Foreclosure Pets

Here's a good overview of more "collateral" damage from the housing foreclosure crisis that's occurring throughout the country: Abandoned Foreclosure Pets


There seems to be a lot more people looking for a place to send their pets these days. With most of the animal shelters and rescue groups being full with homeless pets already, it's a bad situation made worse.

This is bringing out the worse in irresponsible people that just abandon their pets when they leave their foreclosed homes, with their left-behind pets locked inside or tied out in the yard without any food or water. . . more tangible proof of how irresponsible and/or just plain ignorant some people are and how the lending institutions pretty much were giving mortgages out to anyone that could walk into the office and sign the papers. . .

For people and organizations looking for help with their foreclosure pets, the American Humane Association (AHA) has posted some helpful information at their website:
http://www.americanhumane.org/protecting-animals/shelter-professionals/resources/foreclosure-pets-grant.html

Laika, the first dog/earthling to travel in space...

...unfortunately her experience was a one way trip.

Here's more information about Laika's story and a new book written about her from her perspective: http://laikaspace.com/

And you can read an excerpt from the book here.

Wow... what an outstanding achievement, but an extremely sad ending to the story.

It sucks that Laika was just a propaganda tool in the space race. These days, I don't think anyone could get away with designing an global-orbiting vehicle without any re-entry ability and no plan for crew recovery.

Second thought. . . with all the budget cuts these days. . .

A New Year's Wish for all the dogs out there...

Here in this house......

I will never know the loneliness I hear in the barks of the other dogs 'out there'.
I can sleep soundly, assured that when I wake my world will not have changed.
I will never know hunger, or the fear of not knowing if I'll eat.
I will not shiver in the cold, or grow weary from the heat.
I will feel the sun's heat, and the rain's coolness,
and be allowed to smell all that can reach my nose.
My fur will shine, and never be dirty or matted.

Here in this house...
There will be an effort to communicate with me on my level.
I will be talked to and, even if I don't understand,
I can enjoy the warmth of the words.
I will be given a name so that I may know who I am among many.
My name will be used in joy, and I will love the sound of it!

Here in this house...
I will never be a substitute for anything I am not.
I will never be used to improve peoples' images of themselves.
I will be loved because I am who I am, not someones idea of who I should be.

I will never suffer for someones anger, impatience, or stupidity.
I will be taught all the things I need to know to be loved by all.
If I do not learn my lessons well, they will look to my teacher for blame.

Here in this house...
I can trust arms that hold, hands that touch...
knowing that, no matter what they do, they do it for the good of me.
If I am ill, I will be doctored.
If scared, I will be calmed.
If sad, I will be cheered.
No matter what I look like, I will be considered beautiful and known to be of value.
I will never be cast out because I am too old, too ill, too unruly, or not cute enough.

My life is a responsibility, and not an afterthought.
I will learn that humans can almost, sometimes, be as kind and as fair as dogs.

Here in this house...
I will belong.
I will be home.

(author unknown)

Happy New Year!

Hey, Happy New Year everyone!

'Kind of looking forward to starting off the new year. Feeling kind of blah today though after thinking about my grandpa and missing him...

Here's a story about him: http://www.sfbg.com/39/40/news_harry_tom.html

Anyways, hoping you're having a good day as we start off the new year.