A "Buddy" Christmas

A Brick for Buddy:

What do you give as a Christmas gift to an 86-year-old woman who has everything she needs?

If she likes animals, like Mark's mother does, then a sponsorship to an animal-care organization is a nice idea.

At The Buddy Foundation, a wonderful shelter for homeless dogs and cats in suburban Arlington Heights, a donor can sponsor them by buying a personalized paving brick to be placed in the area surrounding the front walk.

This is what we did for Mark's mom.  The 8"x4" red brick will be engraved simply, with her name and the words "and family", and a paw-print graphic.  It will be placed when Spring arrives.  Meanwhile, we gave her a commemorative certificate to acknowledge her donation, which will forever show her caring for the creatures within.

Christmas Tree Stars:

If any of you would like to remember a special pet, living or not, send me the name and kind of animal.  I will donate to the Buddy Foundation on your behalf, and write your

pet(s) name(s) on a yellow star that is hung on the big Christmas tree in the foyer.

Your pet can join Maggie, our dear departed Bassett Hound, and B.C., a black cat that recently left the care of Mark's sister and brother-in-law.

The dogs and cats of the Buddy Foundation can't tell you how much they appreciate your care during this holiday season.  So I will tell you myself!  Thanks.

A Life Devoted to Animals--A Saturday Journal

A quick detour on Golden Globes weekend, for the sake of my animal friends...

I have been away from home, dog-sitting since December 27.  Right now I'm with Shayna, a Border Collie who I have cared for many times.  It is a long time to be living away from home, in spite of my being only a few miles from our house.  

I miss my routine.  I still have to juggle my household responsibilities with Mark, work my regular job a the College, and provide quality time for this loving animal.

My "tenure" ends this coming Friday with the return of the dog's "parents". Then I can return home, and continue our winter "nesting", safe in our little house, getting through the snowy season and making our plans for the summer.

Spending time with animals in this way reminds me that I had once considered a career in animal care of some kind: veterinary medicine, veterinary technology, dog-training, and other career directions. 

Life has a way of moving in odd ways.  You move with it to keep up, and tug in other directions to create movement, in what Ruth Gordon in "Harold and Maude" called "the cosmic dance."

But reinventing one's self offers an opportunity to sort through old decisions, and see which ones are still feasible. I realize that it is still possible to re-explore making a living devoted to animals.

Until I "shed my skin" and emerge fully committed, I seem to have found other ways to satisfy my craving for animal care and companionship: in-house dog-sitting as I described; volunteering at the Buddy Foundation; becoming involved with "Mercy for Animals"; and writing about it all. 

And maybe, this spring, bringing a new dog home to stay...

Also, I enjoy reading books and web sites to learn about new trends in dog care, as well as personal anecdotes from those who love their pets and other animals.

I recommend a very informative web site called

Vet Tech :

  "Vet Tech is the combined work of Tina Marconi and Joseph Morris. With more than 15 years of experience in the veterinary field, we share our educational experiences and knowledge with prospective veterinary technicians in order to shed some light on this very rewarding field." 

For anyone thinking about entering the veterinary tech. field, this is an excellent resource.  It's also invaluable for those wishing to know as much as possible about the health of their pets.

The journey continues....As long as there are animals that need help, people to know, loved ones to love, books to read, movies to discuss and debate with friends, and topics to write about...then the way is paved for the cosmic dance that leads to reinvention...

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COMING UP: 1970..the year...the movies..the Oscars!

Vick Got A Second Chance...Many of His Dogs Did Not

For Dog Lovers...I appreciate your remarks on this, a story which has me saddened and angered and confused...

The spotlight is once again on Michael Vick, who said in a recent interview that prison made him a better man, and that owning a dog will assist him in his rehabilitation (CBS News, December 15).

Even President Obama has walked into Vick's  spotlight, claiming that Vick is receiving the second chance he deserves.  While Obama condemns the animal abuse that led to Vick's imprisonment just three years ago, he stated that he does think "that individuals who have paid for their crimes should have an opportunity to contribute to society again."  (CBS News, December 27).

