It's Lovely! I'll Take It!

This is a photo of a room from a house that is for sale. There is a blog that I follow named, "It's Lovely, I'll Take It"! 

This blog lists photos from real estate listings from all over. It is a fun site that begs the question, 'did that actually sell'? 

This room could use some staging. I think it would freak out an awful lot of people. Even if the house were of my dreams, I don't think I could ever forget what this room looked like. Especially if it were the master bedroom.... It leaves an indelible mark on my brain. Ouch!

The last of my menagerie is gone

Yet again, I had the good fortune to end the suffering of someone I loved. My beloved, Mr. Knuckles passed away earlier today. After spending 14 1/2 years with me, his kidneys gave out, which is all to common with kitties. It became apparent that I needed to humanely end the pain when he could no longer walk without falling. I was hoping that his disease would move quickly in the end so that he wouldn't have to undergo the pain of an iv. Unfortunately it became clear that without my help his pain may continue for an unknown amount of time. I couldn't allow that to happen to the animal that had been with me the longest and helped me survive the loss of three dogs. 

If there is an animal heaven he is with his old pals, Kaelee, Cooper and Bear. I miss them all horribly. Pets do wonderful things for us, but alas, their lives are too short. I will miss by buddy. So long good friend. Thanks for sharing your life with me. I am a better human because of it. 

Thanks to a great car

I donated my car to the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor today. This is the second time I've done this. With a little work, it could be a good car for someone who doesn't have one. It made more sense to go this route than to take the trade in value which would have been a pittance. 

It was a good car that ran for 11 years with little work done to it. I never got stuck in snow, I could barrel though anything. It carried my two big dogs easily in the back cargo area. It was an anonymous car so people ignored you. Police and idiots alike. It was hard to part with it today as it has so many memories associated with it. Mostly my beloved past dogs whom I still miss dearly. Hopefully whoever gets it will have as much luck as I did with it. 

R.I.P. My Love

My beloved dog, Cooper passed away today. In the end, her rear legs gave out on her, similar to her long time companion Bear. 

She is no longer is any pain. 

I miss her horribly. 

R.I.P. Sweet Pea. I love you.

Goodbye little Boo.

Puppy mill shoots dogs

E & A and A & J Kennels in Kutztown, Pa., for shooting 80 dogs last July after state dog wardens ordered they undergo veterinary exams. "The main reason most kennel owners resist exams is they don't want to pay the costs," says Robert Baker, an anti cruelty investigator for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty for Animals.

Under state law at the time, shooting the dogs was legal; Baker says such shootings are an everyday occurrence at puppy mills around the country. The killings underscore the need for laws similar to one signed in October by Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell that require kenneled animals receive annual veterinary care and permit only veterinarians to euthanize animals.

On another sad note, a man in a nearby township has been arrested for leaving his dogs out in the cold without shelter, food and water. When someone finally reported him, the investigator found two dead dogs (for for months) and a third on the brink of death. When confronted by police his only concern were the charges being brought against him. 

I just don't understand cruelty to any being. It makes no sense to me. 

R.I.P. Sweet Gabby

Little Gabby Brabbs-Checchi passed away unexpectedly this afternoon. Her loving family found her in their yard undisturbed. We don't know what took her short life, but fortunately she passed away outside in her favorite place to be. R.I.P. little girl. Know you were loved dearly and are missed by many.

Two greats pass away....

The following was taken from an article by Charles Siebert from the New York Times magazine in the December 30, 2007 edition ~

There is in the end, no telling what tales they had to tell, the two greatest 

nonhuman linguists of our day: Washoe, the sign-language-wielding chimpanzee with an intense footwear fetish; and Alex, the wildly outspoken parrot, an African gray known to regularly order about his human researchers and to purposely give them the wrong answers to their questions just to alleviate his boredom. After all, we only ever gave them our words to work with.

To continue reading the article, click here.

Amazing animals!

R.I.P. Scout

This was one of Cooper's favorite pals. Scout was a Chesapeake Bay Retriever that used to live down the street from us. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with cancer in April 2007. At the time he was expected to live for another two months.

Well, Scout didn't agree with that diagnosis and managed to survive for another 14+ months. He passed away this week. The cancer in his left rear leg made walking virtually impossible. Poor guy. We'll miss him. If there is a dog heaven hopefully he has found Bear and that they are both walking without difficulty. R.I.P. buddy, you will be dearly missed.

A sad story to be sure

How do you explain to your two year old son that the family dog is never, ever going to come home? That is what this family was faced with when Gennese County (Michigan) Animal Control officials "accidentally" euthanized their family pet. 

The dog was in quarantine for observation when he escaped his home and bit a woman. He was days way from release when a hand written card was misread and he was lead away to his death.

So, how does this shelter make amends for this indescribable event? The Animal Control Interim Director offers to let the family adopt a new animal and will only charge them the cost to spay or neuter the animal. I'm surprised that they didn't charge the family a fee for the killing of their family member.

I hope this Interim Director is not given the job. I understand accidents happen, and yes the dog was an offender, but regardless, they should be bending over backwards to do whatever they can to make this awful situation better. And most certainly not insulting them by causing more pain. Shame on them in every aspect of this regrettable situation.

April 11, 2007

Hard to believe, but Bear passed away, one year ago today. We all miss our best bud. Cooper had a hard first year. She didn't eat for weeks. In retrospect, I wonder how she got through the days without her protector. 

Mr. Knuckles has always wanted a playmate in these two, but neither was interested. The best he got was a big sloppy kiss from Bear. Mr. K would place his head underneath Bear's and wait paitentely for the slow wet smooch with the drag of a tounge. He keeps trying to get Cooper to play with him, but Cooper will have none of it. Mr. K begins his fun with a big MEEOOW! Then another. Then he pounces on Cooper and bites her ear. This has always terrified her and Bear came to her rescue. Needless to say, some adjustments were necessary in our household. 

Things were starting to become routine and normal again, that is until Mr. K got spring fever. Now every night, it's the MEEOOW game all over. I have to lock him out of the bedroom. I'll be glad when warm weather arrives and he can hang out on the balcony again so he won't be so active at night. Alas, and fortunately, life goes on.