Who Rescued Whom?...............by Lisa of OBXPuparazzi

Stormy was a dog I rescued from a horrible living situation.  Her owner neglected her terribly and kept her tied outside, with an extension cord that was plugged in and was wrapped several times around a post, to keep her from escaping.  The owner fed it whenever he remembered to, which was apparently not often, and never groomed her.

When my favorite dog, Navajo, had to be put down, I was devastated at his loss.  Stormy's owner offered her to me, and I couldn't say no to her.  She was supposed to be a Golden Retriever and Collie mix, but she was muddy, matted and emaciated.

She patiently tolerated being bathed and clipped nearly bald to release her from a felted mass of fur that encased her like armor.  I nursed her through a very tough heartworm treatment that I wasn't sure she would survive.  Stormy slowly recovered from the treatment, and filled out from a scrawny 46 pounds to a healthy 75-pound dog with flowing golden fur.  You could see both the Golden Retriever and Collie in her then.  She learned how to play with dog toys and developed a sly sense of humor.

Nearly two years later, she returned the favor when I found out I had cancer.  It was found late, totally by accident, and the doctors were concerned that it might not be treatable.  Stormy stuck to me like Velcro while I cried my way through the first few days after the diagnosis.

After my surgery, which was successful, she stayed next to the recliner or laid next to me on the bed as I slowly recovered.  She grew to hate Wednesdays, which were my chemo days.  She would pace and huff when I was getting ready to go, and glare sternly at my husband.

When I returned home, with often barely enough energy to crawl off to bed and sleep until the next day, she would give my husband the most disgusted looks, as if to say, "I knew I shouldn't have trusted you to keep her safe!" and she would curl up next to me, giving Dave "The Look" every time he came to check on me.  If I was restless at night, she was up to follow me around the house.  She took to laying on top of my slippers, to make sure I didn't sneak off without her knowing.  Several times, when I woke up feeling very ill, she would wake my husband.  He and I both appreciated her attentiveness and her good nurse instincts.

Having Stormy's company made a tough time in my life a lot easier to bear, and I like to think she was paying me back for rescuing her from hell on earth.  Stormy had been 9 years old when she was rescued, and lived to the surprising age of 19.  I've always thought that the Lord gave her a whole other life to make up for the first part that was so awful.

**********************
Written by Lisa of OBXPuparazzi on ArtFire where you will find many handmade dog bandanas sewn by Lisa (the crazy dog lady!) and delightful wooden toys made by Dave who is a self-taught woodworker whose intarsia pieces are sought out by galleries in their local area. Be sure to check out these items and more in Lisa's studio and contact her with any questions.

One Dollar, One Day, One Life......by Josie of Whiskers' Syndicate

Map courtesy of internationalsilatfederation.com

Bandung is Indonesia's breeder capital. Out of 2 million people living in this city, more than 500 thousand of them are backyard breeders, the other 50 thousand are registered breeders. Those terrifying numbers are not including cross-breeders: people who cross-breed one pedigree to another and sell the result, the good one.

The bad ones? Or the ones unsold? They are dumped in the landfills, thrown away on the markets, in the middle of the street (God knows how they survive in one piece). These outcasts mingle with street cats, breed, and Bandung is now overflowing with over 400,000 stray cats, 20,000 street dogs, and the equation multiplies fast. 

To deal with this problem fast and cheap way, the government will drop their animal control army, scoop every animal on site, cram them in their truck (the one used to deliver things, so there's no holes or air in there) and bring all the poor cats and dogs to the zoo. There they massacred them, and give their meat to the alligators, the lions, the bear, the tigers, the... well, some traditional ethnicity here still eat cats and dogs for Christmas and on other festivities.

