Our Personal Pet & Rescue Stories

I am very happy to announce and host this new column on our blog.

It is called "Our personal pet and rescue stories".

I will be posting bi-monthly.
You can see the first story here:

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"Slash" ******** A Black Cat Rescue Story

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Since this is Halloween weekend, I thought I'd tell you a personal black cat rescue story.

In October of the year 2000, there was a black kitten (between 6 to 8 months old) in our neighborhood that desperately needed help. I don't know where he came from, but he had been hurt trying to warm up too close to the engine of a car. Cats are known to do this when the weather gets cold & they have no where to go.

A neighbor told me about him, because it was her car that the poor cat had crawled into & when she started the engine, he yeowled, but wouldn't come out from under the hood of the car.
I immediately ran out to see if I could get close enough to him, to try to see if I could coax him out & help him. He turned out to be a very sweet cat.

I called him Slash because he had a slash on the top of his head where the engine fan had obviously cut him & he had a big gaping wound in his back leg. I took him to my house & tried to clean his wounds the best I could. The tear in his hind leg looked a couple of days old, but the cut in his head looked fresh.

To tell you the truth, at that time, I didn't know what I was going to be able to do for him. He actually needed a few stitches. I could not keep him & I couldn't afford to take him to the vet. Having some knowledge about wounds, I cleaned & bandaged his leg. That's when I, teasingly, started calling him Slash. For some reason, he knew I was trying to help him & wouldn't hurt him, so it was fairly easy to tend to his wounds. He was also very happy & content to be inside.

I called every rescue place to see if someone could take him, but they were all full. I thought he needed more medical attention than I could give him. I called our local Humane Society and they said that, because it was October and around Halloween, that they wouldn't accept or adopt out black cats until some time in November & that I should try calling back then, if I didn't find someone to take him.

I recalled learning about an ointment that was used on horses & other animals with deep wounds. At that time we had a local farm & feed store, so I went there and fortunately they had it. I talked to a salesman there, read the directions, took it home and put it all over Slash's wounds & wrapped his leg again. The only problem was, it had an awful smell and the bandages kept sliding down his leg. Of course he gave them a little help.

Slash was such a sweetheart & never once thought about going back outside. He loved being indoors. I knew that he would make a great pet for someone who would just love & care for him. He stayed with me a few more weeks & his wounds were healing. Eventually, I was able to take him to our Humane Society in late November and it was hard to say good bye to him after what he and I had been through together. I was just grateful & happy that I was able to help him when I did & that he pulled through it like a trooper. I knew that he would get the medical attention he needed & get neutered, that he wouldn't be put to sleep and he had a great personality for his new caregivers and hopefully, a new forever home and family that would love this great black cat. I will never forget Slash.

Written by BJ

Expressions

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A Brave Puppy is rescued from a puppy mill: ********

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By Sandy----DLM designs

This particular story is about my Princess Millicent Puddlemaker:

Millie, is a tri-color 15" beagle that I rescued from a nearby puppy mill. I know better than to do adoptions in this manner however, as soon as I saw her, I knew she was in trouble. Millie had 6 different parasites growing inside her intestines. She had blood in her stool, vomiting blood and unable to eat or drink anything. I bought her believing that she did not have much time and whatever time she did have, I was bound and determined to make it the best I could. I took her to my vet who looked at me with tear filled eyes and asked me "Do you really want to do this?" She stated that she was familiar with this individual from whom I did purchase Millie and assured me that a good outcome was not in my favor. Now, understand, I am a firm believer in putting our precious pets out of misery and not letting them suffer, when Millie looked at me, I knew she was begging me to save her life.

So it began, thousands of dollars in vet bills, bottles and bottles of pills, ointments,many sleepless nights and iv's, we even discovered that Little Millie had an infestation of a feline lung larvae! Yes, you heard correctly, a FELINE lung larvae! My dedicated vet was truly unsure of how to treat this as she had never come across this before. She decided to treat it as she would in a cat and see what happens. Millie at this point had a horrible cough, almost like an asthma attack, only able to walk for about 5 minutes, eating a special diet from the vet ($7.00 a can and one can a day!) I kept her in my arms constantly and spoon fed her while giving her fluids with an eye dropper.

I told Millie that she was the bravest little puppy I had ever come across and after a few weeks of this, my heart was breaking at the thought of losing her. So much for my rational thought earlier! I knew that I would just love her better! Day by day, she started to get a bit stronger,, the pills started to decrease, the ointments and tests were almost done. I pursued legally a lawsuit with the owner of the puppy mill, however, I was advised that he did not do anything legally wrong as he did offer to take my baby girl back and refund my money. Yeah right!

