love with a mail pouch.

Owney developed a passionate and lasting affection for ordinary mail pouches that were transported by train and mail wagon. One day, a sack of mail fell off the mail wagon Owney had hitched a ride on, and he jumped off the wagon and onto the sack, guarding it until the driver could retrieve it.

It is fair to say that Owney idolized those bags even more than the humans who dealt with the mail they contained. Perhaps, since mail sacks were used by mailmen on their routes as shields against unfriendly canines, it was the scent of all those other dogs that so fascinated Owney. Whatever the reason, Owney was in love and decided to stay forever. In fact, he did even better than that, he also traveled with them. It wasn't so much that Owney wanted to ride the rails, it was more that he followed the mail sacks onto mail wagons and then onto mail trains, riding along with the bags wherever they went. He was even known to leap from one mail train right onto another.

There is no proof that Owney helped railroad's mail personnel sort the mail while in transit, becoming the fastest sorter of all time, but there's no proof that he didn't.

Despite the then-common danger of train wrecks and derailments (and perhaps holdups by Butch and Sundance, the Younger Brothers or Jesse James), when 80 mail clerks were killed and over 2,000 injured, if Owney was aboard, no train ever met with trouble. He was considered by the RMS to be a good-luck charm, and adopted as their unofficial mascot.

Owney was a jet setter long before jets were invented. First he traveled across New York State, and then across the entire nation, and in 1895, Owney went around the world, traveling with mailbags on trains and steamships all the way to China, Japan, The Suez, Alaska, Mexico, and across Europe before coming home to Albany. We know this is true because The National Postal Museum in the Smithsonian says so.

The kind people Owney met on his many trips began to give him gifts to wear on his collar in the form of medals and tags with their town's name. One tag reads "Presented to His Dogship by F.M. Parker." In 1894, a reporter for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle wrote that "Nearly every place he stopped, Owney received an additional tag, until now he wears a big bunch. When he jogs along, they jingle like the bells on a junk wagon." In fact, he had so many that when Postmaster General John Wanamaker heard that the weight on Owney's collar was getting awfully heavy, he gave Owney a special harness to lighten his load.

Knowing that Owney lived an exciting and useful life makes it somewhat less depressing to learn that he did not die of old age. Alas, after debarking a mail train in Toledo, Ohio in June 1897, and under shady circumstances at best, he died of a bullet wound. Perhaps it was an accidental shot by Ohio's crack shot, Annie Oakley, when she was cleaning her gun, or revenge by someone who mistook Owney for his wife, or a thief who tried to steal a mailbag guarded by Owney. He died as he lived, brave and strong, representing the U.S. Post Office.

Owney was so beloved and the loss so greatly felt, that ordinary mail clerks raised enough funds to preserve Owney forever. Even after death, Owney was still traveling, and was moved to Post Office Department headquarters in Washington D.C. He traveled yet again in 1911 when he was reassigned to the Smithsonian where he still resides, attracting dog-loving visitors.

Owney is right up there with Lassie, Old Yeller and Benjie with many books written about him: Owney The Post Office Dog and Other Great Dog Stories, by Joe L. Wheeler; The Further Adventures of a Lucky Dog: Owney, U.S. Rail Mail Mascot by Dirk Wales; Owney the Mail Pouch Pooch, by Mona Kerby; A Small Dog's Big Life: Around the World With Owney, by Irene Kelly; and All Aboard, Owney! The Adirondack Mail Dog, by Jennifer Gordon Sattler.

There's even an Owney The Dog iPhone app. and an Owney iPad interactive ebook, issued in conjunction with the Postal Museum's Owney LookAlike contest. (Voting begins September 16)

Not only all that, but you can check out "The Story of Owney" video.

Even though Owney himself may be no longer technically alive, his spirit lives in the hearts of all who know of his dedication and abiding love.

WE DID IT! We did it! We will NOT be left behind!

2011-08-27T14:01:00.001-04:00

We did it, fellow canines and felines and tweeters and crawlers. WE DID IT! NYC transit has recognized (something that we always knew) that we are imPAWtant to our famblies. Read the LAST LINE!

No greater l♥ve: Loyal Dog Mourns, Lays at Casket of Fallen Navy Seal

2011-08-26T03:20:00.003-04:00

Mimi's note: We often forget that when one of our military makes the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom that there are more than human beings that mourn their passing. I have often told my friends that my last words will be, "Where is my dog...".

AnimalPlanet.com The dog of slain Petty Officer Jon Tumilson refused to leave his side during the Navy SEAL’s funeral earlier this week in Rockford, Iowa. The heartbreaking photo taken by his cousin, Lisa Pembleton, shows Tumilson’s dog Hawkeye lying by the casket.

Navy SEAL U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jon T. Tumilson was among the 30 American troops killed August 6 when Taliban insurgents downed their Chinook helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade. At his funeral in Iowa, his dog Hawkeye paid his last respects by walking up to the casket, laying down in front of it, and heaving a sigh.

Pembleton wrote on Facebook that Hawkeye was Tumilson’s loyal pet who wouldn't leave his master’s side during the funeral in Rockford, Iowa.

“I felt compelled to take one photo to share with family members that couldn't make it or couldn't see what I could from the aisle,” Pembleton wrote.

Tumilson's family and/or friends also posted this looping, time lapsed video of Hawkeye at the service...commencing application of kleenex tissues now...

"This soldier, I realized, must have had friends at home and in his regiment; yet he lay there deserted by all except his dog. I looked on, unmoved, at battles which decided the future of nations. Tearless, I had given orders which brought death to thousands. Yet here I was stirred, profoundly stirred, stirred to tears. And by what? By the grief of one dog." Napoleon Bonaparte

Short, sweet, to the point! YOU ARE THE KEY to success.

2011-08-11T08:54:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you stumble across a gem that you feel you must share...

2011-08-07T09:59:00.000-04:00

Every now and then you stumble across a gem that you feel you MUST share with your friends. This is my gem to share with you. If you are like me, and I think you are, you won't have dry eyes at the end of the song. If you cannot adopt right now, please volunteer at your local shelter and if you can't do that, how about dropping off some old towels and blankets for the kitties and pups to snuggle into for naps or how about some toys and treats or how about some litter or how about a donation to the animal clinic the shelter uses for sick pets. There is ALWAYS something you can do - ALWAYS. (To enjoy the song please turn off the music on the right. You won't want to miss a word.)

Sweet Lucy needs your l♥ve as she completes her Circle of Life

2011-08-03T08:34:00.001-04:00

The sweet Miss Lucy

Would you please take a little bit of your time today to visit the bloggy of sweet Lucy who lives in cyberspace at the Tatum Tot Bloggy? This lovely senior will complete her Circle of Life today and her PAWrents are so miserable and can't stop crying.