Renoir and Edward - Two Rescued Kittens

In the wake of this terror, and with the help of supporters everywhere (usually from Care2.com members around the world), I am trying to save whichever I can. I ended up only taking in those who are special: the crippled, the mute, the blind, the deaf, the paralyzed, those who otherwise will die miserably on the street, and keep the rest on the road (sorry, guys!). I spend most of my salary to spay/neuter and feed them. I do this for 3.5 years since I first set foot to Bandung.

It's a hard job. 400 thousand vs 1 girl is not going to be a fair match, but I am still going to give these animals another extra mile. So I am on a campaign for donations now, using the advantage of currency rates.

Here in Indonesia, 1 US dollar equals 9,000 Rupiah (that's Indonesian money) so what cannot do much in US (or other part of the world perhaps) can do a lot in Indonesia. It can, obviously, feed one stray cat/dog for one day.

Well, one day is nothing, yes, for us, but it can change the course of an animal's life. At least they can have one more hug, one more stroke on the head, one more chance.

Those who want to donate 1 dollar can do it through this PayPal address: whiskerssyndicate@gmail.com with a note saying "1 Dollar 1 Life".

I got an offer from a catnip gardener (Catnip does not grow in Indonesia so I have to import them). She will send me as much catnip from her for free, in which I must make into as many catnip mouse as I can to fund raise. Starting January 1, 2012 there will be a "buy 1 get 1 free" for my catnip mouse toy in ArtFire!

Written by Josie of WhiskersSyndicate, her shop on ArtFire where you can find many unique and adorable handmade kitty-related creations, all being offered to help raise funds for her one-person animal rescue. Josie is a new member of the Crafting for Animals Guild on ArtFire and is anxious to get to know other members and join in as much as possible to support the guild in any way she can. Check out her blog at http://www.whiskerssyndicate.com/ and learn more.

Why Shop When You Can Save?...............By Kathryn A. Gainard

A little over a year ago I adopted Dori from Close to Home Animal Rescue. In the pictures she looked like an adorable little ball of fur… a Yorkie-Cairn terrier mix, I knew she’d be perfect to go with my other two dogs, Winnie & Tigger (oddly enough, I didn’t name either and they were separate rescues, even… I suppose they were just fated to be together.) 

Dori - Mother's Day 2011

After reading a little about Dori, I began to uncover more and more about the horrors of puppy mills and commercial kennels.

Dori came from a puppy mill in northeast Ohio and was one of the very very few lucky enough to escape. Someone had turned her into the pound after she was no longer profitable to them. And even luckier for me, I got to take her in. She was covered in mats and barely recognizable; her physical torture was easy to see, but her mental and emotional torture was even more prominent. I went through numerous interviews with the ladies of C.H.A.R. because she was so terrified and an incredible flight risk. Men, in particular, sent her into a complete panic. She would run frantically into the wall to escape even just the eye contact from a male. It was in her eyes that I saw the sheer terror, though. She has some of the sweetest eyes I’ve ever seen and it was heart-wrenching to look into them and know that she was in agony.

When we’d play on the floor with Winnie and Tigger she’d stand down the hall and watch… wanting so badly to join in but frozen in fear. After about a month, she stopped looking so scared when you’d go to pet her. At about 6 months she played with her first toy. She even destroyed one of my file boxes but I was so happy to see her acting like a dog that I didn’t care. She doesn’t run into walls anymore, but men still frighten her a bit. Her tail wagging is becoming more and more frequent and she now lays totally out in the open at my feet.

Dori with Xmas Bone

A lot of people ask me what difference it makes whether they buy their pet from the pet store or whether they adopt one from the shelter. And it’s a very simple answer:

When you buy your pet, you’re perpetuating the puppy mill market. Puppy mills are the number one resource for pet store inventory. If people stopped buying from the pet stores, the profitability of the puppy mills would decrease and they would end. And so would one facet of animal abuse.

Some facts about puppy mills:

1.  Very often the dogs in puppymills are covered with matted, filthy hair, their teeth are rotting and their eyes have ulcers. We have seen many dogs whose jaws have rotted because of tooth decay.