I am happy to say that today, my Princess Millie is alive and doing o.k., she does have that constant cough, she has a horrible skin condition which requires constant meds, she has chronic ear infections but she has more love in her little heart that most people I know. She does believe she is part human now, she sits up on her behind to watch TV, she will whine if she is not getting any attention, she shares my pillow with me at night as long as she is under the covers! I love her to pieces and I thank God for her every day. Also, the individual that I mentioned earlier, he was arrested 2 weeks ago for animal neglect and all of his animals have now been turned over to animal control so that they can get ready for adoption to their forever homes!

Millie has taught me that sometimes it does pay to listen to your heart, I am so glad I did! I hope you enjoy my story, see below for a picture of , my Princess Millie!

This story was sent in by: DLM designsbysandy. Sandy has a studio on Artfire and is a member of our Crafting For Animals Guild/CFA-Guild.

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We love hearing about the rescues of many types of animals and each of us has our own pet or pets stories we'd like to share with our readers. You can even tell us a story of a family member's pet or rescue experience. We just want to keep these our personal experiences & within our families, a member of our guild or even an animal lover who follows our blog, I would love to post your pet and/or animal rescue story.
For more information, please visit our Members' Only Page at: https://sites.google.com/site/crafting4animals/cfaactivities/get-your-pet-story-published

Happy Halloween!

Showcasing their beauty are Sandy of DLM Designs by Sandy.

Little Lexy, my 3 year old min-pin (the good witch!)

Milo Spunkmeyer, my 1 year old Lhaso Apso (Batdog)


Princess Millicent Puddlemaker, my 2 year old beagle (pumpkin)


Lucy Lu, my 4 year old beagle (miss piggy!)

And yes, they all will be going around my neighborhood on Halloween! My neighbors are the best and they expect them every year!

Thank you for letting me share my babies with you!

November 2010 Newsletter:

Our newest newsletter is out. Here is a recap:

• The Secret's Out Contest
• Submit Your Pet Story
• Our October Blog Posts
• November Initiative: Make a Collection and Share it With Us
• Membership Committee Members Wanted
• New Leader Introductions
• Our New Members

The Secrets Out Contest at the Crafting ...

Curated By: TantalizingSt...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Soap

Sea Turtles…………Fascinating and Endangered…………….by Pam Todd

One of the creatures that has been on the earth for an extremely long number of years is the turtle.  They fascinate me.  At one point during my teaching career, our elementary school staff decided to name our classrooms with an animal name.  There were the Pandas, Mustangs, Rabbits, Whales, Hawks, Owls, Eagles, and Bears, to name a few.  And, then there was my classroom….the Turtles.  We studied sea turtles, land turtles, wrote a class newspaper entitled “The Turtle Times,” and created turtle art, music, and poetry.  We even had a classroom turtle in an aquarium tank during one school year.  Little did we know how much he did not like that environment until I took him home for the summer, set the tank on the front porch, and by morning, he had managed to climb out and make his way into the woods, where we saw him and all hope he lived happily every after!

Needless to say, sea turtles are the focus of much research and study, because they are in danger of extinction due to commercial fishing, environmental dangers, and accidents.  They are varied and beautiful – the Kemp’s Ridley, Green Turtle, Leatherback, Loggerhead, Olive Ridleys, and Hawksbill – and they are all on the high or very high endangered species list.  Only the Flatback sea turtle is not considered endangered.  The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) makes it illegal to disturb or interfere with sea turtles or their eggs.

Commercial fishing is one of the dangers to sea turtles.  Since  1983, federal law has required devices to assure that turtles can escape fishing nets be used on  all trawlers operating in U.S. waters with populations of sea turtles.  This device, called a Turtle Excluder Device, was developed by the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service.  Shrimp can pass through it to the back of the net, and turtles can move through the trapdoor and back into the sea before becoming entangled in the net.

A second risk to the sea turtle population is polluted waters, such as those created by the Gulf Oil Spill.  Proactive creation of wildlife refuges is an attempt to provide safe, clean environments in which sea turtles can live and breed.  In 1991, 900 acres between Melbourne Beach and Wabasso Beach, Florida were acquired, with local agencies and private groups sharing the cost.  This area is an extremely important nesting place for Western Hemisphere loggerheads, U.S. green sea turtles, and the northernmost Atlantic Coast point for leatherback nesting.  This area has resulted in an increase in the number of counted loggerhead nests from ten in 1996 to 39 in 2001.  Because this refuge area is considered prime commercial real estate development, government funding is essential to preserve it.

