Very funny item: Like Deer? Are you ever in for a surprise....

Here's a link from the Chicago Times that will have you second guessing how you feel about four legged Herbivores like Deer.

Rex Huppke's Article  about the seamy side of Bambi.

Who knew?  Watch out Widdle Thumper!

Go HERE to pre-order the brand new "Bambi" from Disney

All about Animals: Humans are animals too; remember this, always. The Tails, and Tongues, of the Borg are forked....pass it on

Do you like these little beetles?

Our children's Brains?

Past EPA Actions taken for the poison Chlorpyrifos

This is an excerpt from the above article:

"To address health and environmental risks from chlorpyrifos exposure, the following restrictions have been placed on pesticide products containing chlorpyrifos:

• In June 2000, we eliminated all homeowner uses, except ant and roach baits in child resistant packaging and fire ant mound treatments. In addition, termiticide uses were phased out.
• In 2000, we required that all uses of chlorpyrifos products in the U.S. be discontinued on tomatoes. Use on apples was restricted to pre-bloom and dormant application. The grape tolerance (maximum residue level) was lowered to reflect the labeled dormant application.
• In 2002, we limited the use of chlorpyrifos on citrus and tree nuts as well other crops.
• In 2012, we further limited the use of chlorpyrifos by significantly lowering pesticide application rates and creating “no-spray” buffer zones around public spaces, including recreational areas and homes.

Over the past several years, we have conducted several risk assessments and taken regulatory action in response to a petition from the Pesticide Action Network of North America and Natural Resources Defense Council. In March 2017, we denied that petition, which asked us to revoke all pesticide tolerances (maximum residue levels in food) for chlorpyrifos and cancel all chlorpyrifos registrations. As a part of the ongoing registration review, we will continue to review the science addressing neurodevelopmental effects of chlorpyrifos. Read the Federal Register notice announcing our response to the petition."

The following is a press release from the Center for Biological Diversity:

"For Immediate Release, April 21, 2017

Contact: Brett Hartl, (202) 817-8121, bhartl@biologicaldiversity.org

Public Records Sought on Dow’s Efforts to Pressure Trump Administration Over Pesticides, Endangered Species

WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity submitted Freedom of Information Act requests this week seeking public records from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Commerce to illuminate reports about how Dow Chemical is pressuring the Trump administration to abandon efforts to protect endangered species from pesticides.

Last week Dow asked the Trump administration to scrap a nearly completed four-year effort to protect endangered species from Dow’s insecticide chlorpyrifos. In January the EPA announced that its scientists had determined the highly toxic pesticide is likely to harm 97 percent of the approximately 1,800 listed threatened and endangered animals and plants found in the United States. (Italic's are mine.)

“American taxpayers have a right to know exactly how Dow Chemical is profiting from the ever-deepening corporate swamp in our nation’s capital,” said Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center. “It’s detestable that Dow and the Trump administration have so little respect for the health of our children and environment.”

Over the past six years, Dow has donated $11 million to congressional campaigns and political action committees, and has spent an additional $75 million lobbying Congress. In January 2017 Dow was one of three companies that donated $1 million to the Trump inauguration. President Trump named Dow Chemical CEO Andrew Liveris as the head of the American Manufacturing Council in his administration. Liveris praised Trump by stating that Trump is making the United States “not a red-tape country, but a red-carpet country for America’s businesses.”

 Trump, who referred to Liveris as “my friend Andrew,” gave Liveris his pen after signing the executive order mandating that agencies create so-called “regulatory reform task forces.” Several weeks ago, the EPA shocked public health advocates by abruptly scrapping a proposed ban on chlorpyrifos, which is known to cause brain damage in children.

“Dow spent millions on congressional campaigns, the president’s coronation and lobbying Congress and now it’s looking for its payback,” said Hartl. “The disgusting backroom efforts to sidestep the Endangered Species Act are the latest proof of just how hostile Trump’s closest industry buddies are toward common-sense protections for our environment.”

