I am a passenger...

Today I got my article pulled. Why? Because I dared to speak up for the animals, the dead ones. There's a little shelter in Garland who keeps killing animals with rescue holds. How do I know? Because, they killed a momma dog with my own rescue hold on her. I left a message for the city paid manager, Oats and one for Luis Martinez and even had the counter guy type in the A# and my 501(c)(3) request to save the dog. They still went ahead and snuffed her and I'm still waiting on a call back.

I have been keeping an eye on this so called shelter since. They were forced to finally shut down their inhumane gas chamber by public pressure. Facebook pages, candlelight vigils, websites and petitions have been organized demanding the dismissal of Diane Oats, the city of Garland's hated shelter manager.

The argument with my piece was without source. I have sources, but in the vein of other so called un-credible journalists, I kept the privacy of my sources private. Anybody remember Deep Throat and the infamous articles by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward of the Washington Post...and a little thing called Watergate? Since when must sources be named?

Well, if I'm a so-called un-credible writer, then I'm in good company. When the bullet hits the bone, let me go down with the guys who took home the Pulitzer.

Until then, I'll be watching. The last time I watched a shelter, it ended up becoming a book. Whenever they'd kill an animal and think they'd gotten away with it, I'd plaster the city with posters with the story about the wronged animal.

My posters all had a big, black crow with an open beak and the letters C.A.W. across the top....Citizens' Animal Watch. It was just me, but I put those posters all over the bay. I put them in coffee shops. I nailed them up on telephone poles. I stapled them to plywood boards on closed down buildings. I posted them in surf shops and pet stores. I plastered them everywhere and they began to raise some hell.

I posted those posters in anger and in the spirit of Iggy Pop and Johnny Rotten. I put them up in the spirit of Neil Young and Tom Petty, Patti Smith and Gary Floyd. I posted them for every wronged person, every wronged animal. I promised those dead animals I would not be quiet and I never will be quiet.

So you can pull my little article. I'll sit here and wait for somebody else to step forward besides me and say something, for somebody else to say, 'hey, you can't kill that dog and get away with it.' Until then, I'm going to keep on typing, keep on posting, keep on answering letters and emails and keep on writing.

This is for the Doberman they killed at Garland Animal Services who rescue had spoken for. This one's for the American Eskimo dog they killed last week with two rescue holds which were ignored. This is for the momma dog I called and put a hold on with my 501(c)(3). This is for her and for all the other animals they will kill until somebody steps up and tells them to stop.

I will never shut up.

I am a passenger....oh, yeah....

"The Passenger"

Iggy Pop

I am the passenger and I ride and I ride

I ride through the city's backsides

I see the stars come out of the sky

Yeah, the bright and hollow sky

You know it looks so good tonight

I am the passenger

I stay under glass

I look through my window so bright

I see the stars come out tonight

I see the bright and hollow sky

Over the city's ripped backsides

And everything looks good tonight

Singing la la la la la.. lala la la, la la la la.. lala la la etc

Get into the car

We'll be the passenger

We'll ride through the city tonight

We'll see the city's ripped backsides

We'll see the bright and hollow sky

We'll see the stars that shine so bright

Stars made for us tonight

Oh, the passenger

How, how he rides

Oh, the passenger

He rides and he rides

He looks through his window

What does he see?

He sees the sign and hollow sky

He sees the stars come out tonight

He sees the city's ripped backsides

He sees the winding ocean drive

And everything was made for you and me

All of it was made for you and me

'Cause it just belongs to you and me

So let's take a ride and see what's mine

Singing la la la la.. lala la la [x3]

Oh the passenger

He rides and he rides

He sees things from under glass

He looks through his window side

He sees the things that he knows are his

He sees the bright and hollow sky

He sees the city sleep at night

He sees the stars are out tonight

And all of it is yours and mine

And all of it is yours and mine

So let's ride and ride and ride and ride

Oh, oh, Singing la la la la lalalala

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It's always a good day when Benny's in the picture

Yesterday, I was Ms. Scatterbrains. I showed up at the Costco to pick up the co-op order for the dogs one day early. O-boy. I had myself a little bit more together today and showed up again at least on time.

The good part was being able to visit with Benny and all the other dogs at Doug's house.