2.  Many dogs lose feet and legs when they are caught in the wire floors of the cages and cut off as the dog struggles to free themselves.

3.  Very often there is no heat or air-conditioning in a puppymill. The dogs freeze in the winter and die of heat stroke in the summer. Puppies "cook" on the wires of the cages in the summer.

4.  Female dogs are usually bred the first time they come into heat and are bred every heat cycle. They are bred until their poor worn out bodies can't reproduce any longer and then they are killed. Often they are killed by being bashed in the head with a rock or shot. Sometimes they are sold to laboratories or dumped. This is often by the time they reach five years old.

For more information about puppy mills and how to help stop them visit: http://www.prisonersofgreed.org/Commercial-kennel-facts.html

Also, when you adopt, the shelters have given the necessary veterinary care to the animals. Vaccinations, check-ups, spay/neutering, dental, toenails, grooming, etc, have all been done to ensure a healthy, happy life for you and your pet. Pet stores guarantee nothing and are held liable for nothing.

Another reason to adopt rather than shop, is the fact that the money that goes toward an adoption helps protect the animals and their rights in your area. So many dogs & cats end up in shelters, neglected and forgotten without any hope. Wanting nothing more than a family and home. Adopting helps shelters take these animals in and keep them out of the over-flowing pounds. Adopting helps them find homes. Adopting helps control the population with spay and neuter clinics. Adopting helps save lives.

As an animal lover, wouldn’t you rather save than shop?

Submitted by Kate of A Dying Art Co. on ArtFire where you can find many of her creative projects for people and pets, as well as her website: ADyingArtCompanyLtd.com. Kate is a very active volunteer with the Crafting for Animals Guild and uses her talents generously to help the guild in every way she possibly can.

She is one of many members participating in the coupon week from 10/23 through 10/29 to help raise funds for the Close to Home Animal Rescue group in Ohio/Pennsylvania, the spotlight charity for CFA Guild during October in honor of National Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month. Read all about the promotion HERE, or the box below, and get the coupon code so you can shop with Kate and the other guild artisans during that week.

My Pet Story--In Memory of Thomas...........by-----BJ

In Memory of THOMAS:
1992 - 4/11/2009

This is probably the hardest pet story for me to tell, because it’s about my best friend “Thomas-Tommy” who passed over in April of 2009.
Since the 2nd. Anniversary of his passing was April 11th., I felt it was time and that I owed it to him, before I could tell any stories of the three critters I have now.
____________________________________________________________________
I had managed to get this great job as asst. manager of a high end gift shop at our mall in 1991. I love collectibles, figurines, artist dolls, Bradford exchange items & other unique statues & gifts that this shop offered. I was in gift heaven.
I had just moved to the town that I live in because of this job and I loved being in the mall. During lunch breaks or after work, I often shopped the other stores. I was ready for a kitten/cat and I checked the pet store that was there, at the time. This pet store was associated with a couple of vet offices in the area & sold cats that had been taken to the shelters or abandoned kittens, after medical checks, spay or neutering.
I walked in, only to be greeted by a sweet affectionate black 9 month old female cat, who had just been spayed. I fell in love with her & that was it. I had to give her a few days for recovery before I could take her home and I called her “Kiki”. She was just a wonderful loving cat and I never regretted the day I chose her.
When I took Kiki home, I told them that I was looking for a male kitten/cat with long silvery grey fur, because I had a couple of them before. One week later, I received a call in my store that they had gotten one in that was 14 weeks old and I went immediately to see him, when I got a break.
When I walked into the pet store, they told me that the kitten was in the back, getting a beauty treatment. I walked back & saw this gorgeous grey kitten in a cage with his fur blowing as if in the wind. He had just had a bath & they were gently drying him on the low speed of a hair dryer that was hooked up outside his cage, in front of him. It was so cute. Naturally I took him and made arrangements to pick him up & take him home after work.

