February 6, 2010
There’s been a subtle changing of the guard in the TailTalk house. I’m not sure when, or even how this happened, but somehow we have become subjects of our cats. And we seem to do it willingly. And I don’t know who is more surprised by all of this, us or the dogs, because I can tell by the stunned looks on their faces they don’t get it.
Booger was the original inside cat while Thomason, Don Cato and Bartholomeow were outside. Tommy was the ultimate barn cat, and although he’d been fixed he maintained the swagger of a true tomcat. Now he spends his days lying on the dining room chair, in front of the large window, watching the birds that fly by just outside his reach. Don Cato and Bartholomeow also sleep in the dining room, but spend the rest of their days in the living room with Booger and the rest of the family. Because Booger and Tommy were enemies outside, Action Jackson won’t let Tommy in the living room because he was mean to Booger, Jack’s very good friend. As long as Tommy stays in the dining room or on the kitchen tile he’s fine, but the moment Jack hears his little kitty feet hit the carpet Jack comes flying from whatever room he’s in and stops in a buddarump-buddarump-buddarump skid to stop right at Tommy’s feet, letting him know that you will NEVER get in with the family so long as I am here because you were mean to my friend, and when you are mean to my friend you are a persona non grata in his world from that day forward. Jack is just like that. He’s been the happiest, most loving animal I’ve met from the day we picked him up from the high kill shelter, one day away from euthanasia, the smell of death upon him, and still we named him Happy Jack because he had the heart of a saint. He continues to be the great protector to this day of his special friend, Zoeybean, as they wrestle through the house from room to room, making you wonder where they get the energy. For some reason Zoey thinks Bart is a squeaky toy. If she bites at him he squeaks, just like her toys. She understands the other cats aren’t squeaky toys, just Bart. She only tries to squeak him when she thinks we’re not looking, and we always are. She has this whole guilty thing she goes through before she’s going to squeak the cat so you can’t help but know what she’s about to do, but she doesn’t know she gives it away every time. I’m sure she wonders how we know. But the biggest change of all that I’ve seen is in my husband. Booger has become his cat. Since Booger feels put out because Tommy is now an inside cat (or at least this is how the scenario plays out in Tim’s mind) Tim makes sure Booger gets special treats so when Tim goes out to his workshop first thing in the morning he picks Booger up and hand carries him across the yard to the barn. Then in the barn, because Booger was never our good mouser cat, Booger sees the mice and watches the mice, but the mice always seem to get away. He tries to catch them, but doesn’t succeed. He just doesn’t know how. And the mouser cats are laying in the spot of sunshine from the window in the house. Hmmmm. Then when Tim is done in the workshop he carries Booger over to the back porch and sets him down while he does his chores, then they come in the house together, best of friends. Don Cato and Bart take turns taking naps in our laps, and they love to be touched. Don Cato brings out an overwhelming desire in me to dress him up in my old doll clothes. I haven’t thought about playing with dolls since I gave them up so very many years ago, and yet, this cat brings out this overwhelming desire to dress him up in costumes and play. Sometimes I look over and see Tim doing machine guns with Bart’s back legs. He loves it. He flips around from side to side so you get all four legs equally. Most of the time we sit around the living room, Tim and I, Girlie Sue, Jack, Zoeybean and Booger, acting like the old folks we’ve become, while Bart and Don Cato are playing in the background. You see the shape of blackness moving between the top of the couch and the sheet I use as a feeble attempt to keep animal hair off the couch while Don Cato tries to ride the antique spinning wheel like a ferris wheel in the background. I don’t know where this silliness is coming from. Like I said, there’s been a change of guard at the house. I’m not sure when it happened or how it happened, but something is different, and I like it. Except for poor Tommy. Banished by the pack to live life at the edge of the kitchen tile, able to see all the reindeer games but not take part. But until he stops his tomcat ways of bullying everyone else he’ll have to remain on the outside, looking in, but still exponentially better off than he ever was before. And every time the other six go outside (they go out as a group) Tommy comes into the living room for alone time with Tim and I. He is probably the smart one because he gets one on one time that no one else ever gets. Maybe Tommy is the smartest one of all. It’s difficult to say, but for whatever reason the situation works for him, and for us too. Our lives have improved exponentially since we became a family of three dogs and four cats. I think we need one more dog to make it even. But I’ll have to think on that a little while longer. Maybe it’s time for you to think on it too. Or maybe you should open your life to a kitten or a cat, or two. I can’t say enough about the joy you’ll get back. You receive so much more than you give that I don’t understand why everyone doesn’t run right down to the shelter to adopt today. If there is a particular breed you are thinking about getting call the shelter because they hear of people that are in dire straits and need to give up their animals but haven’t yet, so your best friend may just be waiting for you right now, just a phone call away. There’s no reason to spend life alone and lonely when you can spend your days filled with love and loving. It spills out into everything else you do when you open your heart to the least of them among us, the shelter animals that have no one. And never forget, it is only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.
