The story of A DIFFERENT Doylestown dog that gets to go home

This is the way it's supposed to be!

Bring Bandit Home

Photo of Mr. Cavalier with his grandson and Bandit in earlier years.

Bandit is the small poodle belonging to 86 year old Malvin Cavalier, a Katrina evacuee and widower. Bandit was rescued, brought to PA, and then "adopted" by a woman who has refused to return him to Malvin. A lawyer has been hired to get Bandit back, and legal contributions to the Bandit Legal Fund are welcome. Donations can be made to the special PayPal account designated as banditlegal@yahoo.com

The link at the top will take you to Bandit's page on the Lost Katrina Pets site where there are links to newspaper articles and a story on the Best Friends website.

Long, boring but important news on vaccinations

All 27 veterinary schools in North America are in the process of changing their protocols for vaccinating dogs and cats. Some of this information will present an ethical and economic challenge to vets, and there will be skeptics. Some organizations have come up with a political compromise suggesting vaccinations every 3 years to appease those who fear loss of income vs. those concerned about potential side effects. Politics, traditions, or the doctor's economic well being should not be a factor in medical decision.

NEW PRINCIPLES OF IMMUNOLOGY:
"Dogs and cats immune systems mature fully at 6 months. If a modified live virus vaccine is given after 6 months of age, it produces an immunity which is good for the life of the pet (ie: canine distemper, parvo, feline distemper). If another MLV vaccine is given a year later, the antibodies from the first vaccine neutralize the antigens of the second vaccine and there is little or no effect. The titer is not "boosted" nor are more memory cells induced." Not only are annual boosters for parvo and distemper unnecessary, they subject the pet to potential risks of allergic reactions and immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. "There is no scientific documentation to back up label claims for annual administration of MLV vaccines." Puppies receive antibodies through their mothers milk. This natural protection can last 8-14 weeks. Puppies & kittens should NOT be vaccinated at LESS than 8 weeks. Maternal immunity will neutralize the vaccine and little protection (0-38%) will be produced. Vaccination at 6 weeks will, however, delay the timing of the first highly effective vaccine. Vaccinations given 2 weeks apart suppress rather than stimulate the immune system. A series of
vaccinations is given starting at 8 weeks and given 3-4 weeks apart up to 16 weeks of age. Another vaccination given sometime after 6 months of age (usually at 1 year 4 mo) will provide lifetime immunity.

CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DOGS:

Distemper & Parvo -- "According to Dr. Schultz, AVMA, 8-15-95, when a vaccinations series given at 2, 3 & 4 months and again at 1 year with a MLV, puppies and kitten program memory cells that survive for life,
providing lifelong immunity." Dr. Carmichael at Cornell and Dr. Schultz have studies showing immunity against challenge at 2-10 years for canine distemper & 4 years for parvovirus. Studies for longer duration are pending. "There are no new strains of parvovirus as one mfg. would like to suggest. Parvovirus vaccination provides cross immunity for all types." Hepatitis (Adenovirus) is one of the agents known to be a cause of kennel cough. Only vaccines with CAV-2 should be used as CAV-1 vaccines carry the risk of "hepatitis blue-eye" reactions & kidney damage.
Bordetella Parainfluenza -- Commonly called "Kennel cough." Recommended only for those dogs boarded, groomed, taken to dog shows, or for any reason housed where exposed to a lot of dogs. The intranasal vaccine provides more complete and more rapid onset of immunity with less chance of reaction. Immunity requires 72 hours and does not protect from every cause of kennel cough. Immunity is of short duration (~ 6 months).
Rabies -- It is a killed vaccine and must be given every year.
Lyme Disease -- is a tick born disease which can cause lameness, kidney failure and heart disease in dogs. Ticks can also transmit the disease to humans. The original Ft. Dodge killed bacteria has proven to be the most
effective vaccine. Lyme disease prevention should emphasize early removal of ticks. Amitraz collars are more effective than Top Spot, as Amitraz paralyzes the tick's mouth parts preventing transmission of disease .

VACCINATIONS NOT RECOMMENDED:
Multiple components in vaccines compete with each other for the immune system and result in lesser immunity for each individual disease as well as increasing the risk of a reaction.

Canine Corona Virus is only a disease of puppies. It is rare, self limiting (dogs get well in 3 days without treatment). Cornell &Texas A&M have only diagnosed one case each in the last 7 years. Corona virus does not cause disease in adult dogs.

Leptospirosis vaccine is a common cause of adverse reactions in dogs. Most of the clinical cases of lepto reported in dogs in the US are caused by serovaars (or types) grippotyphosa and bratsilvia. The vaccines contain different serovaars eanicola and ictohemorrhagica. Cross protection is not provided and protection is short lived. Lepto vaccine is immuno-supressive to puppies less than 16 weeks.

NEW RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CATS:

Feline vaccine related Fibrosarcoma is a type of terminal cancer related in inflammation caused by rabies & leukemia vaccines. This cancer is thought to affect 1 in 10,000 cats vaccinated. Vaccines with aluminum adjuvant, an ingredient included to stimulate the immune system, have been implicated as a higher risk. We now recommend a non-adjuvanted rabies vaccine for cats. Testing by Dr. Macy, Colorado State, has shown this vaccine to have the lowest tissue reaction and although there is no guarantee that a vaccine induced sarcoma will not develop, the risk will be much lower than with other vaccines.

Program injectable 6 mo. flea prevention for cats has been shown to be very tissue reactive & therefore has the potential of inducing an injection site fiborsarcoma. If your cats develops a lump at the site of a vaccination, we recommend that it be removed ASAP, within 3-12 weeks.

Feline Leukemia Virus Vaccine
This virus is the leading viral killer of cats. The individuals most at risk of infection are young outdoor cats, indoor/outdoor cats and cats exposed to such individuals. Indoor only cats with no exposure to potentially infected cats are unlikely to become infected. All cats should be tested prior to vaccination. Cats over one year of age are naturally immune to Fel.V whether they are vaccinated or not, so annual vaccination of adult cats is NOT necessary. The incubation period of Feline leukemia can be over 3 years, so if your cat is in the incubation state of the disease prior to vaccination, the vaccine will not prevent the disease.

