FUN Friday

TGIF! Let's have some FUN!!

What's more fun (and more adorable) than a kitten? A kitten in a box! With siblings!



How about a baby and a kitty? This cat is so sweet with the baby!



Not to be outdone - we have a dog with a baby!



For our Ferret Fans - we don't cater to you enough!



Have a WONDERFUL weekend!

Knowing What You Want Part Two

One of our volunteers, Ronnie, was telling us about the list she made for a dog. Had to be a year and a half old, no barking, good with kids, good with cats, housebroken, trained...she found one in the paper that seemed to fit her list. A family camping in Lake Arrowhead had come across the dog. As it was approaching winter, they didn't want to leave the dog to die so they brought him back to L.A. with them (after having no luck finding the owner). He seemed perfect! Ronnie and her family brought him home...

This dog dug holes in the backyard until he broke his paw. At the vet, they were informed that he was only 9 months old. He barked at everything. He was far from housebroken.

Did they take the dog back?

No. Ronnie worked on housebreaking him. The boys ran around the backyard with him to get his energy out. When he hit two or three yeas old, he settled down and the family had him for SEVENTEEN YEARS. This dog that fit the list, but didn't. He was loved for all those years despite his workable behavior. Rather than giving up on him, they saw the potential and worked through it. They loved him so much that Ronnie sought out his breed again once he passed - Brittney Spaniel.

Having a list is great. There are many ways to find exactly what you are looking for - in the shelter system, through Pet Finder, through private rescue groups. The more detailed you are, the better the match will be.

Don't be married to the list. You might be surprised what comes along that fits just as well. Perhaps, you were looking for a younger dog (two or three) and the rescue group has a six year old that fits you better - if you're looking at a small breed dog, six is YOUNG. Small breed dogs can live 18-20 years so you're still looking at 14 years with that dog. If it fits the rest of the list, why not?

Erik and I were set on having a dog that was past the puppy stages - we did not want to housebreak, or go through the chewing and mouthing stages. But Lily came in the door and she had everything else on our list. So were open to making her a member of our family.

Just as Ronnie and her family lucked out, so did we. We were very glad that we brought Lily home. She's turned out to be a wonderful dog. While we've taken her to training classes and put in our time with her, she also came with a wonderful disposition. That's not something you can train into a dog.

What about you - have you ever wavered from what you originally wanted?

Knowing What You Want

I am a woman of lists. At the moment, I have no less than four lists going - a To Do List (for home), a To Do List (for work), a Grocery List, a Card List. Before I met my husband, I had a List. There were 14 things on it - everything I wanted in a man and I wasn't going to settle. I got all but one (vegan), which wasn't a deal breaker. But I find that lists and knowing what I want are very helpful.

Naturally, when we were ready for our first dog together, we had a list. Here it is:

1) At least two years old.
2) Good with cats.
3) Good with kids.
4) Food motivated (which meant highly trainable)
5) Energetic (had to be able to keep up with us on hikes)
6) American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffie or Staffie Bull mix

We took a lot of grief from one rescue because we didn't want their mostly blind Staffie Bull. I got a nasty little email accusing us of looking for the "perfect dog". I wrote back stating that we didn't want a perfect dog, we simply wanted a dog that was a good match for us. After all, if we're not making good matches, the pet is less likely to stay in the home for it's lifetime. This dog would not have made a good therapy dog because of the eye sight. I couldn't have taken her into the classroom with me like I do with Lily. She did not have the stamina to keep up on hikes. We wanted a dog that would go everywhere with us.

What did we get on our list? All but number one. We ended up with a puppy. She looked like an APBT as a puppy, but has grown into an 80 pound mix that seems to have more mastiff in her. She's great with kids, cats and dogs. She loves when I bring to the classroom with me - especially working with teenage boys. She can't get enough.

It is good to know what you want!

What about you - are you a list person even when it comes to pets?

FUN Friday

It's FRIDAY! Let's have some fun!