Accidents also claim the lives of sea turtles.  They come in from the ocean to lay their eggs on beaches.   After laying their eggs, the adult females return to the ocean.  When their eggs hatch, the hatchlings instinctively crawl towards the brightest light, which should be the sky above the sea.  However, beach lighting and car lights from nearby roads often confuse them, they crawl the wrong way, and sometimes are crushed under the wheels of passing automobiles, become dehydrated, or are eaten by predators. A low pressure sodium vapor light can be used on the beaches, and this kind of lighting may reduce the disorientation of the hatchlings.  This has been encouraged in many beach communities.

To find out more about sea turtles, and how you can help protect them, check out this link:  http://www.seaturtles.org.  You can also find out more about the characteristics, habits, and habitats at this link: http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/SeaTurtle/stadapt.html and threats at http://www.conserveturtles.org/seaturtleinformation.php?page=threats

(Photos downloaded from a free site with permission to use personally or commercially.)

This blog post written by Pam Todd, www.bagsandmorebypam.artfire.com, who loves learning about all animals, and who creates some items for animals (although hasn’t yet determined a way to make anything for turtles!)

Technorati Tags: turtles,sea turtles,endangered species,ocean life,hatchlings,green turtles,loggerhead turtles,leatherback turtles,Kemp's Ridley turtles,Olive Ridley turtles,wildlife refuges,pandas,bears,rabbits,mustangs,hawks,owls,eagles,whales,Florida,crafting for animals guild,turtle protection,beaches,polluted waters,Gulf Oil Spill,Turtle Restoration Project,animals

An Animal's Will to Live

Mia's Story

After watching this heart-wrenching video of a rottweiler named Mia who came back to life after being put to sleep stirred my curiosity about euthanasia and I just have to wonder if there are more animals out there who weren't actually dead after they were put down. Further, after seeing this report, I began to think about an animal's will to live and how society currently handles not only animals, but people who are suffering. In Mia's story, the vet's office refused to comment, and while the worker commented that she'd never seen this before, I have to wonder how common it might really be, and to think of an animal being buried or cremated alive sends chills down my spine. Maybe it was a one time thing, or perhaps for Mia it just wasn't her time to go, or maybe her will to live pulled her through.

We humans make tough decisions when our pets or other animals are suffering, and sometimes we decide that it would be better to put the animal out of its misery. I wonder if an animal should have the right to live out its life if it had a choice, or if perhaps humans should have the same options as an animal to end their own suffering. Although it may sound absurd to even my ears to allow an innocent animal to suffer when the alternative is painless, we don't allow humans to make that decision for themselves because its seen as something that isn't our choice to make, that is, unless the person is on life support with no chance of normal human life without it. Both suicide and mercy killing are highly frowned upon no matter the level of pain a person may be in, so why is it is considered the most humane thing we can do for animals that are suffering? I am left to wonder, which is the more humane thing to do?

Written by Tsilos Schoener,

TS Beading

October 2010 CFA Newsletter: Read our Blog! Join our Membership Committee! Meet our New Members!

So sorry for the delay! You should have or shortly will receive our
October newsletter.

You can find it and past issues here:
http://www.tantalizingstitches.com/newsletter/mail.cgi/list/CFA/

Just to point out some important stuff (more details in the
newsletter):
- Please support our blog columnists by reading their posts and
comment: http://crafting4animals.blogspot.com

-Get featured on our blog! All you need to do is do one or more CFA
activities a month to be featured each month. Then, report each month
here: http://crafting4animals.blogspot.com/2009/10/reporting-your-cfa-activ...

- Let me know if you would like to join our Membership Committee. This
committee will help shape our goals and requirements for membership.

- Pam of Bags and More By Pam has been featured in our leaders
section. Please take a look.

- Lastly, we have TONS of new members. Please say hi by adding them to
your market or sending them a message.

Thanks,
El
CFA Guildmaster
Bag Makin' Supplies at Tantalizing Stitches: http://tantalizingstitches.com
Crocheted Hats at Elephant Dance: http://elephantdance.net

Missouri, Proposition B, and Puppy Mills

Dog Paw Keychain by TS Beading

There's been a lot of talk in Missouri about the upcoming ballot containing Proposition B, also known as the Puppy Mill Initiative, an Initiative State Statute, that would help stop puppy mill cruelty.  Of the seven states that are known as "puppy mill states" due to having the largest number of puppy mills in the Country, Missouri is the leader.  Earlier this year a petition was submitted to the Secretary of State with 190,000 signatures requesting tougher laws on puppy mills.  This proposition is now known as Proposition B, and will be on voter's ballots in Missouri on November 2, 2010.  While this doesn't pertain to many of us who do not live in Missouri, it is a step in the right direction.  Hopefully with the successful passage of Proposition B, other states will follow. 

