For the love of dogs

This is Pepper. She is not ours unfortunately.

I mind dogs in my home, though I haven’t for a while since moving. I’ve been doing this for over 7 years, not being able in the past years to have another fur baby since we had to put our last girl to sleep at the age of 17.

I LOVE DOGS, for all the reasons everyone else does, their unconditional love and companionship.

She arrived yesterday afternoon, her owners off on a 10 day holiday. They bring the food, toys, bed and bowls. My job to give them all the cuddles their family would give them, feed and walk them.

Pepper is quite timid and a bit skittish. She was from a puppy factory. Heartless prisons that breed dogs over and over, that are kept in cages, given no human interaction, no daylight, or grass to run on for their entire life. They live in their own feceas and bred till their uterus literally falls out. Puppies that are born in these prisons are then sold mainly to Pet Shops, taken from their mums after a week or two, with the mums left to breed more until they die. Here in Australia their is an organisation called Oscars Law that fight very strongly to close these factories down and to stop the selling of puppies in Pet Shops.

They are succeeding!

I took Miss Peps for a walk this morning, every bus, truck, motor bike that passed by, she ran to the other side of me. Down for cuddles and reassurance.

This afternoon she came for a drive with me, whilst I dropped off K to her dads for the night. Stupidly I gave her a piece of steak (leftovers) not long before we left. Almost an hour there, then an hour back, she sat in the passenger front seat, quite content until….. Yes all over the seat. As I drove I grabbed the towel I had on the back seat, mopping, covering as best as I could, till we got home.

She’s such a sweety, I just patted her till she lay down waiting till we arrived back home.

Howling – (Prose from 3 words)

Once again from the delightful ever humorous http://whoatethedaisies.wordpress.com  who has given me 3 words to use…. they are Wolf, Mountains and Pines. Straight away I knew what I would do with these, so hopefully I have pulled it off.

Photo Credit www.fanpop.com

Her howl guttural, through lifted jaw she
snaps the silence of early morn; veils of sun
break between the pines, her teeth and cry
validating strength

she stands majestic, a reckoning force
against enemies in the mountains
winter bitter, she hunts to fill her cubs

empty bellies, hungry cries; they wait
secured in den, reliant on the offerings
that would be returned

she bays
she seeks
this wolf
of Montana

©JMTacken Sep 2013

*************

Footnote: If any one would like to throw me another 3 words to see what I come up with, please feel free – I do enjoy a challenge…. oh and try and keep them clean 😉

Mint sauce with that?

Photo Source:   http://www.behance.net/gallery/INCURIOUS/4651103

Their laughter mingled with the clink of wine glasses in the
drawing room.
“That was a spritely one that got away this afternoon”, he roared.
“Oh yes, rather, afraid the old girl can’t muster like she use to, sadly”, came the reply.
“Do you know I went down to Jones’s farm prior to the round up?”
“Really what on earth for my good man”?
“I am thinking of purchasing his cattle dog, damn find specimen if you ask me, clever too, agile”.
“Oh yes, I have heard of him, but haven’t seen him in action, so did you offer for him?”
“Yes ol’ chappy, I did as a matter of fact four hundred pounds, I have him in the yards as we speak”.
“Four hundred pounds, good god man, I hope he proves himself worthy for that amount!”
“Yes, he has already, if only I could teach him how to cook”.

Okay I was so lost with this one – see if you can write and join in the fun (or tear your hair out as I did)

For the wonderful       VisDare 34: Fearless

Puppy Mills

Our Victorian government has failed to keep their promise to stamp out the cruelty in puppy factories. Instead their current draft code of practice for rearing and breeding of animals is weaker, narrower and if made law would result in worse conditions for dogs and cats.
Life for dogs in puppy factories is already bleak. Investigations have revealed dogs being confined in cramped enclosures with no access to food and water; no bedding; no exercise; no heat on freezing nights; no access to sunlight; and dogs even being permanently kept on wire floored cages. What will these new standards mean for dogs? If these changes are agreed to then:

Dogs will legally be able to be confined in puppy factories for their entire lives;
female breeding dogs will be able to be bred more often, with no limit for males;
and dogs no longer deemed profitable may be euthanased via ‘any method’, which could include shooting or being beaten over the head with a blunt object.
Our feline friends have drawn the short straw too, with the revised code recommending that cats only need to be fed once a day; diminishing or removing completely requirements for health checks and vaccinations; allowing animals with hereditary defects to be used for breeding; and allowing mating between second degree relatives.

This is in Victoria the State where I live. Puppy Mills/farms/factories call them by any name you wish, are all over the world. People who want the perfect ‘unique’ hand-bag pup, purchased through unregistered breeders or purchased from Pet stores. They are trying to ban the sale of live animals here in stores to try and run these backyard breeders out of business. Our State Government is being weak. They disgust me. Please adopt or buy from registered breeders only. So many animals are abused daily. Animals that have no voice and cannot fight back.