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Animal Lover, pets, shelter dogs | Tagged: abandoned animals, animal abuse, Animal Lover, animal shelters, cats, disability, disabled dog, Dog Time, dogs, donate, euthanasia, kittens, neuter, no-kill shelter, pet, pet adoption, pets, puppies, Randolph County IL Humane Society, senior dog, shelter dogs, spay, strays, Tail talk, volunteer | 
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Posted by tailtalk
January 30, 2010
I published this information in Tail Talk in June, 2008 after a particularly severe flood, and after seeing all of the grief and suffering in Haiti I thought it was a good time to remind people that there is no time like the present to make sure you are prepared to care for your animals during an emergency. If you are not prepared, they will suffer. There is no time like today to pull everything together to prevent a lot of grief if the occasion ever presents itself. From AmericanHumane.org I found the following:
When disaster strikes a community, essential services like water are often unavailable. So what can you do to ensure your pet is cared for during and, especially after, a disaster?
Preparation for pets
- Have a plan.
- Keep your pets’ vaccinations up-to-date.
- Know where your pets can go whether it’s a friend or family member, pet-friendly hotel, animal shelter, or boarding facility.
- Place your contact information, including the name of an out-of-state contact on your pets’ ID tags, microchip registrations, and licenses.
- Prepare an emergency kit of leashes, collars, extra ID tags, water, food, medications, health records, and photos to prove ownership.
- Have on hand portable carriers large enough for your pets to stand and turn around in.
- Prepare a first-aid kit, including your vet contact information and an authorization to treat your pets.
- Gather any relief plans developed by your local Red Cross chapter; emergency management office; or police, fire, health, wildlife and agriculture departments so you know where to turn for specific resources.
Preparation for livestock
- Post emergency contact numbers at your barn or on your pasture fence.
- Have sufficient transportation available for all your livestock or know where to obtain it. Train your livestock how to board the vehicles.
- Create a list of neighbors within a 100-mile radius of your home who would be willing to board your livestock if you are forced to evacuate.
- Form agreements with neighboring ranches and farms to help each other with disaster preparation and evacuations.
- Know organizations in your area that are prepared to rescue and house displaced livestock.
- Involve your family and neighbors in establishing an evacuation plan for animals in barns and outlying buildings.
- Have a supply of feed at a separate location, which could be air-dropped if the animals become stranded.
- Make up a kit with leads, halters, equine and bovine first aid kits, quieting hoods for easy transport, and water.
- Keep photos and a copy of your ownership papers or brands with you at all times in case you are separated from your livestock.
I was especially glad to see the information for livestock because it provided a lot of valuable information to think about. I don’t think we’ll ever be fully prepared for surviving a major disaster, but the more preparation we maintain the better we’ll be at not only surviving, but triumphing, over whatever is put in front of us. And if nothing ever happens, we can count our blessings and be grateful in the knowledge we were ready.
And never forget, it is only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.
Leave a Comment » | Animal Lover, pets, shelter dogs | Tagged: abandoned animals, animal abuse, Animal Lover, animal shelters, cats, disabled dog, Dog Time, dogs, donate, emergency preparedness, kittens, neuter, no-kill shelter, pet, pet adoption, puppies, Randolph County IL Humane Society, senior dog, Shelter Dog, strays, Tail talk, volunteer | Permalink
Posted by tailtalk
January 23, 2010
This past week I was talking to Heidi Snyder, the president of the Randolph County Humane Society. Heidi is one of the most visible people at the shelter as she is there during normal business hours during the week, plus she plans the transports that take the animals to meet the plane that takes them to other shelters across the country when no one here adopts them, or plans for the upcoming medical needs of the shelter based on past demand and a wing and a prayer. She does all of this in-between chemotherapy treatments and yet rarely seems to miss a day at the shelter. Everyone that donates their time to the shelter, all of the volunteers, and that includes all of the office staff, all of the board of directors, and all of the people that clean the shelter, they take care of the animals as their own until someone walks through that door to take them on to their forever home. A gentleman called recently that was very put out that the doors of the shelter weren’t open at his convenience to drop off his dog. It was explained to him that the shelter is an all volunteer operation and we are happy to arrange to meet with anyone at their convenience, but the main shelter hours are open at the convenience of the volunteers that staff it. He was even more unhappy when he found out that the shelter couldn’t take his dog because it was an aggressive breed. There are protections that are in place to protect the dogs that find the shelter their home, the workers that volunteer to take care of those animals, and the public that enters our doors seeking the loves of their lives. Upon further discussion he said the dog he wanted to surrender was 10. Now this is the part of the story where I have a great deal of difficulty understanding how this could be. If you have an animal that has been part of your family for 10 years and has recently gotten aggressive then you need to take it the vet, not the shelter. And if you find out from the vet that after 10 years of being good there isn’t anything you can do to help this aggression, then you need to spend the money and have your dog euthanized. After 10 years of being your dog, you need to man up and take care of business, and not leave it for the shelter to try and find a new family for a senior, aggressive dog that will not find a home before it dies, which will happen much quicker now that it has no family to love him as it did in the past. It’s not right to walk away from your obligations in the end just because it’s easier. There is a senior, female lab in the shelter right now. She’s the best girl there is. Someone just left here and didn’t look for her. She never messes in her cage, she’s grateful for every biscuit she gets, and she never tires of any pets and kisses that are bestowed on her. But it’s doubtful that anyone is going to look her way when there are so many younger animals to be adopted, and yet she’s the perfect companion. I know, I have one just like her, my 13 year old white German Shepard, Girlie Sue. She’s still in great shape, even for an old girl, and she’s every bit a viable part of this family. We all have difficult times to face in our lives, and when our animals get old is one of them. Of course it never occurred to me that people just dumped their senior dogs. I wonder what will happen to the 10 year old aggressive dog now. I wonder if his person will take care of business, or find some other way to pass the buck. I pray for the dog’s sake that he takes the high road this time. And all of you out there, remember, if you see animal abuse, call the shelter and report what you are seeing. And never forget, it is only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.
