West Hollywood, California (Monday, November 10, 2008) - WeHo’s City Council, ever the protector of pets, banned the burgeoning business of pet rentals at its last council meeting.

A firm called FlexPetz began renting out dogs to travelers in New York recently and has expanded into the Los Angeles area.

WeHo Mayor Jeff Prang called the business “horrific” and wished to bring attention to it by making the ban before a location is set up in this travel-oriented city.

The urgency went unquestioned, since the FlexPetz web site says it “is working on opening a number of new national and international locations including Seattle, Miami, Santa Monica, Long Beach, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, Phoenix, and West Palm Beach.

Its one thing to bring a pet to a hospital like we have at our hospitals to visit the sick and the elderly. These pets are owned by people! I do hope and pray that these dogs that are “rented” out are loved. I know that Sammy and Lucy would NOT like to be tossed around to different families. They would be so confused and anxious. Even when there is tiny bit of unbalance in our home, Lucy is especially sensitive to that.

The WeHo article also stated,

The staff report said that the National Federation of Humane Societies has issued a position statement against pet rental franchises in the interest of eliminating practices that devalue the worth and sanctity of animals.

Steve Putnam, Executive Director of the National Federation of Humane Societies and the organization’s Corporate Policies Committee oppose the practices of FlexPetz.com and comparable organizations simply because “pets are not commodities” and these commercial ventures “diminish their worth.”

Moreover, the National Federation of Humane Societies states that “Pets seek [human] companionship and provide solace. All animals need secure, stable routine and renting pets by the hour or day diminishes this need.”

The Los Angeles Southeast Area Animal Control Authority has also condemned this abuse of the human-animal bond and is currently researching the larger pet rental industry.

But here’s the story on the seeing eye cat-

Cashew, the 14-year-old lab is blind and deaf. Her best friend is 7-year-old Libby, her seeing-eye cat. Libby steers Cashew away from obstacles and leads her to food. Every night she sleeps next to her. The only time they are apart is when Cashew goes for a walk. Without this cat, Cashew would be lost and very, very lonely. Amazing but true: this is one animal that knows what needs to be done and does it day in and day out for her friend. - - Terry Burns

 One morning as I was getting ready for work I looked at Sammy and she glanced up at me.  As I looked into white face, her eyes looked older to me as well. I teared up. It seems like yesterday that I adopted her. I still remember getting the phone call that she had arrived from some mountain up in Northern California. Candy and Gordon were so kind to pick her up for me on their way back home.  It was a rainy day in LA and I left work, well, ran from work to meet her. Its been a love affair ever since. I cannot tell you how much joy this blond lab has given me. I know other dog owners can relate.  Going through the adjustment period when I first got her was a lot of work but we made it through.  A dog trainer once said to me Sammy will always be shy, skiddish and afraid of everything and everyone.  Sammy has proved her wrong time and time again.  Even Sammy has evolved and grown as we people hopefully do as well. 

We had been working on her weight as well. She’s a lab and loves to eat. But we even have that under control! She is 72lbs now I believe, same weight as when I got her. She looks fantastic. I can see those hips! I was walking her the other night and glanced down at her and thought what a good looking lab! I know, I’m partial, but she’s beautiful.  Speaking of hips, when the Vet told me she was getting canine hip dysplasia, I started her on glucosamine and reiki every day. Every night still I reiki her hips. She’s still running and able to get in my car. I had even bought a ramp for her but haven’t had to train her to use it. I hope I never do.  I tell her every night how much I love her and how much happiness she has brought me.

Yes, I know there is a lesson in all of this; don’t become attached to “things”. I can’t because if Star can reach it, good bye. As I’m writing this, she and Kc are a few feet away from me on a lovely green velvet sofa. This sits in my office and they always follow me in here while I’m working. It’s when I leave the room, and they stay behind. That’s when you want a camera filming all the mischief she is getting into. 

Her taste varies from fine books to cheap magazines. Hand written letters, and thoughtful cards that are sent- another favorite of Star’s. Shoes are yummy-yummy, she has eaten several of these. Leashes, blankets, make-up, pens, pencils, pillows, boxes, etc. You get the idea-  nothing is off limits to this little girl.

I keep thinking of the shrink that has a screwed up family, or the hair dresser with a horrible hair style, then there is the reiki practitioner with an unruly puppy. I see a pattern here, and I’m right in the middle of it. It’s like the housekeeper who cleans everyones home but their own. Maybe because they are too tired at the end of the day? 