What is Proposition B?
 According to Ballotpedia, the ballot will ask, "Shall Missouri law be amended to:

• require large-scale dog breeding operations to provide each dog under their care with sufficient food, clean water, housing and space; necessary veterinary care; regular exercise and adequate rest between breeding cycles;
• prohibit any breeder from having more than 50 breeding dogs for the purpose of selling their puppies as pets; and
• create a misdemeanor crime of “puppy mill cruelty” for any violations?"

These seem like basic things that any domesticated animal should have, yet there are many puppy mills that don't give their breeding animals or puppies even the basics listed above.  I know this because there is a lot of opposition to this proposition, and from what I've read, the opposition's largest complaint is the money that it would take to get their facilities up to the new standard. One comment that I read even said something along the lines of, "it would cost our facility $50,000 USD to get our facility up to that standard," and then, "whoever wrote up this proposition apparently never owned an animal."  What I have to say is this, if they complain about the costs of providing the basics for their animals, then apparently there is a huge problem going on, further, if they can't afford the basics, then they don't need the amount of animals that they have in their care.  Plus, I've had many animals in my life and I agree with the above being the absolute minimum that any domesticated animal should have.

Another argument is along the lines of law enforcement.  Right now the law won't get involved unless there is a claim of animal cruelty that could take a long time to get the animal the basics, but with the new state initiated statute, it would be a crime involving local law enforcement.  Specifically, it would be a Misdemeanor B.  It is said that the government is trying to get a foothold in the agriculture business "where it doesn't belong," but I say it does belong. I've read enough articles, seen enough photos, and have read reports by the US Humane Society, including their report entitled, "Missouri's Dirty Dozen," to know that these dogs and puppies are being abused, and since so many breeders are being that irresponsible, it's time that the law does step in.  

Written by Tsilos Schoener

TS Beading

Did You Ever Wonder?……………………………..Pam Todd

Have you ever been curious about the different breeds of dogs, their characteristics and habits? I’m always interested in my friends and the kind of dogs they like. My good friends, Priscilla and Brent, have three Italian Greyhounds…..Nash, Ruger, and Colt. And this is their story, along with some facts about the breed in general.

This cutie is Colt, the newest addition to the family. The dogs are each 1 1/2 years apart in age, and Colt just arrived earlier this year. He is the baby and thinks every time he comes in from outside that he should have a treat. Those treats are reserved for pottying though, and so he doesn’t get one every time he wants one!

Sometimes the dogs sleep curled up on their own, and other times they like to snuggle. This is Nash, who has a beautiful dark brown and white coat. Italian greyhounds come in many colors: gray, slate gray, red, fawn, blue, black, white or cream. They can be white with color markings or color with white markings. Italian greyhounds are slender fine-boned little dogs.

Their short, glossy coats are not much protection from the cold or the heat. Ruger loves sleeping half under the covers with his head resting on the pillow. Little Colt likes to snuggle up to Ruger. Nash likes burrowing totally under the covers! They get cold easily during the winter months and don’t stay outside long except to potty or to go for their walks, and then need jackets or sweaters to stay warm.

Recently Nash, Ruger, and Colt headed south for a vacation. For their walk along the white, sandy beach, they sported colorful jackets to avoid getting sunburned and to stay warm against the cool morning breezes along the coast. They got to stay in a home with a fenced backyard, and so they were free to run and play during their trip.

Colt stayed a true Indiana Colts fan, wearing his collar all throughout his trip to Florida. I can only imagine Colt saying to Brent, “What’s up with all this traffic, Dude?” Italian Greyhounds are playful, keen, affectionate, intelligent, and kind-mannered. Their main goal is to do nothing more than please their owners. No doubt, that’s the reason Colt is keeping an eye on the road during their trip!

Nash is the oldest of the three members of Priscilla and Brent’s family. He is well trained and can be depended on to potty outside. All three were trained by receiving treats after taking care of business. Italian Greyhounds are sensitive to the tone of the human voice, and is reported on a website about their breed that they will not listen if they sense that they have a stronger mind than their owners. But, they also will not respond to harsh discipline.

This photo was taken before Colt’s arrival. Nash and Ruger are enjoying a walk on the way to the park near their home, where they enjoy romping and playing. Their favorite toy is called a Womba, a ball with long strands hanging from it. They love to go after the Womba after it is thrown and bring it back and do it again and again and again! Italian Greyhounds enjoy their daily walks which give them the exercise they need.