While Vick is prohibited from owning a dog until 2012, his desire to bring a dog into his home once again (for his kids, he claims), so soon after the horrific treatment of the dogs at his Bad Newz Kennels, is causing outrage on both sides of the argument.

While one may confer benevolent blessings on Vick's turnaround (and his return to public life and its attendant millions of dollars), I still cannot forget that there are innocent dogs who did not get a second chance.

I'm afraid I am having a problem showing complete forgiveness.  Maybe I have a psychic connection to dogs in pain.

A man convicted of child abuse ought to have trouble adopting another child, especially if the injuries suffered by the children he abused were as heartbreaking as those suffered by Vick's dogs.  For Vick to publicly claim that he loves these animals makes me feel helpless and angry.

At the Buddy Foundation, we conduct a complete screening of any prospective owner who wants to adopt a dog.  We make sure the new household is a safe and welcoming environment, with plenty of space, and enough resources to guarantee the dog's care; we ask that other pets are brought in to "meet" the prospective adoptee, to make sure that other animals in the home will get along with the new pet.  If, incredibly, the shelter discovers a history of previous animal abuse by the new owner, the adoption would be halted.

If Michael Vick thinks he is ready to bring a new dog into his home, he should prove his mettle by volunteering (unpaid) at a dog shelter for a year. 

He needs to spend time with desperate, lonely dogs; endure the barking and whining; clean the excrement; break up fights that can occur naturally between confused dogs; maybe even get bitten by a frightened dog....without striking back, showing complete forgiveness for the animal that injured him. 

He needs to walk dozens of dogs in pouring rain and bone-crunching cold.  He needs to sacrifice a few nights with his family, or even a banquet or two, to feed animals, or wash blankets, or give medications to reluctant dogs, or comfort a barely conscious animal who has just been spayed or neutered. 

He needs to do all of this and then publicly talk about it, to tell the world how passionate he is for this kind of duty. 

He needs to cry for a dog that is beyond help...and do it in the spotlight of his own making.

Maybe then I could begin to forgive him.

Stars For The Buddy Foundation--Friday Journal #1

The Buddy Foundation is continuing a wonderful, sentimental holiday tradition.  In the lobby of the shelter is a large evergreen tree, decorated with many animal-themed ornaments.  On it you will also find a number of yellow stars with names written on them.


To benefit the shelter, patrons may purchase a star and write the name of a pet that was loved and lost, a small commemoration to grace the tree.  We will remember Maggie again, as well as our boyhood dogs: Happy, Bonnie, Tippy, and the pets of our friends: Hunter, Mitzi, Blackie, Cookie, and all the rest.


Do you have a pet you would like to remember in this way?  Just send a brief remembrance in the comment section, along with the name of your pet, and on your behalf, a star will be placed on Buddy's tree.


My buddies will thank your for your kindness...

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Tomorrow, I will resume my exploration of King George, and Colin Firth.  For tonight, a few unrelated short takes: everything from a nice shelter adoption, to a birthday commemoration, to the passage of a law, to this year's film awards calendar.

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Lulu Found a Home! 

One of my favorite new arrivals at the Buddy Foundation has found a home. This adoption was meant to be.  The five-month old beagle was chosen by an older, widowed gentleman.  The man is retired and will be able to spend lots of time with Lulu.  He's had beagles his whole life.  When it came time to pay for the adoption, he took out his credit card....and on it was a picture of a beagle!  




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A Special Birthday Commemoration

Sam, my maternal grandfather, would have celebrated his 100th birthday yesterday, November 29.  (My grandmother Lucy commemorated her 100th on May 6th this year.)  Faithful visitors here recall that their centennial was my inspiration to study Italian.  Seems like they are still with us, in some way.  I can still hear their laughter, and good-natured teasing and banter. I can still taste the pizza, and the sauce.  This is their wedding picture, taken in August of 1928.