My schedule, my priorities, my own management of time needs to improve. My sweet Star deserves the best that I have to give. Especially when we are so successful helping, and treating so many other animals. 

Reiki begins tonight on our adorable Star. All my love will flow through to her too. Puppies will be puppies to teach us more lessons in life.

Proposition 2 was a California ballot proposition in that state’s general election on November 4, 2008. It passed with 63% of the votes in favor and 37% against. The ballot measure was officially known as the Standards for Confining Farm Animals initiative statute. The official title of the statute enacted by the proposition is the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act. The proposition adds a chapter to Division 20 of the California Health and Safety Code to prohibit the confinement of certain farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs. The measure deals with three types of confinement: veal crates, battery cages, and sow gestation crates.

The statute will become operative on January 1, 2015. Farming operations have until that date to implement the new space requirements for their animals, and the measure will prevent animals in California from being confined in these ways in the future.

The LA Times stated The head of the Humane Society of the U.S., which sponsored the campaign, said farmers would adjust to meet an increasing demand for eggs from cage-free birds. “For them to say ‘we’re all going out of business because we have to let the birds stretch their wings’ is absurd,” said Wayne Pacelle, the group’s president.

In addition, California imports a third of the shelled eggs it consumes from out-of-state producers, which are not subject to the new regulations. A new study from the UC Davis Agricultural Issues Center said there would be no reason for a jump in the price of those eggs. 

But Ryan Armstrong, an egg farmer in Valley Center, Calif., predicted he would have to leave the state rather than convert to cage-free housing. “We haven’t quite figured it out. We’ll probably in the next month or so let some employees go and slim down our operations,” Armstrong said Wednesday. “Our goal is probably not to stay in the egg business.”

I had to write about this as I was so touched and moved to tears. After the election I received an email from some friends that Candy and I met in Vietnam. They are from Paris. In the middle of my day, this email came through. I was amazed that our election was so important to other people in the world.  To not just see it on the news but to actually receive a personal email completely moved me. I sent it to everyone I knew so they too could see what an incredible day in history November 4th was.

They wrote,

FELECITATIONS aux Etats-Unis !!!!!   French are so happy to celebrate the Barack Obama’s victory. This is a wonderfull news full of hope for our friends Americans and for all the world. This is not only a dream today… would have said Martin Luther King.   Many thanks for us.   A bientot et Champagne for everybody !!!

Lucky for them a car loaded with terrific people stopped and blocked them from running any further into traffic. They used their jeep to block the road, and they got out and tried to round up the runaways. Kc, being so shy ran home and sat down next to me in my office. This was like he was never out trying to escape to new more exciting surroundings. I look down, all is good, and I thought all this time that Star was with her Dad b/c she loves being him during his workouts. Now I know that is just an act because she was eyeing the escape route for the two them.

I’m busy typing, working, and the phone rings. “Hello”, ” Do you own a boxer name Star?” Yes, I do. I’m thinking I’ve just won some big game show for having such a cute boxer, etc. My mind is racing to remember which contest I entered under Star’s name. Then the man on the other end of the phone (Thank God for cell phones) says your dogs are here running in the street. My mouth drops open and the phone at the same time as I run out the open door and gate. This gate is the gate  I installed for extra security so the boxers would not escape. I see Star running wildly down the street like she’s on a beach running in the the water.  She hears her mother yell “STAR,” and freezes in mid air. I was not the surprise she was looking for out in the streets. 

I thank her rescuers and when I am bringing her back in the house,  the group inside my house has gathered around to see what’s going on. They all wonder how did these strangers know how to call me so quickly. It’s all on their collars. Name and phone # that you can read from far away. These ID collars don’t cost much more then any standard collar on the market. This product works….Check it out, you will even see Star there!! http://www.dogidcollar.com/

Be safe out there and don’t forget to VOTE!