In December 2016 Liveris criticized the EPA’s ground-level ozone pollution and renewable standards for utilities, while agreeing with a climate-change-denier that carbon dioxide is “an inert compound” and should not be regulated by the EPA.

During his tenure as the CEO of Dow, his company was assessed $6.5 million in fines by the EPA since 2010, including serious violations of the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

Over the same time period, Dow AgroSciences — the division that manufactures pesticides — has been assessed four separate penalties for violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.


The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.2 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places."

Yes, but did we not just blow half the Afghani herds, and their minders, up with this Mega whatzit Bomb?

The goat herds of Afghanistan can yield big money, if the country's ever left alone to do it.

Read about it HERE

Didn't Heifer International have a big drive to replace all the goats that had been killed by the bombing in Afghanistan?  I seem to remember it and donated to it myself.

What's that old song line?

"We did it before and we can do it again!"

Whatever I want Wednesday potbelly mini-pigs

Mini pig cute overload

I did this pretty late and I'm not thinking right at all. These are all babies who will get quite big, cute they are and tiny.  You'd need a farm.  I guess I'd rather have a Shetland pony if that's the case.

This Tuesday Tails is a little different: Lest we Forget, The Unsung Little Heroes of Animal Testing

You will find 7 of these little hero groups, and short Bios of each, HERE

Thank you to all the people who worked so hard on this issue from the get go.  I won't ever forget your hard work and dedication to lessening this unnecessary suffering.

Sweet Baby

I am glad that the use of animals is declining in every industry, and may it never, EVER be used in cosmetics testing in the very near future.  Some things are just absolutely uncalled for and cruel.

Tuesday tails... Mother Dove on nest under the shade patio; the tort report; Sweet Wolfie; Knitting Report UPDATED; Seahorse that imitates seaweed.

Mother Dove, this morning...

The big torts are soaked* and have been let loose in the garden.  These pictures are from summer before last summer... Last summer the snaps are from in front of the garage and not nearly as interesting, artistically.  You know, all cement and cement colored shells.  Very DULL!  Their noted weights are from right after hibernation last week.

* this means that they get put into trays of warmish water, and let drink as much as they like.  They absorb water through their skins at the same time that they drink.  This operation in Tortoise care takes the place of coming out of burrows in the desert in Spring and all piling into big puddles that form when a cloud bursts.

Lucky weighs 9 and a half Pounds
but this little boy, a 23 year old from October 1991, is growing very fast.  He will easily be bigger than his Dad or Mother.  Yes, I finally did the math.

Sweet, Old Brown-eyed Churchy
weighing in at 9 and 7/8th Pounds
approximately 65 years old, give or take

Poko Ono - weight: 10 and 7/8ths Pounds
approximately 56 years old.  She was approx. 23 years old
when we got her from Project Wildlife.  

Baby Torts!

This February.  No weight yet.  I'll weigh them and plug it in.
They are too small to hibernate so we feed them all winter.  They are now out in their little cage in the garden, if they haven't dug out.  We may find other babies out there because a neighbor now has one that came through to HIS garden from ours.

Last but not least, the Wolfie report:

Wolfie has re-learned to whine when he wants anything, and if ignored long enough, he does a tiny growl.  Jazzie did this little growl, too.  I'm not sure how dogs learn this but they certainly do!
HERE IS A PAGE from the Daily Pup that explains what it all means.

I think this sweet, little dog was very suppressed when we got him.  He absolutely did not bark or growl for two weeks - until Halloween - two weeks after he came to our home.  At the pound, the only sound we heard from him at all, was a tiny whine when he looked at the door to the rear of his cage, as if to say, "Please rescue me from these people."  We were offering him treats of dog food and trying to coax him to the wire fence.

At the time, we were alone in the room full of cages, just outside the enclosure where he was being kept, and he obviously wanted someone to come through that door and save him.  This made me think that whomever had previously had possession of his little Self had him de-barked, or taught him not to bark.