For our 4 legged friends.

Reach out your hand, show me love – that is all I want
I wasn’t born to live like this, just look into my eyes

my love is unconditional, you can yell – yet I’ll return
but I am always here for you, this is what I’ve learnt

I’m cold in winter on concrete floors, I need a blanket
for some warmth, let me see the sun, please someone take me home

can I walk on fresh green grass, run and play and bark at air
reach out and love me, that is all you have to share

don’t let me live cramped, lonely and abused, without the touch
of a human hand, this is not the life I choose

just a friendly smile, and a cuddle in your arms
please won’t you look after me, keep me safe from harm

just out walkin’

This morning daughter  ‘B’ sent me a text.
“You home, I could phone soon”?
Me: “Yes I am, speak soon :-)”.
Her: “Damn call centre closed – are you on Skype?”
Me:  “No but I can try and download”.
Her: “It’s easy, ok let me know when you are done”.
30 minutes later.
Me: “Still trying, don’t know if I have done it correctly though”.
Her: “Ok I’ll try phoning you”.
(I answer a phone call on my computer which in itself is still weird to me).
Three cheers, we have a one on one conversation which doesn’t cost a cent between daughter ‘B’ in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and her mother in Melbourne,  Australia.

The highlight of her day? See above. How many of us can say that we have experienced something so special that it makes our heart jump out of its skin? What is on our bucket list that would bring us immeasurable joy? I think for ‘B’ this surely has to be one of them.

Walking with a sloth, that was her special experience this afternoon,. Both of them (hubby ‘E’) went for an hours walk to see a very plain and quite boring Zoo in Bolivia (as one does). They saw Toucans and crocodiles and turtles (I think I would happy to see them, for all I look at is a fly crawling on my window as I type) but not a great deal else. Until they saw a group of people standing around and went to investigate. Now ‘B’ LOVES sloths, her sister LOVES them too (okay I am also very partial).

‘B’ had to have this moment, to be one, as close to nature as possible,  to walk beside him/her. She did say she got some strange looks and other people were taking photos of her doing it, but she LOVED it as you can see by her expression.

Especially this candid shot where she got to hold a baby one.

I have never seen her face light up so much (apart from her wedding day that is).

Trifecta Week Sixty-Four Dwell

Challenge the word – Dwell

I won’t dwell on the fact that you have gone
Every time I see a rainbow I speak to you
I won’t dwell on the fact I ended your life
I did so because I had to, the kindest gesture

I will always remember the day you left me
the pain that drove through my gut, my heart
I won’t think if what I did was cruel or kind
the day I spent my last hours with you

I will remember the love you gave me
the laughter you brought into my life
the years of happiness of unselfish love
the cuddles the caring for you every day

It has been seven years now and I remember
as if it were yesterday, the day I held you
as you silently drifted from this earth the look
in your eyes as I held you tight whispering I love you

I will dwell on my memories of you Tarsh
my one and only tattoo a reminder of the
dog the pet that brought me so much joy
so much love

crossing the rainbow bridge

PLEASE HELP IVONNE – We only have 2 Weeks!!!

$80 raised $450.00 needed and 10 days before these munchkins pass from this earth

PLEASE any of my followers – can you help get these two (Gayle and Naomi) to Ivonne who is wanting to adopt them.

I have donated.

We can write blogs about relationships, be political , post photos, hell yes, we can write what we ate for breakfast and people take notice.

This Reblog is however one that I have taken notice of and perhaps you may also.

Ivonne Sex, Spirit, Soul Mates … is adopting these two beautiful girls (puppies).

She needs OUR HELP to do this – – I ask are you able to help?

I ask this of you, those that follow me, can you help to make this possible?

Please go her website and see the link to make a contribution and read about these girls that Ivonne is saving. She needs to cover the transport costs from Texas to California (within 2 weeks), she is struggling to do this on her own.

This is worthwhile, I re-blogged this not because of great poetry or of beautiful writing, this is in my eyes has far more meaning, this is about saving the lives of two puppies and she needs our assistance.

PLEASE  if you can let us show how united we are on WordPress and that all the writers here give a damn about our fellow ‘Bloggers’ in a situation such as this. I have also put this on my FB. Please leave a comment if you have been able to help her.

We are generous in our comments towards one another, let us also be generous in this.

Thank You!

Sex, Spirit, Soul Mates and Chocolate....Ivonne's Journey

These two little girls, Gayle (with the Cherry Eye) and her sister Naomi came across my Facebook feed.
They are ten week old puppies that were on the euthanasia list for Wed Feb 6,2013. Well, little Gayle looks just like my Topaz that passed away 7 years ago…….