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Posted by tailtalk
January 17, 2010
All my life I’ve been a dog person. It’s not that I don’t like cats. I just didn’t feel any way about cats. For some reason we didn’t have cats when I was growing up but my mom had both cats and dogs after I was grown and gone. We didn’t have cats when my kids were growing up because they were allergic to them, so they grew up with dogs only. I’ve never spent any time at all around cats so I have no idea what they are like except through all I’ve read and the cartoons like Garfield. My thought of what a cat would be like to have around the house would be something that would be there at their convenience, not yours, loving, but in a removed sort of way. I guess I expected a cat to act like an intellectual, someone that stands back and judges everything you say and do, finding your way inferior to theirs. But I have to say nothing could be further from the truth, or at least further from my experience with at least 50% of my cats. And I know 25% of the remaining 50% is my fault for not being a love monkey – I did it to him when he was a kitten by scaring the bejeebers out of him with the ear mite medicine, and after feeling his claws between my fingers in the most tender skin on our body I wasn’t right there to reinforce the warm, fuzzy feelings so since he was a barn cat I really didn’t understand the need to do anything different. And Booger came to us half grown, already elusive in his ways but willing to learn. Sometimes. But Bartholomeow and DonCato are the biggest love monkeys that ever walked the face of the earth. We went through some really scary times where we thought we were going to go insane, but if you can just maintain when you come out the other side it is well worth the effort. DonCato did this licking thing, and he did it incessantly. My God, it felt like he was going to lick your skin off. If he saw you he came running for you and you went running in the opposite direction. It was a race to see who could get to the door the fastest, then slam the door in his little kitten face. But you couldn’t see the sweetness in his face because all you could see was the pain caused by that little kitten tongue trying to lick the skin off your body. And he was relentless. He was a little demon in kitten clothing. Bartholomeow, on the other hand, didn’t do anything obnoxious except try to sneak into the house at a time when he had not yet been invited into the house as a house cat. So we were still undergoing the battle of the wills. Because he was coal black, you wouldn’t see him slide in when you opened the door, he’d just be there, in front of you, and you’d wonder how he got there when you just saw him outside. But once we decided we were just going to have four house cats life became decidedly more simple (on one hand). The most important thing I can tell you is that my cats are the most loving little critters I have ever been around. They are so soft, and they love to be touched, and I love to touch them. It feels so good to sit and rub their fur, and feel their warmth. You can feel the love and appreciation they have for the home you have given them. I know people say they are standoffish and removed, but they aren’t, and I promise they will bring something to your life that is so grand that my words just don’t describe the feeling. I can’t tell you what it means to pick up a warm, furry creature, to hold in my arms while they sleep, to feel the beating of their heart. You feel their love seep into your skin, and it brings you comfort throughout the day when you deal with things that are so disheartening that we all have to deal with; the news of the loved ones that have cancer, the children that can’t seem to help themselves and are constantly in trouble, hours and hours spent working for that never ending pile of bills. You can face it all alone or with comfort of a warm heart to get you through the worst of it. It was a complete shock to me, not something I expected to happen, and I am grateful beyond words for the opportunity to have them. It saddens me when I remember that 70% of the cats that are in shelters are euthanized because there aren’t enough people to adopt them, and those are the cats that make it to the shelters. The answer is to spay and neuter your pets. At the shelter, we have two dreams. The first dream is have a cat facility because the room that is the cat room now is not a good environment for felines. Their room is a closet, and the best that can be said is that it’s simply not suitable. They need a room that has its own hvac and fresh air system , separate from the dogs, and it needs to be on the outside of the building where they can have a window to the world and be stimulated by the world outside, the trees, the birds, the sky. The second dream is a big one. It is going to take a corporate sponsor. We have a $15,000 dream to build a clean room onto the building where low and no cost neuters and spays can be performed for the people of the county and the surrounding area. If we had the facility and the doctors, there are grants available to fund the surgeries. Our dream is to create the first area in Southern Illinois that outlives the need for an animal shelter because of programs such as this dream, to spay and neuter the pets of the area at low or no cost. It’s a big dream, but isn’t that what dreaming is about? Make your dreams as big as you can imagine, and to imagine no more need for shelters is a perfect world in my book. So join us in our dreams. And never forget, it is only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.