Adorable Wolfie, Santa Cruz, 2012

Updated Knitting Report:  Though I thought the left front was finished, it isn't.  I have to decrease for the arm syce.  When it's fully done (!!!!) I'll do a snap.  I'll be casting on for the Right Front tonight tomorrow morning; then there will be a test run of a sleeve, in the round, on hat needles.  Everything depends on what my hands can stand.

A Seahorse at Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Little Tricksters

Have a great Evening!

God Bless the Firefighters...and the people who rescue !!

Firefighters, You gotta love em. They are my sweeties!

kudo's to SuziQz

Like me, you will probably watch all the videos on this. Amazing rescues! I am reminded of the first time we saw wolfie. He had been in the shelter about 6 weeks and he was looking a lot better than when he'd come in. Let a dog rescue YOU!


I'm still on the comeback trail, pawdnas... be back soonish...

Tuesday Tails... A small biopic on Wolfie and a dog surfing video... California Dogs go Surfing!

Wolfie is missing his papa.  In the morning or afternoon Mr. Z disappears out the front door without him and Wolfie gets depressed.  He sits on Mr. Z's big chair, with his little head hanging over the arm and eyes wistfully looking toward the front door, waiting, waiting.

Wolfie, with his Far Away, "Where's Papa?" Look

Nothing I do can cheer him up, even when he gets his treat from me he's always subdued, quiet, and listening.  "What is going on", he seems to be thinking.

Soon all will be well again in Wolfie's world, but right now some serious stuff is happening, and I'm sure that the little guy is trying to figure out if he is OK with the pack order, so I am extra gentle with him.

The pack order can be disturbed in ways that a human never even thinks about.  For instance, Wolfie is not in the "hunt" pack.  He's in the "Guard the Den" pack, and he's a very fierce little guardian, and all.  But, like me, that is not anywhere near the Alpha level in the most important pack of all.   He loves me, and guards me like a little Dragon...

But, he's always had eyes for Mr. Z.


Maybe if anyone had taught him to play when he was a little puppy, or even as a young dog, he would be happier.  He does not play with toys or even sticks, ever!

Except at the beach he bounces around and goes aerial.  At the beach he is just insanely happy!  We want to take him there but at 6am it's a little hard to do.  Poor little fellow.  We think he might have been a beach bum at his first home.  Surfer Dog even!  (sorry the first video was not compatible)  New One of San  Diego Surfing Dogs!



Have a great Week, and remember to think Spring!

Some Bunny Loves you..... and some Wayback Machine travel to a farm in Ohio, too.

I'm not going to make it to Sunday Stealing as there is a big ToDo going this weekend. But I hope you enjoy the rabbit kittens, which I like as much as feline kittens for cuteness. We used to raise Holland Lops for show at 4H while I was homeschooling. There is NOTHING cuter than a rabbit kitten.

Ok, tell me you can resist this cuteness.
Couldn't you just eat them up!
Just Kidding!

In my mind's eye I can still see the tiny, mighty BunBun - all of five weeks old and weighing in at five ounces - "measuring" the cardboard "fence" of her enclosure, and then leaping about ten times her body length to almost clear the darn thing.  We taped on additional cardboard.

I don't think the kits above are Hollands but are babies probably from a similar breed.  Those little kits seem to be too dark in the eye for New Zealands, Below, which are the World's favorite eating rabbit.  

New Zealand White Kits have light pink eyes and are less cobby

When I was young, on mother's farm, we used to eat rabbit, chicken and the occasional bit of ground beef.  I can't imagine eating any rabbits NOW!  Oh that is disgusting!

But, then again, I can hear my grandmother's voice telling my four year old self that we had just eaten venison last Sunday, and "I'd like it just fine on my plate, and didn't I enjoy last week's roast?

Anyway, as we watched safely from the kitchen window - far above the action - Grandfather and the other hunters hoisted up a huge Elk,  and "Processed it".  Unfortunately, Mother had not long before that read Bambi to me.   I was four years old and thought they were hurting the animal because I didn't realize it was actually already dead.  After Grandmother's and my discussion, which I think was the first time I'd ever thought about where my food actually came from, I was pretty solemn.  I knew about milk and eggs, but yummy roasts?  And chicken?