This week has been extra hard for rescues. It seems as if every one of the rescues are so full. It's hard to stay focused and positive when you just see the sweet faces of dogs and cats about to die throughout each day.

I'm trying to think of good thoughts, but am thinking of all the time wasted this week..and last week. There was a dog I became involved with, a very precious dog, who'd had an emergency plea put out that she was going to die. I couldn't let that happen and so I called the shelter and put my name on the dog.

What happened next would have made a Peter Sellers movie. What seemed like about a hundred rescues got involved, so I backed out. Last I checked, there was no shortage on pit bulls.

I kept getting emails that this dog was still at the shelter. This went on for over two weeks. I kept saying I'd take her as I had a family in San Francisco whom she'd be perfect for. I had groomed them to feed raw, treat homeopathically and follow the Reunion Rescue program which insures a happy long life for the dog and her people.

Finally, night before last, I get a phone call interviewing me and asking for my credentials. I find myself applying to adopt this dog! I wind up involved in another phone call which lasted forever with stats from Los Angeles and digs at my fellow rescuers whom I've known for years and who were pulling dogs when some of these people were still at rush week in college.

Finally, last night, we were all told to 'back off' and the dog would be going to a rescue which has placed 1200 dogs in five years. That's 240 dogs a year unless my math's off. That's a lot of dogs to place.

You have to be shipping these guys to place that many. And what about tracking after the adoptions? Just plain scary. What was scarier came next. The people who'd created this frenzy demand $1,000 in donations for this dog to be accepted at this rescue facility. $1,000!!! That is incredible. It leaves me speechless.

Well, I'm backing off. Sad thing is, I have a longtime adopter whose family member wants a Reunion dog. This girl would have been perfect. She would have gone to a raw feeding home, been treated homeopathically...gone the distance. I can only hope that she winds up someplace very nice.

She is a very sweet girl and deserves every bit of the attention she derived from all of the rescue groups who have championed her. Even at the expense of God knows how many other dogs could have been saved while emails were sent back and forth over her for the past 2 plus weeks. I hope they are in nice places, too.

I know Benny is in a nice place. Now that my rant is over, I can go back to zenning with Benny. Om.

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Scatterbrains

Today was a perfect day.

Squirt is home. Doug sent a beautiful photograph of Benny and Squirt napping after lunch. If that isn't a perfect day, I sure don't know what is.

I got caught up, sort of, on my housework which I'd neglected the past couple of days. I spent this morning feeding the birds. I made them a great mash of chopped fresh kale and rainbow chard, apples and grapes, some Harrison's mashed pellets and Herbs for Birds so they get a taste of what they're supposed to be eating in the wild. I added a bunch of other chopped veggies, pumpkin and organic sunflower seeds, almonds and home grown organic sprouts of about 10 different legumes and grains. Yum. I even ate some.

They have cantaloupes for $1.00 apiece. That's mine and Del's time, yessirree, Bob. We love our melons, me and Del. We can usually split one for breakfast.

I got the kitties fed. The kittens are are 8 and a half months old and chubby! They are the picture of health as any animal would be without toxic horrible vaccinations. They've never had so much as one kibble or processed food of any kind. They went straight from their mother's milk to raw meat.

I'm still wrestling with Martha's eye condition. She came to me with that from the Petsmart. She and poor Tex with the hotspots are about to drive me crazy. Now, I'm only feeding those two emu, but that doesn't seem to be solving anything. Tex's hotspots are just downright nasty. Once, a few years ago, I broke down and took him to the conventional vet. They crap they gave me to bathe him in ate the skin off my arms!

Today, though, is a day for rejoicing and resting. There will be bad days ahead. That's just life. But, today was one of those good perfect days. Everything was in its place and I was at peace with the universe. Yo.

Squirt and Benny

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Squirt is home! Yes!

Squirt is home

The last four days, I've papered the entire Riverside area with posters looking for Squirt. Squirt is Doug's beagle who got out thanks to Raspberry. Back pedaling a little, I did the walking, but Patti and Marti did the AC work.

Thanks to Benny and Squirt, Patti was leading me around with help from Marti in trying to find Squirt. I went to so many waterholes..literally..not the bars, looking for Squirt.

