exciting morning

   My neighbor called me this morning to ask if I could help her get a few porcupine quills out of her dogs. She told me that each dog had five to ten quills, not a big deal. She went to pick up her teenage son to help hold the dogs.
   I got some supplies ready when her younger son came running up to the front door. I thought he was coming to tell me that his mom was back, but he was screaming and crying that the dogs had trapped the porcupine under the camp trailer and could I come quick.
   I grabbed my gun and magazine and started loading the mag as I walked down the driveway. As soon as I had the mag loaded, I broke into a run. My neighbor turned down the street just as I sprinted across the street and into her yard. She got there almost the same time I did and immediatly started screaming. We got the big female dog away from the porcupine and locked in the garage. The terrier was not about to let that nasty critter get away from him and just kept attacking.
   We finally drove him away from it by throwing rocks at him. Once he was locked in the garage and away from the danger, we turned our attention to the porcupine. It was completely bald on it's back and tail. It was injured pretty badly and was dragging one back leg. We had to use shovels to get it out from under the trailer. I still couldn't shoot it as it was huddled up to the tires. I ended up using a shovel to scoop him up and toss him away from anything that could be damaged. He was still trying to slap at me with his bald and bleeding tail so I had to have the teenager draw his attention by tossing rocks so I could get a clear shot ( I REALLY didn't want to just shoot it in the back) It worked and I fired a shot that didn't drop him, but was fatal.
   The kids of course all came running out of the house where they had been told to stay. So once I get them all back I went back to check on him and he decided to walk away. The second shot dropped him and it was done.

Now to turn our attention to the dogs. This is the female, she is not nearly as tenatious as her little brother. The pictures get more greusome as you scroll down. If you are squemish at all, stop here.

This is the male that is now at the vet. They had NEVER seen this many quills in one dog.


This is the porcupine. You can't tell from this pic, but he is almost bald.

Dogs I have known

Brigid's post about her dog Barkley got me thinking about some of the dogs I have known over the years. I volunteer with a local rescue organization and that has allowed me to interact with some really amazing animals.

There was Balto, the 192 lb malamute,

Lancelot, the stray that started it all,

Gator, the mentally retarded puppy who you couldn't help but love,

Skye, who thought she was a supermodel,

Twix, the dog I trained as a diabetic alert dog,

And many many more. Each has their unique story and personality and I have been lucky enough to share the lives of each and every one even if it was only for a short time. Most have found their forever homes, some have passed on and some are still with us waiting for their family to find them and give them the home they deserve. This is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done with my life and it gives me such a sense of accomplishment to know I have saved the lives of so many.

Eat your pet, save the planet

Dogs cause more damage to our planet than SUVs, according to a controversial new book, Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living. The environmental footprint of an average "resource-guzzling" hound is twice that of a typical sport utility vehicle, say New Zealander researchers Robert and Brenda Vale, who note that a surprising amount of land is required to produce Fido's meals each year (roughly 2 acres). The book has caused a ruckus by saying people should go pet-free—and even consider eating strays. Have environmentalists gone too far? So what is acceptable — pet millipedes? The green movement is becoming "progressively batty," says Ralph Reiland in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. First we have to "shut down our oil, gas, and coal industries, bike to work," and take the briefest of showers. "Now they want us to cook our dogs"? Apparently, a pet "bug" is the only companion these "hysterical" activists would consider guilt-free. The authors' research is sound: OK, eating our pets "is surely a non-starter," say the editors of New Scientist. But the Vales are right about the science: "Man’s best friend, it turns out, is the planet’s enemy." And while giving up Fido might be "a sacrifice too far," we can take smaller steps. The solution might start with "green, eco-friendly pet food."You can’t quantify a pet's value: Even if we Americans were to adopt "petless lifestyles," says The Washington Times in an editorial, we’d still be "major carbon offenders in the eyes of the green theocracy." Anyone obsessed with sizing up "carbon pawprints" is missing the point: "A pet’s value, like the worth of a human being, cannot be reduced to a rude carbon quotient." They make us happy, and "that is enough to justify their existence." Why not eat pets? "Dogs are wonderful," says Jonathan Safran Foer in The Wall Street Journal, but they’re not any smarter or more affectionate than pigs. In fact, unlike farmed meat, soon-to-be-put-down strays and runaway pets "are practically begging to be eaten" — and "in a sense," we’re already consuming them. Millions of euthanized cats and dogs are already "rendered" into livestock feed each year. Why not just eliminate this "inefficient…middle step"?


ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! Ok, yes there are some valid points, but seriously people, this is sick.

I can't even find Words.

This makes me sick.

Look at what I have.

I just picked this little girl up. She had been found as a stray and no one ever claimed her. She snuggles with my youngest son and is terrified of my cat. Anyone want to guess how long I will have her before she gets adopted? I don't plan on having her long term, thats for sure. She's way too cute and sweet to remain homeless.

Things that make you feel good

The most gratifying thing I do at the moment is working with the rescue. I love taking a dog from certain death at the pound and working on any issues they might have. When we are done with them they are social, healthy, unable to reproduce, and ready for a home.

There are two dogs that I feel even better about than the others. One is a dog that was on a leash being led into the back room of the pound to be put to sleep when I called about her. She is THE BEST dog. My brother adopted her and thinks she is just the greatest thing ever.

The other dog is Hope. Hope was hit by a car when she was 9 weeks old. Her owner knew she was escaping from her yard but was not worried because she only ever went next door. Seriously? She had the dog for ONE WEEK! How does she know what the dog always does? Anyway, I digress. Hope was picked up by animal control bleeding and in pain. She was taken to a local veterinary clinic and I was called. A worker at the pound was hoping I could find a golden retriever rescue to step in and help this puppy. I found two rescues that might be willing to help. In the meantime, the owner was located and claimed the dog. She could not afford the extensive care this dog would need but refused to let anyone else step in and save her. She said she would rather put Hope down than let a rescue take her. It took me almost three days, but I finally convinced her that no one was trying to steal her dog and it was going to cost more in vet bills than any rescue would get in adoption fees. She made everyone wait several more hours while she got primped and made her way to the vets office. When the papers were signed, I was allowed back to take pictures of Hope for the rescue that was going to foot the bill. This is what I saw:

Hope had a crushed pelvis, two snapped femur heads and her tail had been amputated by the car. She went through two surguries. One to fix the legs and pelvis and one to finish the tail amputation. She had 45 stitches on her back legs and rump.

Soon after her surguries she went to another state where the rescue was located. She was adopted by her foster family and is very happy. I got new pictures of her in my email a few days ago and was stunned. She runs and plays and is a beautiful healthy young dog.