Feline Panleukopenia Virus Vaccine
Also called feline distemper is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease of kittens. It's extremely hardy and is resistant to extremes in temperature and to most available disinfectants. Although an effective treatment protocol is available, it is expensive to treat because of the serious nature of the disease and the continued presence of virus in the environment, vaccination is highly recommended for all kittens. Cats vaccinated at 6 months or older with either killed or MLV vaccine will produce an immunity good for life. Adult cats do NOT need this vaccine.

Feline Calicivirus/Herpesvirus Vaccine
Responsible for 80-90% of infectious feline upper respiratory tract diseases. The currently available injectable vaccines will minimize the severity of upper respiratory infections, although none will prevent disease in all situations. Intranasal vaccines are more effective at preventing the disease entirely. Don't worry about normal sneezing for a couple of days. Because intranasal vaccines produce an immunity of shorter durations, annual
vaccination is recommended.

VACCINES NOT RECOMMENDED:
Chlamydia or pneumonitis -- The vaccine produces on a short (2 month) duration of immunity and accounts for less than 5% of upper respiratory infections in cats. The risks outweigh the benefits.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis -- A controversial vaccine. Most kittens that contract FIP become infected during the first 3 months of life. The vaccine is labeled for use at 16 weeks. All 27 vet schools do not recommend the
vaccine.

Bordetella -- A new vaccine for feline bordetella has been introduced. Dr. Wolfe of Texas A&M says that bordetella is a normal flora and does not cause disease in adult cats. Dr. Lappin of Colorado State says that a review of Colorado State medical records reveals not one case diagnosed in 10 years.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS:
Giardia is the most common intestinal parasite of humans in North America, 30% or more of all dogs & cats are infected with giardia. It has now been demonstrated that humans can transmit giardia to dogs and cats and
vice-versa. Heartworm preventative must be given year round in Houston.

VACCINES BADLY NEEDED:
New vaccines in development include: Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and cat scratch fever vaccine for cats and Ehrlichia [one of the other tick diseases, much worse than Lymes] for dogs.

THE VIEW FROM THE TRENCHES; BUSINESS ASPECTS:
Most vets recommend annual boosters and most kennel operators require them. For years the pricing structure of vets has misled clients into thinking that the inherent value of an annual office visit was in the "shots" they
failed to emphasize the importance of a physical exam for early detection of treatable diseases. It is my hope that you will continue to require rabies & Kennel cough and emphasize the importance of a recent vet exam. I also hope you will accept the new protocols and honor these pets as currently vaccinated. Those in the boarding business who will honor the new vaccine protocols can gain new customers who were turned away from vet owned boarding facilities reluctant to change.

CONCLUSION:
Dogs and cats no longer need to be vaccinated against distemper, parvo, & feline leukemia every year. Once the initial series of puppy or kitten vaccinations and first annual vaccinations are completed, immunity from MLV vaccines persists for life. It has been shown that cats over 1 year of age are immune to Feline Leukemia whether they have been vaccinated or not. Imagine the money you will save, not to mention fewer risks from side effects. PCR rabies vaccine, because it is not adjuvanted, will mean less risk of mediated hemolytic anemia and allergic reactions are reduced by less frequent use of vaccines as well as by avoiding unnecessary vaccines such as K-9 Corona virus and chlamydia for cats, as well as ineffective vaccines such as Leptospirosis and FIP. Intranasal vaccine for Rhiotracheitis and Calici virus, two upper respiratory viruses of cats provide more complete protection than injectable vaccines with less risk of serious reactions. The AAHA and all 27 veterinary schools of North America are our biggest endorsement for these new protocols.

Dr. Bob Rogers, DVM, Pharm.D.,
Provost, Texas A&M School of Vet. Medicine

Video: Debate over Return of Katrina Dog

Dark Water Rising: the Truth About Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescues

A few nights ago I watched the newly released film called Dark Water Rising: the Truth About Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescues. Those of us who have been involved with the Katrina animal disaster cannot watch this unbiased. For me, there was not much surprising in the film except the images inside one of the schools in St. Bernard Parish where animals had been murdered. That scene was difficult to watch, especially recognizing a few of the dogs. I thought the film was well-done and, for the most part, told it like it was. It is impossible for any one film or book to cover all aspects of this unprecedented disaster; this DVD has a specific focus and does not try to be the final word on the Katrina animal disaster.

The film focuses almost entirely on the rescue and sheltering efforts of HSUS/Lamar Dixon and the in-your-face dog rescues and commentary by two men from Winn Dixie. It does not mention rescue and sheltering efforts by the other groups. Whatever people's opinion of Best Friends, they were not mentioned or shown, although they played a large role in all of this. Also absent from the film was the Humane Society of Louisiana in Tylertown, Noah's Wish which ran the rescue and sheltering operation in St. Tammany Parish, Pasados, Muttshack, UAN/EARS in Monroe, LA, and Alley Cat Allies. There was no mention of the formation of ARNO when HSUS pulled out in October and the LaSPCA called off rescue operations.

The film portrayed a stark contrast between HSUS/Lamar Dixon and Winn Dixie, making it look as if Wayne Pacelle was there the entire time, fully in charge of the operation. Some of the Winn Dixie rescuers came off looking like juvenile delinquents. Both of these portrayals are exaggerations of what really happened.