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Illinois House Passes Civil Unions Bill, Senate Expected to Pass, Quinn To Sign

Illinois took a step in a "good" direction today by passing a same-sex civil unions bill in the House.  The bill goes to the Senate and on to the governor for signature, if all goes as expected.  Chicago Mayoral Candidate Gery Chico organized supporters to urge their representatives in the Illinois congress to pass the bill.  I admire Mr. Chico for his support of equal rights for all citizens.  And yet, I bristle when I am told that "we must not let perfect be the enemy of good".  Good thing the architects of this bill are not designing our buildings and bridges.  Because what I hear is "good enough", and a silent order to take what we're given and stay in our place. 

To be sure, civil unions will provide some rights to same-sex couples that now are only available through costly estate planning.  But they do not provide all of the rights of marriage.  Separate but equal?  Not even equal.  Go to the back of the bus and enjoy the ride.  Throw a few rights to the gays and they will calm down..they may not even continue to fight for actual marriage.

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"All they do is give out awards!" (Woody Allen, "Annie Hall", 1977)

Movie fans still take great interest in the outcome of the Academy Awards, which will be handed out on February 27, about three months from now.  In the meantime, a different industry or critic's group will be announcing their award nominees or winners evey few days for three months.  Take a look at the following list and you will understand why, by the time the Big Night arrives, I'm practically wrung out by predictions. It's anticlimactic, and I feel sort of numb by Oscar night, as though I have consumed too much junk food for weeks.

And we miss the forest for the trees; we look at all the new films in terms of how they will be positioned for awards, rather than for the pure artistry or entertainment each work provides.

I wonder how possible it would be to avoid the outcomes of the interminable list of minor awards, and bring back the suspense and fun of the Academy Awards?

Well, anyway, here's the Awards calendar for those who follow all of it, on our way to spending Oscar Night with our talented and charismatic hosts, Anne Hathaway and James Franco:



 November
Nov. 30 Film Independent Spirit Award nominations announced


December
Dec. 2 National Board of Review announces winners
Dec. 3 British Independent Film Awards
Dec. 3 International Documentary Association Awards
Dec. 11 Boston Film Critics announces winners
Dec. 12 AFI honorees announced
Dec. 12 Los Angeles Film Critics Association announces winners
Dec. 13 New York Film Critics Circle announces winners
Dec. 13 Broadcast Film Critics Association nominations announced
Dec. 14 Golden Globe nominations announced
Dec. 14 San Diego Critics Association announces winners
Dec. 15 Toronto Critics Association announces winners
Dec. 16 Screen Actors Guild Award nominations announced
Dec. 18 Houston Critics Association winners announced
Dec. 19 Satellite Awards
Dec. 20 Chicago Critics Association winners announced

January
Jan. 3 Online Film Critics Society winners announced
Jan. 4 Producers Guild of America nominations
Jan. 4 Writers Guild of America nominations
Jan. 8 Palm Springs International Film Festival
Jan. 10 Directors Guild of America nominations announced
Jan. 11 National Board of Review ceremony
Jan. 14 BFCA Critics’ Choice Awards winners announced
Jan. 14 AFI Awards
Jan. 15 L.A. Film Critics Association Awards ceremony
Jan. 16 Golden Globe Awards
Jan. 18 BAFTA nominations announced
Jan. 22 Producers Guild Awards
Jan. 25 Oscar nominations announced
Jan. 27 Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Jan. 28 Visual Effects Society Awards
Jan. 29 Directors Guild of America Awards
Jan. 30 Screen Actors Guild Awards


February
Feb. 2 Costume Designers Guild Awards
Feb. 5 Writers Guild Awards
Feb. 5 Art Directors Guild Awards
Feb. 5 Annie Awards
Feb. 12 Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation
Feb. 13 BAFTAs
Feb. 26 Independent Spirit Awards
Feb. 26 NAACP Image Awards
Feb. 27 Academy Awards

Giving Thanks: For Animal Caregivers

I am grateful for anyone who cares for animals, whether they be the pets in their homes,  homeless shelter animals, helpless farm animals subject to abuse, or even the wild creatures in their back yards.  You all know who you are.  And I think you are wonderful.

