Service

Months ago I came across a puppy cam that led me to - Warrior Canine Connection - an organization that pairs service dogs with combat veterans.

The dogs are trained from birth to two years old. They live with a volunteer foster family and are taught to help in more ways than I can count.

Check them out at their site and on Facebook.

I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.

- Doris Day

Barbara and Bowzer

By now I'm sure you've seen the video of ...

Barbara Garcia

Finding her best friend Bowzer alive and well in the debris of their home

CBS This Morning will be checking in with them tomorrow morning.

Check out this article on how you can help the animals of Moore, OK - Petside article

If you're attention deprived you can access the donation page for the OK Humane Society here - Donation Page

During Hurricane Sandy I had the cat carriers and food and meds all laid out just in case the evacuation zone extended to my home. The idea of struggling with all that during a storm was daunting so I really empathize with Barbara and all those who do their best to protect their loved furry ones.

Service Dogs

I've always loved dogs and I've always known how they - and animals in general - add so much to our lives.

After the horror in Newtown, CT I started following a group of service dogs on Facebook. I saw them on CNN and fell in love with them.

They are from Lutheran Charities Comfort Dogs Program

This is Isiah, as you can see he's in training.

I also discovered  Warrior Canine Connection  a group in Maryland who train dogs to become companions for soldiers returning from war with physical and physiological challenges.

Right now a group of 5 puppies, born on December 28th, 2012, are being trained.

You can catch their antics on the  Nursery Cam

As I've said before, animals are some of the best people I know.

I hope the VA and Congress release more funding for service dogs and that healthcare institutions recognize their value. Right now just about all the costs for service dogs are funded privately.

Comfort

I was watching CNN's coverage of the memorial service in Newtown, CT when a group of dogs arrived outside the high school.

They are from ...Lutheran Charities Comfort Dogs Program
Recently they have visited victims of Hurricane Sandy. They go wherever comfort is needed.

Later, dogs from Hudson Valley Golden Retriever Club also arrived.

The dogs will stay as long as needed; they will help ease the fears of returning to school and will distract people from the endless heartbreak of 26 funerals.

"Dogs are nonjudgmental. They are loving. They are accepting of anyone," Hetzner (head of the Lutheran Charities group) said. "It creates the atmosphere for people to share."

A Good Boy

Many of you have probably heard about this by now but I wanted to post some good stuff with a touch of cute thrown in. Of course there's always another Hope post but her birthday is next week so you'll get plenty of her then.

This is Bear

He lives with his family in Michigan.
Bear's human baby brother strayed away from Mom for all of a moment and fell into the pool.
The baby's Mom immediately realized her son wasn't next to her and rushed out to the yard to find him floating face up in the pool. His lips were blue and he appeared unconscious.

As she pulled him out of the pool she discovered that the reason he was floating is that Bear was under him, balancing the little boy on his back and keeping him afloat.

Good job Bear

If you don't spend much time around small children it's easy to wonder how this can happen and to perhaps even judge. It does sometimes boil down to a split second.

The little boy is Stanley and after a trip to the emergency fire station and a follow-up at the hospital he's fine.

You can read the entire story HERE and see a short video of Mom talking about Bear

Dogs in the City

is a TV series that premiered this past Wednesday on CBS.

The one hour show features segments about dogs and their humans. In the first episode we met ...

Charlotte - she has an aggression issue and has bitten both dogs and people several times. Her human, a very stubborn and opinionated young woman, insists on continuing to bring Charlotte to work each day regardless of the risk.

My favorite scene is when the dog trainer sits on the floor in the corner to watch over the new behavior he has suggested to the human only to have her still screw up.

Then there's a newly married couple and their bulldog Beefy. Beefy belonged with the husband before the wife came into the picture and Beefy is not at all pleased with being part of a couple of humans. He will not walk on his leash for her and barks incessantly when the couple goes to bed.

The third segment is especially lovely. A retired NYPD detective and his young daughter have a giant dog named Rosie. They are concerned that Rosie is too fat and need help in feeding her better and giving her more exercise.

There are so many things to love about this show - the dogs, wonderful scenes of NYC and even the humans.

And Justin

Justin Silver is a stand up comedian who turned his love for dogs into a business and a charity. Justin has a company called The Language of Dogs and is founder of  Funny for Fido  where he brings comedians together to raise money for grants to animal rescue organizations.

Although he is official human to two dogs - Chiquita and Pacino, Justin fosters many homeless dogs and will often take in a dog he is working with until he feels sure that the situation is safe and happy for both the dog and the dog's people.