We've all been where Lucy's 'beans are today and I know that I will have at least six more trips into misery. I also know that the comfort of others helps so much when someone we love so dearly must leave. Thanks so much for remembering Lucy today.

For Khyra's momma + everyone else who makes furry dreams come true

2011-07-28T10:55:00.000-04:00

We interrupt your summer for a furry imPAWtant topic!

2011-07-19T08:53:00.000-04:00

Mom here: In my little town, our domestic violence shelter has an agreement with out local animal shelter. They will house and care for pets that find themselves homeless due to domestic violence in exchange for the family members donating volunteer time feeding, walking and grooming the pets waiting for their fur-ever homes.

During Katrina there were people who refused to be separated from their beloved pets and placed themselves at risk of death. As a result, communities now have in place protocol for the care of companion animals during times of emergency. When a mother and children face leaving their home and not taking their beloved animals, often they will elect to stay to protect the pets from the abuser. It's time we provided safety to all in their time of need.

By Stephanie Steinberg, Special to CNN
July 18, 2011 10:24 a.m. EDT

(CNN) -- It wasn't until Melissa Reese's husband allegedly put a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her that she says she decided it was time to leave her abusive relationship. She could take her belongings and kids, but her dogs were a different story.

Dropping Capone and Sophie, her Alaskan Malamute and Miniature Doberman, at an animal shelter where they could be euthanized or adopted by another family was not an option.

"I couldn't give them up," Reese said. "That would be like putting my children out in the cold, and I couldn't do that."

Reese said whenever her husband threatened her, Capone would squeeze in the middle and try to push him away. Her pets had protected her, and she couldn't leave them behind to become victims of her husband's wrath.

So she called Ahimsa House, which placed the dogs with foster families until Reese got settled in a new home. Reese's husband later pleaded no contest to charges of simple assualt and battery.

Ahimsa House -- which stands for "nonviolence" in Sanskrit -- is the only animal shelter in Georgia that specifically cares for pets from homes of domestic violence. In the last year, dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, livestock and horses took refuge for a combined total of 20,000 nights. In one case, the shelter took in 18 chickens.

The Atlanta shelter will house a pet for as long as the owner needs. Every animal also receives a medical examination from a veterinarian. As Ahimsa House Executive Director Maya Gupta explained, pets in households with an incidence of domestic violence often have hidden injuries themselves.

"Abusers tend to be very good with their human victims in knowing exactly where to hit so that the bruises don't show -- so she can put on a long sleeve shirt or some makeup and cover them -- and to some extent, they also do that with animals," she said.

Perpetrators of domestic violence often harm or threaten a family pet in order to manipulate a partner and coerce him or her to stay in a relationship. As a result, 18% to 45% of battered women remain with their abuser in fear of what he may do to a pet or livestock upon leaving, according to a study by the American Bar Association.

Tanya Mcleod, an advocate against domestic violence who alleges a close relative abused her and their dog Brownie, explained that abusers realize pets provide a type of comfort for victims and use that to their advantage.

"The abuser will often make threats and say, 'If you leave I'll kill Fluffy, or I'll flush the goldfish down the toilet' -- whatever it is that will make that person stay in that relationship," she said.

Brownie was considered a part of the family to Mcleod and her three kids. When it became clear she was giving more attention to the dog, Mcleod says the relative got jealous and abused Brownie as a way to take control.

"He would hit him, kick him, sometimes choke him," Mcleod recalls. "He would tell us that we couldn't see Brownie."

Ahimsa House paid for Nala's surgery after she got hit by a car while trying to find her way home. Nala's owner left an abusive husband and had to leave her dog with a family friend.

The relative was never charged for abusing Brownie or Mcleod.

In every state, pets are considered property under the law, and judges cannot order a person to not harm, injure or interfere with the care of a family pet. But that is changing as 21 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have enacted laws to include pets in domestic violence protection orders.

Texas is the most recent state to pass a bill that will punish family violence perpetrators under protective orders who torture pets.

Democratic Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis, who sponsored the bill that will go into effect September 1, said the legislation provides the opportunity for law enforcement to bring federal prosecution against abusive partners who threaten pets.

Protective orders protect women against further abuse by a partner, but the same doesn't hold true for pets, Davis explained. Now that pets are included in orders, abusers will receive a misdemeanor for the first violation and felony charges upon two or more violations.

Every day, thousands of pets and humans are at risk in abusive relationships, according to Phil Arkow, coordinator of the National Link Coalition, which seeks to prevent violence toward people and animals. A study by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence found that 71% of women entering shelters report that their batterer had injured, killed or threatened a pet to exert control over them.

For many women, fleeing with their dog or cat isn't an option when only one in eight domestic violence shelters accept pets, according to the NCADV.

The Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Texas recognized this problem and started PetSafe -- a program to provide temporary boarding, medical care and food for pets of families escaping domestic violence. This year, the program cared for 20 pets, but the organization investigated 14,642 cases of animal abuse, neglect and cruelty in 2010, according to HSPCA spokeswoman Stacy Fox.

In the past few years, state representatives have been debating bills that would include pets in domestic violence protective orders. David Favre, a law professor of animal cruelty at Michigan State University, said the majority of these bills eventually pass because "everybody can agree with the principle."

"Who's going to stand up and say, 'No, the husband should be able to abuse the pet'?" he said.

However, Favre explained adding pets in protective order laws may not be effective since pet abusers already violate the state's animal cruelty law.

"If a man wants to inflict harm, he's not going to really be stopped by this protective order," he said.

But after hearing stories -- in one case, a man cut off a dog's ears and sent them to his partner to get her to return -- Davis says she believes the new law will help keep women safe
"The bill isn't about protecting the pet nearly as much as it is about protecting women, who unfortunately can be convinced to say in an abusive situation where a pet is used as basically a pawn against her emotions," she said.

What to do if your pet is being abused:

1) First, if he's threatening the pets, you are next. Don't assume that he's bluffing. Don't make excuses. Don't think things will get better. They won't, says Phil Arkow, coordinator of the National Link Coalition. The lives of you and your children are in danger. Get out -- now!

2) Avoid bitter custody battles by making sure all of your pet's records are in your name: rabies and other shots, pet food purchases, dog or cat licenses, pedigree papers, receipts for vet bills, etc. These should all be in your name to establish that you are the caregiver.

3) Make sure your pets are current on all their licenses and vaccinations. This makes it easier to house them in an emergency shelter.

4) Pets should have an identification tag that does not have your name or home number. Use the number of a friend or the animal's veterinarian.

5) Have an emergency plan that includes your pets. If you're able to prepare for your pet's departure, try to have pet items -- including vaccination and medical records, medications, licenses, blankets, leashes, collars and pet carriers -- in a safe place where your abuser won't be able to find them.