Mother Teresa once said, "We can't do great things...We can only do small things with great love."

I agree that each animal we care for is an accomplishment on a small scale.  However, I would say that each life we save, or make more comfortable, IS a great thing....

The world seems like an alien place to me sometimes.  Hearing about the political contention, pervasive corruption, injustice, cruelty and pain, seems that this world is not a place that I want to be a part of.  In darker moments, I wish I had the courage to find a way out of it.

But then, I spend time with some good people who love the dogs at the Buddy Foundation;  I have a new friend there, Lulu, a 5-month-old Beagle.  She will, no doubt, have a new home very soon.

Or I read a remarkable story about a woman in South Barrington Illinois who cares for abused and abandoned horses; She took in an emaciated 5-month old that was to be euthanized.  The foal had only one eye from being kicked by another horse.  With patient and gentle care, this foal is now the "princess of the sanctuary".

Or I visit the Cosley Zoo in Wheaton.  This is one of several working farms in the Chicago suburbs whose mission is to preserve wildlife and promote conservation and education about native creatures. 

Or I see an article about a sanctuary in Peoria that cares for cats, dogs, and any wild creature, like wounded robins or pigeons.  Oh, there are countless examples right here in Illinois, let alone around the country.

I realize then that there is great work being done, and yet to be done.  So, rather than despair about belonging to a world that is capable of hurting the innocent, I can, in a small, great way, be a part of the world that helps to alleviate suffering and makes life better. I can, along with so many caring, self-effacing and admirable people, find meaning in the care of these creatures.

October, and Thoughts of Maggie and Dog Adoption--A Friday Morning Journal

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It was October when we saw her for the first time.

October 4, 1998.  We had been debating the way a dog would change our life.  Were we ready to sacrifice our independence in order to provide attention and care to an animal?  Could we give up trips to the city, vacations to Phoenix?  Did we want to spend the money on food, veterinary care, cleaning supplies?  Were we patient enough to accept the accidents on the carpet, the long early February mornings outside in the wind and snow? 

Before my awareness was raised to the heartbreaking stories of puppy mills, we walked into a pet store in a local shopping center, and in a cage across the room, she was there.  A perfectly miniaturized basset hound puppy.  Her twin brother, also three months old and in the same cage, was twice her size; she was the definite runt of the litter.  Her ears dragged on the cage floor.  Her little legs carried a tiny sausage body with a plump smooth belly.

It was love. 


We took her home, not knowing how sick she was.  The veterinarian diagnosed pneumonia; and said she had a big heart.  That last point I could personally confirm.  We consulted many experts to find the right treatment for our poor little girl. We finally took the road trip to Madison Wisconsin, where the staff of the veterinary college had the expertise and equipment to diagnose and treat her.  One shaved throat and transtracheal wash later, we were on our way home to begin ten wonderful years with this loving animal.

When she got better, she found her voice.  She howled for the first time, to my great amusement.  I laughed loudly and, thinking it was praise, or an invitation to the hunt, she howled some more.  It was a symphony of comical sounds.


So now, October again, and my thoughts go back to those early days of Maggie, and my instinct is calling me to save another creature and take her home.


It looks like we will be ready to adopt another puppy in the spring.  That will give us time to train and housebreak a dog with better weather conditions; it was nearly impossible to train Maggie during the bitter winter months.


In the past year I bonded with many special dogs at the Buddy Foundation shelter. Several times I was sure I had met the perfect companion, and that Maggie would have approved.  But due to doubts in our minds as to our readiness to adopt, the dogs all found different homes.  A blessing actually, but hard to let them all go.


Now as we begin the descent into long, cold dark winter, we have something to look toward.  When March arrives, I hope we find a face as sweet as this one!

