If you know one thing about me, it’s that I really love animals.  I always have actually.  I remember being a kid and begging my Mom for a cat.  I knew I’d be pushing my luck to get a dog, so I pleaded and begged until I got my first cat, Patience. I have had an animal in my home since then – and most times more than one.  I recently lost my sweet rottweiler Lily. I am still heartbroken. Scroll down a little read about her if you'd like. So now I have my Buddy and my cat (kinda crazy cat) Bob/Bobble/Bobblehead, he has a lot of nicknames. They’re both rescue animals.  I just got some new pictures with Buddy so scroll down to see those too!!!

LOOK AT THIS CUTE FACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 If you could read that look on his face, I think it would say, "Don’t you want to take me home? I promised to be a very good boy and love you!" Curco, an 8-month-old Labrador Retriever/Border Collie Mix, has watched his other furry friends find forever homes for over a month now and is ready for his turn! He is on the search for an active owner who would enjoy bonding over daily walks. He is a social butterfly so he is extremely friendly and playful. He loves to chase tennis balls and would love even more to have a companion to toss them to him. He was also raised around other pets, so he has experience getting along with others. This sweet boy is just looking for love and a little play time in his life. He is a member of the Lonely Hearts Club, so his adoption fee is discounted to $75. If you’re interested in adopting from the Kansas Humane Society, visit us at 3313 N. Hillside, call us at 524-9196 or check us out on the web at www.kshumane.org.

PUPPY MILLS INFURIATE ME BUT THANK GOODNESS FOR CARING HANDS!

UPDATE!!!! They have adopted almost all of the dogs!!! Thank you to everyone who gave one of these deserving dogs a loving home.

They just received 42 dogs from a puppy mill

I don't understand for a minute how anyone can breed animals just for the money. As so many of you know, I had a rottweiler, Lily, who died almost a year ago. She was one of the most remarkable dogs ever, but she was found walking on Douglas at seven weeks old. Obviously, she wasn't brought into this world for any other reason than for someone to sell her and make money. Now, don't get me wrong, there are many people who do that who care about the breed but that wasn't the case with my girl. She was horribly bred and she suffered from so many health issues while I had her. I spent more than $5,000 on her. The "breeders" didn't care about the breed...the only cared about selling a dog and how she ended up all by herself on Douglas I have no idea. (Other than she was trying to find me. :)

To the people who care about dogs and advancing the breed, I applaud and admire you. For those who breed them in puppy mills, well, all I can say is there's a special place waiting for you.

Thank goodness there are places like the Caring Hands Humane Society in Newton. Kansas Animal Health Department recently sezied more than 100 purebred dogs from a puppy mill and Caring Hands Humane Society received 42 of them. That's a lot of dogs at one time! You can help them by donating to their care, by fostering a dog or adopting a dog. These are small-breed dogs...Yorkies, Maltese, Schnauzers, Pomeranians, Long Haired Chihuahuas, Bichon Frise, Pekingese, Shih Tzus, and a poodle. Their adoption fees will be a quarter or less of what they might cost at a breeder or pet shop. They do have some puppies too.

For more information on these dogs you can visit them at 1400 S.E. 3rd in Newton, online at www.caringhandshs.org or call them at 316-283-0839 and I would like to say thank you to them for caring about these animals, these innocent animals that the puppy mill owners had no regard for.

Get your 2010 PETS AND THEIR PEOPLE calendar

and help the Kansas Humane Society!

Don't forget...it's not too late to get one! I saw them just the other day at Petsmart. Get yours and help all the animals at the Humane Society. They're only $21!!!! More info and www.kshumane.org.

Carol's Pet of the Week from the Kansas Humane Society 

Orion!!! Help me find him a good home!!!!

 Orion, an 8-year-old Pug/Schnauzer Mix, is a nice calm dog who begs when you ask him to sit and knows stay and come. He's a very sweet boy who has been here awhile now and would love to find his forever home. If you’re looking for a four-legged friend who is mellow, ready to be your constant companion and is full of love, Orion just may be the perfect match for you. He was raised his whole life with his sister Cassie, but she already found a new forever home…so now it’s Orion’s turn! He is part of the Lonely Hearts Club which means his adoption fee $75. If you’re interested in adopting from the Kansas Humane Society, visit us at 3313 N. Hillside, call us at 524-9196 or check us out on the web at www.kshumane.org.

Yay!!! Sammy found a home!!!

Penny has a new home!!!

Deliah as a new home!

 

PENNY ALSO FOUND A NEW HOME!

 

 

 

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What an amazing present!!!!!!!!

 

Saturday we had a picnic with a bunch of friends from our KFDI cruises. It was a beautiful day and at one point my friend Scott Ramsey grabbed my hand and said they had something for me. So there we were at a park shelter in Watson Park and he takes me to a table up front and there was a picture on an easel and I could tell it had a beautiful frame - and I honestly assumed that they were going to have some embarrassing photo of me in that frame!