Larry Roberts and Aaron Minjares are the two men from Winn Dixie that the film crew followed around. They are pierced, tattooed, with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths, and very vocal in their opinions that the owners do not deserve to get back their dogs. In one disturbing scene, Larry is shown removing the collar with tags from a dog just rescued from inside a house and throwing the collar back into the house, muttering something stupid about what the owner can do with the collar. There is an interesting scene where another volunteer leads the camera crew through the Winn Dixie store at night, asking what kind of liquor everyone wants. She explains that's what they do every night and apologizes that they've "already cleaned out the pharmacy." Mark, the co-founder of Winn Dixie appears in the film only briefly, drunk and slurring whatever it is he was trying to say. The Lamar Dixon volunteers, by contrast to Winn Dixie, came off looking clean-cut, professional and well-organized **

There are many shots of dead and decomposing cats and dogs in addition to the scene inside the school, but the scene that was the hardest for me to watch - and I fast forwarded through it - was a pit-bull fight (film clip was courtesy of HSUS).

I take some issue with the sub-title of the film: The Truth about Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescues. I know that there are many versions of the truth and not an absolute truth to this or any other story. No single film or book or person's experience will capture and convey the truth, other than their subjective experience of it. The core of my truth is that no one expected the levees to break and the city to flood when owners left behind their beloved pets for what would / should have been 24-48 hours.

I think that it's an important film that should be seen by people who have no idea of what went on down there. I hope to organize a screening of it here in conjunction with local rescue events and encourage others to do the same. When possible the film should be followed by discussions and Q & A.

I also want audiences to know what has been happening since the rescues with pets being sent all over the county and the difficulty finding them and reuniting with owners. I want to dispel the idea that these were bad people/bad pet owners who don't deserve their pets back. Personally, I would not have given over the last ten months of my life to help these people get their pets rescued, located and reunited if I didn't believe that they absolutely deserve them back.

We - the hundreds of volunteers who have been helping with this for almost a year now - don't know, assist or work with the bad pet owners. They don't look for their pets and they don't contact us for help. Sadly, they just go out and get replacement pets (to be used as guard dogs, huntin' dogs, chained dogs). The hundreds of pet owners we have had the pleasure and privilege to know and assist are not getting replacement pets because their cats and dogs were members of their families and are irreplaceable.

** My comments are about the portrayal of people and groups, not about the people and groups themselves.

This is Maggie, my new God-Beagle

This is Maggie. Actually, at the time this picture was taken two weeks ago she wasn't yet Maggie, but just another dog dumped at a shelter, soon-to-be-euthanized. This young little beagle was terrified, shaking, withdrawn and living on a concrete floor. My friend Caroline saw her on Petfinder and within two days pulled her from Roicy, a high-kill municipal shelter in Lafayette, LA. and brought her home.

This is Maggie at home yesterday.

Run Maggie Run.... she remembers what it's like to be a dog again,
or maybe is getting to be a dog for the first time in her young life.

Road trip to Doylestown

Lest anyone think that Laura's and my day in Doylestown was all work and no play, we stopped "on the way" at the New Bolton Center of the U of Penn Vet School to see if we could have a peak at Barbaro. We both knew that we wouldn't be able to, but the security guard who is now posted at the entrance was really nice, and did get us permission to go inside the building. The fences at the entrance to the New Bolton Center were covered with Get Well cards and greetings for the beloved horse from kids from all over. Inside were many giant cards sent from Churchill Downs and other tracks. I walked around reading all the cards and notes and cried. This is one amazing horse. Continue to pray for him.

Rocket/Doylestown PA ...again

Above link is to today's story in the Philadelphia Daily News.

(Comments about and corrections to the article to be posted soon)

Here are a few of the posts from around the web about Lynne Welsh; feel free to email me links to other forums, blogs or stories that you would like to have posted here. Feel free to post your own comments as well. After all, this is a blog and this is the internet.

"Hey, Lynne? How about acting like you're a human being?"

Lynne Welsh described as "Dumbass Bitch of the Day"

Lynne Welsh described as the "Asshole of the Day"

Another Katrina dog in PA wants to go home

The link the the original article from June 28th is no longer active, so it is reprinted below.
The link above is to one of the many other papers or websites that picked it up the next day.

Dogfight escalates over Katrina pet

A family from the New Orleans area wants its dog, Rocket, back. A Doylestown family says it’s going to keep him.

By Patrick Lester

The Intelligencer

A New Orleans dog left homeless and without his family after Hurricane Katrina last year is in the middle of a custody battle between the animal’s original owner and the Doylestown family that adopted him after the disaster.

Sheila Combs, a New Orleans woman who lost virtually everything she owned in the hurricane, said she wants nothing more than to have Rocket, her 10-year-old son’s chow-Finnish spitz mix, returned home.

Lynne Welsh, the Doylestown woman who took in the now 2-year-old dog from a local shelter last November and said she went to great lengths to find the dog’s owner last year, plans to keep Rocket and she’s hired an attorney to represent her. She claims she’s the target of a harassment campaign orchestrated by volunteers helping hurricane victims find their pets.

It’s the type of animal tug-of-war that’s being played out across the country as pet owners from the Gulf Coast try to relocate and recoup pets they lost during and after evacuations.

A number of cases have already ended up in courtrooms across the country, and this particular case appears headed to a judge as well.

Welsh said late last week that she was willing to return the dog to Combs as long as she was willing to come to this area to get him. Welsh made the decision after consulting with “The Dog Whisperer,’ an animal psychologist, and after two women working on behalf of Combs came to the area asking for a police escort to Welsh’s house. By the weekend, Welsh changed her mind and decided to keep Rocket.

Richard Elliott, Welsh’s attorney, said that Welsh and her husband, Joseph, feel that they are “legally and emotionally entitled” to the canine. He said Combs, whose first contact with Welsh was June 6, has “refused to have any kind of meaningful reunification with the dog that would not result in further trauma to this animal.

“This animal has spent the last eight or nine months, after a two-week period of serious suffering, in a new home with a new family. Being suddenly and without any kind of re-introduction (to Combs and her son) traveling on a plane in a baggage compartment … would certainly not do this animal any good.”

Combs said Welsh is “stonewalling and has been doing that from the beginning” and that she is willing to have someone pay a visit to Doylestown to retrieve the dog. She said it’s “unreasonable” for Welsh to expect her to fly to Pennsylvania considering that she is a single, working mother and that she’s in the midst of trying to rebuild her house in New Orleans.

