Do You Shop at Petland?

With almost 8,000 dogs and puppies rescued from puppy mills in the U.S. just since February of this year, I would have thought that the atrocities inflicted in these operations would by now be nationally recognized and condemned, especially by companies devoted to selling products for pets. However, a recently completed, eight-month long investigation by the Humane Society of the United States has revealed that the national pet store chain, Petland, is selling dogs from cruel puppy mills to unsuspecting customers. The investigation into Petland stores in Florida, Indiana, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio and other states showed that many of the puppies sold at these stores came from massive commercial breeders in Missouri and other Midwestern states where hundreds of breeding dogs live their lives packed into filthy, crowded cages. These dogs spend their lives birthing litter after litter, with minimal human contact, no exercise, and never knowing the love of a family.

Please take the time today to ask Petland to stop supporting the puppy mill industry. You can do this by clicking here to send them an email through the HSUS's "Stop Puppy Mills" campaign, by contacting your nearest Petland store, or by calling their corporate headquarters at 740-775-2464 or toll-free at 800-221-5935.

OR... why not do all three! The more we bombard them and let them know we will not shop in their stores until they are no longer selling puppies the more important the issue becomes to them!

Speak for those who cannot speak for themselves!

Prop 2 Passes!!!

What a great day for farm animals! Californians have stood up to big Agribusiness and let them know that their practices are unacceptable! Thank you to everyone who voted to pass Prop 2 in California - you have truly made a difference for farm animals all across the country!

Californians... Vote YES! on Prop 2

This November 4, Californians should vote YES! on Prop 2 – a modest measure that stops cruel and inhumane treatment of animals, ending the practice of cramming farm animals into cages so small the animals can't even turn around, lie down or extend their limbs. Voting YES! on Prop 2...

• Prevents cruelty to animals. It’s simply wrong to confine veal calves, breeding pigs, and egg-laying hens in tiny cages barely larger than their bodies. Calves are tethered by the neck and can barely move, pigs in severe confinement bite the metal bars of their crates, and hens get trapped and even impaled in their wire cages. We wouldn’t force our pets to live in filthy, cramped cages for their whole lives, and we shouldn’t force farm animals to endure such misery. All animals, including those raised for food, deserve humane treatment.

• Improves our health and food safety. We all witnessed the cruel treatment of sick and crippled cows exposed by a Southern California slaughter plant investigation this year, prompting authorities to pull meat off school menus and initiate a nationwide recall. Factory farms put our health at risk—cramming tens of thousands of animals into tiny cages, fostering the spread of diseases that may affect people. YES! on Prop 2 is better for animals—and for us.

• Supports family farmers. California family farmers support YES! on Prop 2 because they know that better farming practices enhance food quality and safety. Increasingly, they’re supplying major retailers like Safeway and Burger King. Factory farms cut corners and drive family farmers out of business when they put profits ahead of animal welfare and our health.

• Protects air and water and safeguards the environment. The American Public Health Association has called for a moratorium on new factory farms because of the devastating effects these operations can have on surrounding communities, spreading untreated waste on the ground and contaminating our waterways, lakes, groundwater, soil, and air. Prop 2 helps stop some of the worst abuses and protects our precious natural resources. That’s why California Clean Water Action and Sierra Club-California support YES! on Prop 2.

• Is a reasonable and common-sense reform. Prop 2 provides ample time—until 2015—for factory farms using these severe confinement methods to shift to more humane practices. Arizona, Colorado, Florida, and Oregon have passed similar laws. The Humane Society of the United States, the ASPCA, hundreds of California veterinarians, including the California Veterinary Medical Association; California family farmers; the Center for Food Safety, the Consumer Federation of America, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the United Farm Workers, and the Cesar Chavez Foundation; Republican and Democratic elected officials; California religious leaders; and many others.

To learn more about this important issue, visit YES! on Prop 2's website.

Click to contribute to the cause!