(Doyle, a 4-year-old Greyhound Shepherd mix.)

A Shelter Update-- Wednesday Journal

For those of you who kindly followed my Buddy Foundation Shelter Stories, I have an update: Oliver, the sweet beagle puppy who I fell in love with, found a home, fortunately.

Sadly, it was not with me.

I was giving serious thought to asking the shelter to hold him for a week, and a friend at my office told me she would gladly take Oliver to her house for the week, if I adopted him before my trip to San Francisco.

As I expected, Oliver's sweet nature and adorable face appealed to a kind soul who took the little guy home right away.

We have more travel to do, Mark and I.  Our San Francisco trip has given us the motivation to seek a new home in the friendlier and more open surroundings of the North Side of the city, or even to a coastal town. 

Either way, we are getting closer to the inevitable moment when a dog grabs our hearts playfully in her teeth and defies us to chase her to retrieve them...!

Oliver, A New Shelter Pup-- Tuesday Journal

When you spend time in an animal shelter, working with dogs, the events of the world disappear, and what finally matters most are all of the unfortunate animals in your midst.  Even the irrational cruelty of humans, which can be seen in the eager, inquisitive faces of the dogs in your care, is overcome by the immediacy of the need in front of you.  That cruelty is a silent reminder which permeates the atmosphere, a reminder of what makes you come here each week or more.  

You accept the crescendo of barking and baying, the wildness of  pent-up dogs on their walks, the spilled water, the accidents, the snarls, and the signs of abuse, because you are certain that you provide comfort and love to these amusing, playful, confused and frightened animals. 

That may be why I experience an unusual calm after my shift at the Buddy Foundation; for a couple hours I have avoided all the world's nasty politics, the unstable global economy, the danger of tyrants from Iraq to Washington DC, the dispiriting popular culture, and the stress of career.  And it has done some good to help these helpless dogs, all of whom I love like crazy.

And the reward is often a singular and life-affirming encounter with a puppy like Oliver.  A beagle weighing about five pounds, this little guy bonded with me like a duckling for its mother, following me, peeing happily in my presence, climbing on my lap, and sitting quietly in my arms as I carried him out to the yard.

It was immediate love for both of us. The moment I walked in the puppy room, he ran to me and wanted contact, putting his paws on me, licking my face and running around me in that awkward puppy manner.  I don't think my voice has ever been so gentle since we had Maggie.  He ate his food like a trooper, sat with me on the lawn, and made me a present--unfortunately, once we got back inside (!)

Friends have asked me why I have not yet given a loving home to a creature like Oliver.  Just between my readers, and I, I have gone back several times to see a favorite, maybe to convince myself of the rightness our bond; and always, that dog has been adopted. It's bittersweet...you want them all to have good homes, and yet you will miss them.

So why wait so long?  Considering the difficult lives these dogs have had, it is extra important to make a good decision.  With Mark and I in the thick of our careers, we will not take in an animal and leave it alone most of the day.  We must weigh the goodness of having a heart filled with love romping in our home, against realizing the dream of  our finally being able to travel.  We want to be certain of a reliable caregiver when we do go away. 

And there is the pain that lingers from Maggie's departure....Can I endure that intensity of loss again?

But all of this melts away as I look at Oliver's eyes, and feel him breathing in my arms, sitting contented and safe there.  Yes...it will happen some day soon. 

But Oliver is so charming, he will not stay long at the shelter.  For us, it's just too soon, and he will not be ours, I'm afraid.

Do you remember "Goodbye Mr. Chips"?  Chips, the schoolmaster of a boy's boarding school, is asked if he missed not having children.  His response can be re-written to aptly describe my feelings, about my fulfillment at the shelter....

"...a pity I never had children? But you're wrong...I have...thousands of them....and all boys!"
  
At the Buddy Foundation I have dozens of "children"...all dogs.