6) Have a safe place for your pet lined up in advance such as a women's shelter that offers on-site housing or off-site foster care for pets, a trusted friend, veterinarian, kennel or animal shelter. Keep this location secret in case your abuser tries to take control of the pet in order to take control of you and your children.

President Obama sacrifices his beloved Bo to save our Nation

2011-07-13T14:11:00.004-04:00

(Carolyn Kaster/AP) - Would President Obama give up the first pooch?

By Matt Miller, Wednesday, July 13, 12:33 PM

“Breaking news” graphics play across TV screen.

Brian Williams: Good afternoon. We interrupt regular programming for this breaking news out of Washington — a remarkable turn of events in the showdown over the debt ceiling. President Obama is expected in the White House press room at any moment to announce a breakthrough deal under which Republicans have agreed to raise the debt ceiling through 2014, in exchange for Bo Obama, the president’s dog, being delivered as a hostage to the Tea Party caucus of the House Republican conference. NBC’s Chuck Todd is at the White House. Chuck, markets have already rallied on rumors of the deal. What can you tell us?

Chuck Todd: Brian, NBC News has learned the president struck this deal with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor late last night after concluding that John Boehner’s more balanced approach to deficit reduction, which included some revenue increases, would never get enough GOP votes to stave off a default. And with the president’s own party in revolt against Mitch McConnell’s plan to make Democrats “own” any debt-ceiling hike through a series of high-profile votes between now and Election Day, the president decided, as one top aide told me, that there was no choice but to “go creative.”

Williams: And now, the president. . . .

Obama appears at the podium. He looks grayer than ever.

Barack Obama: Good afternoon. I have a brief announcement. They say desperate times call for desperate measures, and that’s sadly the situation we find ourselves in today. We know this fight about the debt ceiling has not been about the debt itself. We know this because Republicans have all voted for a budget plan that would add more than $5 trillion to the national debt in the next decade. No, this fight is about leverage, pure and simple. It’s about the Republicans craving a “forcing device” at a time of divided government to gain the upper hand. Well, if Republicans insist on having leverage over me, I’m going to give it to them in a way that does the least harm to the nation. You all know how much I love Bo — he’s the friend a president needs in a town like Washington. But I can’t let my love for a Portuguese Water Dog outweigh the well-being of 300 million Americans — not to mention the billions around the world whose welfare would be at risk if the United States defaulted on its debt and threw the global economy into a tailspin.

The presidency is full of tragic choices. My family has always understood we might not be exempt. There’s a fact sheet coming around now on the details of this debt-for-dog swap. This should all be wrapped up in a few days, and we can then get on with the important business of winning the future.

Williams: Chuck Todd, a stunning development. We haven’t seen a presidential dog play this kind of role in matters of state at least since Nixon’s Checkers speech.

Todd: Brian, I’m told the hostage option has been under consideration for about a week. John Boehner apparently told his caucus it was beyond the pale, which further upset Tea Party members who felt Boehner’s balking was further proof the House speaker had gone wobbly. Eric Cantor, meanwhile, successfully argued that holding Obama’s dog could be a source of continuing leverage, something that didn’t simply end when the debt limit itself was raised.

Williams: We’re joined now by David Gregory, host of NBC’s “Meet The Press.” David, what are you hearing?

David Gregory: Brian, Democrats seem thrilled because for now, at least, it means Social Security and Medicare are off the table. Though some are concerned about the precedent of a Democratic president giving the GOP a member of his family, at least without securing an ironclad commitment to tax the rich in return. And for all the drama of this moment, it’s not at all clear that Eric Cantor can deliver. Michele Bachmann, for example, just released a statement saying she won’t even consider voting for a debt-ceiling increase unless the president hands over his mother-in-law, as well. This is shaping up to be a real test of Cantor’s leadership, Brian, because, as things now stand, no debt increase, no dog.

Williams: How will the sequencing here be handled? Republicans can’t simply pass a clean debt-ceiling bill and count on the president to keep his word, can they?

Todd: That’s exactly right, Brian. We’re hearing a lot of that old Reagan adage, “Trust but verify.” Right now both sides are working on details of a so-called simultaneous exchange — under which the enacted debt-ceiling bill is brought to an escrow location at which the debt/dog handoff is supervised by a mutually agreed-to third party. It sounds complicated, but aides say it’s much, much easier than trying to write and pass major deficit-reduction legislation in 10 days.

Williams: David, when the president said we’d have to rip the Band-Aid off and eat our peas, this wasn’t what anyone had in mind, was it?

Gregory: You know what they say, Brian. To govern is to choose.

Williams: Thanks as always, gentlemen. (Touches earpiece.) Wait, this just in: Michelle Obama has apparently fled the capital with Bo in tow — in disguise! Stay with NBC for continued coverage of America’s decline as a governable nation. . . .

Sweet senior Buster needs PURRayers an' tail wags

2011-07-08T09:21:00.003-04:00

Buster had a furry serious opera-shun an' needs lotsa' PURRayers an' tail wags from all over the Universe. Please spare a minute of your time to send extra special blessings for his recovery.

Think about it - do it!

2011-07-07T09:04:00.002-04:00

9/11 heroine, Roselle, has crossed to the Bridge - her star shines bright...

2011-06-29T09:55:00.010-04:00

June 28, 2011 by Mike Hingson It is strange for me to be writing this article while I have feelings of both sadness and joy in my heart. Nevertheless, it is something which must be done.

I have the solemn obligation to inform you that my hero guide dog, Roselle, who was with me in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, passed away last evening, Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 8:52 PM. I am sad, of course, because I will miss Roselle so very much, more than any of my other guide dogs. I write with joy because Roselle is in a better place, no longer feeling pain, while I get to have so many fond memories of her.

Roselle was born on March 12, 1998 at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California. I heard right from the start that she was quite a mischievous little puppy. She went to Santa Barbara, California to be raised by several puppy raising families. Kay and Ted Stern had the joy and pleasure of spending the longest amount of raiser time with her. Kay and Ted introduced her to airplane flying, New York, snow, and even the theater. I must say that I think the culture did rub off on her.

After her time with puppy raisers she went back to Guide Dogs for the Blind for training. I think I first met her on November 22, 1999. It was obvious from the very beginning that we were a perfect match. Roselle was my fifth guide dog. I could tell that she would be an excellent guide from our very first walk together. What took me a few days to discover was that Roselle was also quite a character; I constantly referred to her as a pixie. Almost from the first night we spent together I found that Roselle was great at stealing socks. She didn’t chew them up; she just carried them around and then hid them somewhere only to bring them out later just to taunt me. She was always willing to give them up undamaged and ready-to-wear although a little bit damp. Her tail wagged through the whole experience. In fact, her tail hardly stop wagging during the almost 12 years I knew her. During my first week with Roselle I also discovered that she was a loud snorer. The Stearns told me later that she could snore with the best of them.