Leave a Comment » | Animal Lover, pets, shelter dogs | Tagged: animal lovers, shelter dogs, animal abuse, strays, abandoned animals, Randolph County IL Humane Society, animal shelters, no-kill shelter, disability, disabled dog, cats, puppies, kittens, volunteer, Tail talk, neuter, euthanasia | Permalink
Posted by tailtalk
January 9, 2010
Right now we are having a serious cold spell and if you have animals outside, bring them inside. They cannot survive outside in this weather. No matter how you feel about dogs and cats, they need shelter in these temperatures, so buck up and take care of them. It is important! We made them dependent on us and now we must make the extra effort to make them safe when they are in peril. It is extra work, but this is what you signed on for when you took on pets. If you don’t know how, then this will explain the least of what they require in the cold, and when it is like this they have to be brought inside.
If you are like me you can’t understand how there are animals that are left to the elements in this bitterly cold weather, but if you must leave your animals outside, first understand that no dog is biologically able to endure the unsheltered cold of the weather we are experiencing when the temperature drops into the teens, so please follow these safety tips to keep your pets in good health. Their shelter should be elevated off the ground to prevent moisture accumulation and have some kind of door to keep the winter winds, sleet and snow out of their shelter with the door pointed towards the east or south. Their shelter should be insulated with either hay or straw but never with blankets. Blankets will hold moisture and freeze, creating more cold inside the shelter and do the opposite of what the shelter is supposed to do. They must have access to water, and their water supply should be heated. You can purchase systems that either sit under their bowl or have a wand that sits in the bowl to prevent the water from freezing. Make sure their food bowl stays full. They’ll need extra calories in the cold because their bodies will burn the calories generating heat to stay warm. Make sure you take care of your pet during this stressful time or they literally will not survive. Snow and salt must be removed from their paws and not allowed to pack their pads. If you see that they have snow, ice or salt on their paw, apply warm, moist towels and check to see if the skin appears red or gray or sloughs. If it does, contact your vet immediately for further treatment because their paws have frostbite and this is an emergency situation. Cats can’t stand the cold and will go under the hood of a vehicle to find shelter from the wind, snow and cold. If you have cats in your neighborhood, always beat on the hood or blow your horn before starting your vehicle to scare any cats that may have taken up residence there. We have to do what we can to take care of each other during the hard times and not just the fun times. No one ever said life was easy, and happily ever after means you work harder than ever before, but the payback is enormous. So bring those pets inside where you won’t have to worry about frostbite and frozen water. It’s the right thing to do. And for all of you that do the right thing if you have a little extra this month think about sharing it with the Randolph County Humane Society to help take care of animals that have no one. And never forget, it is only through you that we continue to save lives, one by one.