There isn’t a Boxer Rescue Los Angeles (BRLA –  http://www.boxer-rescue-la.com/) supporter who doesn’t know the incredible story of Faith and  Joe; not a one who didn’t share in our heartache as we struggled to save their lives; not a one who didn’t share in our joy at their miraculous recovery. These two very special dogs define the very  reason BRLA is in business; to provide hope for a promising future for every single abandoned dog that is entrusted to our care; regardless of how tragic that dog’s past may be.Tragic does not begin to describe the conditions that Faith and Joe  were forced to endure before someone finally called Animal Control  and reported the deplorable scene in the backyard where they were abandoned.  Faith and Joe’s family fled their home after it went into  foreclosure.  They remembered to take all of their belongings with  them, with the exception of their two dogs.  The brother and sister  pair were left alone and terrified in their backyard; a backyard with no shelter, no food, and no water; not a dog house, nor a water or food bowl in site for these two.  Neighbors watched for weeks as  Faith and Joe endured starvation, dehydration, and pounding winter rain that turned to ice as it hit the cold ground up in the high desert.  Those of us in rescue will never understand why a phone call wasn’t made sooner; before Joe was forced to dig a five inch hole in which Animal Control discovered him, laying on top of his sister to keep her warm with what little body heat he had left.  The hole was filled with freezing rain water; water that both Faith and Joe laid in listlessly; too malnourished, too dehydrated, too weak to even move to a dryer spot in the yard.  When Animal Control arrived   at the scene, the dogs didn’t move.  They’d lost all strength and the ability to stand and walk on their own.  The Animal Control Officer, experienced in her field of work and accustomed to removing dogs from harsh conditions, had tears streaming down her face as she lifted Joe out of the water hole and tried to help him stand on his own.  When she lifted Faith out, Faith was unresponsive and the officer felt that they were too late, that they had lost her.  Both dogs were rushed to emergency veterinary care with Animal Control and BRLA in tow; hanging onto any last bit of hope that the brother and sister would make it.Upon arrival at the veterinary hospital, Faith was considered  deceased.  Both she and Joe were absolutely emaciated; Faith weighing  in at 36 pounds on the frame of an 80 pound dog and Joe weighing in  at 65 pounds on the frame of a 100 pound dog.  Both were not only skin and bones, but were covered in swollen bleeding skin caused by mange and parasites.  Poor Faith, despite her brother’s heroic efforts to spare her life, had lost her pulse and her eyes had rolled into the back of her head by the time the veterinary staff began to administer intravenous fluids into her body.  AC Officers, BRLA volunteers, and hospital staff stood watch, praying this little girl would pull through.  She deserved the life we knew we could give her; if only we could stabilize her.  Her brother deserved for us to save his sister after he sacrificed himself to protect her as best he could for all this time.  Joe, although in slightly better shape than Faith was also declining quickly upon arrival and was immediately administered IV fluids as well.  There wasn’t even time to treat the parasites and open wounds covering their bodies; keeping them alive was the first priority.  All we could do at this point was to let the veterinary staff do their job and pray for a miracle.

And we do believe in miracles here at BRLA.  Those of us in rescue get to witness them on a regular basis.  To us, it’s a miracle any time a dog is placed into a loving home; a dog that would have otherwise been discarded.  But rarely are we able to witness the miracle of a bringing a dog back to life.  And yet, as soon as the veterinary staff was able to get Faith hooked up to intravenous fluids, despite her unthinkable pain and exhaustion, this thankful girl managed to pull together just enough strength to give the  veterinary technician one small, sweet lick on her face; as if to let everyone know how grateful she was to be saved. We took this amazing sight as a sign that this little girl wanted to live and decided right then and there to do whatever it would take to get these two through recovery.  The weeks following were touch and go, as we expected they would be, as both Faith and Joe received IV fluids, rounds of antibiotics, medicated baths to treat all the infection and parasites, rehabilitation to get them both walking and moving about again, and lots and lots of TLC.  During this time, we posted Faith and Joe’s amazing story on our medical life line and the tears, the prayers, and the support began pouring in.  Emails came in from other rescue groups, fans of Faith and Joe wrote to us from all around the world for updates, and an entire community of animal lovers pulled  together for the recovery of this very special brother and sister. And recover they did! Through all the grueling medical treatments they endured, these two never once gave up on each other and continuously showed us their strength of spirit and a will to live that was touching beyond words.

