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I try to have a live and live attitude. We all have opinions about assault weapons, the capital punishment, abortion, or the last episode of "Lost." But there is one subject where my mind won't open for another opinion. Neglect, cruelty or just plain ignorance when it comes to animals. The people who believe as I do are legion. They work tirelessly around the country fighting to save animals from abuse and neglect or to simply find animals a home. They are a million times more active than I'll ever be. But whether we do a little or a lot, we all operate from the same playbook. The problem with us is that we are incapable of holding our tongues when we see an animal that is being hurt or neglected. Some of these people bow up like mother grizzlies and fight to save the animal or at least get it out of your hands. I will flat-out tell you about the law when you say you plan on breeding your dog. It's illegal unless you are a licensed breeder. In fact, the law calls for your dog to be spayed or neutered. I pray that we can get the ordinances changed in Memphis to prohibit chaining/tethering of dogs as a permanent form of containment. A great law in West Memphis allows animals to be tethered outside for a maximum of a few hours. Animal control will cite you and do its best to take your dog if you don't obey. Memphis needs that. Another thing, don't let us catch you hitting a child, a dog or a senior citizen, which are the most vulnerable in our society. I'm not fearless about much, but I have no qualms in stopping you. I will call the police if you don't stop. I will follow you home to get your address and find out who you are. I'll check on the dog to see if it's okay. If it's not, I'm calling animal control. Trust me; I am a mouse compared to others in this city who are saving animals from shelters and horrible situations. They've helped to get some laws changed. They work to get information to animal control workers. They network to get animals out of shelters. They do everything they can to make a difference in these animals' lives. That's the problem with us animal lovers; we love our pets and will give them the best care we can afford, but in various lengths of time, commitment and energy. Some of us do minimal work; others spend every single day taking care of foster animals, shuffling dogs back and forth to pet adoption days, cleaning out cat cages. Others are trying to get laws passed and enforced. We are networking and adopting animals at the shelter to help them find homes. We raise money when we find one that needs more medical care than we can afford. We will hound you and watch for you. When we see you doing something cruel or neglectful, we will find a way to stop you. Don't think of us as nuisances, snitches or fanatics. Truly, we're not. Just ask the animals we save from your wretched hands. Here mousy, mousy, mousy! Kidding! Okay, yeah, that little felt mouse is adorable, but ain't nothing like the real thing: I can be your mouser, your lap warmer, or someone who can stare at you like this for a few hours. My name is Sheena. I started my life in a shed, a wee, orange, brown and white tabby baby who fell into an orphan honeypot when someone found me and brought me to the Memphis & Shelby County Humane Society. Seriously, have you seen these digs? Of all the places for a waif to find shelter, this place ain't bad. But, it's not home. It's a waiting room. That's where you come in. I need one. I want to be your cat, and I want you to be my person. I'm waiting. A few months after the Humane Society took me in someone adopted me. I was happy for nearly two years, but then my person decided I needed too much attention. So here I am again, homeless. Is it wrong to devote my life to giving you my undivided attention? I'm not needy; I'm just givey. I like to give away lots of tiny paw pats, affectionate head butts, and wait until you rub my ears, I lean in like a champ to make it easier for you to scratch a long time. I can stare into your eyes for hours, sit in your lap, rub my head on your hand so you don't have to move. Here's the thing: I'm a smidge on the shy side. That doesn't mean you'll steal glimpses of me every so often as I dart past a door. Just give me a few minutes. I can quickly decide if you are a person who would appreciate my undivided attention. I'd like to live with one or two people so I can divide attention equally. I dare you to come see me and hold me for a few minutes. If you aren't smitten by this kitten (okay, corny) then I'll give you one of my teaser toys. Once you've cuddled me and talked me, then all you have to do is fill out a wee bit of paperwork and pay my $100 adoption fee. If you ask me, it's a steal. I'm healthy, vaccinated, microchipped and spayed. I will give you a lifetime (well, my lifetime) of love and fun. Oh, I didn't tell you I come with a bag of tricks? Have you ever seen a cat bat a piece of paper on the floor or do one of those hilarious cat crab walks? I got a million ways to make you laugh. The Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County 935 Farm Road Memphis, TN 38134. It's open today until 6 p.m. It's open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1-6 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (901) 937-3900 My headline sounds a little like the book title "Running with Scissors" though mine isn't about something in your hand, it's about what's crawling on the trail or in the bushes while you are running the trails or forests.
My friend Sherry Rogers runs with Annie, an adorable mixed-breed dog she adopted from Memphis Animal Services. (See, you don't have to get a pure-bred puppy whose ancestors were runners. Just get yourself a healthy little-mixed breed and have fun." She and Annie run at least three times a week in the outback of the dog park at Shelby Farms and other trails. She wants to know what she should carry with her if she's running on the trails with Annie in case of a snakebite. She worries about it on the trails because Annie would probably stick her nose on the snake before Sherry realized what was happening. The guy who chained up Tommy and left him to starve in a backyard was telling the truth, at least about two of the breeds detected. The Wisdom Panel DNA test showed that Tommy is an American Staffordshire Terrier (the American Kennel Club name for a pit bull), Rottweiler and golden retriever cross. Hmm, the pitbull/Rottweiler cross is what the guy said. I never saw the Rottweiler in him, because Tommy has long, lanky legs. Rottie bodies seem stouter than how his body looks, but he could have been the offspring of a poorly bred Rottie. Now, a golden retriever, I don't see it. No fluff in his coat or tail, no soft furry ears. He's as sweet as a golden, but that trait is true with pit bulls and Rotties. Plus, you get the bonus of pit bull snuggling. Never met a breed that wants to slam up as hard as he can when he wants to lie next to you. I believe it's worth the money to find out the mix breeds in your dog. I've had mixed breeds all my life, except for a golden retriever given to me by a friend's family. If you want to see the full report, which for some reason landed in my spam folder a while back, email me and I will send it to you in a PDF. My email is petscoopmemphis@gmail.com |
Cindy Wolff, AuthorI've never trusted people who don't have a little dog hair on them. >>> Archives
September 2016
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