Next time Grandpa went hunting, he brought back some big rabbits, most of which went into a stew.  Grandmother was careful to remove MOST of the buckshot, but hapless me, I got a piece with hair and a little ball of lead shot.  I can still remember the feeling of the fur in my mouth, and remember Grandpa reaching across the table to help me get it out of my mouth.  He didn't want his little Brown Eyed Susan eating that ball of lead!

It's amazing what a person remembers the most about things when they themselves are small.  That little ball of shot took some hair with it into the meat.  I couldn't eat it after that!

Here is a site for the Names of Animal babies 

I realize this is much more than you wanted to know about rabbits, or maybe even about hunting but that's a farm!  And, this won't happen again.

Tuesday Tails.....The little Japanese penguin

Though, how this species of penguin got to Japan, I'll never know. The clip must explain it but my headphones went south sometime last weekend so there go all the sounds. Anyway, I thought penguins stayed in waters south of the equator. She's adorable anyway, and she's tame, out of place, and coping, like many an other animals including some of those very famous "fish out of water" sort of humans. (One of whom is Me- not the famous part but the "fish out of water" part)

A big thank you very much goes out to Pina!

All of Wolfie's fans will be glad to know that he is well and happy and going for sniff fests (walks) with Mr.Z to various places. He is especially fond of finding the trail of the Bobcat that lives nearby. We have heard this Bobcat on our flat roof and wish her well. We are glad to provide her a resting place, free of Coyotes.

From HERE

Last week it was rather hot again, and Wolfie's little tongue hung out a lot.

Happily for us all, the weather has now cooled off.
Poor little Fellow!

Tuesday Tails- Cute dog and Pig jump hurdle, Tort Report, and a little Sunday by the Bay stuff.

It is, of course, Tuesday.  So here are a couple of sweet little tails who must be good buddies, too.

I'm not sure where this was taken, nor how the Utterly Amazing Mz. Pina got it, but it's just adorable! There is part of an URL on the corner.

Tort Report:
The smallest two, Dusty and Milagro, are spending their days and evenings out in their little wire enclosure.  They like burrowing into the tall grass, and the fact that, when there ARE roses, that the hand of God throws then inside the wire where they do not have to share with the "Monsters Who Look Like Us".  I've seen these infant torts bob their heads at their big brother, mother and daddy, but when push comes to shove it's not good to be mixing with the grown ups.

Yesterday when I was watering the shade patio I spotted Mama tort, Poko Ono, coming down the trail to me.  I gave her some water puddles to drink out of.  She had a big mouthful of grass so I'm sure she thought it was an inconvenient time for me to expect her to take a drink.  We exchanged looks.  She didn't stop to even bother to bob her head at me but just turned slowly around and walked back up the trail.

I say trail because the grass that came under the fence and now infests our one watered area is knee high.  Happily, it's on the "Favored Food" list for the tortoises.  They eat their way through as much as they can all summer and fall.

To deal with grasses and the weeds when the Tortoises aren't awake and doing their utmost to eat them, I think I want those two little mini goats that were written into the city charter for home owners to legally possess.  And, I think I want them NOW!

Sunday:

Sunday the worst, so far, of the summer heat hit.  The fourth wasn't too bad but by Sunday, it was roasting. We went to the bay with Wolfie in tow.  It was a little crowded at Point Loma Seafood, and we didn't get to sit at our usual spot, it was taken up by break-taking smokers.  So, we ended up in front where everyone else was. We won't do that again.  We are going to buy our fish and chips and take them  to the Bay or we'll just take a little picnic from home!

Wolfie was much calmer after we got down to the Peace Park, and walked around a little.  He doesn't like the feeling of being hemmed in, I suppose.  I guess his feral days gave him a taste for wide open spaces, and he needs to have the feeling that the world is HUGE!  Can you imagine being both exhilarated at being totally free, and also terrified of being eaten by coyotes?