We came home to New Jersey on December 2, 1999. Later that evening she met my retired guide, Linnie. Linnie and Roselle seemed a bit uncomfortable with each other that night and into the middle of the next day. I decided that this awkwardness had gone on long enough and brought out a rope tug bone. I made each of them take an end and I grabbed the middle of the rope. They started off by teaming up and tugging against me. After about 20 seconds of this with mouths inching up toward my fingers from both sides I release the bone and let them go at it alone. From that moment on they were inseparable until Linnie died on July 4, 2002.

On September 11, 2001 Roselle and I were in our office on the 78th floor of Tower One of the World Trade Center when the tower was struck by American Airlines flight 11 which had been hijacked and was being controlled by terrorists. Our escape from that tower as well as the collapse of Tower Two is well known and, in fact, is the subject of Thunder Dog, a book written by me and Susy Flory, which will be in bookstores soon as well as be available on my website. All I want to say here is that Roselle did an incredible job. She remained poised and calm through the entire day. She gave kisses and love wherever she could and she worked when she needed to do so. I would not be alive today if it weren’t for Roselle. I cannot say enough about the incredible job she did. What Roselle did on 9/11 is a testimony not only to the Stern’s and the others who raised her, but also to her trainer, Todd Jurek, the entire GDB training staff, and all the people who make up the wonderful organization of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Most of all, what Roselle did that day and in fact every day she and I were together is nothing less than the strongest possible evidence I can provide of the value of teamwork and trust.

After 9/11, in fact in mid-January 2002, after Roselle and I had spent countless hours speaking to the media, and at several events including GDB’s Holiday Luncheon, and even riding on a float in the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day, Roselle and I were offered a position at Guide Dogs for the Blind to serve as the National Public Affairs Director for the organization. Over the next 6 1/2 years Roselle and I traveled hundreds of thousands of miles throughout the United States and the rest of the world speaking about trust and teamwork, guide dogs, and blindness in general in order to help people understand that the real handicap of blindness is not a lack of eyesight but a lack of proper education about blindness. Roselle took every trip with poise and confidence whether it was to Kansas or Korea. She was an incredible traveler and once even traveled from San Francisco to New Zealand, a 23.5 hour trip, without needing to go to the bathroom once. I did not fare so well.
In 2004, Roselle was diagnosed with immune mediated thrombocytopenia, a condition which caused her body to attack her blood platelets. Through medications we were able to control the disease and Roselle was able to continue guiding. As usual, she worked like a trooper and never once exhibited pain nor discomfort.

When Linnie died in 2002 Roselle lost her major tug companion. For the next four years I mainly had to take up the slack as it were. We did care for some foster dogs from GDB, and in 2003 we adopted Panama, a 12 1/2-year-old career change dog from Guide Dogs. Panama wasn’t a great tugging partner because she didn’t have the strength to keep up with Roselle. In 2006, however, when Panama died at the age of 15 we decided to become a breeder keeper for GDB. Fantasia came to live with us. She was just two years old and was quite able to give as well as she got from Roselle. Again, Roselle found an inseparable friend and made the most of it. She still swiped the occasional pair of socks, but Fantasia was her main interest. Roselle taught Fantasia how to bark every time the doorbell rang and how to beg for treats, although I must admit treat begging came natural to both dogs especially when 8:00 PM rolled around.

In February 2007 during a normal checkup we learned that some of Roselle’s kidney values were changing for the worse. It was decided that the medication regimen on which Roselle had been placed as well as the stress of guiding were the causes for her kidney value changes. Roselle retired from guide work in March of 2007. It was a sad day for all of us, but Roselle took it in stride and soon made it very clear that retirement suited her well. After retirement Roselle loved to take walks most of the time, she loved her meals, her treats, playing Battle of the Bone with Fantasia and later with my current guide dog Africa, and of course barking at the ringing of the doorbell. Roselle was the loudest barker of the bunch. I have fond memories of Roselle, Fantasia, and Africa all tugging on the same rope, all battling each other across our living room giving no care to whatever was in their way.

In 2010, Roselle began exhibiting some chronic back pain. In March of 2010, while attending and speaking at the annual convention of the American Animal Hospital Association Roselle met Doctor Robin Downing, an expert in dog pain management. Robin noticed Roselle’s pain and while I gave three consecutive workshops she spent time with Roselle. I think they got to know each other pretty well that day because right after the workshops Doctor Downing, right there on the floor in the front of the conference room, gave Roselle a back adjustment which clearly helped Roselle and made her back feel somewhat better. We immediately upon our return home took Roselle to her vet and started her on a treatment of acupuncture, some other back adjustments, and herbs which altogether mostly eliminated her chronic back pain.

Earlier this year we noticed that Roselle was beginning to have a harder time standing up on her own, although once she was standing she loved to continue her daily walks. She stopped playing tug bone with Fantasia and Africa, but she still enjoyed lying in the sun, eating, kissing everybody in sight, and barking at the doorbell. Her ability to stand on her own grew worse throughout the first half of this year.

Last week she began exhibiting some other signs of distress and pain. On Friday, June 24, 2011 she had to be taken to her vet as she had begun vomiting blood. It is suspected that somehow she had developed a stomach ulcer. Also, it was discovered that her red blood cell count had dropped significantly. Friday evening she was taken to the Pet Emergency and Specialty Center where she was well known and would receive over night care. She had spent many hours with Doctor Harb and the other staff working through her IMT issues. They had also helped her in January 2009 when she developed gastric torsion and had to undergo emergency surgery to untwist her stomach.

Yesterday, Sunday, June 26, we visited her in the evening only to see her condition continuing to deteriorate. She was in a lot of pain and discomfort. There was no one cause for her discomfort, but Doctor Bowie of the PESC felt that some of her immune mediated related conditions had returned in addition to the possible stomach ulcer. After much consultation and discussion we all came to agreement that the best thing we could do to help Roselle was to assist her in crossing the Rainbow Bridge and go to her friends Linnie and Panama. At 8:52 last evening she crossed the bridge and, I am sure, is now more comfortable and has all the doorbells she wants to bark at.

How can I possibly say goodbye to a dog who is done all Roselle has done and who lived life to the fullest? How can I ever do justice to her life, work, and memory? Roselle has been one of the greatest blessings and gifts I have ever had the joy to let into my life. God surely broke the mold when she came into the world. Including Africa I have had seven guide dogs and also I have had the opportunity to see thousands of them at work. Roselle is unique without a doubt. She worked through the most trying time in our nation’s history, and she was right there unflinching for all of it. Her spirit never diminished and, in fact, grew stronger through the years after 9-11 which helps me be a better person today.

I thank God for the time Karen and I were allowed to have the wonderful creature which was Roselle with us. She touched everyone whom she met and I’m sure everyone’s path she crossed is better for knowing her. She kissed firefighters in the World Trade Center as we descended the stairs. She gave unconditional love to so many people wherever she went. She inspired us all and will continue to do so.