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Posted by tailtalk
January 2, 2010
Something happened over the last months and we went from three inside dogs and one inside cat to three inside dogs and four inside cats. I’m not sure how this transition took place, it didn’t happen overnight and yet it seems as if overnight here I am with two cat boxes to clean and four more male personalities to contend with. How on earth did this ever happen to me? I say that with tongue in cheek because my life is richer and more full than I ever imagined and we have more fun, all of us (even Girlie Sue is getting into the spirit of things, something I never thought I would see in a 13 year old warrior princess) but we still have some issues to work on because not everyone is quite sure about these furry little critters that swat at you as you walk past the chair from some place inside the cushion. The last cat to move inside is Thomason, Tommy, our ultimate barn cat. All of our boys are neutered, but Tommy is still a tomcat. For any of you that watched the movie “A Christmas Story” over the holidays to remind yourselves of your youth in the late 40’s and early 50’s, if you can picture the bully in the movie named Skut Farkus you can visualize Tommy. I swear they could be twins in both looks and personality. Tommy regularly beats up Booger, even though Booger is twice his size. Booger was the original king of the house and Tommy was the king of the barnyard, and any time Booger dared step into Tommy’s kingdom he got the short end of the stick. Well, now that everyone is in the house Tommy still holds the upper hand and hangs out 24 hours a day in the dining room, the very room where the food bowl is kept, so now I have to walk Booger into the dining room so he can eat. I’m not sure how I became the referee of the cats but I know have a new hat to wear and I just can’t say no when Booger comes and sits by my chair and stares at me with those big eyes, drilling his thoughts into my head until I have no choice but to get up. I don’t know how he does it because no one else has ever figured out how to get me up out of my chair that fast. You can ask my husband. He asks me to do something and my response is “just a minute and I’ll get it.” Booger stares at me and it’s like feet don’t fail me now because I have to move! DonCato started out as the second cat inside and he was a kitten non grata because every time you picked him up he insisted on licking you incessantly, and those little kitty tongues aren’t made for licking people skin. It was like he was obsessed. After a while you wanted to run from him but he wanted to be inside so bad that we played this game where he tried to sneak in every time we let the dogs out, and we’d turn around and there he was. Finally when he learned to control his licking he was able to stay in the house longer and longer, and I suppose that was the beginning of the end for my outside cats. And last but not least was Bartholomeow, black Bart, in line with DonCato for the sweetest and most loving cat of the bunch. However, since he’s black from head to toe with just a white hair here and there he didn’t know not to be in the walking lanes on the path to the door and I can’t tell you how many times he went flying in the middle of the night as I was walking in the dark to let the dogs out. You’d be surprised how far a kitty can fly when he’s drop kicked in the dark through no intention of mine, but it was kind of like a football kicker going for the point after. I’m half asleep after Girlie Sue poked me with her cold nose six or seven times to tell me that she needs to go out and there is poor Bart, in the dark, about to sail through the air with the greatest of ease. He has learned to stay out of the traffic lanes, much to his credit, but he did sail six or seven times before he got the hint. You can’t see a black cat in the dark, and he didn’t suffer any consequences from his midnight flying routines, so no harm, no foul. Zoeybean, our latest adoptee, still isn’t sure why she isn’t supposed to chase the cats and I’m not sure who starts it (it could be either of them) but all will be quiet and the next thing I know cats are taking the high road across me in my chair while Zoeybean is giving chase below, trying her best to catch one. When I scold her and tell her cats aren’t for playing she gives me that look like “Pleeeeez Mom, just let me have one, we have so many!!!!!!!!” And Action Jackson, he’s the great protector of all living things. If Zoeybean goes after the cats Jack gets in between Zoey and the cat with a curt growl to let her know those cats are his friends and she is NOT to mess with them. He is the largest, most powerful, loving animal I have ever known and he protects his friends at any cost, even though Zoeybean is his very best friend, his love for all animals comes before even his own personal satisfaction. And no matter how rowdy the games get during the day, at night we all come together as a family in our bedroom and sleep as one big family. Lately we’ve had two dogs and two cats in bed with us every morning when we wake up. Thank goodness they invented king size beds or we’d be sleeping on the floor and the animals would take over the pillows. And in the morning when it’s time to go out I walk to the door with three large dogs and four cats in tow, trying to find a place for my feet amongst all those paws, reaching around them to open the door a crack until they all manage their way out to do their business and come back in to start another day of making me the luckiest person on this earth. Who has time to sit around and feel sorry for themselves because I am in pain and my legs don’t work like I want them to when I have all this love surrounding me. When I see Girlie Sue, Warrior Princess, sleeping on the couch with Booger, sleeping right above her with his paw hanging down, touching her, and I know this would never have happened one short year ago, or Action Jackson protecting his friends, the cats, and Zoeybean, learning that cats are our friends to play with and love, to treat gently and have fun with, well, it’s just a good feeling. When I hold DonCato and Bart in my lap as I write Tail Talk and feel the softness of their fur against my skin, knowing the love and appreciation they have for me for taking them in and giving them a home when so many are euthanized because there is no one to love them I just don’t understand this world. I don’t understand how I can be the one to be so lucky. But am I lucky, or have I just come to a place in my life where I stopped being so rigid that I stopped saying no to everything that might bring joy to me. Hmmm. Bring joy to me. Interesting concept. Why is it that we have so much difficulty with that. Is it because we’re afraid our house will be messy when someone stops by? Who stops by? Do they live in your skin? Do they fight your battles? Do they feel the emptiness and longing of wanting something or someone to love you unconditionally? No they don’t. We need to stop worrying about what is unimportant in this world and begin to fill our lives with the love that can be yours if you open your home and your heart to shelter animals. My gray days are filled with laughter and joy, brought to me by my friends, my three big dogs and my four inside cats. You too can have this. It’s waiting for you right now at the Randolph County Humane Society. And never forget, it is only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.