I was elated, because here I was, in a new apartment, with a new job I loved, and two great cats, which were part of a few of my favorite breed types. How fortunate I felt.

Well, Kiki ended up being just the perfect cat and she took to Tommy ( which was named after the cat in Tom & Jerry). She was more mellow and Thomas was a rascal.
His nose was into everything and he wanted to watch everything that was going on.
So, I ended up putting Tommy on my shoulder to watch while I was cooking or doing dishes etc. because he was snoopy & loved heights. He loved that I carried him around the house like that constantly. He had to be up on the bathroom sink, if I was getting ready to go to work or anywhere else. He especially loved the smell of “clean” things & wanted to be held and cuddle around my neck after every shower.

I let them go out on my patio balcony, which was 1 & ½ stories up. There was another floor above us. We lived with the front of our apartment next to a glassed in hallway, so there was, sort of, a center, doorway, roof peak, to one side of our patio, at the entrance.
Thomas scared the heck out of me at first when he learned to jump from the patio to that pointed roof and then jumped from there to the roof, which was flat and it was crazy of him to do it. He brought home 2 or 3 birds one year and we had a bit of a battle with me trying to get the (still alive) birds from his mouth to let them go & fly away. I think he thought I didn't appreciate his efforts.
One evening, just after dark, he came in with a dark figure of a bird ( I thought) and it got free from him in our kitchen, after I chased him in there with it hanging from his mouth. Very quickly, I realized that it wasn’t a bird, but a black bat & panic set in with me screeching of course and I was trying to figure out what to do, to capture this bat & get it out of my house. I was petrified. YEEK!!
Eventually I caught the bat & trapped him between the side of my broom and in the dust pan. I flew to the patio door & threw it up in the air to fly away, with Tommy right there beside me, all of the while, not understanding why I didn’t appreciate his great gift.
Over the period of five years, Tommy made friends with the neighbors & their cats by going to the roof & getting down on their patios. Everyone loved Thomas.
Another favorite time for us, is when I would rock Tommy & Kiki in my rocker like babies. Kiki was merely OK with it once in a while, but Thomas “Loved it” and would cuddle & fall to sleep often. He was my sweet baby boy then. I rocked him for years and sometimes danced with him on my shoulder around the room. He loved that too. My daughter said she had never seen a cat so spoiled, because she'll never forget me cleaning his fuzzy little long haired butt, one time, when he had a messy accident. No wonder he thought I was his mother, she said. LOL!

Then, the following summer, my youngest daughter, who lived with me at the time, said she stopped by the pet store & I HAD to look at this new kitten that they just got in. She said she fell in love & knew that I would too, if I saw him. At first I was saying no & we didn’t need another cat etc., but she convinced me, because they had let her bring him with her to show me at work. Oh great! I saw “Max” for the first time. Max was a darling little long fur tuxedo kitten and she was right, I fell in love instantly & took him home. Kiki was Ok with him, but he was a feisty kitten & went after Thomas constantly to play. They ended up becoming good buddies & brothers. All of us lived a charmed life for 5 years, then I decided to move. We moved to the top part of a pretty 2 story house, near downtown & the kittles had more room & a big sun porch to play on.
However, that only lasted a year, because in that year I became totally disabled & had to give up my job. There were several adjustments we had to make & one of them was losing part of our happy family. Where I was moving to, didn’t allow pets. I was sick & frantic & it was too late to change anything. Eventually, I tried to find them good homes, but I only found someone to take Tommy. Poor Kiki & Max ended up in a shelter. It was so hard to take, and after a week, the lady that took Tommy called me up & said she couldn’t keep him, so I went to get him. In one way, I was so glad and in another, I didn’t know what to do then. But, I found out I could keep Tommy by getting a letter from my doctor recommending animal companionship. I did just that, because I had been so depressed over losing them & was determined to keep Tommy somehow. It was an omen to me that we were meant to stay together. Thomas and I were ready to spend the rest of our lives together. He was approximately 6 years old then.

