My loss of faith in humanity is now complete

Sometimes I think I was better off running around oblivious to the suffering human beings create for themselves and each other.  I so often ask myself, "why?"  No answer comes, but the suffering continues and the injustice continues and people in power hurt those with none, very often intentionally.  I so long to escape it all and never look back at the evils of human kind.  When will it ever stop?

Save Lennox

It's been a long time since I've shared a thought on this blog.  Lennox is an American Bulldog/Lab mix.  He is papered, has been DNA tested, has been properly cared for by his loving family, and now may lose his life because of how he looks.  Some dolt AC officer in Belfast decided he looked like a pit bull (pit bulls are banned in Belfast, showing government idiocy knows no bounds) and confiscated him from his family, yanking him away from the five year old girl who loves him so much. Lennox's family has been fighting for his life for over a year now and his final appeal is September 16th.  Following him on Facebook with millions of other people, I pray everyday he is allowed to go home, although I fear the government will dig in especially because in this particular case they are so wrong, but like most government officials will never admit it.  Because of this stupidity an innocent, well-loved family pet will lose his life and a family will lose a valuable family member.  It is sad beyond words, heartbreaking and makes me want to scream at the top of my lungs at the injustice of all of this.  But in support of Lennox and his family, I am posting this along with millions of others who are posting on their respective sites to spread the word and gain support for the life of this innocent dog who has now been at the hands of government officials for over a year and who knows how badly he's been treated.  I'm guessing pretty badly.  It is such a sad case and shows that governments can never be trusted with our lives.  They have no right to do this, yet they do with an iron fist that shows there is no such thing as democracy.  The Belfast City Council is pathetic and a sad statement about how governments behave all over the world.  Please spread the word about Lennox.  You can find him on Facebook, Twitter and attached to the title here is his web site.  Justice will never be served unless Lennox is returned to his family.

The Director of Harris County Animal Control needs to be replaced

I am no where near Houston, but this story makes my blood boil.  How dare this woman.  Who does she think she is?  There are a lot of problems in the animal shelter system.  This story is simply outrageous!  Ultimately, people need to take personal responsibility for their lives and those of the animals they profess to want.  That will likely never happen because of the nature of the useless human being.  Because people continue to be irresponsible and make their issues other people's problems, we need to have a safe haven for discarded animals and, sadly, the shelter system is the best we've come up with.  However, there are non-profit rescues out there willing to take on the hard work and be on the front lines saving companion animal lives every day, and the government needs to let them!  If the shelter is the first place for an animal to end up, it needs to be a place that animals are welcome and feel safe from this insanely cruel world!

“Compassion is not religious business, it is human business, it is not luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability, it is essential for human survival.”
~Dalai Lama

Embrace all living creatures

A human being is part of the whole, called by us "Universe," a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest - a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole [of] nature in its beauty. ~Albert Einstein, 1950

Unbelievable

As someone in the comments section said, "they are everywhere...idiots that is".  You really can't fix stupid.

Three years ago

Three years ago today the judge in the Michael Vick case lifted the gag order regarding the fate of the Bad Newz Kennel dogs, and now we all know what happened.  Today, Best Friends and BAD RAP are sharing stories about the dogs on FB.  I can't get enough.  The stories can also be viewed on their websites.  This case was so big because it was the first time in history that dogs taken from a fight bust weren't simply euthanized, but rather evaluated and viewed in terms of a victim rather than than a violent predator.  It has turned the precedence on its head.  Now dogs rescued from fight busts are evaluated and looked at for rehabilitation.  It is all good news, except that dog fighting continues.  I keep praying that someday all animals will get treated with the love and respect they deserve.  It will be a good day when that happens.