But what they said instead was:

"Hopefully when you look at this picture you can smile & remember good times & love for your precious Lily! As long as she is loved & remembered in your mind & loved in your heart she will always live on thru you. Only when you forget are they gone. Remember. . .Look, Love. . .Smile! With our Love & Appreciation, so many friends, fans and co-workers. James "Bo" Dunn (Bo's ARt LTD)

They lifted up the fabric and I saw the most beautiful picture of Lily ever. Bo drew it and, of course, I immediately started crying!!!!!! I told them later that they really should have had someone standing next to me because I literally almost fell over.

I thought that Bo had drawn it off a picture of Lily that I have in my office (scroll down below and see both the picture and the portrait). He didn't have a picture of her. You might think that rottweilers all look the same, but they really don't. Bo said he had drawn two other pictures and just didn't feel like he was getting it right until one night he said "Lily! You need to help me draw this"...and he did. He absolutely captured my Lily. He showed me the other two...but this one WAS Lily. When I look at it, it's like she's right there. I can't believe he was able to capture her without having a picture to draw from - amazing.

I honestly don't have to words to say how much this means to me and will mean to me for the rest of my life. I was lucky to have her in my life and I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends.

 

Here is the picture I think it looks like:

 

 

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My Sweet, Sweet Lily - 1999-2009

This is my favorite picture of Lily - thank you Christopher Clark for taking it.

I was watching The Dog Whisperer one night and he said he didn't think we get the dogs we want - we get the dogs we need. Lily was definitely a dog that I needed. I had never even considered having a rottweiler. But there she was one day, my friends found her and no one knew what to do with her. She was seven weeks old and the cutest puppy I had ever seen. I said that I'd take her "as a foster dog". Well, she probably knew the minute she got to my house that was where she belonged.

She showed such amazing strength her whole life. A week after I brought her home (and the night before I was supposed to take her to her new home) she got really sick and had parvo. I remember crying at the vet's office telling her that I would love her so much that she couldn't die. It was so hard but she pulled through. She developed hip dysplasia at about a year old so we struggled with that and a number of other illnesses over the years. Five years ago she came down with autoimmune hemalytic anemia. BOY, that was tough. It was really touch and go for months. But she pulled through. She had arthritis...but she worked through that. I was always amazed at her attitude. She had so many things going against her but she always had so much love and happiness about her.

As hard has it was to let her go - I would do it all again. She was my best friend and constant companion. When I was home she was always within three feet of me. And she could definitely tell me what she wanted! If she wanted a walk, she would take my hand in her mouth and lead me to her leash...if she wanted a drink and her bowl was empty she would just sit in front of it and bark. She loved everyone, especially children.

But this last time she just couldn't pull through. We suspect she had liver cancer as my vet discovered a tumor in her liver. I remember when she was just a puppy and so sick with parvo - I was rocking her like a baby one night while giving her pedialyte and I told her how she would live a long life, and how I would take her swimming and she would love to chase squirrels and she'd live to be ten. Well, she was one month shy of that, but I say close enough my sweet, little Lily.

I miss her every day.

 

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Buddy Boy

Buddy is totally smiling! Photo taken by Christopher Clark Designer Portraits. Chris takes GREAT pictures, check out his website: www.christopherclarkphotography.com

I love the thingie of treats next to Buddy! Photo by Christopher Clark Designer Portraits.

Isn't he just too cute? It's like he's smiling in all of the pictures! Photo from Christopher Clark Designer Portraits.

The Bud Man in his new Cubs collar. As soon as he started wearing it the Cubs totally fell apart...hmmm...

Look! It's Buddy's senior picture! My friend did this and I about fell over laughing!!!!!!!!!

Some of you might remember a few years back I rescued a couple puppies fromt he City Pound...I tried so hard to find them both homes and I found the little girl a home, but no one wanted the little boy. I'm so happy no one wanted him because he's MINE! I love this little guy so much. It was a really cold day in January and I saw a woman walking into the pound with two puppies and I just took them from her. I had no idea what I'd do with them. I guess Buddy knew! He found a new home and has been spoiled rotten ever since.

It's been pretty sad since Lily's been gone, but Buddy has made life so much happier. We've been taking LOTS of long walks and he's been learning a lot of new tricks too. He's just sharp as a tack. He can pick up a trick in minutes. He's learned "play dead" which we just call "nap"; he can high-five and shake, he knows crawl, roll over and we're working on "bow" (and if we get that one down it's going to be REALLY cute!). He's really shy around people so if you ever meet him, don't be offended if he doesn't seem excited to see you. He just wants to get to know you first. (Or try treats, he'll love you a lot if you give him a treat!)

You can usually find us Sunday mornings at Sedgwick County Park...or walking in my neighborhood three times every day. Seriously, I'm addicted to walking my dog.

Isn't he good looking??????

Bob, The Cat

Bob does whatever he wants to do. Period. Of course he likes to be up all night and sleep all day. He was actually a feral kitten. I had never had a feral kitten before so I assumed he'd be just like every other cat I've ever had. But they're really not. It took him a LONG time to really warm up and is not OK with people he doesn't know in the house. In fact, if you ever came over you'd never even know I had a cat! You'd never see him!!!! But he's an awfully good snuggler!