“Emotionally, I’m so frustrated with this whole situation,” said Combs. “I don’t have a choice right now but to get an attorney. I will not give up. I am just as determined to get the dog back (as Welsh is to keep it).”

Welsh’s attorney said his client believes she is doing what’s best for Rocket.

“I think (Welsh) recognizes that taking such a position may be somewhat controversial in the eyes of some of your readership,” Elliott said. “But given what I have learned about the whole situation, I think her position is perfectly appropriate.”

In New Jersey, a judge earlier this year ruled that a Louisiana family that lost its dog after the hurricane — not the New Jersey family that adopted the animal — should keep the dog. An 86-year-old hurricane victim recently filed a lawsuit in an attempt to get his poodle back from a woman in the Pittsburgh area, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. A similar lawsuit is expected to be filed in Montgomery County Court this week on behalf of another hurricane victim trying to get his dog back.

The ongoing animal searches and legal battles have spawned the creation of a number of volunteer groups helping hurricane victims find their animals.

Last week, it appeared Rocket — the Welshes renamed him Rusty — was headed back to New Orleans for a reunion. Welsh last week said she decided to return the dog after consulting with the person she said is the authority on dogs — Cesar Millan, better known as “The Dog Whisperer,” who has his own cable television show. Welsh said she spoke to one of Millan’s assistants.

“The Dog Whisperer is a world expert on dog behavior and feelings,” Welsh said last week. “I wasn’t sure what to do. The dog was with us for so long. (The Dog Whisperer) said the dog should go back and would not be re-traumatized. My hope is that other families who have adopted pets (from hurricane-ravaged areas) give them back.”

Welsh, who this week referred questions to her attorney, contacted the Dog Whisperer after women from Delaware and California paid a visit to Bucks County looking for the dog. Two weeks ago, Anita Wollison and Laura Bergerol of California visited the borough’s police station asking for a police escort to Welsh’s home. Police Chief James Donnelly said his officers didn’t get involved because it’s a civil matter. “There are two sides,” Donnelly said. “We’re not going to decide which is right.”

Wollison, a Delaware woman and member of a network of people across the country helping Katrina victims find their lost pets, called Welsh’s decision to keep the dog “ridiculous.”

Elliott said his client made “heroic efforts” to contact Rocket’s owner once she brought the dog home, calling the phone number on his dog tag, sending letters and putting information about Rocket on Internet sites.

Combs said she didn’t have access to e-mail nor her home phone, having moved temporarily to Baton Rouge while trying to rebuild her New Orleans home. “For someone who has lost everything … I was trying to make sure we had stable housing and have our immediate needs met.”

Wollison said Rocket was picked up with thousands of other animals after the hurricane. Rocket was first sent a few hours from New Orleans to a shelter set up by the Humane Society of the United States after the hurricane. From there, he was taken by plane to this area by the American Boarding and Kennel Association. Rocket was likely flown to Philadelphia Airport and taken to a Lansdale kennel before being delivered to a shelter in Doylestown. The Welshes brought Rocket home on the day before Thanksgiving last year.

Wollison, who after seeing television images of dogs left behind with their families after the hurricane decided to help families find their pets, said she’s worked on hundreds of similar cases since the hurricane.

“Many of them for the longest time did not have Internet access,” said Wollison, whose group is called No Animal Left Behind. “Many people didn’t know petfinder.com (an Internet pet searching tool) existed. … One of the biggest obstacles we’ve been fighting is complete ignorance of why so many of these animals were left behind.”

Patrick Lester can be reached at (215) 345-3079 or plester@phillyBurbs.com.

UPDATE: sucky sucky people Part I

First, the article in Sunday's Pittsburgh's Post-Gazette

Second, from the burgh blog (reprinted here because it is so good)

Oh my God, you sucky sucky people named Ms. Fox and Voices for Animals, would you give the old, poor, having a shitty year and just wants to go home, man his dog back?!

“We are attempting settlement negotiations and I think there’s a good chance we will settle this amicably,” she said.

She declined to say whether Bandit was still in the Pittsburgh area.

Negotiations? “Declined to say”? Is this dog shitting diamonds or something?

I don’t care if the man is old, and I don’t care if he abandoned the dog … he had no choice. There aren’t many groups of people going through crappier times than those of the 9th Ward in New Orleans … just ask Woy.

If Bandit could talk, he’d probably tell you to kiss his furry ass, that he hates the Burgh weather, and to please put him on the first plane to Houston so he can see his best friend.

Give the man his dog back … and for good measure … ,you sucky sucky people.

I’m having weird Elian Gonzalez flashbacks suddenly. Where’s Janet Reno when you need her to storm in and take things that don’t belong to people?

Oh, and anyone attempting to keep Bandit from returning to his owner, you have dethroned Dom Costa as Annoying Burgher. Your crowns are in the mail … and by “crowns” I mean flaming bags of poo.

Two Lost Souls by Shelly Guidotti

"Did you hear that?" the old dog shouted. They all ran to the front of their kennel doors to see if someone was coming to "pick them."

"Sorry," he said to the other dogs as his ears fell down from their perked position. "I could have sworn I heard voices saying, 'Isn't he cute? Can't we take him home with us?'"

"You must have been dreaming again old man," said the dog in the cage next to him. "Anyway, what's the big deal about getting picked ? We've all been through that routine and look where it got us." The word "home" meant little to these shelter dogs.

"Just once, I'd like to feel the warmth of a hand stroking my head," said the old dog. "I'd like to be the one who kisses the tears off a sad face. I'd like to curl up next to a fire instead of this cold concrete. It hurts my bones." He curled up and sighed as the others said, "The only place you're going to find that is in your dreams old man."

* * *
Hank's wife had only been gone a year but the pain was as fresh as if time had stood still. He was an old man now, alone and longed for the comfort that he knew no other person would ever be able to give to him again. What would his life become without her by his side? Hank's cupboards were close to bare now and, although he didn't want to go out, he knew he should at least pick up the basics.