Dog Stories: Four Short Takes--A Saturday Journal

Tonight is a good night to catch up some canine stories, past and present: 

--I am dog-sitting, and thinking a lot about animals today.  My heart still breaks for the injured and dead pelicans and other animals in the Gulf, and for the rescuers there who try their hardest, yet still cannot save all of the creatures who are crying out for help.  In the midst of somber reflection, I am comforted by thoughts of animals in my life, past and present, who have provided meaning in an often absurd world; and by thoughts of heroes who care for the world's creatures....from those who have washed an oiled bird, to those who've donated time or treasure to an animal organization, and (especially) to those who perform the simple kindnesses of feeding, petting, and loving a cat or dog...

--On this Saturday night, I find myself in the quiet company of Shayna, a Border Collie for whom I have provided care for many years while the family has travelled.  Shayna is a rascal--playful, intelligent, wily, and affectionate.  Now, she's slowing down. I noticed her halting gait and lack of energy, where normally she would be jumping with excitement, when I arrived early this morning.  Her tail, though slower than usual, still waved in constant rhythm, and she expressed her love by cleaning my face as pictured here.  We took a walk.  I kept her pace, which was a crawl, until a young squirrel caught her eye--and then, the old Shayna was back, briefly, to attempt a chase.  She didn't eat when we got home, another unusual behavior; and she found quiet and remote corners for her nap...just as Maggie did for a time, as she approached her sunset..... 

--What a wonderful story I saw Friday on the Today show!  Zak Anderegg, of Utah, rescued an 8-month-old puppy from certain death at the bottom of a deep canyon near the Arizona-Utah border.  Zak is a recreational canyoneer, and happened upon this little guy (they named "Puppy") at the bottom of a crevice over 350 feet deep. With conviction,  and sacrificing the rest of his vacation, Zak fed and watered this unfortunate animal; and when told by the local Fire and Police departments that they had no resources to help, Zak secured a cat carrier from a local vet, and went in again to save the dog.   Like many who commented on this story, I was overwhelmed by the happy outcome....although I tried to avoid thinking about the mentality of one who would place an animal as sweet as this at the bottom of a canyon (the dog showed no injuries associated with having fallen in.) 

For the complete story and Today Show Interview with Zak, wife Michelle, and Puppy, (and I think you'll really like this one) click on the video below:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

--Last Tuesday I fell in love twice at the Buddy Foundation:

Sadie is an 8-month-old combination of two of my favorite breeds: Dachshund and beagle.  After a walk, and treats, and holding her so she would stop her puppy whining, I hated to walk away.  She will no doubt find a home quickly.

Berta is a puppy too, a big, sloppy friendly St. Bernard.  She is still growing, so I was glad she displayed the characteristic gentility I had come to know from my own St. Bernards growing up.  Operating strictly by instinct, I opened her cage up and went right in, with absolutely no fear, where she sat and enjoyed my  petting, and drooled happily.
Soon, I will share with you the story of Tippy, my own St. Bernard...like many dog stories, it is funny, warm, and ultimately heartbreaking...fair warning!

Tomorrow: Toy Story 3.

Shelter Dogs---More About The Buddy Foundation: Tuesday Journal #1

It has been a while since I shared anecdotes from my Tuesday nights feeding and caring for the homeless dogs at the Buddy Foundation.  Check out their page on Facebook...one of the better sites, with great information about the facility, and the dogs and cats looking for forever-homes.

Tonight, it was raining hard, and I decided that since I would not walk my own dog in the pouring rain, neither would I walk these critters in a downpour.

But they all had to be fed, and I coordinated the effort, with some helpers.  Because our volunteer roster is growing,  we had a nice group assisting with tonights' tasks, from feeding, to cleaning up, to maintaining the shelter facility.

That gave me a chance to do what I love to do most...spend some play-time and love-time with some of the needier dogs, most of which are my favorites.

