I will be the first to admit that I have a soft spot for yellow labs. In fact, when I was younger, I defined myself as a "lab" person. We had a beautiful black lab named Sam at home ... so it was as comfortable as an old slipper to bring home a lovely yellow lab puppy when my daughter was little.
Max was such a great guy ... and we were lucky enough to have the pleasure of his company until my daughter was in college. So I'm not just blowing smoke about what great family dogs that labs make.
I get a bit of a birds eye view with the site and am often utterly at a loss to understand why some dogs take a little longer to find their Forever Homes. I mean, I do get why the ones with the no kids/ cats/ or dogs tags might need the extra time, but there are ever so many wonderful good dogs that just seem to get overlooked. Sadly all too many otherwise kind hearts seem to think that anyone over six months old is past their best before date :(
That's why I was delighted to see that someone at The LA Shelter has taken the time and trouble to make this great video for Toby. He just looks like such a good boy and I truly hope it helps :)
We had so much fun with Max over the years. He was playful and eager to please and always ready to lend a sympathetic ear when the occasion called for it. Gosh .. this good boy reminds me so much of the natural born nanny who was there every step of the way to help me raise my daughter.
I almost envy the kind heart who adopts Toby for the beautiful journey just waiting for them.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Update on the miracle cat
Do you remember Rolo? I am delighted to report that he has found his own miracle and has been adopted! Have a great life little man!
Friday, March 4, 2011
A little something special
This is the part where I have to come clean. Deep down ... actually not all that deep ..... I fall at least a little in love with every pet that I list on either homeless pet site. In fact .. everyday before I boot up my computer, I have a little mantra " I already have six purrfect cats and three grreat dogs" :)
Sheesh .. there are names for people who bring too many in and none of them are pretty. And if I'm ever going to become famous, I certainly do not want it to be for being on live at five with the SPCA van in my dooryard!
Do I have a special affection for those who get overlooked for a senior or special tag? You bet! Pets do not bring our human hangups about age and disability to the table. They do not understand why the grey muzzle or the heart condition or the food allergy makes them 'sit on the shelf'
Honestly .. could anyone even tell me what the big deal is about a deaf cat ... gosh whats so odd about a cat that won't come when its called ?
The dictionary defines special like this:
spe-cial
[spesh-uh
l]
l]–adjective
1. of a distinct or particular kind or character: a special kind of key.
2. being a particular one; particular, individual, or certain: You'd better call the special number.
3. pertaining or peculiar to a particular person, thing, instance, etc.; distinctive; unique: the special features of a plan.
4. having a specific or particular function, purpose, etc.: a special messenger.
5. distinguished or different from what is ordinary or usual: a special occasion; to fix something special.
6. extraordinary; exceptional, as in amount or degree; especial: special importance.
7. being such in an exceptional degree; particularly valued: a special friend.Extraordinary .. exceptional ... particularly valued. If you were looking for a once in a lifetime pal, wouldn't your wish list include things like that?
What time is it? Its always time to recognize that we humans are the ones with the hangups. At the end of the day ... we are the ones who are actually handicapped.
Even so, each and everyone of these lovelies would never dream of shunning the kind heart who adopted them as "special" :)
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Another cute idea from petfinder
Like everyone else, I'm more than a little frustrated with the ongoing 'technical problems' that the Petfinder IT techs keep reassuring me are on the verge of being solved ...sigh. Pictures can be days before displaying properly. In some instances .. the dreaded red x continues to display :(
After all, the homeless pet sites are meant to be virtual adoption fairs where kind hearts can come to visit and fall in love with the faces.
But those are technical problems and are separate and apart from the real value of the service. There are other services, but only the Adopt a Pet one measures up to the same standard that Petfinder holds to ... when Petfinder is working properly that is ...lol ( which is of course why i use both services to link pet listings to on my sites, eh? )
Any of my facebook friends have seen Petfinder listings pop up on their newsfeeds fairly regularly. Some new. Some who have been waiting a while for the right fit. But all of them lovely and just Happy Tails in Waiting.
That's not something I invented ... its the reason there are share buttons on the listings, eh?
Still ... its nice to see this practice being encouraged ... just another great way to social network for the animals. I might not be looking for myself ... my friends might not be looking ... but somewhere out there in cyberspace one of their friends might be looking, eh?
What time is it? Its always time to salute social networking for the animals. Its as easy as the click of a mouse ... and who knows what wonderful things will come of it?
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Update ... foster found to save young mother dog and her three pups!
Some tried and true phrases are timeless because they just cut to the chase. Whether its Robert Burns 'gang aft agley' or the more modern "often go astray", the best laid plans can ... and do .. go astray every day.
Usually this type of thing is only inconvenient, but in this case its much more urgent. The foster that ARC had lined up for this young little mother and her three remaining pups fell through. If you, or someone you know, can help, please contact ARC .
CAPS is coming back to the Greenwood Mall!
