Great Pet Net

via Chris Kliemt

Now how cute is this???

A PET’S TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. My life span may be 10 - 15 years. Any of that time away from you is likely to be painful.

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.

8. Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I am not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You, too, will grow old.

10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can’t bear to watch. Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there because I love you so. ALWAYS!

Enjoy and take good care of your pets.

Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without them.

We do not have to wait for Heaven to be surrounded by hope, love and joyfulness. It is here on earth, and has four legs!

Author Unknown

The dog days of summer are here and these guys have it made. Truly a dog’s life.

The Old Man and the Dog
by Catherine Moore

“Watch out! You nearly broad sided that car!” My father yelled at me.

“Can’t you do anything right?”
Those words hurt worse than blows. I turned my head toward the elderly man in the seat beside me, daring me to challenge him. A lump rose in my throat as I averted my eyes. I wasn’t prepared for another battle.

“I saw the car, Dad. Please don’t yell at me when I’m driving.” My voice was measured and steady, sounding far calmer than I really felt.

Dad glared at me, then turned away and settled back. At home I left Dad in front of the television and went outside to collect my thoughts. Dark, heavy clouds hung in the air with a promise of rain. The rumble of distant thunder seemed to echo my inner turmoil.

What could I do about him?

Dad had been a lumberjack in Washington and Oregon . He had enjoyed being outdoors and had reveled in pitting his strength against the forces of nature. He had entered grueling lumberjack competitions, and had placed often. The shelves in his house were filled with trophies that attested to
his prowess.

The years marched on relentlessly. The first time he couldn’t lift a heavy log, he joked about it; but later that same day I saw him outside alone, straining to lift it. He became irritable whenever anyone teased him about his advancing age, or when he couldn’t do something he had done as a younger man.

Four days after his sixty-seventh birthday, he had a heart attack. An ambulance sped him to the hospital while a paramedic administered CPR to keep blood and oxygen flowing. At the hospital, Dad was rushed into an operating room. He was lucky; he survived.
(more…)

Dog adopts kittens, cat adopts fawn, goat adopts colt, and leopard adopts baboon.

via Scott Stone

A photo by Ted Kerasote (author of Merle’s Door) from his web site.

Ted Schneck describes his mission:

It was 11:00 A.M. on a Tuesday, in March 2007, when I got the phone call that changed my life. It was the vet, calling to tell me that the bump we’d noticed in my dog Marty’s mouth was, indeed, the late stages of full blown cancer.

And so began my journey into the world of Canine Cancer care.

Because as much as the vets tried to convince me that Marty had only 3 - 6 months to live, max - I was lucky to have some friends who knew better. They taught me natural treatments that helped me care for Marty and keep him strong and healthy for almost 18 months - amazing “bonus time” that I got to spend with my friend and companion of 8-1/2 years. And with Marty’s success I began my journey as a dog cancer author and mentor. I wrote the book Curing Canine Cancer as my “one stop” guide to teach other dog owners what we’d learned, and help them care for their dogs in need.

Until then I was just your average “Corporate Lawyer… turned Massage Therapist… turned Internet Marketer” (you know us, a dime a dozen - from Michigan Law School, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and one of the top law firms in the country… to giving massages at day spas and typing away on my laptop computer at Starbucks coffee houses in my hometown of Portland Oregon - Trust me, my mother wasn’t exactly thrilled…).

Now I was Working for a Higher Cause

But now I was working for a higher cause. Helping, as best I can, dog owners face their own times of need and despair. And loving that I could help, and the grateful messages I receive in the process. (Last Thanksgiving, one of my clients actually wrote to tell me that “this Thanksgiving we’re giving thanks FOR YOU - and all that you’ve done to help us with our dog… ” Now that’s cool!)

But as many people as I can help, the same problem keeps coming up over and over again - Clients who desperately want to help their dogs - to give them the same chances that I gave Marty - but who simply can’t afford to pay for their dog’s care.

So, while I’d do my best to console them, donate a copy of my book “Curing Canine Cancer” to their dog’s care, and point them to the few, underfunded charities that they could petition for assistance - I finally decided that I needed to do something about it…

I Finally Decided That I Needed to
Do Something About It

And that’s why I’m riding this summer across America - 4,281 miles in 82 days - Pacific to Atlantic - to raise money to help these dogs - these sweet innocent victims of this terrible disease - get the care they deserve.

From The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, this video shows a dog that likes action!

An older, tired-looking dog wandered into my yard; I could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home and was well taken care of.

He calmly came over to me, I gave him a few pats on his head; he then followed me into my house, slowly walked down the hall, curled up in the corner and fell asleep.

An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out.

The next day he was back, greeted me in my yard, walked inside and resumed his spot in the hall and again slept for about an hour. This continued off and on for several weeks.

Curious I pinned a note to his collar:

I would like to find out who the owner of this wonderful sweet dog is and ask if you are aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.

The next day he arrived for his nap, with a different note pinned to his collar:

He lives in a home with 6 children, 2 under the age of 3 - he’s trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow?

via Scott Williams