After watching the first episode of his show and seeing him interviewed many times I will admit to absolutely adoring this guy. He's a born NYer. He has an incredibly big warm smile, not to mention incredibly big shoulders and arms. While he definitely has a bit of NY swagger and attitude he is so patient and loving. Especially with the humans who are so often the cause of dog issues.

So take a look at Dogs in the City - Wednesday at 8 PM EST on CBS.

I don't think you'll be disappointed.

All About Tuesday

Don’t be scared, this post is not all about what I’m doing today.

It’s about a soldier named Luis Montalvan and a dog named Tuesday.

Captain Montalvan was injured during his second tour in Iraq. Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and three fractured vertebrae are but three of the issues that he is dealing with.

You can see Captain Montalvan talk about what happened in THIS SHORT FILM produced last year. You also get to meet Tuesday and see how he helps Luis every single day deal with things like balance problems and panic attacks and nightmares. Tuesday reminds Luis to take his meds and buffers Luis from crowds that might trigger a flashback. Before Tuesday came into his life Luis rarely left his apartment and was drinking heavily. He found the lengthy battle and wait for VA help to be so frustrating that he often just gave up.

Captain Montalvan and Tuesday were brought together with the help of Senator Al Franken and  EDUCATED CANINES ASSISTING DISABILITIES. Senator Franken has since passed a bill to create a pilot program that will get more service dogs paired with wounded soldiers.

Senator Franken talks about that in THIS CLIP.

I first learned of Captain Montalvan and Tuesday when they appeared ON LETTERMAN to promote THE BOOK he has written about his life with Tuesday. If you watch this clip you will immediately notice the difference in the Captain’s demeanor compared to the video shot a year ago. You also get to see Letterman beg Tuesday for a hug.

With all the soldiers languishing in a crappy VA benefits systems and with all the shelter dogs waiting for a home it seems to me this program is a win-win or as Senator Franken says - “We have to reform our system, and I know we will. My solution: more dogs.”

Inspiration Wednesday

Today is Inspiration Wednesday at WEAVER OF GRASS

I just discovered Weaver from ELIZABETH’S blog. Elizabeth is a wonderful photographer and writer and is Mum to BUSTER, who has a great blog of his own.

I visit Buster’s blog each morning hoping for a new post. He makes me smile. He has a very earnest face and a wonderful way of describing his adventures. He is also a fine spokesdog for adopting.

So with Buster in mind I thought about inspiration.

I’m inspired by people who are kind and fair minded. Especially when they are kind with no expectation of getting anything in return.

And so I thought of people who care for and are advocates for animals. And Betty White immediately came to mind …



In addition to all her work with animals Betty inspires me to acknowledge that age is but a number. She is sexy and feisty, funny and clever.

As always thoughts of feisty, funny, clever women lead me to my Nana …



She’d kill me if I said she was sexy but I do vividly recall one of my uncles saying that my Grandfather told a story of young Nana dancing in the café after a day of swimming. He said her hair was long and still wet and she laughed as drops of water flew off her hair as she danced.

I love to imagine that since her hair was a sore spot with older Nana. She hair sprayed it into submission and hated how unruly it was. Which was funny since she always told me to leave my hair alone. It was very red and very wavy and frizzed at the hint of humidity. Some awful girl in school told me I had “ugly Jewish hair”. Nana laughed and laughed at that, and then she cursed a bit in Yiddish and then gave me one of her pearls of wisdom talks.

”Dee-an-hah” – that’s how she said my name when she was in full Russian mode – “how can hair be Jewish? I read that Elvis Presley sounds black. What is that? Hair doesn’t have a religion and voices don’t have a color. That girl is probably repeating something her mother said. I know that woman, she is stupid. She refuses to speak to me at the butcher shop. Good I say – I have no time for stupid. Your hair is fine; being Jewish is your problem.”

All these years later I can still feel the look of shock on my face. Nana had nothing comforting to say?

”What?” she asked, “you want me to lie to you? No you don’t, I never lie to you Dee-an-hah, you’re too smart for lies. That girl’s mother does not like Jewish people and her daughter is following her. It is not about your hair. It is not about you. It is about her. Know that and you will always be able to deal with people like that. I feel sorry for that girl; her mother is making her life small and dark.”

And then Nana set my hair in giant rollers so that it would be long and smooth and flowing the next day.

There is much stress and drama these days within the family circle.

And the world? Oy! where to begin? Nana would have said.

I am so very grateful to be inspired by Nana to be feisty and funny and clever. And kind.

And as always, there is Hope …



Inspiration Wednesday will flow nicely into Positive Friday. Please click the badge on the sidebar to check it out.

And do visit Weaver and Elizabeth and Buster.