If you live in California, register to vote so you can make a difference to farm animals in your state and across the country!

Scotty Goes Home

Well, Scotty left last weekend... Saturday morning I took all three dogs to the research park one last time together and then I went home, dropped off the girls, brushed Scotty, and headed out to the drop-off location for his Homeward Bound transport. I talked to him all the way out there and told him he was going to live with his new family and to be a good boy and that we would miss him. I wished he could understand.

I didn't think I was going to cry but when we got to the girl's house I couldn't leave him. I asked to sit there with him for a while and I just sat on her couch hugging on him and rubbing his belly and breaking down intermittently. Luckily, all the Homeward Bound people are animal lovers too and they totally understood. They let me stay with him as long as I wanted while they got everything ready and I did... for an hour and a half. :-) I just couldn't overcome the (probably irrational) feeling that he would think I was abandoning him.

So, I finally pulled myself away from him and walked, crying, to my car, then drove, crying hysterically, home. I felt like I was giving away one of my own dogs... and, in a way, I was. The experience I've had with him has meant so much to me.

So, where is Scotty now, you ask? Well, after a short stint with a family who, due to unforseen circumstances, decided that they were no longer in a position to have a dog, he is now at the home of the owner of Luke's Place, the New Jersey rescue he was adopted through. I spoke with Pat, the owner, last night and she just raved about how great a dog he is! She said he and the other dogs she received from the transport were all a little shaken up after the 15-hour van ride, but that he was doing wonderful now and can already heel and shake. She said he is great with her three-year-old granddaughter, which is a relief because I had never seen him around children. As I was talking, she said his ears were perking up so she let me say "Hi" to him, haha :-) She also said if he didn't get adopted in the next day or so, she really just wanted to keep him! I am just elated over how well this has worked out for my sweet Scotty and I feel really grateful for having been a part of it.
Fostering has been such a fulfilling experience. Really, it is saving a life, because in most cases you are helping shelters keep more animals and give them a better chance at adoption. As long as people continue to neglect spaying and neutering their pets, we will always have an overabundance of animals and shelters will never have enough room for all of them. Four million dogs euthanized each year is a tragic, sickening number. You CAN help though!

• Spay or neuter your pet! In just six years, a female dog and her offspring can multiply to 67,000 puppies! And you can often qualify for discounted or free spaying/neutering, so there's really no reason not to! Check with your vet or local animal shelter.

• Be a hero - Adopt your next pet! With a homeless dog being killed every nine seconds in American shelters, why wouldn't you?

• In fact, you can quite literally save a life by going to Dogs In Danger and entering your zip code. It will show you adoptable dogs in your area who are soon to be put down, most often due to space limitations.

• Foster a dog or cat! Contact your local animal shelter to find out about their foster program and see just how rewarding it can be.

Getting To Know Scotty: 20 Things I Know About My Foster Dog

1. I have no idea where he came from before my brother's girlfriend found him wandering with his friend, a white lab puppy.


2. He has a beautiful blonde poofy tail.


3. His favorite wrestling move is sitting on his opponent's head.


4. When he was still asleep from being neutered and I came into the room, his tail unconsciously started wagging.


5. His smile is made of sunshine.


6. He likes to run under dogs that are taller than him.


7. He likes to mess with kittens, but never hurts them.


8. He loves to ride in the car.


9. He is slightly skittish around big men, but not all men.


10. He has never met a dog he didn't like.


11. He knows "Sit," "Get down," "Come here," and "No."


12. He is a sucker for some petting -- he leans into you and won't let you stop. :-)


13. He looks like a big gold bear cub.


14. He can often be found sleeping spread-eagle on his back.


15. He likes treats OK, but to him, nothing is better than hearing "Good boy!"


16. He will happily sit through any kind of grooming - baths, brushing, ear cleaning, etc. - he just eats it up!


17. He is part Golden Retriever, part Chow.


18. He loves to chase birds.


19. He is a very polite dog and not dominant.


20. I am going to miss him terribly.

A Very Happy Ending

SCOTTY GOT ADOPTED!!!