We left when the sun was partway down and the moon was well up.

It was a lovely drive home.

Something Nice.. A Kitten Rescue, in Russia!

Let's talk Booze, Birthdays, and Horse Racing

First, there is the Booze in Question:

Smellyann, this is near to the Cherry Liqueur that I make but I don't put brandy in it.  It's  time to make it because cherries come to market in June!  My recipe is Vodka, lovely sweet cherries and sugar.  Mix the right amounts in a big jar, like a thoroughly cleaned glass one that had Mayo or pickles in it.  You get these jars from Smart and Final or Costco maybe- if they aren't all now plastic.  After the jar has everything in it, screw the lid on TIGHT!  It now goes into a dark cupboard to steep like for ever.  Actually it's only about a month or so.

Then it gets strained into a couple of wine bottles that have been carefully washed and carefully (hot oven) dried, cork it up and you have yourself a couple bottles of very tasty Cherry Liqueur.  There are approximately 10,000 sites that tell you how to do this, with nearly as many different ingredients.  My recipe came from a friend, and I'm too lazy to go try to find it.  Many of my recipes went AWOL after the kitchen got remodeled.

Today is Elle's Birthday!

Happy Birthday Elle!  May you have many more!

And now for something completely different:  Horse racing.  I was happy to see that none of the horses or the jockeys were hurt.  I was not happy about the opportunistic rules that allow a horse to run which has not been risked in the other so called races of the Triple Crown.  Triple Crown my arse.

Here is an ARTICLE, from Yahoo Sports which I think addresses the problem, unlike today's unhelpful article in the Sports section of the local rag.  Tell us something we do not know next time, ok?

 *Spits*  

Tiny pets - just for fun

Go HERE for more...

Enjoy! 
Thanks, Gee!

Sunday stealing night Lights? We don't need no stinking night lights.

The Seventeen Meme

I can't get the Sunday Stealing post to copy here, so what you see is just the questions.  If you could like to join in, please click on the link up there ^ for the full Monty, so to speak.

From For The Adventure 

1. Do you know triplets? 
I did at one time, when I was in the Mothers of Twin's Club.  All multiples were in the club.  Believe me, we really needed the help, speakers, and the camaraderie!  For the first three months of the twins lives, I found it hard to have time to wash my hair!  Them I found the twins club.  If you happen to find yourself with twins, try to find a local Mothers of Twins Club.  They really DO know what you are going through!

2. Do you prefer Titanic or The Notebook? 
I don't know what those are, but if I had to choose I wouldn't  choose Titanic - for obvious reasons.  But, if it's about computers, I have a Notebook and love that little devil almost more than I can say.  It's totally cool.

3. Have you ever eaten Indian food? 
Yes, and can honestly say the ONLY thing I really like about it is the Naan.   I adore Naan.  The Food?  It's the spices, I think, and I'm just not used to them, but they do these amazing milk ball treats that I'd love to be able to eat still.  Those are Yummy!  Dal is terrific; we had some in a Sri Lankan restaurant in Santa Cruz last year.

4. What’s the name of your favorite restaurant? 
Nicolosi's.  Before that was Zolezzi's but it doesn't exist anymore.  Now I've stopped eating wheat.  Byebye American Pie, too.  Apologies to the Don McClean.

5. Who’s your favorite person in the world? 
I really hate favorite person questions, and never know what to say, really. You must mean besides my family members and friends?  I guess that would be The Dali Lama.

We were driving through a parking lot in Santa Cruz to visit a leather store, and we rounded a corner and there was a tiny truck with a huge picture of the Dali Lama on the side, smiling his adorable smile.  I just had to smile back.  Here's one of him laughing at something someone said.

Photo Source

The link goes to a very good article on a blog.

6. Would you rather live in a rural area or in the suburbs? 
I'm a farm girl.  I want to live on another farm; tiny, maybe, but a farm.  I don't really want animals but would absolutely consider rescuing a few smaller farm animals and of course, dogs.