We have formed the Roselle’s Dream Foundation. This has been in the works for several months. The purposes of the foundation include educating people about blindness, and as donations permit we shall assist blind children and later blind adults in obtaining some of the technologies which will assist them in learning and working in the world. I hope people will honor Roselle by making donations in her memory to the Roselle’s Dream Foundation to help us in our work.

Roselle, your memory will always be with us and I know your spirit will continue to touch us all. I know you’re watching and you’re nearby us. Help us all to be better people and dogs, but most of all be yourself wherever you are. I hope you’re feeling better now. You have set a high bar of love for all of us. Be at peace and know that we shall try to love each other as much as you loved each of us on this earth.

God bless you all, Mike Hingson

2 Dogs, 2000 Miles - a devastating blow to the ♥heart♥

2011-06-24T00:27:00.010-04:00

Several months ago I posted about a man and his two Great Pyrenees dogs who were walking 2000 miles (2 dogs, 2000 miles) to bring public awareness to Canine Cancer and to raise money for canine cancer research. Luke Robinson completed those 2000 miles with his two dogs, Murphy and Hudson. Along their way they met hundreds of people and had at least that many adventures.

(Mute the music to the right in order to view this video)

Shortly after completing their 2000 mile journey Luke discovered that his dog, Murphy, had developed nasal cancer. Unbelievably devastated, he vowed to do all he could to help the friend he loved so deeply fight the good fight. Sadly, Murphy lost his fight against that rotten disease this past Wednesday.

Sometimes life just isn't fair - and this is one of those times.

It's National Animal Rights Awareness Week! Tell someone that you l♥ve them...

2011-06-20T09:57:00.005-04:00

“It is written in our own hearts - more clearly than in any book - that we should take pity on animals in the same way as we do on humans." ~ Leo Tolstoy

This week take your dog for one more walk. Play with your cat one more time. Volunteer at your local animal shelter one more day. Tickle the tummy of your hamster or guinea pig one more minute. Sing to your bird one more song.

It takes such little time, and so little of our resources, to enrich and enhance the lives of those wonderful animals that grace our days and nights with their presence, affection and devotion. This week when you look at those furry and feathered family members of yours, tell them you l♥ve them one more time and then when you have done that - do it again and again and again. Because - after all - they'd do no less for you.

Wanna help animals in need? Nominate someone for the PETTIES!

2011-06-17T08:20:00.007-04:00

WOWZA! We know of several dog and cat bloggys that we truly admire. They are easy to navigate, consistent in posting (not us☺), have great content and always have us leaving better educated about animal issues or with a smile on our face. You know one, too? Well, get busy and nominate them! You've only got until the end of this month!

It's the 2011 Petties Awards!

Ice the champagne, roll out whatever color carpet best hides fur — the Petties are upon us!

The Petties Awards are Dogtime's annual celebration recognizing excellence among animal-loving bloggers of all stripes. The Petties are the only awards nominated by, voted for, and presented to individuals in the pet blogging community.

How it works

Between now and June 29, 2011, we invite all readers and writers — that means you! — to nominate your favorite blogs. This year, we’ve added four new categories to the ballot for a total of eight awards:

Best Dog Blog
Best Cat Blog
Best Cause-Related Blog
Best Overall Pet Blog
Best Designed Blog
Best Individual Blog Post
Best Social Integration Blog
Funniest Blog or Blogger

You can nominate a single blog/blogger for as many categories as you like, and you can nominate as many different blog/bloggers as you like for a single category — or as many categories as you like. (You may not, however, nominate the same blog/blogger in one category more than once. In the highly unlikely event of a tie, DogTime will choose the finalist.)

At the close of the nomination round, the four bloggers with the most nominations in each category will become finalists. The voting round then begins on July 5, 2011. Don’t miss out — mark your calendars for these important dates:

June 29, 2011: Nominations close

July 5, 2011: Voting for finalists open

July 29, 2011: Voting for finalists closes

August 26, 2011: 2^nd Annual Petties Awards ceremony, held at the BlogPaws Conference in Tysons Corner, Virginia

Glitter, glam, and giving

Like the Academy Awards, last years winners are eligible to win again this year. (Missed the 2010 ceremony? Check out the wrap-up or relive the magic here.) And just like the Hollywood event, the Petties will feature shameless paparazzi, magnificent pageantry, and touching acceptance speeches.

There is however, one major difference between the Petties and the Oscars (aside from a consistently hilarious host, year after year). In addition to a mantel-worthy statuette, DogTime will honor winners with a $1000 donation to the shelter of their choice. It’s our way of saying thanks for being a voice for those who need it most.

WOWZA! It's Christmas in June! Helping Goldens one bracelet at a time.

2011-06-09T01:13:00.009-04:00

You have only one day to purchase some of the most beautiful, hand made bracelets to benefit the Golden Retriever Rescue of Houston - just ONE DAY! Think ahead for Christmas gift giving. You don't have to have a Golden to find something you'll like - take a peek at the wonderful web site to see all of the lovely creations! Questions? Contact the Bleu and the Reufus' the mom. She'll help you or she will know someone who can!

Our momma has already picked her bracelet out. Can you guess which one? You won't know until she gets it in the mail and you will see it here on our bloggy☺

On-Line Jewelry Party Benefiting
Golden Retriever Rescue of Houston
Friday, June 10th

Featuring Hand Crafted Jewelry for the Animal Lover
Sponsored by Three Scoops of Vanilla
25% of the Daily Proceeds on June 10, 2011
Will be Donated to Golden Retriever Rescue of Houston

Here are just a few examples of the bracelets created by the talented artisans at Three Scoops of Vanilla. There are several varieties and color choices in bracelets, and many charms are available in a variety of colors and finishes. Please see below for additional details!

Golden Child

Rainbow Bridge

Rainbow Bridge - Personalized

Double Rainbow

Bridge, Personalized

Larkspur in Silver

Personalized

Best Friend

HELP SAVE GOLDENS

WHILE PARTICIPATING IN
OUR ONE DAY ONLY
ONLINE JEWELRY SHOPPING EVENT!!!

Follow these easy steps!

Visit the Artisan's website: Three Scoops of Vanilla
Browse the beautiful jewelry collection, keeping holiday gifts in mind, as well as ways to express your love for friends, family... and yourself!
Make your purchase online on the Three Scoops of Vanilla website.
Your order will be created and customized for you, then delivered right to your door.
Wear your jewelry with pride, knowing that you helped save a Golden with your purchase!

These beautiful bracelets are the perfect way to honor and memorialize your loved pets. There are also several 'Rainbow Bridge' themes, and many charms that can be customized and engraved with a special name.

The Artisan is readily available to answer your questions, and you will find helpful information by browsing her site.