Fast forward 8 months…..Faith and Joe are healthy, happy, gorgeous Boxers in need of a loving home!  The infamous brother and sister were transferred to Tracy Hon of Chico Boxer Rescue once they were declared medically stable.    Tracy has done a phenomenal job overseeing their care for many months now, getting to know their individual personalities and determining what food is best for their sensitive stomachs and what ongoing medical care they may need, given all that their bodies endured.  As it turns out, neither dog has suffered permanent damage, which is a miracle in itself.  But, understandably, their immune systems are highly sensitive to any change in food or environment.  What this will mean for their adoptive family is really quite simple.  Faith and Joe are on a special food diet; it’s a premium dog food, but no more expensive than most premium dog foods and does not require a prescription. They must stay on this food that has been the most agreeable to their sensitive stomachs and cannot be given any table scraps, treats, or other dog food; common sense for any dog that is prone to upset stomach.  Their skin must also be closely monitored for any signs of reoccurring mange and treated immediately with standard medication that can be prescribed by any veterinarian.  Both Faith and Joe’s sensitive stomachs and sensitive skin are compromised by the stress that comes with living in a kennel which is why it is imperative that we move these two to a home as soon as possible.  Their veterinarian believes very strongly that their immune systems will never completely repair until we can get them into a loving, stress free, stable home where they know they are safe and sound and never have to worry about being abandoned again.

Aside from their gorgeous looks and irresistible Boxer jowls, Faith  and Joe are two of the most loving souls you could ever meet.  Faith is the youngster of the pair at approximately only a year old and in typical Boxer fashion, loves to run the halls of the kennel, pounce on her toys, and throw them up in the air to entertain herself.  She is high energy, all puppy,  and it’s unbelievable that this is the same listless, lifeless dog that we rescued eight months ago.  She is a happy, silly, wiggly Boxer puppy whose feet still look too big for her body as she clumsily bounces through the orchards looking for adventure.  Joe on the other hand, Faith’s older brother at  approximately age two and a half,  is the perfect balance for Faith.  He’s the older, wiser, calmer brother and has a soulfulness about him that only a Boxer owner would understand.  When you look into his eyes, they tell such a story.  And yet, after all he has endured, this boy craves human attention and is all kisses and love for  everyone he meets.  He’s a favorite at the veterinarian’s office and despite his size will crawl into a warm lap and just savor affection if you’ll let him.  Both Faith and Joe have always conveyed such emotion in their eyes; from the very moment they were rescued and even now after a complete recovery.  When you get down on their level,  they stare at you so hard you can almost hear them speaking to you. Both of them thrive on human attention and unfortunately,  there’s just not enough of that to go around in a kennel situation. They deserve a home and a family to call their own.

Sadly, Chico Boxer Rescue will be permanently closing its doors at the end of 2008; at which time, Faith and Joe have no where to go. It is imperative that we find a permanent home for this incredible pair, but it must be the right home; a family that will solidly commit to their needs, have an appreciation for the past that they have overcome, and will give them all the love, patience, and time that they deserve.  For obvious reasons, we would love to keep this brother and sister together.  After all, without each other, they would never have survived.  However, we would consider splitting them up if it meant getting both of them into a loving home as opposed to moving them to another kennel; something that we’re trying to avoid at all costs as this will undoubtedly cause an immediate decline in their health that we have worked so hard to restore.  Faith and Joe will be best placed in a home as the only dogs, but love every human being they meet, children included.

There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth. It is called Rainbow Bridge because of its many splendid colors. Just this side of Rainbow Bridge there is a land of meadows, hills and valleys with lush, green grass.

When beloved pets die, they go to this place. There is always food and water and warm spring weather. The old and frail animals are young again. Those who are maimed are made whole again. They play all day with each other.

There is only one thing missing. They are not with their special person who loved them on earth. So each day they run and play. Until the day comes when one suddenly stops playing and looks up!

The nose twitches. The ears are up! The eyes are staring.

And this one suddenly runs from the group. You have been seen!

And when you and your special friend meet, you take him in your arms and embrace. Your face is kissed again and again and again, and you look once more into the eyes of your trusting pet. Then you cross the Rainbow Bridge together…

… Never again to be separated.

More about Bailey (Grieving… Coping… and Dealing with the Loss of a Pet, Writer’s Block )

The fun side of the staff is they love the pets that come into the office. That is why the contest. I am happy to report last year’s big winner was Kc Boroditsky. Let’s hear it for Kc … Hip Hip Hooray!! He won a lovely basket of toys, shampoo,and a few other goodies. When we entered the contest we were hoping the ‘Grand Prize’ was maybe a year of Free veterinarian services. No it wasn’t, but we gave it our all anyway, and won.

This year is no exception we are all out to win that basket of toys. That’s because a dog can never have too many toys…