Dog

Dogs Deserve Better was called to a catholic church in Pennsylvania shortly after the new year.  There was a Shepard on the property of the church hiding in the bushes.  The dog had been there for about two weeks without food or water.  Dogs Deserve Better rescued him and took him to the vet.  He has become known as Ezekiel.  Ezekiel was shot in the head and survived.  The priest apparently said from the pulpit one day that someone needed to get rid of the dog.  That may be how he came to have his head wound.  An animal abuse criminal report was filed by DDB and representatives have gone back to the church to see if anyone knows who did this do the dog.  No one has admitted knowledge of anything wrong.  Ezekiel's story can be viewed on YouTube.  It is heartbreaking and all too common in this world.  In tribute to all of the animals, someone posted the following story on Facebook.  We would do well to have it be our compass.  Best Friends Animal Society has a campaign that started last year to create a world where there are no more homeless pets.  I hope to see that campaign succeed in my lifetime.  Sadly, I think we are going in the wrong direction.  I hope the story below gives readers something to think about and reflect on.  We must do better in the world.


When God had made the earth and sky the flowers and the trees ,He then made all the animals the fish, the birds and bees.

And when at last He'd finished not one was quite the same. He said, "I'll walk this world of mine and give each one a name."

And so He traveled far and wide and everywhere He went, a little creature followed Him until it's strength was spent.

When all were named upon the earth and in the sky and sea, the little creature said,"Dear Lord,there's not one left for me."

Kindly the Father said to him"I've left you to the end I've turned my own name back to front and called you dog, My friend."

Author Unknown

A new year

It's a new year!  I'm glad for a fresh start.  The end of 2010 was not great.  Many changes at work and none of them good.  I started looking for a new job, but my past has caught me and the consequences of my actions will continue to hamstring me.  At least for a while.  I have become resigned and that's not necessarily a good thing.  I look forward to a new year and hopefully a new found strength to move forward and be the best person I can be.

Interesting interview and so timely

A few days ago I added a link of a letter from Best Friends founder regarding Michael Vick and the state of his rehabilitated dogs.  Best Friends was very clear, Vick only made overtures to the dogs based on court order or in hopes of increasing his public personality.  Now he's talking about all of the things he's been accused of ignoring in the past.  Be willing to bet his publicist coached him about talking as he does in this interview.  It is unlikely that he really feels any of the things he's said.  Michael Vick really should be a non-issue at this point.  Maybe he will keep some inner city kids out of dog fighting, but he still lacks the credibility of the guys who came from the street and are now working towards the end of dog fighting in the inner city.  One of the federal attorneys on the Vick case said that they won't stop dog fighting, but they'll put a dent in it.  I still pray for the day when it ends. There are an awful lot of sociopaths involved in this heinous activity, and until they change their thinking, it will continue to be a serious fight. 

This is what we need - more discussion - less laws - more compassion - responsible people

Good article out of Ohio.  This shows that Best Friends continues the fight and is making progress.  Great job!

Our first Christmas in our new house

Callie decorated the Christmas tree last night.

Flu season

I was feeling fine yesterday.  Today, not so good.  I tried to get up and go to work, but my head has been hurting for three days and I have a fever now.  Callie and I took it easy today.  We had a big hike yesterday and she cut her paw on a rock.  It's healing well, but today we hung around town, much to her dislike.  It's been cold, and kids are in school, so the sick season has arrived.  I was feeling better for about a minute this afternoon.  Now my fever feels like it's back with a vengeance.  I have tomorrow off, so I hope that I start feeling better.  Things are changing at work, which isn't helping my immune system.  The new store is almost done and everyone is moving around, except me.  I know why, but I can't figure out what else to do right now.  I'm working on a story and hope to have it done soon and maybe out for review.  Sometimes I just wish I could sleep for a few days.  My body won't let me.  I get up, hike the dog, go to work, do some writing, try to stay off the pity pot.  Finally got a sponsor and worked the steps.  Someone in my group told me they felt enormous relief when they finished the steps.  I didn't feel that.  I felt exhausted.  The baggage gone.  I ran around for about a week looking for more baggage to carry.  Finally, I realized...there is no more baggage, now I get to redefine my life in terms of the present moment going forward.  But I spent so long lost, I don't know where to begin.  My sponsor says I have to allow myself to be.  I can explore whatever I want and create a life on purpose instead of letting things happen to me.  Make it a joy, not a job. It's a hard habit to break.  I'm used to things happening outside of me.  Looking at me was really hard, but worth it.  Now I get to do everything I wanted to do in the past, but I get to do it with a clear head and a clear conscience.  Maybe being sick is my bodies way of saying...awww!  I'm trying to take it easy on myself.  I thought for a long time that everything good that was going to happen has happened and it's too late to start anything new.  Today the thought went through my head that it's only to late to start something when I'm dead.  So I guess I better get started.  I'm glad I have Callie to make the journey with me.  She's a great friend!

