I’m sure there are people out there that believe I use “poetic license” while writing about some of the things I do for my animals, but no, I am just that goofy. I hand dip water from the guest bathroom toilet because Budward won’t drink any other water and his legs can no longer navigate the vinyl floor. He’s been my buddy for so long and given me so much over his lifetime that I can’t imagine doing any less for him than the best I can do. But somehow I’m going to have to get the point across to Action Jackson and Girlie Sue, both able legged dogs, that they are perfectly capable of walking up to the toilet to get a drink and the hand dipped toilet water should be left for Budward. Love doesn’t make it any easier to scoop water out of the toilet bowl no matter how many times I’ve cleaned that toilet bowl, but we do what we have to in life. Fortunately the time we have to suffer for love is minute compared to the expanse of life we’ve lived with our most precious friends. Girlie Sue is the one dog we have that gives us the least amount of trouble (think of trouble as entertainment in hindsight). Girlie Sue was abused and not socialized when she was a puppy, and it’s taken many, many years of work for my husband to gain her trust, and now she’s a daddy’s girl if there ever was one. She can barely contain herself when he gets home from work (second shift in St. Louis, so it’s late in the day). She watches him take his boots off with this wide eyed look of anticipation, then as soon as the socks are clear she starts to work on his calluses. We have an ongoing thing where he says Girlie Sue takes better care of him but I tell him the only reason I don’t get the royal treatment is because I wash my feet (now that’s a joke – not that I wash my feet but the innuendo that he doesn’t – he hates it when I tell you these things). And Happy Jack, our puppy, relatively speaking. I’ve found the key with getting him to behave is to get out the water bottle. I spritzed him a couple of times and now all I have to do is pick it up and show it to him. He’s so funny. My husband sleeps with a fan on for the white noise. When Jack wants something he knows to go stand in front of the fan and stare into dad’s face. Without fail my husband will open his eyes to find Action Jackson standing two inches away from his face, staring intently into his eyes. You can’t help but laugh. When Jack is feeling affectionate he’ll rest his head on your leg or your arm, or your face if you’re lying in bed. Our dogs sleep with us in the bedroom. At various times they will all be up on the bed, and on occasion they’ll all get up there together. At first we had to take the bed frame out from under the box springs and mattress because Budward could no long jump so high. Then we removed the box springs and we’re down to the mattress on the floor just for those days when Budward is feeling especially spunky and manages a three legged hop up on to the mattress. He loves to pull the covers over his eyes with his paws. He’s such a silly boy. I put a pillow on the floor next to me on my side of the bed and Action Jackson has taken that to be his spot. He circles around four or five times until he’s in just the right position, then down he goes and lands with his head on the pillow. I can see the pillow from my chair in the living room and sometimes I’ll look up to see him lying with his head on the pillow, sleeping, looking like an angel. Then he rolls over on his back and has frog legs. I’ve never seen a dog lay like that before, but imagine a 70 pound dog with his legs straight out like frog legs, with his head still on his pillow. There is never a moment when I’m not content beyond words to be at home with my family, my husband and my bubs. Together we are complete. We love each other with all our hearts and we feel joy any time we are in the presence of our loved ones. It is a wonderful life to live, and for anyone that hasn’t yet experienced life with a bevy of bubs all I can say is what are you waiting for? There is no better experience on this earth than to live a life of love in a place where your home is your sanctuary, not because of the four walls but because of the love that emanates from within the hearts of all that live there. It just doesn’t get any better than this, and it can be yours too if you make the effort to contact the Randolph County Humane Society and tell them you’re ready to adopt. You won’t be sorry.