We are all so absolutely thrilled and joyful! Actually he is going with the next Homeward Bound transport to a rescue in New Jersey, who will easily be able to find a great home for him! Hooray for Scotty! He is such a special guy and deserves to live as a beloved pet. The family that gets him is quite lucky.

When I find out more details about the rescue, etc. I will post them here. Right now I am simply ecstatic! When I got the news yesterday, it brightened up my whole life. It is so rewarding to know that I have made a difference to this one dog. If he had gone to the shelter, especially here in Starkville where the euthanization rate is about 65%, he probably would have been put down after a week. Now he has a chance at a wonderful life making some family very happy with his sunshine-y spirit.

What people don't understand is that, when they BUY a puppy from a pet store or breeder, they are perpetuating the cycle of abuse and keeping puppy mills in business, like the one in West Virginia where 1,000 dogs were rescued last week from horrible conditions.

On the other hand, when you ADOPT a pet, you are actually saving another living creature's life. And in return, adopted pets teach you about forgiveness, grace and joy. They know they have been rescued and spend every day for the rest of their lives thanking you. They are the epitome of devotion and, in the end, you realize you were the lucky one.

So be a hero and adopt your next pet!

Adult Male Golden Retriever Mix Seeks Loving Forever Home

This is Scotty. My brother's girlfriend found him wandering across from her work with a little white lab puppy and she picked them up and called me. Our local shelter is so full that we decided they (especially Scotty - a Golden Retriever/Chow mix) would have a better chance on the street than in there. So, after boarding them for one night at the vet clinic where she works, Lauren drove them back out near where she found them but deep in a neighborhood to drop them off. After driving them around in the neighborhood asking everyone she saw if they knew who the dogs belonged to, the last person she talked to said she would put them in her yard for a week to give us a chance to find them homes.

Here they are in the nice lady's backyard. We put up "Found" signs and I posted them on my Facebook profile. After a week and a half, they had to be moved so they spent the weekend at the clinic. On Monday they would have to be moved again and that night I lay awake thinking about them. The shelter would be a death sentence for the Golden mix. But from the time I had spent with him, I knew he was a great dog -- too good of a boy to not be given a chance. He looks at you with such attentive eyes and is so calm and easy-going. I knew I had to do something!

So I came up with a great plan for fostering him and Paul actually agreed to it! We took the lab puppy to another area shelter who said he was "highly-adoptable" and I'm trying to work with Homeward Bound of MS to get Scotty to a rescue or home up North; but I'm also making use of every other resource I have, like this blog. I already know if he doesn't get adopted I will not be able to just dump him at the shelter. He deserves a loving family who will spoil him like I do :-)
He is already beginning to become a part of our family. He follows the girls around and they show him the ropes. The kitten loves to mess with him and get him to chase her... but he is always gentle with her so I just let them play. Here he is below with his buddy, Lux the kitten. He is a very smart, calm boy. He already knows how to sit and walk on a leash and since he is grown there is no destructive or unruly puppy behavior to deal with!

He gets along with everyone, even other un-neutered males. He is a little skittish around Paul -- I think he may have been abused by a man at some point or he's afraid of the beard (a lot of dogs don't get beards, haha). But he will lick his hand if Paul isn't looking at him and he hangs around Paul, like he's curious about him so I think he'll come around with time. It's very strange not knowing where he came from or where he has been, but it is the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I've gotten him to trust me and I have taught him things and showed him that it's all going to be OK. He leans up against me, hungry for ear scratches and "Good boy"s.