He drove slowly down the side streets for freeway driving had become too challenging. Suddenly, the car started chugging and sputtering until finally the engine quit altogether. One of the basic needs he forgot was fuel for the car! So he coasted over next to the curb, spotting a building within walking distance. Hopefully, they'd let him use their phone.

He walked into an office area and rang the bell for service but no one came. He spotted another door going outside, failing to notice the sign posted "Employees Only". As Hank walked out, he was overwhelmed by yaps, barks and insane jumping from dogs all sizes and shapes.

He then realized he had unintentionally gone to the dog shelter. Slowly he walked down the concrete aisle looking for an attendant.

Three kennels down on the right, the old dog calmly sat there. Why should the old dog get excited? No one would want him. But, he sensed a need and couldn't resist offering a kind look and a gentle wag of the tail. As Hank neared the old dog's cage, he laced his fingers through the chain link to steady his gait and the first feeling of comfort he'd remembered in over a year came from a wet nose and lick across his arthritic fingers.

Just then a voice of authority sounded, and Hank jumped. "I'm sorry sir, you aren't supposed to be in this area!" she said. Luckily Hank didn't know he had walked into the "final area" where unclaimed dogs were scheduled to be put down. There went the nudge and lick thing again. Hank looked down to the most pleading eyes he'd ever seen.

Ignoring the attendants order to leave, Hank asked if could he see the dog closer? Her demeanor changed completely and her sternness melted away. She had forced herself to be this way so she could do the part of her job she despised. She brought the old dog out and instantly the two souls -- once so lost -- found reason to hope.

Hank's cupboards were now filled, a warm fire crackled and the old dog smiled inside as he remembered "only in your dreams." Closing his eyes he felt Hank's hand stroking his head whispering "sleep in heavenly peace".

Rescue Group Voice Mail

Author unknown

Hello: You have reached 123-4567, Tender Hearts Rescue. Due to the high volume of calls we have been receiving, please listen closely to the following options and choose the one that best describes you or your situation:

Press 1 if you think we are veterinarians and want free medical advice.

Press 2 if you know we are a rescue organization but want to save money and have us give you free, untrained medical advice anyway.

Press 3 if you make $200,000 a year but still want us to pay to spay the "stray" in your yard (house).

Press 4 if you have a 10-year-old dog or cat and your 15-year-old son has suddenly become allergic and you need to find the dog a new home right away.

Press 5 if you have dogs or cats, had a baby and want to get rid of your dogs or cats because you are the only person in the world to have a baby and dogs or cat at the same time.

Press 6 if your dog or cat is sick and needs a vet but you need the money for your vacation.

Press 7 if you just got a brand new puppy or kitten and your old dog or cat is having problems adjusting so you want to get rid of the old one right away.

Press 8 if your little puppy or kitten has grown up and is no longer small and cute and you want to trade it in for a new model.

Press 9 if you are elderly and want to adopt a cute puppy or kitten who is not active and is going to outlive you.

Press 10 if your relative has died and you don't want to care for their elderly dog or cat because it doesn't fit your lifestyle.

Press 11 if you are moving today and need to immediately place your 150-pound, 8-year-old dog or 10-year-old declawed, never-seen-a- vet cat with dental problems.

Press 12 if you want an unpaid volunteer to come to your home today and pick up the dog or cat you no longer want.

Press 13 if you have been feeding and caring for a "stray" for the last three years, are moving and suddenly determine it's not your dog or cat.

Press 14 if you are calling at 6 a.m. to make sure you wake me up before I have to go to work so you can drop a dog or cat off on your way to work.

Press 15 to leave us an anonymous garbled message, letting us know you have left a dog/cat in our yard in the middle of January, which is in fact, better than just leaving the dog/cat with no message.

Press 16 if you are going to get angry because we are not going to take your dog or cat that you have had for fifteen years, because it is not our responsibility.

Press 17 if you are going to threaten to take your ten year old dog or cat to be euthanized because we won't take it.

Press 18 if you're going to get angry because the staff had the audacity to go on vacation and leave the rescue in care of a trusted volunteer who is not authorized to take your personal pet.

Press 19 if you want one of our perfectly trained, housebroken, kid- and cat-friendly purebred tiny dogs that we have an abundance of.

Press 20 if you want us to take your dog that has a slight aggression problem, i.e. has only bitten a few people and killed your neighbor's cats.

Press 21 if you have already called once and been told we don't take personal surrenders but thought you would get a different person this time with a different answer.

Press 22 if you want us to use space that would go to a stray to board your personal dog while you are on vacation, free of charge, of course.

Press 23 if it is Christmas Eve or Easter morning and you want me to deliver an eight week old puppy or kitten to your house by 6:30 am before your kids wake up.

Press 24 if you have bought your children a duckling, chick or baby bunny for Easter and it is now Christmas and no longer cute.

Press 25 if you want us to take your female dog or cat who has already had ten litters, but you can't spay her because she is pregnant again and it is against your religion.

Press 26 if you're trying to make one of our younger volunteers feel bad and take your personal pet off your hands.

Press 27 if your cat is biting and not using the litter box because it is declawed, but are not willing to accept the responsibility that the cat's behavior is altered because of your nice furniture.

Press 28 if your two-year-old male dog is marking all over your house but you just haven't gotten around to having him neutered.

Press 29 if you previously had an outdoor-only dog or cat and are calling because she is suddenly pregnant.

Press 30 if you have done "everything" to housebreak your dog and have had no success but you don't want to crate the dog because it is cruel.

Press 31 if you didn't listen to the message asking for an evening phone number and you left your work number when all volunteers are also working and you are angry because no one called you back.

Press 32 if you need a puppy or kitten immediately and cannot wait because today is your daughter's birthday and you forgot when she was born.

Press 33 if your dog's or cat's coat doesn't match your new furniture and you need a different color or breed.

Press 34 if your new love doesn't like your dog or cat and you are too stupid to get rid of the new friend (who will dump you in the next month anyway).