He was always so healthy and active. We got extremely close and learned each other’s habit and developed our own language between us. He knew what I was saying and I knew what he was saying. He had certain meows that meant different things and he learned what I wanted when I said certain things, like “Lets go to bed or Let’s go outside” etc. We learned to carry on our own personal conversations about almost anything. Some cats are highly intelligent.
He became my best friend & confidant. We would go for walks together, because I never let him outside without me. He met & was kind to other cats and became friends with a couple in the neighborhood. He had such a gentle, kind & loving spirit. Everyone knew & loved him here too. I sometimes called him Boo or Bubba.
Thomas went through his share of dealing with cats & kittens, who taunted him over the years, that spent time with us. He let kittens play & jump on him & bite his butt & all of the things kittens do, but he had amazing patience & tolerance.

Over the next 10 years we were content with each other and I had never left him alone for any period of time, until My dad got very ill 3 & ½ years ago. My parents lived in another state, so I ended up having to leave Tommy for a couple of weeks. The first time ever apart for more than a night.
I got a neighbor girl who just loved him to look after him while I was gone. In less than 2 months, I made 3 trips to my parents & on the last one, Dad passed away. I was deeply distraught and I missed & worried about Thomas too. After Dad was buried and I went home, Thomas was so excited to see me, he had missed me so much. The first time I came back after the first 2 week stay, he ran around like a crazy kitten for 2 or 3 days, he was so happy. He made things a little easier for me, but he knew I was terribly sad. He only had a lot of patience & love to offer me.

Almost two years after that, Tommy got ill for the first time in his life and although he was throwing up from time to time, I didn’t take it seriously for a couple of months. I know now, that I should have been more concerned. He was drinking tons of water and cried out when he went to the bathroom. I made an appt. then to get him to the vet, though I had this dread inside that it was coming to an end. He was 17 years old in April of 2009 and the vet built him up with IV’s & meds, but said it may just hold him a little longer. It was only for a few weeks.
About 5 or 6 weeks later, he started to have bloody urine and I rushed him to the vet again one morning. I had taken a lot of pictures of him the day before & night before he passed on. I had a feeling that it would be my last night with Thomas & I stayed up all night petting him & talking to him. He always slept right by me on the other side of my pillows and I rubbed his wonderful soft fur & told him how much I loved him, over & over. He just looked at me with those eyes filled with love, as he tried to rest. When I got him to the vet that day, he confirmed my worst fears and told me that it was time to let Tommy go, because he was dieing. It broke my heart, but I did it for Tommy, to end his suffering and stood there with him, holdimg his paw and talking to him softly as I watched that special light fade from his loving green eyes. I came home and broke down and couldn’t stop bawling for 2 weeks. I FELT LIKE SOMEONE HAD SLUGGED ME IN THE GUT. I lost my best friend and companion of 17 years and didn’t know how I’d be able to go on. Losing Dad and Thomas was losing the 2 strongest & constant males in my life. I could hardly bare it. I'm sure a lot of you know that feeling, unfortunately.
I put Tommy’s dishes & quilt away that day, because I couldn't take seeing them right there in front of me.
My wonderful daughter, Renee, had him cremated for me & I got him back in a nice cedar box two weeks later. I had put it in a cabinet out of sight for a while. It took me months before I could look in the box and I put his toy mouse in there with him & there it stays, NOW in the curio cabinet. It took a year for me to recover some & another year before I could talk about him for this story.
So this is for you, my sweet and precious boy, whom I still love dearly and will always miss.
I’m only half now, of who I was with you here. There’ll never be another like you, My Dearest & Best Friend.

SEE TOMMY'S PAGE AT
http://www.catster.com/cats/214398
This story was submitted by BJ of EXPRESSIONS on Artfire
BJ is a member of our Crafting for Animals Guild and Columnist for or Blog.

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

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