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Posted by tailtalk
December 26, 2009
I planned the last Tail Talk of 2009 to be a celebration of the Tail Talk family, regaling you with stories of our family now that it has grown to three inside cats with three large inside dogs and the challenges and laughter that has ensued over the past months, filling our hearts and lives with such joy that words won’t do these stories justice. But real life has gotten in the way, and the horror that is the Christmas story of the Randolph County Humane Society will be my final article instead. As you know I am constantly begging for people to come forward to donate their time at the shelter to take care of the animals, cleaning cages, walking, feeding, etc. It is an every day task. The volunteers that step up become an important part of the RCHS family. Not because of the work they perform but because they become invested in the animals we all strive to save. We work together to find forever homes for the animals that have no one, the least of them among us that have been abused and mistreated, that are left, unloved, for disease to grow through their body until they are at death’s door. That’s where we find them. We come together as a family to nurse them back to health until they are well enough, both physically and mentally, to be put into a home where they can be your comfort during your darkest days when you need that gentle touch of unconditional love to heal your sagging spirit. The animals that grace our doors have seen much sadness before they see the joy when they meet their forever family. Much care is taken insuring they are put with the right family so they don’t go through more trauma and abuse because pets are not a one size fits all piece of clothing you can pick up at the store and expect to fit as soon as you bring it home, and if the wrong breed is put into the wrong environment it is a recipe for disaster. Home visits are required, along with background checks, before adoptive parents are approved to take their new family member home. Some folks are never approved for adoption because they don’t have an environment in their home that would support and give life to a shelter animal. This weekend the ultimate horror happened at the shelter, the nightmare beyond all others. A member of our family took one of our animals and sold it to a person that was on the “never approved” list for personal gain. It’s one thing when you find out that someone comes into your home and takes from you, but when you find out it is your own family member that not only has so little consideration for your organization but has no true love for the animals in their heart that they would put money over the welfare of an animal, well, the pain we feel is beyond my ability to describe. Those of us associated with the RCHS have cried every day since this deed took place. We all know the suffering these animals endure, and to have one of our own put greed over the safety of a shelter dog is beyond comprehension. It is not something you expect to happen in this place that we are proud to call their soft place to fall, the one place where they no longer have to worry about being abused, starved and neglected, the place where they will be loved until we find that one special person that will be their end-all, be-all. It has been a very long year, but never in my wildest imaginings could I have dreamt this scenario. To all the good people out there that have volunteered over the years, thank you for the help you’ve given. We didn’t know until now that it wasn’t a given that you would be here for your love of the animals, so thank you from the bottom of our heart for all that you’ve done. You are appreciated now more than ever because we are able to see that when you came to us you were a special person that truly has the best interest of the animals in your heart. God bless you. And I pray 2010 will begin with only good things for the animals in our care. I hope you’ll all pray with me also because as you can see, we need your blessings, now more than ever. And never forget, it only through you that we continue to save lives, one by one.
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Posted by tailtalk
December 18, 2009
This post is a true story, written by Becky Loyd, the Rescue Coordinator for Rainbow Farms, an amazing place for speical needs furry “kids.” When I was a little girl, a long, long time ago, my grandma used to sing a song to me about poor little Joe, a little orphaned boy that had no one to love him, who died in the snow, with only the woodland animals to mark his passing. I used to cry my eyes out over that poor little boy. We’ve come so far since my grandma’s day that we no longer worry about orphaned children being left to the elements. I hope some day soon these stories will be told in the same way, where my grandchildren will say I guess it could have happened but Thank God it can’t happen to any poor forgotten animal now. As you read of the New Year’s Eve Rescue, we pray you will find it in your heart to remember the Randolph County Humane Society this Christmas season, and help us continue our mission of saving lives, one by one.
New Year’s Eve Rescue
I went out last night, just after midnight, to make sure all the heat lamps were working in the goat, chicken and turkey houses. The temperature was supposed to go to zero or below. All the dogs had long gone to bed and the night was silent. Stepping on the porch I was greeted with the sight of a crystal clear sky and multitudes of stars.
Turning on the flashlight (we refuse to have one of those blasted dusk to dawn monstrosities that keep the stars from shining) I made my way to the barn. Earlier in the evening I had taken some straw to freshen the farm animal’s bedding, and had dropped a flake outside the gate that I failed to retrieve.
Walking down the drive, I saw a set of bloody paw prints pressed into the snow, that came out of the woods and ended at the pile of straw by the gate. Curled on the pile of straw was a dog. Medium sized. Could have been any kind of dog. It was hard to tell in the darkness. The only thing for sure was that it was a dark color.
I put my hand on the back and felt cold ribs. I took my gloves off and felt behind the front leg. A heart beat.Then I heard a faint thump. The end of the tail was going up and down making a slight impression in the snow, but the head didn’t move. I saw the deep brown eyes that seemed to say, “please don’t run me off. I can’t take another step.” The feet were cracked and bleeding.