Press 35 if you went through all these 'presses' and didn't hear enough.

This will connect you to the sounds of tears being shed by one of our volunteers who is holding a discarded dog or cat while the vet mercifully frees him from of the grief of missing his family.

Video: Independent Animal Rescuer

Another Reunion

03:46 PM CDT on Friday, June 16, 2006

By OLGA CAMPOS / KVUE News

A complicated dog ownership dispute was settled Friday.

KVUE News

Precious is now home with its owners.

A dog rescued from the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina is now back with its original owners, but it wasn't an easy reunion.

The year-old rottweiler hadn't seen its owners in months -- not since it was rescued from flood waters in New Orleans. But at least the trauma of separation is now over.

A Central Texas family who adopted Precious agreed to give her back rather than fight for ownership in court. The Taylor family filed a lawsuit claiming the operator of an Austin rottweiler rescue group allowed the dog to be adopted rather than return it to its owners.

Attorney Scott Hendler says it's a nationwide problem facing other hurricane evacuees trying to reclaim their pets.

"There were sections of New Orleans that were very low income and wiped out when the levy broke. I think a lot of these rescue groups were making assumptions that these people weren't fit to care for these animals. And that's just wrong," he said.

Precious is now headed to San Antonio where the Taylors and their other dogs who survived Hurricane Katrina now call home.

Congress is considering requiring states to come up with evacuation plans to follow during natural disasters that would include pets.

Miracle Reunion Story

A cat named Brillo was rescued after Katrina from St. Bernard Parish and taken to Camp Lucky. where he managed to escape.

Yesterday he showed up at his home which is now a FEMA trailer on the property. He traveled three miles in ten months.

Susan B is the volunteer who has been working closely with lost and found pets and their owners from St. Bernard Parish and received the phone call from Brillo's owner who was simply overjoyed. Susan said "he was sobbing so that I could barely make out what he was saying. I do believe he is in a state of shock."

A miracle.

Denise, who has been Cat Coordinator Extraordinaire for No Animal Left Behind, attributed the following comment to Brillo as we were giving him virtual high-fives late last night:

f--k this shit, I am going home! Good kitty :)

Take Your Dog to Work Day

By STEVE DALE

Tribune Media Services

June 23 ought to be a national holiday, says Kathy Stobaugh, project coordinator at N.N. Jaeschke Inc., a property management company in San Diego.

That's because June 23 is Take Your Dog to Work Day, which Stobaugh enthusiastically supports.

"It's more than a fun day to bring the dogs into work," she says. "Last year, three employees felt so left out of the fun, I mean they were jealous of everyone with their dogs. So, they've each since gone ahead and adopted a dog. As a result, three more dogs aren't in a shelter and now have a home. If even half the businesses in America participated, we'd empty out the shelters."

Stobaugh may be a tad overly optimistic, but Take Your Dog To Work Day is gradually catching on, and adoptions do occur as a result.

Patti Moran, founder of Pet Sitters International, kicked off the first Take Your Dog to Work Day eight years ago.

"The idea has always been to encourage adoptions," she says. "I thought, if everyone can see the loving relationship, the bond we have with our dogs, it might motivate adoptions."

Indeed, countless dogs have been adopted as a result of the event. Moran remembers one, in particular. The Loews Hotel in Annapolis, Md., held a Take Your Dog to Work Day promotional event called Bark Breakfast, where a local shelter brought in a dog named Severn -- the name of the river in which he'd been found floating.

Moran says, "Businesses have all sorts of fun events; one had a wienie contest, another had a sort of Dog Olympics. It's great, but I'm most pleased when I hear that dogs find a second chance because of Take Your Dog to Work Day."

When the event began, about 500 businesses participated. This year, more than 10,000 firms are expected to join in, not to mention the entire city of Portland, Maine.

In Portland alone, more than 100 businesses of all sizes will allow dogs on what is now a city holiday, albeit unofficial. The Animal Refuge League of Maine will adopt out dogs at a downtown park.

Across the country, several businesses that once participated in Take Your Dog to Work Day no longer do because every day is Take Your Dog to Work Day. "They saw the value for the employees," says Moran. "And the sometimes predicted disturbances created by dogs just didn't happen."

Of course, seriously allergic employees may not be so thrilled. Stobaugh says that at her company, those employees simply take the day off.

The truth is, as long as a dog is only in the office eight hours to so, the dander (which causes the allergic response) doesn't have the chance to get into the air system, or to stick on the walls, desks, get into the carpet and ultimately create problems for people with allergies.

Moran adds another option for Take Your Dog to Work Day, which can also work for people who are afraid of dogs: a dog safe zone in the workplace.

All sorts of businesses participate in Take Your Dog to Work Day, from small, family run stores to firms such as BMW Financial in Hilliard, Ohio (suburban Columbus), with 750 workers, joining in this year for the first time. While employees won't bring their best friends with four legs to the office, they will offer dogs for adoption from a local shelter. They'll also raise money to benefit pets in shelters. A behaviorist and dog trainer are among animal professionals who will answer questions, and hopefully prevent more dogs from landing in shelters.

"It's a start, and perhaps next year we'll expand, after all, this is different," says Juli Long, a lease end specialist at BMW Financial (offering financing services to BMW customers). "But we believe that supporting adoption of pets is good for the community."

Hoover, a terrier mix, is the 2006 Take Your Dog to Work Day Poster Dog. Actually, his full name is Hoover Charleston Roo McGinnis. While his littermates were adopted from Our Lady of Mercy Catnip Cottage in Summerville, S.C., Hoover just couldn't find a home. Finally, he was adopted to a family in Miami. However, they abruptly changed their minds. Homeless again, it seemed Hoover's time was up when Mark and Monica McGinnis fell in love with the dog, who has a strange habit of hopping (thus the Roo in his name, as in kangaroo).

Last year, Hoover went to work with Monica on Take Your Dog to Work Day, meeting and greeting dogs and people at the BJC Medical Center Nursing Home in Maysville,Ga.