There is nothing cuter than the sound of a baby laughing - there is
something about that geniune belly laugh! And when they are
laughing at the family dog? Even cuter!



Here is a humorous look at finding out where your food comes from.
Portlandia: Is it local?



A cat being fed with chopsticks!



And, of course, Jenn's favorite of the week (you knew there was
going to be an APBT involved somewhere). Robin's back (Jenn
wants him really, really bad)!



Have a GREAT weekend, everyone!

Cats Teach Us

How to stretch.










That we can sleep just about anywhere.
On a box...




OR




...in one.










How to share our space.











Even when it's a tight space...










What about you - what have your cats taught you?

FUN Friday

There is nothing cuter than dogs and cats that snuggle and groom each other!


And how about this brave little guy?


Visiting schools is fun for the dogs as well as the kids. Hector got a present from the kids he visited. And he opens it on his own!


We hope you have a GREAT weekend!

Circus Animals

When we were kids, my brothers and I wanted so badly to go to the circus each time it came to town. Our parents refused to take us. They explained to us that it was animal cruelty and not something that they would willingly support. To us, it was child cruelty - how can you not take your kid to the circus? Most of our friends got to go.

As adults, we're grateful that we had such enlightened parents. They were far ahead of their time - teaching us that every living creature mattered and we all were important in the scheme things. It's easy to watch animals in entertainment and forget that they are living, breathing, feeling beings. That they feel pain and fear and stress just like we do. Hats off to my parents for seeing them that way.

What is life like for a performance animal?
Animals in circuses typically travel 11 months of the year, a lifestyle that makes it impossible to meet the needs of wild animals. While they’re traveling, animals spend long periods of time in confinement and social isolation. They’re denied the opportunity to exercise, socialize, forage and play. During travel elephants are typically chained inside of boxcars or trucks. Lions and tigers are usually kept in small travel cages only large enough to stand up and turn around. Trucks and trains are not always heated or air-conditioned, and they might go long periods of time without food and water. The only time animals aren’t confined is when they’re forced to perform.

How do they get the animals to perform?
Animals do not choose to perform - they are forced to perform. The actions performed by circus animals are often completely unnatural to them; in the wild, elephants do not walk on two feet and bears do not ride tricycles. The methods used train these behaviors often include intimidation, physical abuse and deprivation of food and water. Many undercover investigations have provided evidence of animals getting beaten with whips and bull hooks, and shocked with electric prods to perform their routines. Yet even persistent violators of the Animal Welfare Act are rarely prosecuted.

Are circuses safe to attend?
There have been hundreds of instances of animals, trainers, and audience members being hurt and even killed at circuses. No matter how much training an animal has had, wild animals will always remain unpredictable. The stress of enduring abuse and an unnatural lifestyle often builds until the animal finally lashes out. Many trainers have been injured in animal attacks, and audience members have been hurt as well when animals attempt to flee and manage to get past the barriers. If it becomes difficult to recapture the escaped animal, it is usually killed in the name of public safety.

What happens when an animal can no longer perform?
Animals do not enjoy a nice retirement when their performance days are over. Instead they are usually sold to roadside zoos, research labs, or into the exotic pet trade where their lives are equally miserable.

What can I do to help?
Every dollar you spend on entertainment is a vote on whether animals are exploited in the process. If you believe circus animals are treated unjustly, don’t attend any circuses that include animals in their show. There are dozens of circuses that perform throughout the U.S. which provide entertainment without the use of animals.

Fight for state and federal laws that protect animals and raise the standards of care. Current laws are weak and poorly enforced. Some areas have succeeded in keeping circuses away by banning exotic animal performances in their city. Educate friends and family members about what life is really like for these exotic animals, and encourage them not to bring their children to circuses that include animals.

NOTE: THIS VIDEO CONTAINS ANIMAL CRUELTY AND EXPLICIT LANGUAGE AND SHOULD NOT BE VIEWED BY CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18