What a beautiful quilt! I saw it a few weeks ago at when CAPS had their first offsite adoption event and even these lovely pictures don't really do it justice. The draw will be on May 20th ... and anyone interested in buying tickets can click here for more info.
I'm betting that tickets might also be available at the NEXT offsite adoption event at the Greenwood Mall. CAPS will be back in the Center Court on Saturday, April 9th, from 11 am until 3 pm.
Was the mall eager to invite them back? You bet! They found out first hand that animals always draw in more foot traffic. Its just one of those lovely win win scenarios where what is good for the animals is also good for the mall merchants, eh?
Even better ... its a win win for all the cats. From my birds eye view of maintaining the cat galleries, CAPS cat adoptions do seem to be up for all the kitties, not just the ones who went to the event. That of course means that more can be taken in from Annapolis County Animal Control.
Even better, each and every one of the cats that gets 'their lucky day' will be a great ambassador ... not only for being their own sweet selves but when friends/ family/ neighbours and coworkers discover what a great deal the adoption fee is.
Best of all, each and every adoption is part of the solution because the cats are already altered.
What time is it? Its always time to promote a pawsitive example!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Silence is not Golden
March is here! Finally and at long last! But wait a minute ... isn't everything still subzero and icy outside? Isn't the greenhouse still hibernating under a blanket of snow? Aren't some of the smaller bits of shrubbery still completely covered?
You bet! But right on cue this morning, I heard my favourite kind of tweet .... the sweet sound of the robins greeting us for our first out.
Gardeners are incurable optimists, eh? While others only hold the bird actually in their hand, we are ever eying the 'ones in the bush'.
Behind every beautiful bed .... before the backbreaking work ... all good gardens start with a vision. Does experience make a better gardener? Of course it does! That vision won't ever amount to a hill of beans if it isn't accompanied by a real understanding of the practical bits needed to get it out of the gate.
Over the years, I have learned that almost anything is possible if one is willing to invest the time and energy. There is ALWAYS a way to grow that delicate or difficult thing. A little extra sheltering An early start. Extra winter protection. Even to the extreme of burying the entire plant/ shrub/ tree below the frost line every winter.
The point I am making in my meandering way is that the only difference between the master gardener and the one who falls flat is persistence. Kind of like anything in life, eh?
Thirty odd years ago, everyone knew that spousal abuse was wrong. That a black eye was not a suitable response to 'not tonight dear'. That broken bones were not an acceptable outlet after having a hard day. That women weren't actually clumsy enough to keep falling down stairs.
Yet thirty odd years ago, priests were still advising women to be better wives. Bosses were cautioning against complaints that would be "bad for a man's career". In many instances, neighbours and friends deliberately kept the blinders on because they knew that (at that time) social services was long on good intentions and short on the legal ability to actually do anything.... and that things would actually be worse for the woman if they were asked to intervene.
I'm old enough to remember when "real women didn't pump iron". When it was worth a woman's job to complain about harassment. Worst of all, when even the women who were at real risk kept turning away from the solidarity of sisterhood.
Circumstances did not magically improve for women because people become kinder and smarter all on their own. In a democracy, things improve because concerned citizens make it their business to lobby the politicians who make our laws about issues of importance to them.
Sheesh ... doesn't that remind you of the plight of chained dogs? Its commonly understood within the animal loving community that it is inhumane and cruel to sentence any dog to life on the end of a chain.
Chained dogs are out there for all the world to see, and I wouldn't be surprised if they top the complaint charts on our provincial animal abuse line. does everyone who lives close to a chained dog complain? Of course not! Why? Do they not care about the animals? Of course they do.
BUT .... concerned kind hearts who complain run the very real risk of creating animosity in their own neighbourhoods. In some instances their own pets and personal safety can be put at risk.
Coming out of the gate, that is setting the entire inspection process up for failure. The inspectors cannot remove dogs from situations where they are getting the (very barely) minimum legal standards for care. Given the risks, people generally don't complain until they are utterly frustrated.
At that point the last vestiges of any beautiful day in the neighbourhood are gone. Everyone is going to have their knickers in a twist. The person who had the SPCA van in their driveway will be annoyed. The inspector driving said van who once again has to explain to a frustrated neighbour that there really is nothing wrong with the situation. Right through to the person who complained who now has to live with the knowledge that he or she has created a lot of hard feelings without being able to improve anything for the dog.
The only one who doesn't get upset is the dog ... because today is just another of a long line of crappy days. The dog might get moved out of line of sight of the neighbours but odds are pretty slim it ever will see the inside of the house.
Does that mean that it always has to be this way? Of course not! One of the best bits about being fifty six is having seen that society CAN change. That it is possible to create safer and healthier environments for everyone in the community. And before the keyboards catch on fire, I will be the first to acknowledge that there is much that is still more journey than destination.
Circumstances will not magically improve for chained dogs because people are going to become kinder and smarter all on their own. Things will improve in exactly the same way ALL things do in a democracy.
