I have always been a klutz. Skinned elbows and knees were the rule rather than the exception ... and Dad always used to joke that if he drew a chalk line on the floor that I would trip over it.
Mom always promised that I would become graceful when I became older. It was not until my first Art Class in high school that we realized I was not going to 'grow out of it'. After weeks of insisting that I should paint what I see and not make everything so 'flat, my teacher suggested that my parents mention this tidbit when I went for my next eye exam.
As it happens we were ALL right. I was painting 2 D because that was what I actually saw. And I did "grow out of it" when I had glasses to compensate. These days when I trip its because I'm in multi tasking mode and not paying attention to what is underfoot.
How many times do we as pet owners run into the same thing? The kitties that stop using the litter box? The dogs whose temperaments seem to suddenly change? New and unwelcome behaviors can often result in a myriad of Unhappy Tails, varying from the infamous "we don't have time for Mrs Piddles" on Kijiji to being abandoned/ surrendered / shot / drowned/ etc ...
It doesn't help that like everything else in the world, that vet costs are going up, up, up. And before the keyboards catch on fire, I realize that veterinarians have to make a living. Problem is ... as prices go up its killing more animals, eh?
Very few people have bottomless pockets. While we don't actually have an official poverty line in Canada, anyone making minimum wage in this province will only break over twenty thousand a year if they work more than forty hours a week. Even worse, anyone working in the retail world has variable hours ... as the weekly amount budgeted for wages is usually linked to roughly 30 percent of the sales from the week before.
In a province with no dental plan for human children, how can we expect people without deep pockets to pay for dental surgery for their pets? Even a simply thyroid test can be well out of reach ... which is sad because the meds themselves are quite affordable.
I'm a middle aged grandmother not an economic expert ... yet even I can see that if there are not more proactive pet retention programs available that spiralling prices are going to create new challenges for animal rescue.
I get a better personal insurance rates because I belong to a group plan. Now I'm not an insurance expert either, but I wonder if the official voice for the animals would be able to negotiate a 'group plan' for its members for pet insurance. Something like that wouldn't just boost membership rates ... it might make the (rescue) job easier for everyone in the long run.
What time is it? It is time to stop tripping over our own feet and try to see things through a new lens.
'You see things and say 'Why'? But I see things and say 'Why not?' G.B Shaw
Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Urgent .... blind senior dog at the Yarmouth SPCA needs a foster or adoptive home
Do you remember this handsome fellow? So cuddly and appealing? Last year he was found wandering around Yarmouth and he just captured everyone's heart at the Yarmouth SPCA. Sheesh ... what kind of person would leave a blind senior to fend for himself at anytime, let alone a Nova Scotia dead of winter January day, eh?
His name is Brock and his Not Really Forever Home just brought him back to the Yarmouth SPCA Shelter. He is confused and he is sad and has absolutely no idea why he is back at the shelter. Brock is a good boy who does not understand why life just took a left turn.
Being blind and being upset, Brock is not putting his best paw forward. How is he to even comprehend that behaviors like walking into walls are not going to put at the top of most wist lists, eh? That his efforts to orientate himself at the shelter with territorial marking are not going to find much of a receptive audience. (IMPORTANT NOTE : this is NOT behavior that was exhibited in his adopted home)
This good dog is at real risk if at least a foster home for him cannot be found as soon as possible. Being returned to the shelter has almost been too much of a jolt for this senior dog. It is hoped that he will get back on his paws if he can just get out of the shelter.
Brock's first home left him in the lurch in the dead of winter. His second home surrendered him soon after Valentines Day. If he is to have a chance to find out if third time can be the charm, sooner would be better than later, eh?
PS .. if you don't live in the Yarmouth Area transport can be arranged
What a garden can grow
I love watching Pride and Prejudice ... not the new age vamped up version but the classic BBC one with (be still our beating hearts) Colin Firth. What's not to love? Gorgeous costumes? Beautiful scenery? Lovely period houses? Its almost frosting on the cake that its a familiar old favourite that lends itself well to watching while rug making.
Do I have time to watch it all in one shot? Of course not! The original novel takes less time to read than the DVD boxed set does to watch.
Does that mean it sits on the back of the shelf? Of course not! It simply means that in order to see the whole thing that I have to be patient enough to catch as catch can.
Rather like the rug hooking, eh? Really rather like anything in life. If we want to see the whole picture, sometimes we have to think outside of the box ...dvd or otherwise, eh?
In the animal loving community ...particularly with the cat rescuers .. there is a real push on right now to get Low Cost High Volume Spay Neuter out the gate. Meetings have been held. Letters have been drafted to the Premier. Presentations have been made ... with more in the works.
Is Spay Neuter important? You bet! We will NEVER get to No Kill Nova Scotia without Low Cost High Volume Spay Neuter. But it is important to remember that while it is a critical part of the No Kill Equation, it is not the only ingredient in the recipe.
The Homeless Pet Project is coming up to its third birthday. In the course of researching and building the site, I have been blessed with a bit of a birds eye view of the status quo around the province.
Now when I first started the site, it was quite normal to have sixty odd dogs listed on any given day. Since then, more folks have started using either Petfinder or Adopt a Pet ( hey I have to have a listing to link the pet too, eh? ). By New Years Day of this year, it was more normal for 80 - 85 dogs to be listed on the site.
(The subject of how many cats are listed on the galleries would make you weep and is a separate topic that will get a post of its own soon.... sigh )
This week it has just seemed that there have been more dogs than ever. So this morning I counted and gosh .. there are 119 dogs this morning on my site :(
One hundred and nineteen! So the big question is... why? Are more groups using Petfinder and Adopt a Pet? Nothing new so far this year. Hmmmm.