You may recall my speaking about Duchess on these pages....the black Pit Bull who came in abused, with a cut-off tail and a haunted look in her eyes.  She is doing much better, and should soon appeal to a dog-lover who wants a sweet and loving companion.  Tonight, I stroked her head, ears, and back while she lay curled on a blanket, chewing a toy she brought over especially for me.  One ear stuck straight out in a comical lopsided expression.  Her tail, so injured a couple months ago, waved contentedly, and she showed her love by licking my face.

I almost brought her home tonight myself.

Enjoy this brief video clip I found on the Facebook Page, shot recently, to introduce you to this wonderful facility in Arlington Heights, Illinois.  If you live nearby, and especially if you are ready to take in a creature of your own, please visit us!


The Buddy Foundation. from Steve...M on Vimeo.

Duchess--Story of A Forgiving Shelter Dog

This is the face of a dog who suffered terrible abuse, before The Buddy Foundation took her in.  When I first saw Duchess nearly two weeks ago, she showed deep white scars on all of her legs where she had been tied up. Her tail ended abruptly, the tip having been cut off with a dull blade, reportedly a butter knife. Her underbelly was slack; she might have had a litter of pups recently.

To imagine what goes on inside the mind of a dog like this requires more courage than I can give myself credit for having.

It is difficult to look into the eyes of this dog, eyes that are resigned to accept  abuse, eyes that silently beg for a gentle touch, and not wonder if she thinks that I will hurt her too, not marvel at her willingness to forget all that she has suffered at the hands of thoughtless, uncaring people.

Last week my friend David, a fellow shelter-caregiver, and I spent extra time with this unfortunate dog.  When I approached her cage, duchess was wearing a Victorian Collar (or, Cone of Shame for those who saw "Up".)  She had a minor surgery to stich her tail, and was biting the stitches, and so needed this annoying device to be worn around her head for a while.

Duchess never backed up, or appeared threatened by my approach.  She was extremely gentle when I reached to put her walk-collar on, and attach a leash. In fact, she welcomed the attention of someone who moved slowly, talked quietly, and showed no fear or aggression.  I stroked her head and rubbed her chest, and she looked at me with something like enormous gratitude.

When Duchess and David and I reached the grassy yard across from the building, we loosened our grip a little, but she did not want to strain, or chase anything or wander. Instead, she moved closer to us, hoping she would be scratched or petted. 

It is even scarier to consider the mind of a human being who inflicts such suffering on an animal who so clearly has much joy to give anyone who gives her the smallest chance.  The spirit of Maggie was nearby....

As I stroked the dog's warm black fur, scratched her neck under the cone (which made her kick with relief), and hugged her with all of the warmth and comfort I could muster, she pushed the cone against my face and licked my cheek.

There are not adequate words to describe the feeling of love and gratitude I had for this dog, who singled me out for companionship, seeming to thank me for such simple gestures of regard and affection. I will update everyone here on her progress, and what I hope will be a very quick adoption to a loving home. 

Dogs: Love, Humor and Outrage--Short Takes for Thursday

This photo illustrates a little anecdote from the shelter Tuesday last.  This is not a photo of the exact dog I fell in love with.  Yet, it conjures the same emotions.  How will I be able to walk away from a sweet-eyed Beagle in a cage?

There was a new arrival in the isolation room, a 2-year-old Beagle named Lady. The isolation room is in the back of the main shelter, in a quiet area of the building away from the raucous activity of the main cages. Instead of cages, they are small well-lit rooms with tile floors and real walls and doors instead of bars and gates.

I quietly opened the door and stuck my head into the room, and I had to look all the way to the side where the bed was against the left wall.  On the bed was the limp body of the little dog sleeping off her anesthesia.  Or at least I thought she was sleeping. Two bleary eyes opend half-way, met my gaze.  Without moving a muscle in her body, her tail thumped up and down, up and down with surprising energy.  I crossed over to her and as gently as possible I put my head on the little point on top of her head, and cradled her face in my hands.  Lady struggled, and soon sat up, sniffing my nose, and licking my face with a dry tongue.