He's Not Old - He's Best

I love that an old dog won Best In Show at Westminster. I wish he was a she – I have so many great ‘old bitch’ lines. Guess I’ll have to hold on to these pearls of comedy and wisdom until I win Miss America – I’m thinking of storming the stage one of these years wearing my best pair of Spanx and wielding my formal wear cane. Lord knows it would add some life to that absurd show.

Stump is 70 – which is 10 in dog years. How cool is that? And he’s a survivor. Stump almost died from a mysterious medical condition. He spent nearly 3 weeks in the hospital before recovering.

I’m not a fan of dog shows. I prefer to see dogs messy and relaxed and having a grand old time humping legs and sniffing each other. I’m not judging Westminster – I’m not qualified to – and I’m sure the show dogs are very well cared for. Their criteria is just not what makes a dog a winner to me.

Which is why Stump touches me. I love his story of overcoming illness and showing the young pups that an old guy can still have his testicles squeezed with the best of them.

Cheers to Stump – well done old guy.

Please visit THE ANIMAL RESCUE SITE And click to help animals that aren’t as lucky as Stump. It’s free, it takes a moment. Do it every single day. If dogs had computers they’d do it for us.

Stump's photo came from THE WESTMINSTER SITE

Mia & Siren Need a Favor

My friend Daryl posted about an animal shelter she knows. The shelter has a chance to win $10,000. Money that would go far to care for the animals they rescue.

You can check out what Daryl has to say about them here - DARYL.

This little bit comes from the woman who runs the shelter ...

Please click on the link and register your name to support my animal shelter, NY Pet-I-Care
If we get a lot of names, we have a chance to win a much needed $10,000. Would you also please forward this to everyone on your e-mail list.

Because of the terrible economy, dogs and cats are being abandoned at alarming rates and we have more than ever to save.....every bit helps......so thank you, thank you so much.

Mia and Siren say thank you too!!

Ruby Tuesday: Peyton

This is Peyton.

This is Peyton with her Red Crown


Any Questions?

Peyton is one of my many nieces. She loves to come visit with her Mom. I tell myself it's because she loves to see me. It's really the yard.

And yes - Peyton was named after some guy who plays some football somewhere.

Please go visit all the RUBY TUESDAY folks.

Project Black: Jack Wants To Go Home

One of my adopted blog daughters LEIGHANN gave me the idea to travel through my house, in some kind of order - although I suck at order, shooting PROJECT BLACK while giving a little tour.

I know I enjoy seeing more of where my blog friends live so I hope you do to.

I was going to leave the back yard and go directly to the front but I was interrupted by a visitor. These are shots taken on my “patio” (slab of concrete) which leads to the side door and the carport.

The furry cutie is Jack – granddog to the folks right next door. He spends his days with PopPop while his parents are at work and often comes to visit me. He won’t admit it but he really just wants to poop in my grass and leave.

After poop-fest is over he stares at the fence, giving me his signature sideways look and then wills the gate to open.

Tomorrow is Wordzzle and then on Sunday we will hopefully make it inside the house where the AC is cranking.

Widening My Circle

My "when I win Lotto" dream is to travel across the country by car - huge luxury car that spews tulips into the atmosphere. Upon my return from the Magical Tour I will immediately move to my lovely farm and begin to collect all the needy animals of the world.

Until then I do what I can.

Back in Brooklyn there was a terrible stray cat problem. The usual cause - one careless human doesn't spay or neuter and lets the cat go outside. Male cat of careless human meets female cat of another careless human and a never ending cycle begins. At the beginning I did what most well meaning people do - I left food and water and tried to provide some shelter. This was a bit difficult since I rented and any spot I chose wasn't really my spot. I didn't realize for quite a while that the landlady was feeding them too!

A neighbor was involved with a small animal rescue group and she taught me the merits of trapping and at least having the tomcat fixed to cut down on future generations. I also put together a flyer telling everyone where they could have their cats spayed or neutered for low or no cost. A shelter on Long Island agreed to take kittens since they are "more adoptable".

Trapping a tomcat is not for the faint hearted - I just realized that the haz-cat suit I used to socialize Siren was really a later version of my Brooklyn garb - long sleeves, pants tucked into socks and gloves. Kittens were easier to handle but harder to find. My most infamous rescue was when I got stuck climbing a small fence. My pants caught on something halfway over and there I was - splayed across the fence with my ample butt pointed toward 2 lanes of busy traffic. One of the neighbor's kids called for my son to help - I almost died of embarrassment and laughter as I listened to my son saying "where is she!? - where is she!?" - "you can't see her!" screams neighbor's kid, "her whole butt is in the driveway!"