7. Can you whistle? 
Oh yes, I can.  I can whistle songs I can no longer sing.  And, I try to imitate bird songs.  It's so much FUN!

8. Do you sleep with a nightlight?
Only when I'm sick and need to take meds at night.  If I could have one like this I just might leap for it!

Picture Source

9. Do you eat breakfast every morning?
Always.  It's the time of day that I'm hungriest.

10. Do you take any pills or medication daily? 
Is the Pope Italian?

11. How many times have you been to the hospital as a patient? 
Happily only four times.  *touches wood* That's three times for babies, and one for a knee replacement surgeon.  I love that guy.  I can't jump rope or do cartwheels but this knee feels like my own.  The Wrist was an out patient surgery with an amazing surgeon.  Yay!

12. Have you ever seen Finding Nemo? 
Now that is an off the wall question if there ever was one!  Hmmm.  Yes, I may even own it.  I love LOVE the products from Pixar or Dreamworks.

13. Where do you buy your jeans? 
Marketing alertS!  Hmm.  I haven't bought a pair of jeans for ages.  Where I bought the last pair?  Probably just from a retailer that sells women's Levis and lets you try them on first.  Sears, I think, which of course isn't Sears anymore.

14. What’s the last compliment you got? 
A friend said I was "wonderful".  Cheered me up no end.  I think she is, too.

15. Do you usually remember your dreams in the morning?
Sometimes but I have to write them down unless they are really wacky like the last one.  Last night I dreamed of an immense,  multi-storied building where people all lived together in a sort of musical society.  Lots of singing and dancing.  But so many STAIRS!  There were no elevators and there were people and kids and their pets simply EVERYwhere.  The place seemed to be as full of people as a sport's stadium.

16. What flavor tea do you enjoy? 
Only one?  

Link To Up Magazine Source

That's like asking a coffee drinker what coffee they like.  I like Green, Red (Rooibos), Lady Grey, Earl Grey, and about a half dozen others that I'm just too lazy to go look for in the kitchen.  I'll get my lazy butt off this chair and go look.  Stay Tuned! *musical interlude*   There is Tetley, Lemon Lift, Stash Lemon Ginger, T.J.'s Organic Chamomile Herbal Tea, Tazo "Passion", and some more I can't reach on my own.

17. What social media sites do you use?
What are those?  Honestly, I don't know for sure.  I use Blogger, and have a passing acquaintance with Facebook, and I give Twitter a wave now and then.  There's Ravelry and Knitter's Review, and I like Knitty, and even a peek at Woodworker's Mag because I love wood, and the wacky world of Men. Wood though, I LOVE the stuff.  I can not throw a piece of wood away and don't like to burn hardwoods.  They have other uses much more beautiful than producing a fire.  Did I just go off on you?  I did didn't I?
------------------------------------------
So, I tried to answer each question fully and sort of in a Friend's circle way.This is always a lot of fun.  Come on over and Pile On!  The Button is in the side bar under Weekly MeMe's.

Just for fun, here's a picture of some beautiful Nez Perce Appaloosas that I found on the web when I was doing some research:

M-Y Sweetwater Appaloosa Ranch Site Horses

Have a great Sunday.  Remember the little Joys.

Tuesday Tails... or how to torture yourself daily...

Picture source

I want one of these- one to go with Wolfie.  I'll take really good care of her, I promise!

I've found a sudden interest in Area 51.  Got the Documentaries, web pages, the book by Annie Jacobson, got a blog...  I'm set!  Mr. Z and I have seen an UFO while we stood in our front yard in 1970, so I want to know more!

Tuesday is also ceramic day but there is nothing to report.  

Tort report:  The "twins" are spending lots of time during the last few days outside but they have a special enclosure to protect them from anything that might want to make a little meal of them.  A Crow can still pick them up and fly away with them.  Well, a crow could get Dusty who is whimpy sized compared to Milagro, who is more like a Big Mac.  I will take a picture of their Zoo enclosure tomorrow and try to post it soon.  It's nothing fancy but it does give them a chance to live in the tall grass for a little excitement.