Oh, and did I mention he is beautiful?! He has gorgeous strawberry blonde fur and a crimped light blonde poofy tail. His gold eyes are soulful and his smile is pure sunshine! :-)

Scotty will be neutered and up to date on shots next week and ready to go to his forever home! Transport can be arranged for him to anywhere so if you or anyone you know is looking for a calm, happy, devoted companion to be a beloved member of the family please contact me for more information at 662-694-0347 or esdmsu21@gmail.com.

Mother of the Year

This story is breaking my heart... what a courageous momma! If you can help in any way, please email or make a Paypal donation to pity4us_rescue@yahoo.com. These babies are in the South Carolina heat and downpours and have a chance at a better life. I think they deserve it! Read their story below:

"Some of you have heard this sad story before when we were desperately moving dogs around to make room for mama and 9 puppies. Well, the tables have turned and the story has taken a new twist.

As you can see by the photos attached mama dog has delivered 9 beautiful puppies on the end of a chain. People have worked hard to get the owner to surrender the dogs since being outdoors in the heat is no place for a baby (no luck). A dog house was provided to help keep them out of the extreme weather we have been having (downpour rain or heat). At first he had said that the dogs were promised to people and he would not give them up. Mama dog then rejected 3 babies who are now being bottle fed by some very dedicated people. Now the man has agreed to give up the remaining pups when they are of age (they are currently 3 weeks old); however he wants to be paid for them.

We will also be working to get the owner to allow mama dog to be spayed since there is also an unaltered male pit chained on the opposite side of the yard who is the puppies' father. We are hoping to get some assistance in doing this.

As many know we hit a hard spot after paying for parvo treatments for 14 puppies, and only 2 of them survived. It hit our pockets hard, but we are trying to recover.

We need to raise:

*$25.00 per puppy (25.00 x 6=$150.00)

*Money to get mama dog spayed (60.00-100.00 depending on clinic used), hoping for a HW test also.

*Vetting for the puppies ( $75.00 -100.00 each puppy for alter, microchip, vaccines, dewormings ).

As you can see this is an expensive mission, but these babies are so deserving!

They are located in SC.

If anyone would like to contribute, we are set up for PayPal at this email address or our PO BOX is below.

If you are unable to help financially at this time, please help by cross posting their story and gaining these sweeties some exposure. If you would like any more information, please feel free to contact us.

Thank you in advance!

Amanda

Pity 4 Us Rescue
P.O. Box 753
Pineville, NC 28134
704-858-0764 - Amanda
704-858-1331 - DeAnna"

Iggy in North Carolina

This is Iggy. He has had a sad life so far. He lived at his previous owner's house on a heavy chain, with no shelter, dirty water, little food and ears dripping blood from fly bites. For some reason (and thank God she did!) his owner decided to bring him to a pet store and leave him. The woman she left him with said this: "The "owner" just asked for her chain back & walked away. No, goodbye hug, no concern of where he was going to end up... just walked away with her heavy, 4 foot chain---the only life Iggy had ever known." Luckily Iggy went to a great foster home and has now been there for two months. He has been neutered, given shots, and dewormed. Along with medical care, he was socialized and given basic obedience training, crate training, and has been housebroken. He is almost 2 years old. He LOVES kids, plays very gentle, and loves other animals!

If you live in North Carolina or know anyone who does, please pass this on for Iggy. The foster home has LOTS and LOTS of foster dogs and puppies, and Iggy is getting sad that he doesn't have a family that loves him. Everyday he watches the puppies get adopted and no one comes for him. Let's help find Iggy a forever home where he will know love like he never has!

Please contact Tiffany Jourdain at leovrhs@gmail.com or call Sharon at 828-837-4186 if you can help Iggy! He is located in Murphy, North Carolina but transport can be arranged for him to anywhere!

Dogs Deserve Better

I am so happy to say that I had a part in getting two of the heartworm positive dogs from my last post to a permanent rescue in Minnesota. They were living chained at their owner's house where another dog had been poisoned with antifreeze by neighborhood kids and they have now arrived at Homeward Bound Rescue where they will be treated and loved.