Good article out of Chicago

Chicago is also where there is an ex-gang member, Sean Moore, is working with inner city kids teaching them to be responsible, loving pit bull owners.  He does work few can.  I listened to him give an interview on NPR.  Because he came from the tough streets he has respect that people like Michael Vick can never get.

Gypsy

As folks are out there celebrating Michael Vick's accomplishments on the field and looking to him as the possible MVP, let's remember the face of dog fighting.  I usually really like to celebrate the good news about pit bulls, but this showed up on my FB page last night.  Gypsy was found by the side of the road in North Carolina a number of years ago.  She is not a Vick dog, as has become urban myth.  The assessment is that she was used as a bait dog and then thrown on the side of the highway when the sociopaths were done with her.  She was picked up by a good Samaritan and taken to humanitarian doctors.  Although she had to undergo many surgery's and have a leg amputated, she was adopted out to a great human being who gave her a wonderful forever home, and I read she lived a full life.  Gypsy died last year.  Thank God there are good people out there who made the most of her ability to forgive and love.  Too bad there are people who would do this to an animal and think it's perfectly justified because "it's just a dog".  FYI,  other pits are not always what is used to train fighting dogs.  Your favorite and beloved pet disappears...it could have been stolen.  These people are sick and methodical and they are out there despite our best efforts to ignore them and pretend they don't really exist.  Please don't close your eyes to this.  Please don't forget there are many innocent victims to human depravity, not all of them survive.  Just because it is a dog, in some ignorant minds, doesn't mean it ever deserves this.  

Best Friends response to LA Times article

I want to work for Best Friends.  They continue to take the high road and are doing all the right things for all the right reasons.  

Great LA times column - can never be said enough

Let's hope Vick can't out run his past.  These types of stories need to be told.  Only then is there hope of ending exploitation and abuse.  I hope I live long enough to hear that dog fighting has become part of our embarrassing history.

Check out this website

The attached is Wallace's website.  I ran across it surfing the PBRC website.  Wallace is a national flying disc champion and a pit bull.  What a cool dog with a very cool family!  Roo Yori and his wife adopted Wallace from a shelter and have done amazing things with him.  The family has also adopted Hector from BAD RAP.  Hector was a Bad Newz Kennel dog rescued from the Vick fighting ring.  The more I learn, the more I'm disgusted that the NFL let Vick play again.  But Hector is in a safe place and the news is all good for him.  Hector is now a therapy dog.  I love these stories!

Obedience 101

Callie and I have completed basic obedience.  I got the thought one day out walking and she jumped on a lady who was hiking by herself.  Callie is very friendly and exuberant.  She loves everyone.  However, it dawned on me...finally...that unless I had better control of her, a day would come when she would scare someone.  It would escalate because of the way she looks, regardless of whether she's friendly or not.  So I signed up at "Angels in the Making" and work helped me out by making my schedule work with training.  I am grateful.  Callie tested 190 of a possible 200 points in obedience.  She didn't hold the wait/come command for a full minute.  At about 40 seconds she got bored and started walking towards me.  No matter, I am proud as can be of my girl.  She loved training and the interaction with other dogs, as always.  One dog there is a teeny-tiny chihuahua who was rescued from a puppy mill.  She had big problems with large dogs.  Callie brought her out of her shell and they had a fabulous time playing and working together!  What I love most is continuing to smash the pit bull stereotype of the killer dog.  I don't do anything nearly on the level of Bad Rap or Best Friends, or the many fabulous rescue groups on the front lines, but I believe that one by one, responsible pit owners can show the world these dogs are great pets, awesome companions and peaceful, loving dogs.

Kanab, UT

Welcome center at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

Zion National Park