The things we do for love
February 25, 2009
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Animal Lover | Tagged: animal abuse, disabled dog, kittens, no-kill shelter, pet adoption, Randolph County Humane Soceity, senior dog | 
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Posted by tailtalk
And a child will show us the way
February 18, 2009Over the last several months I’ve noticed that the news is filled with stories of people down on their luck due to the economy. They’re losing their jobs, losing their homes, losing their retirements, on and on. There isn’t any good news anywhere I look, and to be perfectly honest it is overwhelming to think we live in a time where failure is the word of the day, the week, the month, the year. Bad news everywhere, happening to everyone, no one is spared. But in the midst of it all there was one bright shining light that popped through the darkness and lit up my horizon. This light that shines so brightly is the light of love, and it originates in an eight year old girl from Sparta, Illinois named Shawna Smith. Some of you may have heard of Shawna’s 8th birthday bowling party at the Steeleville American Legion, but for those of you who haven’t what makes her story and this party unusual is that she asked that all who attend forgo a gift for her and instead bring an item to donate to the animals at the Randolph County Humane Society. According to the story that ran in the Randolph County Herald Tribune and my conversation with Shawna’s mother Shelley Smith, she took Shawna to the shelter to see the animals one day when they were at the ballpark by the fairgrounds. “We went over to the humane society and after seeing the animals I explained to Shawna how the animals got their food and other items through donations. She spoke right up and said, ‘Mom I want to donate to the shelter’. She came up with the idea of having people who came to her birthday party bring items for the animals and not for her,” said Shelley. Shelly called the shelter ahead of time to ask what kind of items were needed, and on the day of the birthday party Shawna got her wish and everyone that attended brought a variety of items for the shelter including: cat litter, food, toys, and dog treats, food and toys. Although it’s been a lot of years since I turned eight years old I can still remember back to the days of my childhood, and my life revolved around two days of the year; Christmas and my birthday. I spent every waking moment thinking and planning for what presents I would ask for that would make my world complete. My friends and I would pour over the catalogs, dreaming of the gifts that would be waiting for us and what surprises those boxes would hold. I don’t think I was an exceptionally selfish child but instead just a normal kid. And I remember the anticipation of those two days like it happened to me yesterday. You have to take yourself back to that mindset to truly appreciate the depth of Shawna’s generosity in asking people to help the animals rather than give her gifts on her special day, the one day of the year when you get to be queen (or king) for the entire day from the time your feet first hit the floor until the moment you close your eyes to sleep and dream of the next time it would be your day. Every other day of the year you do for everyone else but your birthday is the giant “ME” day of the year, and it’s okay because we all deserve one really good day. Although I have never met Shawna she is my personal hero and I think about her unselfish deed often. The next time you think you have nothing left to give to help the least of them among us, the animals, I hope you will remember Shawna, the little girl that gave up all her presents to benefit of the animals that have no one to love them, no one to cherish them, no one to give them their very own forever home. Shawna Smith is an example of what we can do if we choose, if we are willing to forgo “me” for the benefit others, to be the light of love that shines so brightly it pierces through the darkness that envelops us. That little girl has given us all some big shoes to fill but if we step up maybe someday we too can have the generosity of spirit that Shawna already exhibits at her young age. And never forget, through the Shawna Smith’s of the world the Randolph County Humane Society is able to continue to save lives, one by one.
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Posted by tailtalk
High kill shelters may never outlive their purpose
February 11, 2009Most people don’t know why there are high kill shelters and no kill shelters, and unless you have a need that goes unfulfilled because the county is supported by a no kill shelter you probably don’t care. However, in these dire economic times it is important for the people of Randolph County to understand exactly what your local shelter can and can’t do for you. Shelters originated because of a need to do something about pet overpopulation caused by folks that don’t understand or simply don’t care about the consequences of not spaying and neutering their pets. There are two types of shelters available to you. High kill shelters are supported by the local government in order to control pet overpopulation and problem animals and generally are only funded to control nuisance animals. They accept any animal that is brought to them. If it is adoptable, they will give it a week to make its case to anyone that walks through the shelter looking for an animal to adopt (like Action Jackson did when we walked in to the Washington County Animal Control shelter). If the animal isn’t adopted within its allotted time it is euthanized in order to make way for unending stream of animals that continue to find their way to its door. A no-kill (limited