Archive for April, 2010
A Man, a Dog and Their Routine
I rescued my fawn pug Rufus from the city dog pound seven years ago, and he’s been my constant companion ever since. Over the years we’ve developed a routine, and Rufus is smart enough to pick up on my words and gestures. He seems to know about an impending trip to the vet well before I tell him to hop in the car. Most of all, he senses that it’s time to go for a walk based on a few subtle clues.
If it’s early evening and I begin lacing up my sneakers, Rufus starts wagging his tale tentatively; he’s still unsure at that point if a walk is really forthcoming. Then, when I start rifling through the cabinets looking for his nylon dog harness, he becomes downright giddy. He’ll bark expectantly when I pick up the final dog supplies required for the walk – his favorite leather leash.
Talking to your animals?
Do you ever talk to your animals? Oh come on admit it, you do.
I have to say I had the most embarrassing moment the other day. I came home from work and the first thing I do is let the dogs out. Well, I also happened to be on the phone with my husband using my bluetooth and thought I had hung up. Well…I did, but the bluetooth did not. Now my husband works 2nd shift so he has no idea that I talk to them at night (usually in english). Anyway, as I was letting the dogs out one of them decided to bark so I follow along and go woof, woof, woof. Hmmm a smart thing to do? No. Because, as I said, when I thought the phone disconnected it actually didn’t. So my husband heard me barking at the dogs and in turn let his co-worker listen to it. He called me on the landline to let me know what he heard. Laughing is not the word! Hysterical is more like it.
He now thinks I will be snorting with the horses. I’ll never tell and have learned to leave the cell phone behind.
Let me know your funniest moment with your animal.
Animal Acres Help is Needed
Dozens of volunteers are needed to help Animal Acres rescue, transport, and care for over 150 goats, cattle, chickens, pigs and other animals in urgent need of rescue in San Diego County Thursday, April 15 through Sunday, April 18th.
I am reposting this from the urgent action letter sent by Animal Acres. If you have any questions or want to donate time or money, please contact them directly at: info@animalacres.org or call 661-269-5404.
Details about the rescue are as follows:
Right now, these animals are languishing at an abusive hoarder facility for farmed animals. Though the owner called it the “Purple Cow Sanctuary” (PCS), the conditions we witnessed there are worse than many of the “backyard butcher” operations we have seen.
The animals are extremely thin, infested with parasites, and covered in sores and mange. There is no housing or protection for the animals to escape severe weather conditions – only dilapidated pens and awnings that are falling down. The “feed” barn is filled with old containers of oats, and mice-infested bags of pinto beans. The fenced pens are severely overcrowded, and the goats are being bred to produce milk for the owner. To view a short video and for further information on the case, please visit our website: www.animalacres.org
Please be a farmed animal rescuer by joining us this week to bring these animals to safety. You can help by:
1. Helping load animals at PCS in San Diego County (Valley Center) beginning on Thursday, April 15th and the last day of loading (hopefully!) on Sunday, April 18th. The loading will be difficult because of the terrain and we cannot do it without volunteers to hold portable gates and chutes to move the goats and pigs. We will need a large team of rescuers – especially on Thursday, April 15 and Friday, April 16 to move the goats. You can either meet us at Animal Acres on rescue days at 8:30 a.m. to carpool (directions are on the VISIT section of our website), or meet us off Interstate 15 at 11:30 a.m.
? From Temecula; Drive about 18 miles south on I-15.
? Take the GOPHER CANYON RD/OLD CASTLE RD Exit, Go 0.2 mi. EAST
? FIRST STOPLIGHT there is a parking lot on the right on the corner of Gopher Canyon and Champagne Blvd. — park in here for rescue carpool (if parking lot is full, park just past on side of road.)
If you can help any of these days, please email: info@animalacres.org or call 661-269-5404. Rescue volunteers are encouraged to pack food and beverages as the rescue will take several hours each day.
2. Helping care for the new rescued animals, as well as the current animals at Animal Acres. We have two full time caregivers, and these caregivers are currently needed to provide quality care for the 176 animals currently residing at Animal Acres. We will be DOUBLING our animal population, and at a minimum, it will take two months to rehabilitate the rescued animals (since the animals have mange/parasites) and three to four additional months to place all of the animals into loving forever homes. Once the animals arrive, we will need volunteers every day of the week to help care for the PCS animals and the current animals at Animal Acres.
Animal Caregiver volunteers need to arrive between 10 – 11 a.m. and commit to a three hour animal care job. Volunteers are welcome to bring a vegan picnic lunch to enjoy with the birds in our courtyard!
Thank you for being a farmed animal rescuer, too.
Canine Holiday Fashion
When it comes to the holidays, often everyone is dressed in their festive clothes, and it’s no fair to leave out your canine companions. Though you might want to avoid sweaters which will make your dog too hot if they’re not outside, a scarf or bandana provides a festive accent to their fur, and will be a sure delight to guests at your home. Dog scarves are designed to be wrapped around the dog’s neck, just like you would a person, while the dog bandana can be tied loosely around the neck as opposed to the head, and allow your pup to proudly display their festivity for days or weeks. If the bandana gets too dingy from going outside, you will of course want to wash it!
Dog scarves and bandanas are a little different from their human counterparts because they are often smaller in size and length, but if you happen to a large dog or just an old scarf or bandana you don’t mind cutting a bit, they can work out great.
Dogs and New Construction Don’t Mix
I have discovered that going through construction with dogs around is not good.
On every wall that was freshly spackled you can find a tail mark or a nose mark. With Babys’ tail we call it a whip. When she gets excited it just whips back and forth. (sometimes I can see why they crop tails 
, only kidding). Just as the worker put it on the wall so nice and neat, there goes Babys’ tail. Yep, she left a tail mark. hmmm do I say something so its not so hard for him when he sands…Nope.
Marina just loves to be surrounded by things and she is now totally out of her element with nothing in the room but 2 chairs and a couple of lights. So now she has resorted to laying as close to the wall as she can. Hmmmm can you say fur spackle. I think it can be considered a new technique. She especially loves this one corner. I doubt it will ever be right. Her fur is so very long that, every time she gets it in her fur, I have learned to wait until it dries to get it out.
Worse yet I forgot to move their dog beds and they were plopped with spackle too. OF COURSE they have to lay in it too before I get a chance to even notice it much less clean it up.
What is there to do?