I whispered to her what a good girl she was, and her tail continued its greeting.  To get her to lay down and rest again, I got down on the floor next to her bed, and sure enough, she followed my lead and lay down.  I saw her smooth pink belly with a severe scarlet scar about four inches down its length. A few minutes later, her half-opened eyes closed again, and so I left the room as quietly as I came in. 

I felt a hollowneess in my gut, and a strange familiarity about the scene.  I was missing a creature from my recent past....If Lady doesn't get adopted soon (although I think she will), I don't think I could stand to leave her in a cage.  It was the same impulse that would not allow me to put Maggie in a boarding kennel, ever.

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Roxy, the German short-haired Pointer with the Dalmatian spots, entertained me as I walked her, and she lived up to her breed name.  The second she was outside, she stopped, her stubby tail pointing straight behind her, and she crept forward toward something I could not see yet.  As she crept, what held her attention soon came into view: a couple of ducks, monogomous, sitting in the grass next to the building.  But they quickly moved away, out of sight, and Roxy continued to stare, and point.  Perhaps her deafness, which makes her a difficult dog to adopt, allowed her to focus more intently. 

All at once, it was  the bird-feeder, full of sparrows and doves, which appeared.  The rapid movements of the birds caught Roxy's attention right away, and gave me enough time to capture her in a couple of photographs.

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I just watched a re-broadcast on our Public TV station of a BBC Documentary called Pedigree Dogs Exposed.  I had been aware of health problems associated with generations of inbreeding, but I was never confronted with the extreme cases of deformity and disease associated with this practice. Rather than propagating a species to preserve a particular breed's function, many breeds have been created for sport, and "perfected" to a breed standard that is often uncomfortable, painful, and rife with ailments. 

Depending on the breed standard, characteristics like flatter muzzles, larger heads, longer backs, shorter legs, and deeper skin folds are favored.  The "sleekness" of a German Shepherd's hindquarters is a perversion of the original prototype, and leads to lameness for the sake of breed-standard "perfection".  Inbreeding of Boxers leads to epilepsy occurring ten times more frequently than in humans.  Mother-son, Daughter-father and father-granddaughter breeding is commonplace, and in some cases 90 per cent of the breed's gene pools have been completely bred out of them.  In any other species where this  may occurr, those species would be placed on an endangered list.  In some areas, pugs have been so tightly inbred that the loss of genetic variation means that in essence there are only 50 pugs that can be deemed "uniquely" individual.

A shocking and heartbreaking genetic ailment caused by inbreeding in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels is called syringomyelia, a condition which occurs when a dog’s skull is too small for its brain.  One vet interviewed for the program stated that if one were to beat a dog with a stick to cause the amount of pain that is suffered with this illness, one would be prosecuted.

The outrage, in Britian at least, and perhaps less-known elsewhere, is that many of these dogs with visible or not-so-visible ailments routinely win Best in Show Prizes at events like Krufts.  (After the BBC aired this show in 1998, the Krufts show was not televised for the first time in 40 years.)  Although breeding practices cause serious problems, allergies, skin ailments, and more disturbing maladies, all in the name of sport, show dogs are passing on these genetic defects to scores of litters.

Even healthy puppies who are born without the preferred characteristics have been known to be "culled", or put to sleep.  The "ridge" of backward-growing fur on the Rhodesian Ridgeback has been linked to horrible spinal disease.  However, healthy puppies born without this ridge have been euthanized.

I am beside myself, ashamed even, for continuing to hold romantic and naive notions about dog breeds and the kindness and humaneness of those who breed and seemingly love these animals.  Dogs bred for sport, to win competitions, while the dogs themselves suffer stoically; dogs abandoned and abused and needing the care of a shelter....It motivates me to learn more....become an expert...an educated advocate....writing  meaningfully on behalf of these creatures who need us to speak for them.....

That is what I must take away from all of this....  That is a direction, a path, toward a vision of my better self....