I checked to make sure the heat lamps were working and gently scooped up the frozen dog. No resistance, just the thump of the tail. Not much weight for the size of the bundle. I made my way to the front door. Coming inside I laid the dog down inside the door. It never moved. Checking to make sure everyone was still asleep, I began the search
for a blanket. I was pretty sure we had used the last dog blanket for our latest rescue. Nothing in the closet, nothing in the dryer, nothing on the couch. I went to the bedroom and gently retrieved the one off the bed. Even it was old and beginning to fray around the edges, but it was the last one available.
I folded it and set it by the heat register closest to the furnace. Then I picked up the dog and laid it down on top.
After midnight, on New Year’s Eve, in a very rural area of Southwest Missouri? No way I could get a Vet to see this one tonight. We would have to try tomorrow. I went to the kitchen and took a container of chicken broth out of the fridge and popped in the microwave. I went back to the living room and set the bowl down next to the blanket, within easy reach of the cold nose. Another thump of the tail, was the only movement.
I reached down and put my hand under the chin, gently lifting the head. Now inside I could see that the dog was black, at least on the parts that had not turned grey. Almost the entire face showed the white signs of time past, and the pupils surrounded by those dark
brown eyes were blue. The ears were that of a Lab and so was the tail which thumped every time I came near. The body was skin and bone. There were no front teeth. The canines were worn or broken down to nubs, and I was able to see three teeth in the back. I didn’t want to pry to see if the old dog was a male or female. It really didn’t matter anyway. I told the old dog I was going to go to bed and patted it’s head which was met by another thump of the tail.
On my way to the bedroom, I wondered how in the world the dog had gotten to our farm. It came through the woods which were large and uninhabited. I also wondered why here. The answer was simple. The hand of God had brought the old dog to the right place.
It’s morning now and I’ve been up for a few hours. The bowl of broth was empty and the blanket was much as I had left it. No bloody paw prints on the carpet, only on the old blanket. Sometime after I went to bed, the old dog lapped up the chicken broth and licked the bowl clean. The blanket had been fluffed a little and the old dog had curled into a tight ball with the nose tucked inside the tail.
When I bent down to say good morning, there was no thump of the tail. I knew then that the old dog had crossed the Rainbow Bridge in the night.
Kneeling there in front of the old dog, I thanked God for the one old blanket I had left and for the hand that gently guided the old dog to Rainbow Farms. It was then that I thought of the poem that Walt Zeintek had written for us: “Listen to the kindness, spoken softly, Often lost behind the tears. Place your hand upon my shoulder, Let it take away my fears.”
May the New Year bring you closer to the hand of God, and all the old blankets you may need. Permission is given to repost anywhere – maybe it’ll catch a few who don’t appreciate the gift they have.
This is a powerful message for all of us that are safe and warm, with so much that we don’t know what to do with it all. There are still so many that have so little. Anything you do today will work miracles for the future. Maybe even some day we could wipe out the need for shelters to exist. It’s Christmas. I can dream, can’t I?
4 Comments | Animal Lover, pets, shelter dogs | Tagged: abandoned animals, animal abuse, animal lovers, animal shelters, ASPCA.org, cats, disabled dog, Dog Time, dogs, donate, euthanasia, kittens, neuter, no-kill shelter, pet adoption, puppies, Randolph County IL Humane Society, senior dog, shelter dogs, strays, Tail talk, volunteer | Permalink
Posted by tailtalk
December 12, 2009
Last Year’s Christmas Present
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
With no thought of the dog outside filling their head.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Knew he was cold, but didn’t care about that.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Figuring the dog was free and into the trash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of midday to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But Santa Claus – his eyes full of tears.
He unchained the dog, once so lively and quick,
Last years Christmas present, now thin and sick.
More rapid than eagles he called the dog’s name.
And the dog ran to him, despite all his pain;
“Now, DASHER! Now, DANCER! Now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
On, COMET! On CUPID! On, DONNER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Let’s find this dog a home where he’ll be loved by all”
I knew in an instant there would be no gifts this year,
For Santa Claus had made one thing quite clear,
The gift of a dog is not just for the season,
We had gotten the pup for all the wrong reasons.
In our haste to think of giving the kids a gift
There was one important thing that we missed.
A dog should be family, and cared for the same
You don’t give a gift, then put it on a chain.
And I heard him exclaim as he rode out of sight,
“You weren’t given a gift! You were given a life!”
—Author Unknown
If you are thinking of getting a pet for Christmas, please remember that even if you think no one else knows, Santa will watch closely to insure that you take good care of your new bub, and he watches you every day of the year. And never forget, it is only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one. Merry Christmas from the entire Tail Talk family; dogs, cats, cows, chickens and everyone else.