Hoover's spunk is inspirational to everyone he meets. Perhaps, at some level, he understands how close he came to not finding a home.

"We believe every pet should be a wanted pet," says Moran. "Take Your Dog to Work Day is our way of trying to matter."

Hazards of Doggie Day Care

Spencer Lives!!

(MOBILE, Ala.) June 16 -- His fate has gained national and international attention, and he doesn't even know it. Now it appears Spencer the pit-bull terrier is getting a new leash on life.

At a Friday news conference, Mayor Sam Jones announced while he supports the shelters policy of not adopting out pit bulls, he is taking a special interest in Spencers case. The dog will be transported to a sanctuary half-way across the country to spend the rest of his days.

Spencer is to be picked up from the Mobile Animal Shelter by Hearts of Gold Pit Rescue, a group based in Tennessee. They have arranged transport and foster-care for Spencer until he can be taken to the Best Friends Network, another group which is based in Utah.

Spencer was discovered May 30 when he was walking down a midtown Mobile street dragging a 10-foot chain. He was dehydrated and starving. The dog was so thin it was able to slip through the bars of a wrought iron gate of a residence. It is obvious the dog had suffered physical abuse. He was wearing a leather collar with the name "Spencer" stenciled on it. Spencer is believed to be about 18 months old.

Residents of the area took him to the shelter. Janet Jordan, kennel manager at the Animal Shelter, commented that the dog is not aggressive towards other dogs at the shelter. He seems to be real friendly," she added. "He doesn't bark at any of the other dogs." It was obvious to her Spencer had been starved as well as beaten.

Amanda Kramer filed a petition for a temporary restraining order to stop the euthanasia of Spencer. Amanda pleaded to adopt Spencer. Judge Stout granted that petition which stayed the euthanasia pending a hearing. In the subsequent hearing, however, the court ruled Kramer had no standing in the case and the city had the right to follow its unwritten policy, meaning Spencer should die.

Bill Fassbender, director of animal control at the Mobile Animal Shelter, who testified at the hearing, claimed it is a nationwide practice to destroy pit bulls because of the possible danger from them. No evidence was presented, however, to show proof of that statement.

In fact, there is nothing in the Mobile, Alabama ordinances or Alabama law that requires the shelter to kill Spencer or refuse to adopt him to the many people who have offered to take him and give him a good home. Instead, it is the shelters policy to kill pit bulls not claimed by their owners regardless of their temperament. Apparently, it is an unwritten policy followed by many shelters throughout Alabama.

On their website, David Phelps, a representative for Best Friends Network told readers the organization had contacted the city of Mobile and arranged for Spencer to be given sanctuary, so he will not be killed, but he will also not be adopted out to anyone else.

Another animal angel gets new wings

Beth Petronis was a long-time rescuer of animals in and around her home in Albuquerque, NM and worked tirelessly to help Katrina evacuees find and be reunited with their precious pets.

Beth died peacefully this morning in a hospice in the presence of her loving family.

She worked without complaint throughout her chemotherapy treatments; for a long time many of us did not even know that she was battling cancer.

Goodbye Beth - you will be so sadly missed.

The following article is one that she co-wrote with her daughter and another animal rescuer a few years ago for Petroglyphs, New Mexico's Resource Publication for Animal Lovers.

SOPHIE'S TALE (in two parts)

I. On a cold clear day last January, while walking our two dogs, we spied a dirty, worn- looking sheepdog wandering inside an irrigation ditch. We scaled down the ditch's walls in hopes of rescuing her, but our attempts only sent her running in the opposite direction. Lost and scared, she hid in a small culvert and refused to come out.

A few days later, we saw a familiar character standing right next to our house: a dirty, worn-looking dog. Positive it was the mystery dog from the ditch, we grabbed some jerky treats and went to fetch her.

The dog happily accepted the treats and followed us into our yard. It was only then that we realized she wasn't the same dog at all. This one was friendlier, shaggier, less spooked. The fur on her nose and tail was almost gone. She had huge tumors on her chest and her teeth were dull little nubs. But her eyes were full of love and her tail wagged a vigorous hello. It seemed fateful that we should see two stray, almost-identical sheepdog-types within days of each other. It was like the first dog was an omen, showing us what was to come.

We filed “found” reports with Albuquerque Animal Services Division and Animal Humane Association and placed an ad in the newspaper, though we didn't hope the dog's original owners would claim her (what kind of owners would let their dog get to this condition?). Neither ASD nor AHA would have considered placing a senior dog with serious medical needs for adoption, but we knew the foster program at Watermelon Mountain Ranch would.

We named the dog Sophie. After giving her a much-needed bath, we took her to our lifelong vet at Rio Grande Animal Clinic, who confirmed that she needed to be spayed, have her massive mammary tumors removed, and have a thorough teeth-cleaning. He estimated the minimum cost at $350 (not including pre-operation work ups). We didn't hesitate. Sophie was a loving dog, and she deserved another chance. We asked him to take x-rays and do pre-surgery lab work to assess her surgical risk, scheduled an appointment and took her home.

For the next week, Sophie was a great guest. She got along wonderfully with our dogs and loved having company while she ate. She was full of energy, and bounded along beside us the second we stepped outside. Sophie was just overflowing with love - why had her owners let her go?

On the day of surgery, Sophie seemed to know that the vet team was there to help her. She wagged her tail enthusiastically as they led her to the operating room. It took more than two hours to remove her cyst-laden ovaries, uterus, and four mammary tumors (one, larger than a softball, had invaded her chest muscles). In light of the anesthesia risk, the dental work was postponed. When we picked Sophie up that afternoon, despite her post-op discomfort and fatigue, her shining eyes and lopsided little smile said, "Thank you." She slept soundly that night as our three cats kept watch and our dogs respected her need to rest.

Two days later Sophie visited Watermelon Mountain Ranch's adoption center, where she charmed and befriended everyone, including curious children and the other pets. Every day throughout her recovery, we discovered more and more of Sophie's special qualities. She loved riding in the car and would hop right in whenever she got the chance.