Since volunteering as a Dogs Deserve Better rep for Mississippi, my heart has been broken and I have lost a lot of sleep. When it rains, I think of those precious faithful dogs sitting through it wondering what they did wrong. Today it was 100 degrees and stifling and every chained dog lays patiently in what shade, if any, they can find.

I have been overwhelmed with the number of dogs I have seen or been told about in Starkville who spend their lives on chains or in pens. What is the purpose of a dog you keep chained in your yard? You don't play with him or enjoy him in any way. He is a lawn ornament that you feed and ignore.

There is no other animal that we treat the way we do dogs. Animals bred to be our companions, our loyal helpers, we leave to sit alone in their own feces, to be bitten by insects, to be attacked by other animals their chains won't allow them to escape. We leave them starving for attention and sometimes for food; yet they do not, cannot complain. They only sit and wait for us to change our minds, knowing they will instantly forgive us if we do. They do not demand respect from us, so we forget to give it even though they, above all creatures, deserve it most.

You can learn more about the dangerous and inhumane practice of chaining a dog for life and about ways you can help at Dogs Deserve Better.

"We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made." - M. Acklam

Heartworm Positive Doesn't Have to Be a Death Sentence!

Sharon Moore runs Sugar Babies Animal Rescue in Meridian, MS. Her purpose is to rescue local homeless or surrendered pets, get them healthy and then find homes or rescues for them. She currently has three heartworm positive dogs who need treatment so they can be rescued. Since she has no room to foster them they are living chained at their owner's house, who is threatening to turn them over to the pound.

Sharon is using Fundable.com to raise money for their treatment. She must raise $1,320 by July 17. The way the website works is that, unless the whole amount is raised, Sharon gets nothing and your account will not be charged. I know the economy is terrible right now, but if we can help these pups get treated they have a chance at knowing what it means to be a beloved pet, instead of being sent to the pound where they will be put down because of their condition.

Please chip in whatever you can to get these pups healthy. The website is: http://www.fundable.com/groupactions/groupaction.2008-07-02.2175169908/groupaction_view

They deserve a better life and you can help secure it for them! Do something good for someone else today... it is an instant mood-lifter, much needed on Mondays! :-)

Opening Weekend

Well, The Barking Bakery opened on Saturday! We sold out of treats and made $163. I am going to put the money towards medical expenses for animals in our foster care program. I am so excited and thrilled with how everything went! I think I am going to set it up again the weekend after 4th of July weekend. Below are some pictures of the booth :-)

The 25 finished $5 bags. I also sold some individual baggies of treats for $2.
The booth (with Paul napping in it... hey, it was 6 AM!)
A samples table
The little bags were easy to do and generated some extra revenue
Some of the bags and some OCHS volunteer applications.
Some of my signsMe with my booth!

The Barking Bakery Test Kitchen

Gah, I'm having so much fun with all this treat-making! If I thought I could make a living at this, I would quit my day job in a second. Below are some pictures of the dog-treat-making process and results and my two/too big helpers.

Bake... Let cool... Bag... And repeat...
Rider "Underfoot" Taylor

They have been trained to salivate at the sound of the oven timer, haha!This face tells me I'm doing a good job :-)Yummy oatmeal treats that didn't make the cut even though they turned out beautifully! They have to be refridgerated and sitting out in the heat all morning probably wouldn't be great for them.

All Barking Bakery treats have the Rider and Posey "Drool of Approval"

Baking = A Fantastic Workout!

I have been baking dog treats all weekend and my muscles are SO sore!! I am making three flavors -- cheese, peanut butter, and sunflower/mint (breath fresheners) -- and each $5 bag includes all three flavors. I had, at first, aimed at producing 100 bags... but, after my first couple of batches, I realized what a huge undertaking that was. So now I have cut it down to 25 and I'm hoping to sell all of them on Saturday.