And no one was stepping up to adopt them…I could not believe it…….10 week old puppies going to be put to sleep?

And so I stepped up. I said I would adopt them. They have been saved from death and they have a temporary foster at the moment. The problem is that the puppies are in Texas and I am in California. There is a transport going from Texas to Loa Angeles in three weeks. The rescue group has set up a donation fund for the girls to cover the cost of vetting and transportation.

But last time I checked…

View original post 146 more words

Ode to Tarsha

This is a photo of our girl Tarsha. She would have been about 5 or 6 when this was taken.

She was 16 years of age when her legs started to give way, when she lost control of her bodily functions.

When I had to make the most heart-breaking decision of my life – to end hers.

She was what you call a bitzer – a non descript, not a pure bred, but a cocker spaniel/blue heeler.

She crossed over the rainbow bridge 7 years ago this July.

She, like all fur-babies had their own personality – pedigree or not. Some may look at her and say ‘what an ugly dog…look at those ears’, she was not to know what she would look like, she just hoped that someone would take her into their home and love her. That is what we did – she didn’t have to be stunning, or a dog you could ‘pop’ into your handbag to have people say ‘Ohhh how cute”. She gave us unconditional love and laughter and joy.  If her water bowl was empty I would find her in the shower.. giving me the hint that she was thirsty. This is where Tarsha or ‘Tarshy-girl’ rests now and every time I see a rainbow I talk to her. This is also why I can’t own another dog for I cannot go through that pain again. This is why I mind dogs to enjoy them, to get to know their personalities, to give them lots of cuddles. They told me when your pet passes over their soul is with you for a while and you will know that they have returned to let you know they are …ok. When Tarsha was cremated and brought back home, without a lie, I felt something brush past my legs 3 times in two weeks… I know it was her.

So to you my little girl I say this.

You are gone
not forgotten
the love you
gave us
always
to remain

you have crossed
the rainbow bridge
now, to run, be young
and play

you have left
our lives
that
somehow
will never be the same

thank you for the
treasured times
thank you for
your love
we miss you
after all this
time

we miss our little
‘Tarsh’

When do you get the warm & fuzzies?

I flittered from Title to the Text
I decided on text and write the title afterwards.
What makes you warm and fuzzy?

My warm and fuzzy moments come from so many things.. I’m sharing just a few

• hearing my daughters laugh
• my daughters giving me a hug
• holding onto Mr. S
• writing
• reading comments on my writing
• listening to Andrea Bocceli – or any music
• hearing a new borns cry
• watching a child take their first steps
• watching a foal take theirs
• orangutang infants
• puppies and grown puppies
• wishing balloons on a Thailand night
• eating something delicious..strawberries – lobster
• drinking something delicious – a Mai Tai – chocolate milk
• giving my arm to my parents when they walk

I guess this list (in my mind) is endless as it would be for each and every one of you.

Tell me if you wish what makes you warm and fuzzy?

Even if it’s one.

Listen (Part 2) Poetry

Listen to the morning birds with their wake up song

Listen to the footsteps in the house where you belong

Listen to the new borns as they utter their first sounds

Listen to the children’s laughter ringing through playgrounds

~~~~~~~~~~~

Listen to the anger in the voices in a fight

Listen to thunder as it cracks on stormy nights

Listen to the people having conversations nearby

Listen to the whirring fans on ceilings way up high

~~~~~~~~~~~

Listen to the sounds of hooves galloping on the ground

Listen to the lost shelter pups crying to be found

Listen to the man as he whistles his tune

Listen to the clink of your knife and spoon

~~~~~~~~~~~

Listen to the waterfalls that flow from rocks above

Listen to the cooing of the released caged white dove

Listen to the whispers of children out at play

Listen to the elderly and what they have to say

~~~~~~~~~~~

Listen to the waves as they tumble to the shore

Listen to the high heel shoes step across the floor

Listen to the pelting rain upon an iron shed

Listen to the winds blow strong when your warm in bed

~~~~~~~~~~~

Listen to the band you love sing your favourite song

Listen to the keyboard click when your typing all day long

Listen to the crackling of wood burning in the fires

Listen to the breath inhaled and listen when it expires

~~~~~~~~~~~

Listen to your heart beat strong beneath your chest

Listen to when someone speaks, that their life is in a mess

Listen to the child that says that they feel pain

Listen to the teenager who wants to come home again

~~~~~~~~~~~

Listen to the bubbles in an effervescent drink

Listen to the water drip into the kitchen sink

Listen to the kittens as they softly purr

Listen to the shoes of a flamenco dancer

~~~~~~~~~~~

Listen to the one you love when they have something to say

Listen to the friends you have and laugh with them each day

Listen to the abused animals who haven’t got a voice

Listen to the sadness of others so that one day they may rejoice

Listening… A simple thing we take for granted.. sometimes we hear but do we always listen