Having posted Sophie's picture on the Internet, we soon found out that she was a Bearded Collie/Airedale X (a "Neardie"). A fantastic shaggy dog rescuer in Montana spontaneously sent a donation to help offset Sophie's surgery expense, and the Beardie/Neardie rescue group (BONE Rescue) distributed Sophie's picture and bio to the members. A member culled old applications and found one from the Whittle family, who were considering adopting another rescued dog after their Beardie had died. It was a long shot, but we exchanged emails and, the same day, the family invited Sophie to visit them and their pets.

We went to visit, thinking it would simply be a nice outing for Sophie. But within an hour, she had a new home with dog and cat companions and a wonderful family that was totally committed to her wellbeing. Just 24 hours later, Sophie had been groomed and was scheduled for the dental work that had been postponed. She was already a loved and loving member of the family.

We are involved in foster care for Watermelon Mountain Ranch hoping to make a difference in the lives of our foster animals. Often, they actually make more of a difference in our lives. Sophie certainly did. -Lexi and Beth Petronis

A writer in NYC, Lexi visits her family in NM and often helps with fostering rescued animals, which her Mom, Beth, does for several rescue groups.

II. Sophie came to live with us in February 2002. My husband, Larry, was a little doubtful about fitting yet another dog into our household, but Sophie charmed him soon enough. Unfortunately, the tumors that had been removed came back to her, and biopsies showed they were cancerous. By the time the external tumors showed up, Sophie had cancer CANINE CORNER (continued from page 7)through her liver, kidneys and bladder. We lost her to cancer in August 2002.

She wasn't with us for long, but she left an impression. I still miss her very much.

Sophie didn't walk; she pranced. We walk our dogs every day, rain or shine, and Sophie loved to walk. She was very good on a leash, and tended to stick right next to my side.

She would buck and kick and dance for her supper. She never failed to make me laugh when I emerged from the house with the dogs' supper dishes.

Sophie wasn't much of a barker, but she didn't take any guff from our other two dogs. She liked to sit next to me, watching Lizzie and Deedee rolling in the grass and jumping on each other.

She seemed to prefer the company of cats, and had a funny snuffly grunt she used to talk to them. Of our three, she liked Tiger, the kitten, the best. I loved to wake up to hear the two of them chasing each other through the house, first one way through the bedrooms, and then the other.

Sophie loved to be petted. She would insist on it, nudging our hands or feet in a not- so-subtle request to be rubbed and loved.

She had such good manners, that I know someone must have loved and taken good care of her once. I am curious (yet not sure I really want to know) how Sophie ended up matted, dirty, hungry and abandoned.

We have far too many Sophies. She was a wonderful, loving girl, who gave us so much affection in the little time we had with her. We're thankful that we got to take care of her for a little while. -Elsie Whittle -Elsie Whittle

Larry and Elsie Whittle have provided happy homes for rescued cats and dogs over the years, and expect to do so for a long time to come.

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." - Will Rogers

Digging through my personal archives

I have thousands of files and folders stored on my computer and on various CD's as well as on a few crashed hard drives. I'm attempting to sift through most of it in hopes of finding bits of information (that were useless in September- October) that may prove helpful now. I'll post some of the 'other' stuff I come across that may be of general interest here.

From Noah’s Wish Website:

· Update: August 31, 2005 - 9:00 p.m. Louisiana Time

The Noah's Wish team reached Slidell, Louisiana today. We have met with emergency management and animal control. Tomorrow we will begin to provide assistance for animals in this devastated area. Almost everyone we talked with this afternoon had a story to tell of an animal. Unfortunately, many of the stories were of animals that were left behind when people had to evacuate. People are getting desperate to find their animals.

Areas of Slidell are still underwater this evening and the devastation is widespread. There is no electricity, gasoline, or phone service (landlines and cell). In order to post this update I had to travel almost two hours back to Baton Rouge where I could get internet access. Even here cell phone usage is impossible. We truly feel cut off. I will be driving back to Hammond tonight where our team is staying at the home of one of our Volunteers.

Tomorrow evening I will return to Baton Rouge with a much more detailed update and photographs.

Report Submitted By: Terri Crisp - Noah's Wish Director

· Update: August 30, 2005 - 12:00 a.m. Louisiana Time

The 10 member Noah's Wish initial team is now in the outlying areas of the disaster area. Since our arrival earlier today we have been:

· gathering supplies we will need and will be unable to find once we get into disaster area.

· determining what the road conditions are, where the closures are, and the best route to take when we head into some of the worst hit areas tomorrow.

· listening to reports on where it is flooding.

· completing rescue requests.

· networking with other animal organizations to determine where the greatest needs are.

At this stage of a disaster there is a great deal of information gathering that needs to be done quickly. Noah's Wish always makes a serious effort to ensure we are getting correct information to pass along. In the early days there can be a lot of incorrect information exchanged and we try very hard not to contribute to the confusion. One of the many things that makes this challenging is the information continues to change and the normal methods of communication are not always available. We have already found that our cell phones will not be a reliable means of communication until damaged equipment can be repaired or replaced by the phone companies.

Tomorrow we will be starting the work we came down here to do for the animals. During the next couple of days it may be difficult to get to a phone that works and to find electricity so we can use our computers. We will make every effort to get an updated posted tomorrow night as I know people are waiting to learn of how the animals have been impacted by this hurricane but the next one may not be until Thursday.

It is important to let everyone who has contacted us in the last two days to request assistance in locating a missing animal, that we still have your information. Just as soon as we can get access to the areas where these animals are located we will. At this time though we cannot say for sure when that will be as the danger is still extremely high and for this reason the authorities are restricting access.

We definitely understand how difficult it is to be separated from an animal and the worrying is horrible. Knowing how this feels, is what makes us even that much more determined to get ourselves in a position to get to these animals so the reunions we all want to see do happen. We have received word today from a growing number of people who we have talked to who were frantic to find a missing animals that their animals have been found, safe. Nothing could please us more!