I never knew how strenuous baking is though! Maybe it's because I've never been one to exercise, but all that kneading and rolling, etc. just exhausts me! I have found it very therapeutic, however, and would love to eventually turn this into a real business. I would be in perfect shape then!

I have really thrown everything I have into this. I think about it all the time and it's fun to have something to work on. Plus, it's a way to get the word out about the Humane Society. I have printed up information flyers to go in each bag and I have a "Did You Know?" sign with information for people who are just browsing and not buying. I also have pictures of some of the animals at the shelter and I am going to paste one to the front of each bag. Now, I'm just crossing my fingers for good weather and a big crowd at the Market!

More updates later this week...

My Long Lost Blog

I am sorry I have been neglecting you, poor blog! I haven't written in over a week, but I have some good reasons.

1) I wanted to give Charlie's post enough time for people in Indiana to see it and pass it along. Although, according to my nifty map to the left no one from Indiana reads my blog. (Sigh) However, someone who knows someone in Indiana could have helped spread the word, so I left it up for a while just in case.

2) My boss has been in town. Don't get me wrong, I have plenty to do when she's not here but I've always been a fast worker and without interruptions, let's just say I end up with time leftover that I use in other productive ways, i.e. blogging, cross-posting for dogs, etc.

3) My sister-in-law has been in town. Paul's 17-year-old sister, Lizanne, came and stayed with us for a week and, with Paul at the Architecture studio so much, I was left to entertain her. Although, I'm certainly not complaining -- she is a fun girl and I was really sad when she left. The dogs loved her and we had great time just hanging out.

4) I have been planning a fundraiser for the Humane Society; well, sort of just a personal fundraiser -- I don't have any volunteers or anything. Starkville has started having a farmer's/artisan's market on Saturdays called the Starkville Community Market and, since booths are only $10, I decided to set one up selling homemade dog treats with proceeds going to the shelter. This has turned out to involve way more than I initially thought, or maybe I'm just a perfectionist; either way, I was supposed to open this weekend but had to push it back a week because, with everything else going on, I couldn't get it all together in time.

I also really need a name for the "business" but cannot decide on one! I've gotten some good suggestions and here are the ones I like right now: "Bone Appetit" "Doggie Delectables" "Bellyrub's Doggie Diner" "The Barking Bakery"/"Happy Dog's Barking Bakery" Anyone, please feel free to send me more suggestions!

5) Oh yeah! AND it was Paul's and my first wedding anniversary! We went to eat at Anthony's Good Food Market in West Point where you can bring your own wine/liquor. We took the bottle of wine we had brought back from our honeymoon in Spain, ate some good food and then came home and hesitantly ate a bite of the top of our wedding cake. It was NOT good! But it was a good night overall -- very lowkey -- just our style.

Sooo... as you can see, dear blog, I have been a very busy bee, but I promise to not neglect you this long again!

Charlie in Indiana

If you live in Indiana, please pass this on for Charlie. He is looking for a forever home!
Isn't he a handsome boy?! Read below for his story...

This is Charlie, he is a 4 year old mix. Of course, we have no idea with what. He has spent his life chained to a tree with the ground having dumped cement on it. He came to me in June of '07, very thin and no toe nails.

His owner took him to the vet because he was poisoned. The vet got him better but then heartworm tested. He was positive, of course. His owner wanted him euthanized. Said he didn't want that disease around his other dogs. Even after all the explanation of what heartworm's are, he was still to be euthanized.

That's when I stepped in and took him. We had him treated for his heartworm's, vaccinated, neutered all that good stuff. He stayed with us for 7-8 months until he went to another rep. There he tormented that cats and got into one fight with their small Chihuahua. He then, after 3 months living there, came back to us and was immediately adopted out.

His new home had no cats, which he hates, and 2 boys (8 & 9) to play with. He was taken to ball games and ran around in the backyard to play with the boys and their friends. He does show possessiveness of a toy or bone when he has it. You just have to leave him alone. He does jump really high and there is a small portion of fencing that was only 4 feet and he cleared it with no problem. He loved every visitor that came to visit. He's an absolute sweet boy who knows simple commands.