I guess this didn't scar me for life since my son and neighbor's kid had already seen me in less than flattering poses - you haven't lived until the entire junior varsity football team walks in just in time to find you stuck in the Thigh-Master! Again with the pants - they were stuck in the coils and my attempts to free myself had turned me into a pretzel - not the thin ones, the big meaty ones you get at the hot dog stand.

"Yo Jeff, your Mother is a freakin' riot" - my epitaph?

I have little rescue experience with dogs - it's not that I'm a cat person - I'm really an elephant person - they're the most spectacular creatures - both fierce and touching. Working long hours, living in small apartments, traveling a lot - cats just adapt better to that than dogs. I am aunt to many dogs and for awhile I transported dogs from a shelter in Brooklyn to a larger, better equipped shelter on Long Island. We'd play the radio and I'd sing to them and tell them a better life was just miles away. I'm pretty sure that calm and loving transition from one temporary home to yet another helped. They seemed to enjoy the ride. Of course, as any cab driver will tell you, there's always one who doesn't appreciate the service.

One of my last trips as driver to the dogs was late at night. All day I had caught glimpses of a large dog dodging traffic and wandering aimlessly - looking for something familiar I suppose. I was exhausted from walking around the neighborhood searching for him and it was getting dark. The lost and frightened expression on his face was haunting me and I decided to just sit on the front steps - the stoop as they call it in Brooklyn. I still had the little bag of cold cuts in my pocket - a sampler platter - a good hostess should always anticipate. I sat there drinking a beer, clutching a leash and crying. I'm so glad I left the gate open. He walked right in and stuck his head into my pocket! "Now you stop by! You bastard" - I was so relieved - no matter how late it was by the time I got him situated I would sleep. Knowing he was out there would have been torture.

The shelter's intake office was closed - although he appeared friendly and calm he was very large and my apartment was small and full of teens and cats. A friend near the shelter on Long Island agreed to put us up for the night. I could take him in first thing in the morning. He ate, he drank, he did his business and settled down for a nap in the back seat of my car. The radio was playing quietly, the windows were open a bit and traffic was light - it was almost midnight by now. My big buddy was asleep and all seemed right with the world. "Grrrrrrrrrrr" and then up pops his giant head. "Grrrrrrrrrrr" - a low, ominous sound from deep in his throat. I guess he had a bad dream and woke up in a strange moving car - at that moment all I could think of was how and where to pull over. I was cursing myself - what an idiot to not have put a halter on him, how stupid to be alone. From the rear view mirror I could see he looked upset and I spoke to him quietly as I looked for a well lit place to stop. "It's me buddy, we're going to a good place, I'll give you some water in a minute" He stared at me blankly and then sank his teeth into my shoulder, just the shirt - not my skin. I really cursed myself now! What a way to die - would we crash as he ripped my throat open or would I slowly lose consciousness on the shoulder of the Long Island Expressway.

I finally found a wide enough shoulder. I wanted to get out of the car and leave him in it! The car coming to a stop made him loosen his grip and I slipped out. It took a few minutes to calm down and plan (and cry) my next move. After talking to him through the slit in the window for a while I slowly opened the door and offered water. He licked my hand, drank the water and looked at me as if to say - "I don't know what came over me". I climbed into the back seat and hugged him. We made the rest of the trip with him sitting right up front, next to me, his leash wrapped around the back door handle - enough give for him to be comfy and enough restraint for me to stay calm. We never did stay at my friend's house - she had small children and I didn't want anyone to become stressed. Instead my big buddy and I slept in the car in the shelter's parking lot. His head was in my lap and I'm sure I was snoring and dribbling when the security guard woke me at 7 AM. He laughed at the sight of the two of us and told me that "this was a new one"

Big buddy was adopted within a few days and lived to be almost 15. His parents sent me photos and he always remembered my birthday. He never once had a moment of aggressive behavior - it really must have been a bad dream. I'm thrilled that I didn't call the police or animal protection - the ending would have been so different.

I've decided Siren needs a sibling. There's a good chance Siren disagrees but we'll work it out. I will foster with an option to adopt. Win-Win. If Siren takes to the foster then our home is ready, if not - then one more cat becomes socialized and loved on its way to a home.

I've been playing with this decision long enough - writing about Siren, thinking of all the animals who have touched my heart and sifting through Magnetbabe's site (Field Lines - link is on my "I love to read" list - check her out!) has inspired me. I haven't done enough lately and my soul feels it.

I searched through quotes to find a title for this post. Here's a few that touched me.

"Our task must be to free ourselves... by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty. "
Albert Einstein

"Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures."
His Holiness The Dalai Lama

"Lots of people talk to animals.... Not very many listen, though.... That's the problem. "
Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh