Animals Suffer Financial Difficulties Too!

There is so much concern over the poor economy these days. Many families are finding it hard to makes ends meet, people are losing their jobs, homes, etc. If you find yourself unable to care for your pet(s) here are some suggestions on ways to get help.

If you can't get help any other way, send me an email and I will try to find help for you -------------PINKPENNYANNIE@Yahoo.com.

Officials with animal shelters and rescue groups offer the following advice to pet owners faced with a financial crisis:

Contact your local humane society or animal rescue group.

Never leave your pets in a foreclosed home.

Be proactive about your financial problems.

Try to keep vaccinations and flea treatments current.

Don't be afraid to ask for help.

Animal lovers can help struggling pets and their owners by:

Providing temporary housing for pets while their owners get settled.

Supporting their local animal shelters by donating food, money or time. Some children across the country have asked their family and friends to make donations to animal organizations instead of giving them presents for birthdays, Christmas or other holidays.

Helping a pet owner in need by paying for pet food or veterinary bills.

Contacting local animal control officers if they know about a pet living in a house that is abandoned.

A Dog's Purpose

A FRIEND SENT THIS TO ME RECENTLY...I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE SHARED WITH ALL OF YOU!


A Dog's Purpose (from a 6-year-old's perspective).

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.


I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, 'I know why.'

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, 'People are born so that they can learn how to live a good Life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?' The Six-year-old continued, 'Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.'

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy-ride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.

Take naps.

Stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.

On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently. ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

Saint Bernard Wants a Timex for Xmas

My daughter, aka the "frog whisperer", has an adorable Saint Bernard named Bernie. She weighs well over 200 lbs. Bernie likes to sleep in the bed with daughter and husband, who for reasons you can well imagine, prefer her that she not. Bernie has gotten very sneaky at ways of getting in bed. Her latest trick is to wake daughter up sometime during the nite (pretending to need to go outside). While daugher gets up and goes to the back door to let her out, Bernie is assuming her place in bed. By the time daughter has determined that she has been tricked again and gets back to the bedroom, Bernie is fast asleep next to my son-in-law. She has tried numerous times to move her (daugter only weighs 120 lbs---dog weighs over 200), to no avail. Forget about waking up husband...he is dead to the world. Daughter will sometimes try to squeeze in next to her and go back to sleep, but usually ends up on the sofa in the den.

Today, Bernie got her up at 4 a.m. and she is requesting that we get Bernie a Timex for Xmas so she can see what time it is for herself and not wake her up. I don't think the Timex is going to help much though. Bernie already knows what time it is...time to get in bed with mom & dad.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

My husband and I went to see Beverly Hills Chihuahua last nite. I have made it a rule in my life not to see Disney Movies because there is ALWAYS a sad part that makes me cry. But from the previews I had seen, I thought this one would be different. I was wrong. There is a sad part in this movie as well...but it provides a good message about dogs and the responsibility of taking care of dogs...so this Disney movie gets a big thumbs up from me.

It has really funny parts and the dogs in the movie are all adorable. I now want to get a little chihuahua to add to our family...perhaps a little white one like the character in the movie or maybe the little brown one. We will see.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when the Pit Bull smiles and says his breath is "Minty Fresh".

I think my husband even liked this movie, because I heard him laugh several times and he was smiling through most of the movie.

I may not go see another Disney movie for awhile, but I did like this one. Though it made me cry, it also made me cry because it is such a sweet movie too. Go see for yourself.

Never Underestimate The Power of Love

My dear friends went to see Otis for what they thought would be the last time. He had been in the hospital for a week, and the vet said there was nothing more he could do to save him. But something amazing happened when they held him. They told him how much they needed him and loved him, how much he would be missed if he left them. They talked to him about all the people who love him and recalled funny times and special times they had with him in the past. Otis began to rally a little bit. The vet was shocked by this and very surprised. He asked them to hold off 24 hours before letting Otis go. By the next day, Otis was 100% better than the day before. When they arrived to see him, he was standing up in his kennel barking at them...something he had not done in over a week. Each day since, he has steadily gotten better.

The love of a dog for his owner and the owner for a dog is so special that sometimes love is all that matters. There is no medical explanation for why Otis got better. But I believe in my heart that love is what saved Otis.

I have this kind of love with my own wonderful dogs...if you have it with yours, you are truly blessed.

My Friends & Otis

Otis came into their lives rather unexpectedly. They had never had a dog before...and Otis was just a stray that showed up in their neighborhood, roaming from one house to the next, looking for a handout. He should have been called "ToTo" like the dog in the Wizard of Oz, because he could have been his double. But he kept coming back to the McDonald house and eventually they all fell in love. That was ten years ago. Over the years, I have enjoyed knowing Otis as well. He sat on the table with us as we played cards at their house, moved from lap to lap giving sugars to any and everyone, barked at 10 p.m. to let us know it was time for his nightly scoop of ice cream. Everyone loved Otis, how could you not . And best of all, he gave the McDonald's unconditional love and turned an old man into a 'softie'.

Today is a sad day. About a week ago, Otis got sick. The vet said it was pancreatitis, but treatment has not been able to help Otis and the vet says that he is suffering and it is time to let him go. My heart breaks for them as saying goodbye is such a hard thing to do. Sometime soon I will tell them about the "Rainbow Bridge", but not today. Today, they will do what they were chosen to do when Otis adopted them ten years ago, and it will hurt like hell. It is what they must do for Otis because they love him.

Knowing about the Rainbow Bridge has comforted me when Bubba, Penny & Maggie died. I hope it will be a comfort to my dear friends as well.