Story about little 12 year old Docksie left at shelter.

I am so thankful for people who do this work for animals.

This is a wonderful story.  It comes from Yahoo news page via Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell, and Pet260.com

By: Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell | Pet360.com

"An elderly couple who left their 13 ½ year old Dachshund tied outside of the Baldwin Park Animal Shelter near Los Angeles with a note asking for him to put to sleep because they could not afford to care for him will be reunited with the dog.

The heartbreaking note reads, "Our dog is 13 1/2 years old he is sick starting yesterday with bloody stools, vomiting. Had a skin disease for a few years. We are both seniors, sick with no money. We cannot pay for vet bills, or to put him to sleep. He has never been away from us in all those years, he cannot function without us, please put him to sleep."

Instead, shelter workers called Leave No Paws Behind, Inc., an all breed, all foster based rescue that specializes in seniors, who picked up the dog and initially named him Harley. When the dog was taken to a veterinarian, it was determined he could not only be treated, but most likely had a "couple of more years" left in him, according to an update on the organization's Facebook page.
The rescue realized the little dog had been well-cared for and according to the note, very much loved, so they decided to try to reach out to the dog's owners.

When the dog owners came forward, they explained they are indeed both sick and cannot even afford their medical treatments or tires for their vehicle. They had taken their dog, who is actually named Otto Wolfgang Maximus, to a veterinarian and were told that they would need to run costly tests. When they realized they couldn't even afford to have their dog euthanized by the vet, they were "hysterical" and didn't know what else to do aside from leaving him at the shelter.

"We just are living week to week," one of the pet parents, who wished to remain anonymous, told KTLA in an interview. "We can't even go to the hospital to get our treatment."
Although they had read the judgments people were making about their decision after the story was made public, they reached out to the rescue anyway. "I was in tears when I realized that their love for this darling little man outweighed their fear of what people may say about them and I knew instantly, our decision to try to reunite Otto with his humans was the right decision!" reads the post on Leave No Paws Behind.
The organization believes the Otto's owners loves him very much and just felt they had no other choice. "Ninety eight percent of the rescues we take in belong with us," said Toby Wisneski, founder of Leave No Paws Behind. "There are 1-2 percent of owners who love their animals very much and just believe they have no other option but to surrender them."

Wisneski has decided to make the couple a permanent foster for Otto and return the dog to them with the provision they can make regular, weekly visits to the home. The organization will maintain the cost of Otto's food and veterinary care for the rest of his life.
The couple lives outside of California and was on a ministry trip when they dropped Otto at the shelter. They will pick the dog up at the end of the month when they are able to get enough money to purchase new tires for their vehicle.
According to Pet Insurance Zone, the average cost of a visit to the vet has soared to $190 for cats and $360 for dogs. The cost rose 64 percent between 1998 and 2006.
The cost of having a beloved pet euthanized is not cheap, either. One veterinarian paper put the total cost between $150-$800, which includes veterinarian services, drugs and cremation.
According to the most recent study by the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), a total of 13 percent of the dogs relinquished by owners to shelters is due to the financial inability to care for the animal, personal problems or a pet's illness. An estimated 1.5-3.5 million animals each year are relinquished to shelters by their owners.

Wisneski said pet owners should check with local rescues and shelters, many of which have accounts to help owners in financial crisis. Leave No Paws Behind even has a memorial fund set up to help people with euthanasia if they cannot afford it and the pet is terminally ill."

Explore More at Pet360.com

Tuesday Tails. Wolfie update;a little stealing of videos; teeny rant.

Roxie's mom over at Cinderellen's Corner put up an amazing frolic of dogs in the snow at Dog Camp.  Be sure to watch the other dog video up farther on her blog, of five Australian Shepherds stalking each other.  Funny!  The link goes to her page where the shepherds "herd" each other.