access) shelter is not supported by the government but is instead supported by volunteers and the generosity of the community at large and has limited space available to take in animals. When an animal is adopted a space opens up for another animal to take its place. If no animals are adopted in the month, then no new animals are brought into the shelter. What that means to you is that you can’t simply one day decide you can no longer take care of Rover and walk into the Randolph County Humane Society and expect them to take your animal off your hands. In addition there is a surrender fee, no matter where you take your animal, so don’t be surprised to find out that you have to pay to have someone else take over the responsibility of taking care of your animal (nothing in this life is free). Having said that there are some things you can do to improve your chances of having your animal taken into the RCHS no kill shelter, and first and foremost is have your pet fully vetted before even making that call. If your pet has heart worms there is a good chance it won’t be accepted at the RCHS because they simply can’t afford the hundreds of dollars for treatment nor the time it takes between the start of treatment and when adoption is possible. You can’t expect others to pick up the ball you dropped and run with it, so don’t get bent out of shape when you find out you have to pay for your lack of responsibility. The RCHS was founded to find homes for adoptable animals. A high kill shelter is there to take care of the problem of pet overpopulation. Both types of shelters are necessary and society cannot function without the high kill shelter because the people that make up our society have not taken responsibility for spaying and neutering their pets. Although you may feel like you’re taking the high moral ground by dropping your pet off at the RCHS because it is a no kill shelter, when they are full you have to do the best you can for your animal because abandoning them should simply not be an option. So take care of your business, vet your pets, and do your best to find a suitable home yourself. And when all else fails, say a prayer of thanksgiving there are people out there willing to take over your responsibility when you are no longer able. 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, neuter, no-kill shelter, pet adoption, Randolph County Humane Soceity, shelter dogs, spay, Tail talk, volunteer | Permalink
Posted by tailtalk
Shelter Dogs and those that love them.
February 4, 2009I read this poem written by an anonymous person, simply titled “A Shelter Dog’s Poem.” I think it speaks to the kindness of the shelter volunteers, and I would like to everyone to take a moment after reading it to give thanks to God for the people that get in there to save the least of them among us, the animals.
Once I was a lonely dog just looking for a home. I had no place to go, no one to call my own. I wandered up and down the streets in rain, in heat, in snow. I ate whatever I could find, I was always on the go.
My skin would itch, my feet were sore, and my body ached with pain. No one stopped to give me a pat or gently say my name. I never saw a loving glance, I was always on the run. For people thought that hurting me was really lots of fun.
Then one day I heard a voice so gentle, kind and sweet, with arms so soft that reached down to me and took me off my feet. “No one again will hurt you,” was whispered in my ear. “You’ll have a home to call your own where you will know no fear.”
“You will be dry, you will be warm, you’ll have enough to eat. And rest assured that when you sleep, your dreams will all be sweet.” I was afraid, I must admit, I’ve lived so long in fear. I can’t remember the last time when I let a human come so near.
As she tended to my wounds and bathed and brushed my fur, she told me about this “rescue group” and what it meant to her.
She said, “we are a circle, a line that never ends.. In the center of it, there is you protected by new friends. All around you are the ones that check the pounds, and those who share their homes with you after you’ve been found.”
“All the other folks are searching near and far, to find the perfect home for you, where you can be a star.” She said, “there is a family, they are waiting very patiently, and pretty soon we’ll find them, just you wait and see.”
“And then they’ll join our circle, they’ll help to make it grow, so there’ll be room for more like you who have no place to go.”
I waited very patiently. They days, they came and went. Today is the day, I kept on thinking, my family will be sent. Then just when I began to think it wasn’t meant to be, there were people standing there gazing down at me.
“I could tell they felt it, too, for a special dog like you.”
Now every night I say a prayer to all the Gods that be. Thank you for the life I live and all you’ve given me. But most of all, protect the dogs in the pounds and in the streets. And send a Rescue Person to them to lift them off their feet.
We must remember we are all responsible in getting the pet overpopulation problem under control so there will be no need for high kill shelters to exist.. I wrote about the line in “In Hope, an animal shelter story” before, but it bears repeating: “For every animal that dies in a shelter there is someone, somewhere, responsible for its death.” Spay and neuter your pets today. There are programs out there to help you if money is an issue. Don’t just talk about it, make that appointment. Goad your friends into doing it. 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 lovers, animal shelters, Cats and Kittens, Dog Time, donate, no-kill shelter, pet adoption, pets, puppies, Randolph County Humane Society IL, shelter dogs, Tail talk | Permalink
Posted by tailtalk