The important thing to remember is... This sale is FRIDAY, JUNE 10th...ONLY!!! 25% of ALL sales on that day, will go toward GRRH's veterinary expenses!!!

THE GOLDENS URGE YOU...SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP!!!

Calling all dogs! Great news fur us - bad news fur Cesar Milan

2011-06-06T09:03:00.003-04:00

Scout 'n Freyja say: Calling all dogs! Go tell your human'beans to go to the book store or buy for their Kindle this book. It is a good one!

Salon, Kelly Lauerman (Click on the Salon link to read a great author interview) It's news that should shock and delight dog owners, scolded for decades by trainers and dog whisperers that they must relentlessly assert their dominance over their dogs: Yes, it's perfectly acceptable to let Fido sleep in your bed.

You can also let him enter a room before you, and you can let him win at a game of tug of war, all without fearing that you will somehow signal that you are the submissive one and he is in charge. Contrary to long-cherished theories, dogs aren't competing with us for position in the pack, but are largely performing for our approval. And that -- no matter what the Cesar Millans of the world would have you believe -- is because much of what we've been led to be believe about dogs' hard-wired behavior has been totally wrong.

In his densely illuminating new book, "Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet," John Bradshaw explains how our understanding has been skewed by deeply flawed research, and exploited by a sensationalized media. In place of the rigid, often violent, alpha-led wolf societies we once believed produced the modern dog were actually cooperative, familial groups. And in place of the choke-chain school of negative reinforcement should be a training program based primarily on the positive.

Give the gift of l♥ve - Help match a veteran with a rescue dog

2011-05-29T16:52:00.011-04:00

When we needed them they were there. Now they need us - let's be there for them.
Two clicks, that's all it takes, one click here to go to Dog Bless USA, then click 'like'. You will help match a United States military veteran with a shelter dog.
Please, you can't be so busy that you don't have the time to give the gift of l♥ve to one of our veterans. After all, look how much they've given to us.

Spring cleaning - eFURy dog has ta do it sometime...

2011-05-24T07:45:00.000-04:00

There are some places that are better than others. This is one of those places that is not better if you are Mr. Scout and Miss Freyja.

Scout: I don't wanna go. I don't wanna go. I don't wanna go.

Waitin' fur the momma to come an' save us from alla' this washin' an' brushin' an' floofin'.

Saved! Momma, git us outta here an' take us home! We knew you'd come back fur us! Yesh, we did!

Our Southern FURends are never far from our ♥s

2011-04-28T12:02:00.003-04:00

I had the opportunity to live in the South for many years: Texas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee. A more hospitable and gracious people cannot be found on our planet. Please know that you and your families are close to our ♥s in thought and PURRayer.

From our ♥s to your ♥s on this Holy Day

2011-04-24T00:02:00.001-04:00

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.
~Martin Luther

A Vigil for the lost lives of 100 Sled Dogs

2011-04-23T11:02:00.005-04:00

Please follow the link to add your name in remembrance of the 100 sled dogs who were shot and stabbed and thrown away for no other reason than their owner felt they no longer had value.

A Vigil for the lost lives of 100 Sled Dogs
April 23, 2011

♥Love the Earth you're with♥

2011-04-22T08:45:00.005-04:00

And by and by Christopher Robin came to an end of things, and he was silent, and he sat there, looking out over the world, just wishing it wouldn't stop.
Winnie the Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner

Crossed paws for eFURyone deep in the ♥ of Texas

2011-04-21T12:25:00.001-04:00

For our friends: past, present and future...

2011-04-20T08:32:00.001-04:00

ImPAWsible to watch without a little knot in your throat, a tear in your eye and a deep sense of gratitude for all those who have walked with you in the past, travel with you now and will befriend you in the future. (Be sure to turn off the music to your right.)

Bought a magnet for my car...

2011-04-18T00:10:00.001-04:00

'Nuff said

Missouri lawmakers are barbarians...

2011-04-15T23:47:00.000-04:00

Missouri Anti-Puppy Mill Law, Prop B, Overhauled By Lawmakers For Being Too Costly

By CHRIS BLANK 04/14/11 06:05 PM ET JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri voters thought they scored a big win against some of the nation's most notorious puppy mills when they approved strict new dog breeding regulations last year. Now state lawmakers are changing the rules.

A state law aimed at cracking down on disreputable breeders and improving animal care has been overhauled by lawmakers who say the voter-approved version is too costly, and punished legitimate dog-breeders who generate an estimated $1 billion annually in the state. Animal advocates complain elected officials are overruling the will of the people and some are prepared to put the issue on the ballot again next year.

Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, said public confidence is undercut when about 100 lawmakers change a law backed by about 1 million voters.

"The effort in Jefferson City is a piece-by-piece dismantling of every core provision," Pacelle said. "It suggests to me that this is an industry that wants deregulation. They want to do things that they want and to heck with the people who care about dogs or consumers as long as there are enough dogs purchased."

Missouri Rep. Jerry Nolte, who represents part of a county that passed the ballot measure, said he voted for the bill because it will help protect dogs by increasing funding for enforcement.

"What I was trying to do was interpret what the voter intent was, and what they wanted to do was to lessen the suffering of these animals," said Nolte, a Republican. "And I believe that this, on balance, will reduce the suffering of these animals."

A spokesman for Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon said Thursday the bill would get a careful review and declined comment on whether he planned to sign it.

Missouri's law passed last November on the strength of residents from heavily populated Kansas City and St. Louis but failed in rural areas where many dog breeders operate. But swayed by breeders who argued the law would close them down and concerned about possible future regulation for other agricultural industries, a bipartisan group of mostly rural lawmakers voted to change most of the law's provisions. For example, a 50-dog cap is scrapped but breeders would pay more to boost state oversight of the industry.

The Humane Society of Missouri and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals were among the animal advocates who pushed for ballot measure, pointing to emaciated and flea-infested dogs that lived in filthy conditions. Even breeders who followed the rules, proponents said, have been allowed to keep dogs in wire cages not much larger than their bodies and exposed to excess heat and cold.

Advocates say more than a dozen states have approved stiffer dog-breeding laws in recent years, and like Missouri, Oklahoma lawmakers are considering changes to that new law.

Many of Missouri's roughly 1,300 licensed breeders pushed back, warning lawmakers the voter-approved law could shutter the industry by limiting the number of the breeding dogs they can own and forcing costly housing upgrades. They said some requirements also could worsen care, including mandating solid floors in indoor enclosures that could slow the draining of fluids and lead to cold and sick dogs.

Critics of the law contend the industry's worst has tainted public perception and blame many problems on unlicensed breeders.

The voter-approved measure "is just going to put the law-abiding, licensed, legitimate, conscientious, caring breeders out of business, and the only ones remaining will be the illegal people already flying under the radar," said Mindy Patterson with the Missouri Federation of Animal Owners.

