Vandy: A Texas-style hero

Billie's new friend is Vandy, a boxer dog on "loan" to a family near Austin, Texas. To show her appreciation for their loving care, Vandy stepped in between the family's one-year-old and a rattlesnake, taking the snake's bite in her face. Some $1,400.00 later, Vandy is on the road to recovery--but still needs a forever home.Who wouldn't want a dog like that? Check out the story and the contact information for Austin Boxer Rescue using the link provided below:

http://www.examiner.com/dogs-in-national/texas-dog-saves-toddler-from-snake?cid=examiner-email

Abandonment of pets a growing problem

There are many responsible pet owners who suffer great anguish over decisions affecting their pets, especially when hard times force them to look for cutbacks in household budgets. Other animals owners see the lives that they have taken charge of as simply pieces of property to dispose of as they wish.

The tough economy is putting pressure on both types of people who have pets, with the good ones sometimes forced to outplace their dog or cat, or to even place them in a shelter. The not-so-good ones are just walking off, leaving pets behind, telling no one, with fatal consequences for the animals. (See link to article below.)

There is help out there, though, especially for the good owners who are motivated to keep their companion animals in tip-top shape. There are no-kill shelters (although we hear they are filling up), there are friends and neighbors and family members who can help.

And then there is The Sixth Day program in Whittier that will help owners with food for their pets in these troubled times. Some limited assistance with other pet care is available from time to time. Check it out at sixthdayfan.com, or e-mail revmary@sixthdayfan.com.

http://www.examiner.com/dogs-in-national/disturbing-trend-more-dogs-abandoned-when-owners-move-away?cid=examiner-email

Dogs: The power to light up parks

How it looks

It's the most amazing story. It's called the Park Spark Project and it hails from Cambridge, Massachusetts. What does it do? Converts doggie waste to provide energy for real-time lighting. If that's not the most direct view of the power (literally) of recycled waste, it's hard to figure out what would qualify.

Artist Matthew Mazzotta's idea was put into action at a dog park in Cambridge. The idea? Pet owners simply scoop up Fido or Fifi's deposits and place them into an on-site methane digester, crank the handle and--presto--energy becomes available in the form of methane gas.

This has great prospects not only for community dogs parks but also any large-scale residential dog setting: Kennels, shelters...

Check out the Park Spark Project on Facebook, or on the Park Spark website:
http://parksparkproject.com

Ar right is a sketch that shows what goes on underneath the ground.

Maybe we can bring this up to our city/county officials?

Kinship of all life

There is a wonderful video essay shared on The Sixth Day Facebook page. It came from Billie's good friend Kandi Crees Trickett. Its primary message is about giving a dog a second chance through adoption from shelters. A extremely applaudable suggestion. Its secondary message is equally commendable. This video speaks to the kinship of all life as it explores relationships between canines and humans.  All of it is captured beautifully in this video, which you can catch on The Sixth Day Facebook page or through dogwork.com. Links provided below.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000723746695#!/pages/Whittier-CA/The-Sixth-Day/149816645050738?v=wall&ref=sgm

http://www.dogwork.com/feeling/

Billie's friend Phoenix

Support is needed to offset costs of care for the badly abused German shepherd, named Phoenix since he has risen far above the "ashes" of seemingly certain death.

Found on the loose in Norwalk, California, he bore obvious signs of being used in fighting. Even his ears were cut off. Placed in a shelter, he was slated for euthanasia. But, no. Workers captured by his strong spirit effected his rescue. But his care costs money. If you want to participate in this amazing story of redemption, check out information through the following link.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2010/09/former-dogfighting-bait-dog-escapes-euthanasia-at-southern-california-animal-shelter-seeks-new-home.html

Animal Planet: Animal Oddities

Another wonderful source of animal information--this one of the quirky type--is the Animal Oddities blog available from Animal Planet. If you want a good laugh, scroll down to the video from the Letterman show and watch the dog play dead. A new-to-me version of the age-old trick.

Animal Planet: Animal Oddities

Some hoarders began as rescuers

A frightening thought, but apparently true. People who study such phenomena say that some 25 percent of those busted for animal hoarding started off as rescuers. Along with hoarding of animals often comes neglect, abuse, and often death of companion animals because the situation has grown beyond the person's ability to manage.

When I was growing up we occasionally knew of a "cat lady" or two around town, which isn't to say those women in any way neglected the pets they housed. But many do now, according to sources such as The Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium at Tufts University. In fact, the consortium is prodding the American Psychiatric Association to include animal hoarding among the psychiatric diagnoses.

A word to those in the rescue business: Keep an eye out on those you know and with whom you work. Is age slowing them down? Have they overcommitted? Are you noticing a slacking off in care or cleanliness of the animals or their environs?

Rescue work is critically important. It would be a shame for it to be sullied by the illness or inability of a few to recognize they are no longer able to care for the animals they love. Let's police ourselves, for the sake of the animals and for the sake of all the good work that most rescuers do.

Here's a link to an Associated Press story on hoarding of animals:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gkVdyC3DqPrZ11ijtWXVkl8pqU7wD9HVVG380