This is the one I shamelessly stole from her:




Wolfie report:  His eye and nose are slowly getting better.  We won't know for several weeks more whether tear production will come up to grade in his one eye or if he'll have to have medicine for the rest of his life.  I'm hoping not, but then, this is simpler than a lot of things Jazzie went through.

I feel just terrible about it because if I'd been more diligent about checking his eyes everyday, this might not have happened.  His eyes are huge and dark and shiney bright.  Now one looks like a dull little marble.  If you have a Shih tzu or a mix, keep a watch for dry eyes.  They seem to be susceptible to this.

Teeniest of Rants:  I had an interesting convo with DD3 this past weekend.  She told me that I needed to stop obsessing - my word, not hers, about the criminal enterprise that's running the world.  And further more, I should just support the ones who are doing the whistle-blowing and taking all the life threatening chances to reveal the duplicity, and to get the truth out.  And so I will.   I will treat them like the patriots for freedom and democracy that they are, and not let their sacrifice for all of us be forgotten.  I'll hold them in my heart with all the soldiers and policemen who struggle everyday to make sense of what's going on around them.  I'm sure there were plenty of Nazi infantrymen who hated their lives.

Isn't this cute:

Can I have the Dog too?

Tuesday Tails... Dolphin Tale... Wolfie tails, and a cat raising a baby squirrel.

DH found this movie at Netflix.  If you haven't seen it already, it is a very inspirational film about a community that came to together over a little tailless dolphin called Winter.  It's called Dolphin Tale.  Kids of all ages will love this film.  And, another film, a sequel called, "Dolphin Tale2"  will be arriving in the middle of September.

Wolfie tails:  He's doing better but a lot of gunk is still coming out of his eye in the morning.  But we think he has turned the corner on this- and he should with three kinds of medicines two of which he does not like, "thank you very much" and will squirm like a little otter to get away from them. The fire engine red tissues around his eye are down, too.  They are just a little red but mostly pink.

 Here's a picture of is foot as he slept on the bed this morning.

Wolfie's back feet are bigger than his front feet, and though it may be normal for dogs to have things this way (and I'm not sure that it's not), it still seems odd for a little peg-legged dog to have such big back feet.  This sort of reminds me of the Audi commercial about the Doberhuahua mix, though admittedly, THAT dog was bigger on the front half!.   That thing was hilarious.



The knitting report:  Having sewn the sweater parts to each other across the shoulder seams.  I had a scare.  I feel like I'm wrestling an octopus so ended up getting the side of the sleeve against the side seam.  Mon Dieu!  They didn't match and finally, after swallowing my heart, I realized the mistake, and pinned things together properly.  I will NEVER AGAIN make a sweater that isn't done in the round as much as possible.  With the Noro being space dyed, I hope that's the right term, it would have come out with even thinner stripes; I just had to knit it in pieces.

Slightly Fish Eyed Photo: Sweater inside out

Tomorrow, with my hands having had one day rest, I will be sewing up those long seams.  Also, this is not knitting related but sewing,  is that I've found a whole box of mending that is about ten years old.  If we haven't had any urgent use for that stuff in all those years, they are going out of this house to be recycled as rags.

Now for the Baby Squirrel raised by a cat:  It's lovely!



Thanks Pina!

Hand eye crafts Contest.. And Thankful Thursday. 8th Day of the August Happiness Challenge. Lemurs!

Hand eye Crafts Blog  is having the contest, so be sure to go on over there and nominate  your fav Hunky Guy or Gal, as the case may be.  There's also some sort of prize that involves yarn but it's so late I didn't get a clear view of it.  I picked up on this from Kim Knits' blog.  Something fun and happy to do. 

I might just add more but I'm going to post this now and GET TO BED!  It's been a long day.    Nighty night!

I am Both Happy and Thankful.  THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! that  tomorrow is Friday!

My August Happiness Challenge Page is:

Aye-Ayes, Aye-Aye Pictures, Aye-Aye Facts - National Geographic

Lemurs! Aye-Ayes,  Yay!