2 Comments | Animal Lover, pets, shelter dogs | Tagged: abandoned animals, animal abuse, animal lovers, animal shelters, ASPCA.org, cats, disabled dog, Dog Time, dogs, donate, emergency preparedness, euthanasia, kittens, neuter, no-kill shelter, pet, pet adoption, puppies, Randolph County IL Humane Society, spay, strays, Tail talk, volunteer | Permalink
Posted by tailtalk
December 4, 2009
Abandoned Dog- Written by Anonymous
I saw you abandon and try to kill your best friend yesterday. I was sitting on my front porch when you pulled up to the tennis courts and parked under the big oak tree.
I watched as you opened the door, got out and let your best friend get out of the car. He was dancing around your feet with joy at the idea of a run in the park with you.
You let him run over to the softball field, then jumped back in your car and sped off. Your best friend looked after you in consternation, then chased you as far and as fast as his little legs would go. You almost wrecked your car pulling out into traffic. The next car to turn into the park as he stood there and stared after you almost killed your best friend.
I thought you should know that the little dog you abandoned went back to the big oak tree, there he stayed for the rest of the day. When he first went back to the tree, he sat down, threw his head back and howled his grief, anguish and fear to the heavens, then he settled down, and loyal to a fault, waited for you to return. You never did. You never intended to return to the little animal that had given you his heart, his soul and his loyalty.
Animal Control was called, but never came. Your dog waited there for you through thunderstorms and pouring rain. He never went more than 100 feet from where you left him. Never sought shelter and would not approach anyone, rather he ran from them and made it clear he intended to wait for you.
I fed him twice, once before I went to work, once when I returned. He would not come to me. One child was able to pet your best friend. He went home to see if he could keep your dog and was told he could bring him home long enough for Animal Control to come get him.
I wasn’t satisfied with that answer, so, I took your best friend in. I have seen abused animals before, but he was terrified. He cringed at any sudden movement or loud voice. His expressive eyes told the whole story – desperately afraid, yet so very hopeful that maybe, just maybe, this time he wouldn’t get hurt.
I stayed home from work today. Your former best friend and I took a trip to my vet. He was so scared, his little heart pounding. Afraid he was going to be abandoned again.
As I expected, he was full of parasites, hook, round and pin worms. He has now had all his shots and is scheduled for surgery next week. The day I take him in for surgery, I will license him. I hope he doesn’t have heartworms, but if he does, I’ll see that he is treated for those as well.
If you should ever see this letter, be warned. If you show your face or vehicle around my home, your license tag number will be noted and I will take a warrant for your arrest for Cruelty to Animals. Should I get the chance to do this, I will push for you to receive the maximum punishment that the law allows.
The Bible says that man was given dominion over the earth and the animals thereupon. If you look up the word dominion, it means stewardship. Stewardship means that man is the caretaker appointed to care for The Master’s property until The Master returns. Your brand of “stewardship” is unacceptable.
The Native Americans have a legend that says that when a person dies, before he or she is admitted into Heaven; they are judged by the animals they knew here on earth. If I were judging you, you would be consigned to the deepest pits of Hell. Knowing the love and loyalty your best friend had for you, I suspect he would forgive you. I wish I could.
For the record: The above letter was the first I ever wrote with regard to animals I have rescued. “L’il Bit” still lives with me. When he first came to live with me, he was so young that he didn’t have his permanent canine teeth yet. Within a week, his personality was beginning to develop and the over whelming fear he had shown at first was vanishing, little by little.
His greatest pleasure now, besides running the squirrels out of the back yard, is to sleep at my side. Either at the side of my recliner in the living room: when I doze off, I often awake to find a head or a paw resting on my arm and a pair of very soulful eyes gazing at me as though to say “I’m here, are you OK?” or when I go to bed, actually lying by my side, as close as he can get.
In my younger days, I didn’t like having a dog sleeping in my bed. Now, I find the presence of a warm, loving, living creature beside me comforting, often reaching out during the night and giving him a pat or a rub.
This story is the “best case” scenario. When Animal Control here is called, the animals end up in the shelter, not in the loving arms of a person that vets them and loves them through their dying days. When they are dumped in a different county or when our shelter is full, they go to a high kill shelter where chances are they don’t make it another two weeks in order to make room for the never ending stream of animals that find their ways through the revolving shelter doors. I pray that during this sacred time of year you will remember our no kill shelter in your list of gift giving because their list of needs is long and their wants are many, and they can’t do it without you. Because it is only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.
1 Comment | Animal Lover, pets, shelter dogs | Tagged: abandoned animals, animal abuse, Animal Lover, ASPCA.org, cats, disabled dog, Dog Time, dogs, donate, euthanasia, kittens, neuter, no-kill shelter, pet adoption, puppies, Randolph County IL Humane Society, shelter dogs, spay, strays, Tail talk, volunteer | Permalink
Posted by tailtalk