Over the past decade, several state audits have criticized Missouri's dog regulation efforts. But the state is working to do better, now employing 12 inspectors, who each on average cover a region with 225 licensees. The governor also has proposed adding $1.1 million to the budget to hire more personnel.

Supporters of the voter-approved law said insufficient regulations remained a problem. Last year, the Better Business Bureau in Missouri reported receiving 352 complaints and reports against dog breeders and sellers over three years – including many about ill dogs.

"It is interesting to hear some of the statements that are made now that somehow this industry has been wronged," said Barbara Schmitz, campaign manager for the measure. "This industry has had a very long time to voluntarily correct the problems that exist. They have not done so. Lawmakers have failed to act, and the voters stepped in."

Numerous Missouri breeders raise dogs on their farms, selling puppies through Internet ads and word-of-mouth, while others sell to pet stores and to brokers that buy dogs nationwide.

One of those breeders, Hubert Lavy, said people who wrote the law don't fully understand the business and shouldn't develop rules to regulate it. Lavy, 68, whose family raises Labrador retrievers, Maltese, Yorkshire terriers and French bulldogs, said dogs – like employees – are most productive when treated well.

Outdoor pens are cleaned daily and connected to a building with heaters at Lavy's Tenderheart Kennels in Silex about 70 miles northwest of St. Louis. Indoor cages connect through a doggy door to an elevated outdoor cage and have a coated mesh pattern that allows waste to drain.

The kennel donates some dogs and sells roughly 200 puppies per year to earn about $20,000, Lavy said. He estimates it would cost $50,000 to comply with the voter-approved law, which would include expanding indoor space and building solid floors. However, he said he's more likely to just go out of business if the voter-backed law stands.

"There is a place for what I do. There (are) people who want what I do, and I just don't think they should be able to take it away," Lavy said.

Pray for the puppies. Pray for their mothers. Pray for their fathers.

☺Smile☺ and cry and feel so, so g♥♥d - You MUST!

2011-04-15T08:44:00.003-04:00

Turn off the music (sidebar) to hear all of this story.

An adoption story: When you fall in l♥ve - color doesn't matter...(Jessie's legacy)

2011-04-13T00:02:00.034-04:00

Did you know that large, black, middle-aged dogs are the last ones to be picked by prospective adopters (other than the elderly dogs)? Large, black, middle-aged dogs most often lose their lives, or languish for months, in shelters because they are not fancy or pocket-sized or a puppy.

Do you remember my friend, Cindy? Her best furend, Jessie, completed her Circle of Life at the end of last year. Cindy and I share the belief that 'adoption is the only option' when you're looking for a four-footed family member. A couple of months ago, after a period of deep mourning for Jessie, Cindy set out to find a large, black, older dog to adopt. She was ready for a new walking partner to explore the rivers, lakes and woods of northern Michigan.

Magnet on the rescue group's van

With that said, I wish to share with you a blossoming l♥ve story - a happy ending - and - a new beginning that I was invited to share with a good friend.


Misha arrives to meet her new momma (Gaylord, Michigan)

A little insecurity

Getting to know you

I think I'm bein' 'dopted

Not dog-less, not homeless, anymore

First walk (St. Ignace, Michigan rest stop)

Cindy and Misha met each other through Few Steps From Home Animal Rescue in Bay City, Michigan. I was thrilled to be included at such a special time in both of their lives.

Sometimes there are very happy endings...

2011-04-12T00:34:00.005-04:00

Something furry specials is happenin' today that involves this bloggy post right here and what you see below. Momma isn't home this mornin' 'cause she's on a road trip wif her good furend, Cindy. Come on back tomorrow for lots of photos and to help celly-brate! We is alls excited, yesh, we sure is...

OK, they're not dogs but they sure are cute!

2011-04-08T10:22:00.003-04:00

What do you do when you live in a sweet, little centennial farmhouse and your son asks for a miniature goat for his birthday?

You get him that little goat and you name her Oreo (it is totally obvious why).

And, what do you do when Oreo cries her eyes out at night because she is lonesome? You get Oreo a sisfur 'cause that is the right thing to do!

Introducing my two grand-goats. Can't wait to meet them in PURRson when I go downstate to see my son, Dave, and this family this summer☺(OK, they're not dogs, but you have to admit, they're terribly sweet and cute.)

Scout 'n Freyja's Saturday message...

2011-04-02T09:59:00.000-04:00

I'm floating on air. I'm on cloud nine! I am smiling so big you can't see the rest of my face!

2011-03-31T13:38:00.010-04:00

Several years ago Chippewa County, Michigan, had an animal shelter that killed just about every cat and kitten and dog and puppy that made it inside the building. It was privately managed by brutal individuals that were totally heartless. They would pile dead animals in a corner and ask for animal control to come to collect their day's carcasses of destruction.

A group of concerned animal folks began to have bi-monthly meetings hoping to change what they considered to be mass murder of their county's companion animals. After many letters written and many public education events and many Chippewa County Commission meetings attended by the members of this group, the country agreed to spend the money to erect their own shelter and to hire their own staff. At a time when money was extremely tight - the County Commission took a very bold step.

I am SO PROUD to say that I was a part of the core group that attended those meetings and did her best to convince our county commissioners to make changes where so many didn't believe changes were necessary. A shelter manager was hired that took her job to heart and made it her goal to have our public animal shelter create and enforce a 'no kill' policy. She got her wish. Please stand with me to applaud the Chippewa County Animal Control Shelter and it's manager, Holly Henderson, for having the third highest 'save rate' in the State of Michigan.

Shelter Manager Holly Henderson, states she is very proud of the shelter's ranking.
"We have worked very hard to ensure no healthy adoptable animal is euthanized at our shelter. I credit this success in part to financial assistance we receive through FOCAS who sponsors our rigorous spay and neuter program, and Guardian Angels for Animals who covers all medical costs for shelter residents. I would also like to thank our amazing staff who goes above and beyond their job description and our phenomenal group of volunteers, who dedicate their time to not only the animals' care, but promote them in our community and beyond. I also can't say this enough, but we are only as great as our community allows us to be, so a big thank you to our County Commissioners and the general public, for your support and commitment to the homeless animals in Chippewa County."

Be sure to biggy-fy to view

I have NO WORDS to completely express my unbridled joy. It is unheard of for a publicly funded shelter to have a 'no kill' policy and I have the distinct pleasure to live in one such county.

Most importantly, DON'T EVER GIVE UP - NEVER! I live in a small farming community with few tax dollars and an historical mind-set that animals are animals - no big deal. Change CAN take place. It REALLY and honestly can take place. DON'T EVER GIVE UP!

Mooch dreams - Out of Africa

2011-03-28T02:11:00.002-04:00

We are one world and one humanity. Far or near, what happens to the least among us affects all of us. My wish is that when I no longer walk this planet my feet had tread gently on the tender hearts and souls of our animal friends.