Ruger likes lying on the porch and basking in the sun. The shoes next to him give a size comparison for these dogs. Their height can range from 12 – 15 inches, and their weight from 6 – 10 pounds. There are two weight categories: 8 pounds maximum, and over 8 pounds. These dogs do well in a quiet household, but also get along with children and other dogs and cats as long as their humans display leadership.

Thanks to Priscilla Withman Holmes, hairstylist extraordinaire at Colleen Cavenny’s Salon and Day Spa in Franklin, IN and to her husband, Brent, manager of a jewelry store in the Greenwood Mall,for sharing their dogs with us. Nash, Ruger, and Colt truly are gentle, affectionate, intelligent, and bring great pleasure to their family.

This blogspot feature is written by Pam Todd, whose hand-crocheted items for dogs, people, and homes may be found at www.bagsandmorebypam.artfire.com

Technorati Tags: Italian Greyhounds,dogs,dog characteristics,dog breeds,dog training,animals,pets,PriscillaHolmesWitham,PamelaTodd,bagsandmorebypam,artfire,animal lovers

Life and Death in Captivity - RIP Kalina

I have enjoyed my share of visiting the zoo, the circus, the local pet shops, the large aquariums, and any other place that I could view real, live animals in their simulated homes. As an animal lover, I also enjoyed watching the commercials for Sea World, and even wished that someday I could go to Sea World and see the sea animals do spectacular tricks. I bet there's a ton of "oooohs," and "aaahhhhs" throughout the show, and much excitement and clapping to see the sea creatures perform amazing feats for the audience. However, a few years ago I was enlightened and today I will never, ever again visit a zoo, a circus, and definitely not Sea World or the like, no matter how entertaining it might be for me, an animal should not have to suffer for my enjoyment.


Recently there have been a couple orca (killer whale) deaths at Sea World, deaths for unknown reasons. Actually, there is much data collected to show that these large, long-lived animals do not belong in captivity. The United States Humane Society released a press release today that shows a collection of data taken from the past 45 years showing that these large family-oriented mammals do not survive or thrive in captivity. Not only are the Orcas dying in captivity, but there have been quite a few human deaths related to these animals, yet in the wild these animals have been known to live 90 years and there are no reports of human deaths related to these animals despite the many contacts humans have made. The question being begged to ask is why?

Have you ever thought about what is going on from the animals' perspectives?

First, they are captured and taken from their homes, their families, their extended families or herds, then they are doomed to spend the rest of their lives behind bars in a simulated environment much smaller than the home they came from. They will no longer spend their entire lives with their family members as they would in the wild, and no longer will they be able to swim through the ocean for 100 miles a day or pick their own mate. They will now be fed simulated meals and no longer have to hunt for their food, and while this may seem like an easy life, to them it is taking away a part of who they are and what they instinctively know to do. They are then trained to do tricks and "act" for us humans, so that we can be entertained by them, but have you ever wondered how these animals are trained? The ways they are disciplined for unruly behavior? Yet when the animals acts out and hurts or kills their trainer or another human being we blame the animal.

I always just accepted that these animals were meant to amuse me, as a human being. I never thought about what they must endure. I never thought of what is going on behind the scenes, and I never thought about how difficult it must be for them to live under these circumstances in their simulated environments, to be taken from their homes, separated from their families, and forced to put on a show for human amusement. Yes, this is exactly what it comes down to: animals being abused so that we humans can be amused and a few can gain economically, and this problem persists because those of us who want to be entertained pay to view these captive animals. Many people still see nothing wrong with this! If we turn the tables and put ourselves in their paws, wings, or fins for just a moment, I think we would all agree that this is wrong and unethical, and a serious invasion of the rights of God's creatures.


Think about this scenerio for a few moments:  What would happen if Orcas took over the world and starting collecting select humans and keeping them in simulated, escape-proof environments in the middle of the ocean, far away from our family, friends, and homelands; kept us in tiny cages where we could never stretch or exercise how we were intended to do, and then began training us with whips and zappers for their entertainment and to make money off of us. Would this be exploitation? How about an abuse of our rights? Would that be unethical? Would we be a bit resentful? Angry? Frustrated? Depressed? Lonely? Would we and our young ones survive to a ripe, old age? And do you suppose that we would sometimes lash out when we've had enough emotionally, physically, and psychologically? And if so, who's fault would that be, and how should we be disciplined for acting out?  Should our penalty be to be put down? 

"A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history." ~Ghandi

RIP Kalina and all other animals who have died in captivity due to human entertainment.

Written by Tsilos Schoener

TS Beading

A Collection curated by 3peepsdesigns

Crafting for Animals Guild Collection 13

Curated By: 3PeepsDesigns

ArtFire.com

Indie Design