Now if there are ever so many more dogs because more are simply are being listed on Petfinder then that of course is a Very Good Thing.
But what if there are simply more dogs? More owner surrenders? More good dogs dumped on a back country road? More animal clinics trying to find better outcomes for owner requested Unhappy Tails?
Gosh ... would that be the best argument ever for putting the other elements of the No Kill Equation into play? The Offsite adoption events? The Medical and Behaviour Rehab? More Proactive Redemption?
Happily ... many of the ingredients are already in the cupboard. The rescue groups. TNR Groups. Volunteers. Fosters.
But at the risk of sounding like a stuck record .. the best way to prevent homeless pets is to provide opportunities for people to keep the pets that they already know and love. Is it important to get the pets fixed? You bet! Over the top critical important!
But it is also critical for people to be able to feed their families if they are going to be able to afford to keep their pets. Just like the darned mice I find in the wood pile .... for every great job that pays well in this province there are dozens more that people don't notice. Households where the taxable income is well under the price of a new vehicle.
Hmmmm. Now I'm not a hermit. I have a lovely life that is full of friends and family. I pay attention to what is happening in my community.
So even if I personally am an empty nester who doesn't have to drive to work every day, I don't need to watch the news to realize that costs are going up.
I can't help wondering what kind of impact THAT is going to have on pet retention. What kind of effect it already IS having on pet retention.
I know that on a personal level, I save a lot of money every year by growing my own garden and putting food by. And if my enthusiasm sometimes exceeds my own needs there will always be someone who can put any extras to good use.
When my mother was a girl, every home had a Victory Garden to do their own bit. These days, there are wonderful resources for starting up community gardens as well.
So I have dusted off my personal site and over the next few weeks will be adding a few bits about old fashioned thrift as well. I am hoping that the folks looking for ways to feed the kids AND keep the pets might find something useful.
What time is it? This IS the time to get organized about growing some sort of a garden. Its just frosting on the cake that gardening is an excellent way to teach children about respect for life and responsibility. And THAT is always good for the animals.
Do I have time to watch it all in one shot? Of course not! The original novel takes less time to read than the DVD boxed set does to watch.
Does that mean it sits on the back of the shelf? Of course not! It simply means that in order to see the whole thing that I have to be patient enough to catch as catch can.
Rather like the rug hooking, eh? Really rather like anything in life. If we want to see the whole picture, sometimes we have to think outside of the box ...dvd or otherwise, eh?
In the animal loving community ...particularly with the cat rescuers .. there is a real push on right now to get Low Cost High Volume Spay Neuter out the gate. Meetings have been held. Letters have been drafted to the Premier. Presentations have been made ... with more in the works.
Is Spay Neuter important? You bet! We will NEVER get to No Kill Nova Scotia without Low Cost High Volume Spay Neuter. But it is important to remember that while it is a critical part of the No Kill Equation, it is not the only ingredient in the recipe.
The Homeless Pet Project is coming up to its third birthday. In the course of researching and building the site, I have been blessed with a bit of a birds eye view of the status quo around the province.
Now when I first started the site, it was quite normal to have sixty odd dogs listed on any given day. Since then, more folks have started using either Petfinder or Adopt a Pet ( hey I have to have a listing to link the pet too, eh? ). By New Years Day of this year, it was more normal for 80 - 85 dogs to be listed on the site.
(The subject of how many cats are listed on the galleries would make you weep and is a separate topic that will get a post of its own soon.... sigh )
This week it has just seemed that there have been more dogs than ever. So this morning I counted and gosh .. there are 119 dogs this morning on my site :(
One hundred and nineteen! So the big question is... why? Are more groups using Petfinder and Adopt a Pet? Nothing new so far this year. Hmmmm.
Now if there are ever so many more dogs because more are simply are being listed on Petfinder then that of course is a Very Good Thing.
But what if there are simply more dogs? More owner surrenders? More good dogs dumped on a back country road? More animal clinics trying to find better outcomes for owner requested Unhappy Tails?
Gosh ... would that be the best argument ever for putting the other elements of the No Kill Equation into play? The Offsite adoption events? The Medical and Behaviour Rehab? More Proactive Redemption?
Happily ... many of the ingredients are already in the cupboard. The rescue groups. TNR Groups. Volunteers. Fosters.
But at the risk of sounding like a stuck record .. the best way to prevent homeless pets is to provide opportunities for people to keep the pets that they already know and love. Is it important to get the pets fixed? You bet! Over the top critical important!
But it is also critical for people to be able to feed their families if they are going to be able to afford to keep their pets. Just like the darned mice I find in the wood pile .... for every great job that pays well in this province there are dozens more that people don't notice. Households where the taxable income is well under the price of a new vehicle.
Hmmmm. Now I'm not a hermit. I have a lovely life that is full of friends and family. I pay attention to what is happening in my community.
So even if I personally am an empty nester who doesn't have to drive to work every day, I don't need to watch the news to realize that costs are going up.
I can't help wondering what kind of impact THAT is going to have on pet retention. What kind of effect it already IS having on pet retention.
I know that on a personal level, I save a lot of money every year by growing my own garden and putting food by. And if my enthusiasm sometimes exceeds my own needs there will always be someone who can put any extras to good use.
When my mother was a girl, every home had a Victory Garden to do their own bit. These days, there are wonderful resources for starting up community gardens as well.
So I have dusted off my personal site and over the next few weeks will be adding a few bits about old fashioned thrift as well. I am hoping that the folks looking for ways to feed the kids AND keep the pets might find something useful.
What time is it? This IS the time to get organized about growing some sort of a garden. Its just frosting on the cake that gardening is an excellent way to teach children about respect for life and responsibility. And THAT is always good for the animals.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
A beautiful Happy Tail just waiting to happen
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.
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.
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?
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