Things will improve when a sufficient number of concerned citizens in this province let their MLA's know that they want antitethering legislation. Things will improve when our own society moves past their position paper and places a petition to provide focus for an actual campaign for anti tethering legislation prominently on the front door of their site.
How will this help? It will allow the society to educate by clarifying the issue. To explain that antitethering legislation will not affect the many dog owners who keep a yard leash by the back door for early morning pee breaks. To reassure the field trial people that their safety tethers will still be acceptable. Best of all, it would provided a wonderful opportunity for the society to garner tangible support by "speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves"
What time is it? It is always time to remember that every good idea begins with a vision. It may take time. It may take persistence. But it won't amount to a hill of beans without the practical bits.
We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Martin Luther King, Jr.
You bet! But right on cue this morning, I heard my favourite kind of tweet .... the sweet sound of the robins greeting us for our first out.
Gardeners are incurable optimists, eh? While others only hold the bird actually in their hand, we are ever eying the 'ones in the bush'.
Behind every beautiful bed .... before the backbreaking work ... all good gardens start with a vision. Does experience make a better gardener? Of course it does! That vision won't ever amount to a hill of beans if it isn't accompanied by a real understanding of the practical bits needed to get it out of the gate.
Over the years, I have learned that almost anything is possible if one is willing to invest the time and energy. There is ALWAYS a way to grow that delicate or difficult thing. A little extra sheltering An early start. Extra winter protection. Even to the extreme of burying the entire plant/ shrub/ tree below the frost line every winter.
The point I am making in my meandering way is that the only difference between the master gardener and the one who falls flat is persistence. Kind of like anything in life, eh?
Thirty odd years ago, everyone knew that spousal abuse was wrong. That a black eye was not a suitable response to 'not tonight dear'. That broken bones were not an acceptable outlet after having a hard day. That women weren't actually clumsy enough to keep falling down stairs.
Yet thirty odd years ago, priests were still advising women to be better wives. Bosses were cautioning against complaints that would be "bad for a man's career". In many instances, neighbours and friends deliberately kept the blinders on because they knew that (at that time) social services was long on good intentions and short on the legal ability to actually do anything.... and that things would actually be worse for the woman if they were asked to intervene.
I'm old enough to remember when "real women didn't pump iron". When it was worth a woman's job to complain about harassment. Worst of all, when even the women who were at real risk kept turning away from the solidarity of sisterhood.
Circumstances did not magically improve for women because people become kinder and smarter all on their own. In a democracy, things improve because concerned citizens make it their business to lobby the politicians who make our laws about issues of importance to them.
Sheesh ... doesn't that remind you of the plight of chained dogs? Its commonly understood within the animal loving community that it is inhumane and cruel to sentence any dog to life on the end of a chain.
Chained dogs are out there for all the world to see, and I wouldn't be surprised if they top the complaint charts on our provincial animal abuse line. does everyone who lives close to a chained dog complain? Of course not! Why? Do they not care about the animals? Of course they do.
BUT .... concerned kind hearts who complain run the very real risk of creating animosity in their own neighbourhoods. In some instances their own pets and personal safety can be put at risk.
Coming out of the gate, that is setting the entire inspection process up for failure. The inspectors cannot remove dogs from situations where they are getting the (very barely) minimum legal standards for care. Given the risks, people generally don't complain until they are utterly frustrated.
At that point the last vestiges of any beautiful day in the neighbourhood are gone. Everyone is going to have their knickers in a twist. The person who had the SPCA van in their driveway will be annoyed. The inspector driving said van who once again has to explain to a frustrated neighbour that there really is nothing wrong with the situation. Right through to the person who complained who now has to live with the knowledge that he or she has created a lot of hard feelings without being able to improve anything for the dog.
The only one who doesn't get upset is the dog ... because today is just another of a long line of crappy days. The dog might get moved out of line of sight of the neighbours but odds are pretty slim it ever will see the inside of the house.
Does that mean that it always has to be this way? Of course not! One of the best bits about being fifty six is having seen that society CAN change. That it is possible to create safer and healthier environments for everyone in the community. And before the keyboards catch on fire, I will be the first to acknowledge that there is much that is still more journey than destination.
Circumstances will not magically improve for chained dogs because people are going to become kinder and smarter all on their own. Things will improve in exactly the same way ALL things do in a democracy.
Things will improve when a sufficient number of concerned citizens in this province let their MLA's know that they want antitethering legislation. Things will improve when our own society moves past their position paper and places a petition to provide focus for an actual campaign for anti tethering legislation prominently on the front door of their site.
How will this help? It will allow the society to educate by clarifying the issue. To explain that antitethering legislation will not affect the many dog owners who keep a yard leash by the back door for early morning pee breaks. To reassure the field trial people that their safety tethers will still be acceptable. Best of all, it would provided a wonderful opportunity for the society to garner tangible support by "speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves"
What time is it? It is always time to remember that every good idea begins with a vision. It may take time. It may take persistence. But it won't amount to a hill of beans without the practical bits.
We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Martin Luther King, Jr.
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