Then last week he was on the trampoline playing with a few other kids (why he was on the trampoline we'll never know) and the boy that lived there started to fall off the trampoline and grabbed Charlie by his back legs and took him with him. During the fall, Charlie, who was startled, turn around and bit the boy below the chin. Instantly, after they hit the ground, Charlie licked the boy with tons of kisses knowing he didn't mean to bite him. The boy was taken to the hospital with a small gash from the bite. I've seen pictures and it's ugly, but not severe.

The boy supposably got grounded for having Charlie on the trampoline, but now Charlie has to find another home. His owner doesn't think it's fair for Charlie to be in a home with boys that don't understand the reponsiblity of taking care of the dog. Of course, I feel the same way about the owner. His owner, however, did praise his behavior and everything about him. He was sad to let go of him, but didn't think his kids were ready for a dog.

He spent 3 months at this home and now needs a new one. Preferably without cats and small children that don't know how to behave around a dog.

PLEASE HELP ME FIND CHARLIE A HOME OR A FOSTER HOME!!!!

Jamie Shively PH: 765.506.0607 Dogs Deserve Better, IN Rep

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
---Anatole France

Good News!

The German Shepherd I posted about last Friday has been taken in by Animal Action Rescue in Decatur, GA and named Logan. They sent out a new picture and he already looks so much better. He is being treated for heartworms and will be neutered there, but he still needs to find a loving home. AAR set up a webpage for him (http://animalactionrescue.chipin.com/logans-medical-care) where you can view more pictures, read his story, and donate to his medical care.

Come on! Do something good for Logan! He is a sweet guy who needs a quiet foster home to recover in. If you or someone you know would like to take in Logan you can contact Animal Action Rescue at GTigger719@aol.com.

A Very Long Car Ride

As you can see, the dogs LOVE riding in the truck... in the back of the truck, where the wind blows through their ears and they can bark at things without getting in trouble.

The backseat of the truck though is a different story. They just can't get comfortable! The following series of pictures is Posey trying her best to find a comfy position... This worked for a few minutes.

And, to our great surprise, this position seemed to be the winner, as she stayed like this for quite a long time!
C'mon! Seriously, this cannot be comfortable in any sense of the word!

Discovery

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"-- Mary Oliver

I found this quote on another blog (http://thommalyn.blogspot.com/) whose owner appears to like quotes as much as I do. I have never run across this one though and I just LOVE it!

In digging a little further I realize that it is not actually a quote, complete in itself, but the ending of a poem by Mary Oliver. I begin to read more of her poems and wonder how, as an English major, I was never introduced to this great poet?? As a girl who doesn't care for rhyming, I find a lot of similarities between our styles, though I'm certainly not pretending to be as talented or perceptive as she is. Her poems are so simple and free-flowing, but after reading them over a couple of times they reveal many complexities and wonderful insights into nature and life. Below is the complete poem the quote is pulled from... see what I mean?!

The Summer Day

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean---
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down---
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

So Do Something!

"This world is a dangerous place, not only because of the evil doers, but also because of the ones who choose to do nothing about it." -- Albert Einstein

German Shepherd in Polk County, GA

This beautiful male German Shepherd escaped from a life of confinement with his chain embedded around his neck. He was picked up and taken to a shelter in Polk County where he was scheduled for euthanization due to space limitations. They have already postponed euthanizing him once but I don't know how much longer they can keep him.

Please... if you live in Georgia or know anyone who does pass this on. Please help find someone who may want to foster or adopt him. Anyone interested can contact me at esdmsu21@gmail.com or Gail Posey at gail_posey@yahoo.com.

This guy deserves a better life... let's try to give it to him! Where his chain was embedded -- they say it's healing nicely and he has such a sweet temperament!