Animal lovers, be sure to watch/record Oprah today. sm

Lisa Ling is reporting on puppy mills.  It looks like it will be a very powerful show.  I know that 'dog people' have been trying for *years* to get Oprah to do a show on this, and I'm so glad she finally is.  I desperately hope it will make a difference.  The dogs in the mills have been suffering far too long.  We need to put an end to puppy mills.  Please, pass the word. 

• Animal lovers, be sure to watch/record Oprah today. sm - Love Dogs (and cats, etc!)
  • How can we truly help? sm - catlady
  • She should do more exposure shows because-- - mimi
    • This wont help. No money or resources to put an - end to puppy mills. nm
      • are you kidding!!!!! - anon
        • And a whole, whole, WHOLE bunch dont care. - nm
          • But there are a lot of people that do care - trose
            • I am willing to place a bet that puppy mills are here - to stay. nm
            • Thank you Trose, so do I believe it will make a huge difference, NM - anon
      • but that's the thing, someone might watch and come up - mimi
        • Well, dont hold your breath. - nm
          • you mind if we have a little hope here??? - mimi
            • Have hope, just dont hold your breath while you - are hoping. nm
              • that would be the dark side. - mimi
          • Why all the negative posts and not signing your name? sm - Love Dogs (and cats, etc!)

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watch this very touching video.

http://videos.komando.com/2008/06/26/christian-the-lion/

We have a Basset hound puppy, around 7-8 weeks old; we've had her a week now and she is going absolutely NOWHERE with her potty training.  We are trying to crate train her, but she just can't get the idea.  We take her out on a regular schedule, feed her on a regular schedule, and make sure she poopies and pees before she comes back in, but it never fails that she will, at least once a day, poopie in her crate...SO DISGUSTING! I'm at my wit's end and ready to give her up, but she's sooo adorable, I really don't want to.

Of note, I am not a huge animal person, can take them or leave them, but she stole my heart and I love her! I seriously am looking for some answers here. 

it is short but so sweet. 

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2008/cat-adopts-bunny-p1.php

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=yNy9jTeolUk

The lazy days of summer :)

Did you order the 'The Secret' DVD?  I've been thinking about ordering it.  What have you been doing that's fun?  Care to share?   

She is doing a show about divorce and how it affects children.  I think she'll have experts/psychologists on to talk about ways of explaining divorce to children to make it as least traumatic as possible.  Oprah always seems to get the best experts on her show, and usually they have written books that you could read too.  I think how you talk to your kids about the divorce has a huge impact, and some parents get so wrapped up in their own pain that they fail to really help the kids with their heartbreak, so I think it's great you are thinking about your son first thing.  So many times the kids think it is their fault for some reason.

My personal opinion is that sometimes it is better to get divorced if you are miserable, because just as we want our kids to be happy, they want us to be happy too.  But, I think you have to try with everything you have inside of you first to make the marriage work, so then you can leave knowing you did everything you could to try to save the relationship (unless it is abusive in any way).  I would highly recommend watching Oprah on Wednesday though.  It looks like it's going to be a very moving, informative hour.

Was that a total tearjerker today on her show with the puppy mills?  I just recently found out about puppy mills as I was trying to adopt a cocker spaniel from a rescue that deals with cockers.  I had to fill out a long application.  They checked a lot of references, called my previous vet, previous groomer, etc. Then they had to do a home visit. The lady that did the home visit told me some very sad stories about a puppy mill where they went in at night and tried to rescue some dogs away from the place.  She rescued one that only weighed 5 pounds that they used to breed. How sick are these places.  She said that the Amish- are very well known for this. She told me of a story that a man through a alive dog in a Goodwill bin because he was done with the breeding process and thank God the next day a worker heard the poor thing crying.  I rescued 2 cockers and could not be happier.  I do not know where they came from but they are so loving. I think the government needs to get involved and shut these places down. They are breeding thousands of dogs and meanwhile we are killing hundreds a day all over the US. Does that make any sense? Please no one buy from a PET STORE.  If you want a pet go to PETFINDER.COM and look up the breed, you want and you will see pictures of all kinds in all the US. 

I have a dilemma.  I am an animal lover and have something I cannot come to a conclusion about.  At a restaurant where I eat lunch every Friday with a friend of mine, I have noticed a young male kitty hanging around outside looking for food.  This past week he ran up to my friend and rubbed her legs and quietly meowed.  I purposely did not try to pet him because I knew I would get attached and ignored him.  Well, ever since then I find myself thinking about him and wanting to rescue him.  Meanwhile, I already have 4 inside cats (2 rescues, 2 Maine Coons) and hubby really does not want another cat in the house because a few years ago I promised we would  never have more than 4 (had up to 5 at one point previously).  I actually have a huge screened deck he could stay on indefinitely because I do not believe in letting cats run loose for their own safety.  I could provide plenty of food, a warm place to sleep, and veterinary care.  At some point I would even probably work him into our household, but I just cannot do it at the moment.  Just not sure I would be doing right by that kitty because I am sure he would be upset and confused for a good while as to where he was and what was going on, but is that better than being hungry and cold?  I know there are lots of animal lovers out there.  What does everyone think?? 