The bodyguard...

2011-03-23T00:02:00.002-04:00

♫ Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells ♫ or Khyra, come on by!

2011-03-22T00:02:00.000-04:00

♥Love is all you need♥ REALLY, love IS all you need

2011-03-21T00:02:00.002-04:00

A British guide dog named Edward needed surgery to remove his eyes, leaving his owner, Graham Waspe, devastated. Fortunately, a new dog named Opal was up to the task of guiding both Graham and Edward. The two dogs have become fast friends, and they make presentations to local school groups together.
We've already seen a blind dog with his own guide dog, but a blind guide dog with his own guide dog ... well, that's pretty cool.

The BBC has a touching video of the dogs.

Because I love her...

2011-03-19T20:46:00.001-04:00

Yes, Freyja, it's yours, honey

The rites of Spring in northern Michigan...

2011-03-17T21:32:00.000-04:00

It happens every spring. I play chicken with the melting snow thinking that I still have time to rummage through the storage room for the basket of old towels I use to wipe muddy paws clean. Every year I put off the task just one - day - too - long and when I do, I pay the price. Mounds of pristine snow once called my backyard home. Now, newborn mud puddles have opened their little, beady, black eyes to greet the world - the little stinkers growing larger and healthier each day.

I lost today and the mud puddles won. I waited too long. I gambled. The puddles called out to Scout and Freyja, "Come here cute doggies. Come play with me. Come dance in the cool, oozing mud I have laid out for your pleasure." Being the obedient dogs that they are - they went and they danced and they frolicked and they celebrated spring with unbridled passion.

Needless to say, after Scout and Freyja made it through the back door to do an encore of their 'happy dance of joy' on the kitchen floor, a good mopping was in order and my basket of towels was pulled out from Winter storage - fluffy soldiers to be sacrificed over and over in the coming weeks ensuring a clean kitchen floor and my continued serenity. Snow doesn't melt in a day up here in northern Michigan, it takes a while - and - it takes a lot of patience and a little humor before I, too, do the happy dance of joy in celebration of Spring.

Wordless Wednesday - Miss Freyja has nothing to say...

2011-03-16T09:09:00.000-04:00

When she's in the living room, this is where you'll find Miss Freyja, snoozin' in her little fort☺

K-9s leave for Japan to aid in search and rescue efforts

2011-03-13T00:31:00.010-05:00

Firefighter/paramedic Gary Durian of Yorba Linda is one of six canine handlers who arrived Saturday in Japan with a Los Angeles-based search-and-rescue team to look for survivors buried under rubble and debris.

Durian and his dog, Baxter, will spend an indefinite amount of time in northern Japan, which was ravaged by a magnitude 8.9 earthquake and tsunami Friday that Japanese officials estimate could have killed more than 1,000 people.

"It's of the utmost importance right now to do all the rescue possible," said canine handler Marc Valentine, a Montebello Fire Department captain who also trains search-and-rescue dogs in Orange County. "In the first few minutes, other people come and rescue the ones they can hear crying for help. It's the people who are buried underneath debris and rubble that we're looking for. Fourteen days out, they were still finding people alive in Haiti."

Durian, who works for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, is part of Los Angeles Task Force 2, a 72-member emergency response team that is one of two nationwide authorized by the U.S. State Department to provide aide during international disasters. The team includes doctors, structural engineers, paramedics and firefighters, plus 75 tons of rescue supplies and equipment.

Durian and Baxter, a golden retriever, traveled to the disaster zone on a chartered flight along with Virginia Task Force 2, the other team charged with international disaster response, according to nonprofit National Disaster Search Dog Foundation.

Durian and Baxter were certified in canine search and rescue in 2007. In 2008, they were deployed to the Gulf Coast to search for survivors following hurricanes Gustav and Ike. They've also been deployed to several local disasters, including a major car accident in 2009, according to the Search Dog Foundation.

Baxter was discovered at a Northern California animal shelter in February 2006 by a Search Dog Foundation volunteer who saw potential in the canine.

"The first time the group of new handlers was introduced to the dogs in Baxter's graduating class, Baxter ran over to Gary Durian of the L.A. County Fire Department and lay down by him for a brief moment," the Search Dog Foundation said in a statement. "And the rest is history."

One of six Virginia Task Force 1 dogs being deployed on search and rescue efforts in Japan. (Photo courtesy of Fairfax County)

HOW TO HELP JAPAN’S PEOPLE & PETS

Relief organizations and governments around the world are responding to help people, and now several groups are stepping in to assist the animals impacted by the disaster as well. There are a number of ways for people here and abroad to help the people and pets that were hurt or displaced. Sacramento pet expert and author Gina Spadafori reported today on recommendations made by her colleague, veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker.

For those interested in doing so, Becker suggests contacting the following organizations:

World Vets is an international veterinary aid organization that provides “free veterinary aid, resources and support during times of disaster all over the world”. Their non-profit efforts spans 25 countries and 6 continents, and handles both veterinary issues and human health issues caused by animal-related infectious diseases.

World Vets is already working to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami, and desperately needs donations. To learn more, click here for their website.

The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation is a non-profit, FEMA-certified agency that searches for survivors in the wreckage of catastrophic events such as the one is Japan.

NDSDF has already deployed six Canine Disaster Search Teams to respond to the current crisis; each task force is made up of approximately 72 members (including both humans and Urban Search and Rescue dogs) and some 75 tons of rescue equipment. To learn more and to donate, click here for their website.

Fallen soldier, Liam Tasker and the ashes of his dog, Theo, return home to the UK

2011-03-10T19:36:00.003-05:00

L/Cpl Tasker's body returned to the UK, with the ashes of his dog Theo

BBC News The body of a soldier who died along with his record breaking sniffer dog in Afghanistan last week has returned home to the UK.

Lance Corporal Liam Tasker, from Kirkcaldy in Fife, was shot dead while on patrol in Helmand province. The ashes of the 26-year-old's dog Theo were flown home on the same plane.

L/Cpl Tasker, who was called a "rising star" by Army chiefs, was shot by Taliban snipers and Theo died of a seizure shortly after his master.

The soldier and his 22-month-old dog had made 14 finds in five months while on the frontline.

The pair's successes at uncovering so many explosions and weapons had resulted in their tour of Afghanistan being extended by a month.

Just three weeks ago, springer spaniel Theo was praised as a record breaking Army sniffer dog.

The body of L/Cpl Tasker and the ashes of Theo were flown to RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire at lunchtime, before a cortege passed through Wootton Bassett, the Wiltshire town which has built up a tradition of welcoming back fallen heroes.

Mimi's note: It's time to bring them home - all of them - every last one.

What do you do when the temp is -2 and there's more snow on the way?

2011-03-07T01:09:00.000-05:00

Winter-time sun bath