I watch it every year, but this year was particulary funny!   Such adorable breeds playing running, jumping on each other, etc. I laughed my head off. The little Westie was just darling, and the little Corgie pups were so sweet. 

This is a picture of Buck.  He was a Belgian horse, late teens maybe early 20s, who was found by a friend of mine at a livestock auction with his teammate (another older Belgian) who were both skin and bones, sores on their skin, bad hooves...the whole enchilada of problems that neglect brings.  She bought them both for a couple hundred bucks just so they could go to her place and die with a belly full of food.  They both made a miraculous recovery, gained weight, and went onto great homes.  I was blessed with being able to take Buck on a 3-week trial to see if he would be a good slow riding horse for me (I'm kinda crippled up and that was my therapy). 

He was a sweet old fella but his heart was in pulling...either wagons or twitching wood out of the forest, so he moved onto a home that was better suited for him.  We kept in touch with his new owners who loved him as much as I did. 

Today I got a phone call and was told he just dropped dead, apparently of a heart attack.  Sadly, the years of neglect took their toll and his heart just gave out.  I'm thankful he was at least surrounded by people who loved him when he needed it the most.  Please hug your critters--we never know when they may leave us.

They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when I come back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go go go

Nice, huh? 

WORTHY of the record..NO. I thinke HE is the only one who thinks he did not take performance-enhancing steroids! He says he thought he was taking flaxseed oil....LOL! Cheater all the way.

My SO will be moving in with me in a few months.  My cat is male, 14-years-old, has never seen or been around another cat and rules the roost.  His cat is a female, 8-years-old and gets along well with other cats.  I have researched on introducing them but am very worried that my cat will not be able to handle the stress.  SO was here for a month and my cat seemed to like him very much.  I am at the point that I am having second thoughts of moving in together although my friends tell me I am being rediculous and I know I am - sacrificing my happiness for my cat.  Can anyone give me some pointers?  Thanks!

A friend of mine has 2 chihuahuas that need homes. They're brother and sister, about 3 years old, fixed.  The usual story, have kids, no longer want dogs. I tried to talk her into keeping them, but not working. I can't take them, cause my house is already full to the max of fur kids. They're located in PA. I would hate to see them end up at the humane league, but that's where they're heading. So if anyone is interested let me know.

Wanted to share a link for an email from my friend in Australia....

To make a long story short I need some expertise.  My male cat was a sprayer before we got him fixed way back when.  Then he decided to pee in our dining room and we took up the rug and put in a wood floor (this was quite a few years ago - cat is 11).  Then he proceeded to pee in all the corners of the family room.  We just had wood floor put on there and all has been well.  Until about a week ago, he decided to pee again on the dining room wood floor, no where else, but he still uses his litter box.  I had cleaned it with vinegar and it seemed like the smell went away and I thought all was well until I again caught him peeing on the wood floor in the same area more than once.  My husband has had it (he destroyed a lot of things already from when we first got him).  He is ready to take him away somewhere.  I don't know what to do next.  My husband doused the area with vinegar again.  Anyone have any ideas?  Anything that will keep him away, or any other tricks to get he smell out.  Any help would be appreciated.  Tonight will not be a very happy night.   

My dog cut it's pad probably this past Sunday.  He came limping home on Monday morning but by then it wasn't even bleeding.  He is used to being outdoors (we live in the country and he can run free) and is about to go crazy because I have kept him either tied up or in the garage to give this time to heal.  I have soaked his paw daily in warm salt water and have applied neosporin to it as well.  It is looking good and there does not seem to be any infection, swelling it totally gone, and I can manipulate it without it causing pain.

This is on the main part of his foot and it is quite a slice causing a large flap to just kind of hang.  A friend who had this similar incident said her vet had her apply ointment and then wrap the pay with masking tape to keep the flap against the paw so that it would heal shut.  I have been doing this for the last several days.  He will only keep it on there for 5-6 hours and then he'll pull the tape off.

Here's the question - is there some kind of product that I can safely use to "glue" this pad back to his paw?  I know in surgical reports I have heard about a surgical adhesive that they use but is there something over-the-counter that I can get for this or even home remedy stuff to try.  I hate for him to lose the substantial part of his pad and leave his paw prone to injury with more tender skin.  I have been told that I can cut it off but I don't want to do that unless it is a last resort.  I tried to "goggle" this subject and came up with a board where it was suggested to someone else for them to just use crazy glue and glue it back in place.  That didn't seem quite appropriate!  Hopefully someone can help me figure this out!

I'm so excited!  I signed up for that Gevalia coffee club and the UPS man just delivered my way-awesome coffee pot, coffee and accessories.  My old coffee pot was an old white plastic 4-cup model that had started to leak.  With this one I'll be able to auto-program it to brew my coffee in the morning so it's ready when I wake up.  How 21st century of me, lol!

Anybody else subscribe to this coffee service or had their coffee?  While I wait for my first pot to brew, I thought I'd see if anyone can weigh in on whether their coffee is comparable to the taste of Starbucks or other coffee brands.

TIA!!!