I must admit, I was scared. And so was Doug. He quit eating and I could tell how upset he was. There is nothing more sad than not being able to put your finger on your companion animal, not knowing. It's the worst.

Saturday, Doug called and I went over to try and help find Squirt. I had the brainstorm to bring Buddy, Doug's big red boy. I had it in my head that Buddy was a seer and would know right where to lead us. He mainly just sniffed. What a letdown. I later found out that Squirt at that very moment was in a community not 50 yards from where we were searching. Thank you very much, Buddy.

All day Sunday, put up posters and nothing. Then Monday, I made little fliers and posted them on every apartment door in the community adjacent to the neighborhood where Squirt had been sighted a few times.

Today, we thought two other dogs got out, Dharma and Vito, but I'm changing their names to Dharma and Greg. I always call Rebel 'Greg', but now, Vito is officially 'Greg'. After putting my search for Squirt on hold, I centered my thoughts on Vito, now 'Greg' and Dharma. They were sighted next to Doug's in the woods and also a homeless encampment.

I was really really tired, but kept calling Patti and Marti who continued to direct my feet. Finally, around 5, Doug called, ecstatic. Squirt, or at least a Beagle, had been found. A girl had him across the street. The amazing thing is Patti had been in communication with Squirt (and Harley, the other Beagle) who told Patti that Doug might have to give Squirt to the person who had him. I knew that wasn't going to happen and told Patti to let Squirt know he needed to come on home.

Long story short, it was indeed Squirt. Doug brought him home, but sadly, we had to drive past Dharma and Greg's mom. She was very distraught.

Buddy Johnson, Pet Detective

Least I could do once Squirt was situated and I'd petted and loved on Benny was hit the trail again. I called both Patti and Marti to get pointed in the right direction. Once Squirt was safely in the enclave, Buddy came over to me as if to say, "I pulled this all together. You can thank me."

And yes, during all this, I found a stray pit bull! As luck would have it. I was able to locate her owners who will now be feeding raw and crating her. As I'm pounding the pavement, I get another call from Doug. Dharma and Greg are at home!

When their mom had given up and driven all the way home, there they were sitting in the house. A huge lesson for all of us...we'd all hit the panic button when Raspberry got out again today. Dharma and Greg hadn't even left the house today. In the frenzy of thinking they were missing, all concerned parties actually forgot the dogs never even came to Doug's today.

Looking back on the past few days and today, especially, I am tickled at the expressions on their faces. They must think we humans need a lot of help. And, they're right.

Business as usual

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Looking for Squirt

Nothing is sadder than a lost pet. I've been trying to help find Squirt for a few days. I'm trying to keep my head open and uncluttered, but with me, that's not easy. Benny and Patti are helping to direct me.

Tomorrow is the day Squirt is supposed to be found. Lord, please! He is so precious and cute. A typical Beagle. He reminds me of Jack who I used to walk and who was killed at Lover's Lane Vet Hospital in Dallas, the same place that killed my chow, Fu Manchu when I took him to have his teeth cleaned.

Jack was a Beagle I used to walk in San Francsico, but his owners moved back to Dallas. I should have warned them to stay away from Lover's Lane!

This is exactly the kind of thinking that Benny is trying to help me curb. When I'm full of negativity, I can't help. It's so hard to let go of the negative thinking, but one has to keep one's eyes on the prize. In this case, the prize is Squirt and a little AC with Ben.

I got to see Benny today. His eyes are very mucousy and that is so great! I love to see all that toxicity getting out of his system. When Rebel was detoxing all those rabies shots I used to give him, his nose would completely close up and I literally had to clean his nose twice a day. That was real good news!

Squirt

I'm really tired tonight, but wanted to write a little bit. I wanted to pay tribute to my animal friends. Buddy, my grey 20 year old cat came to visit with me while I took a nice hot bath. He just sat on the edge of the tub. He never does that, so tonight was really special. I don't think Buddy is going anywhere soon. He is named after my grandfather who I started calling Buddy when I was a very little girl. It changed his name for the rest of my grandfather's life.

I walked around the house a bit with Rebel. He is getting kinda senile, but in a cute way. He's my dear friend and came to me as a puppy from the east side of Dallas the day after Fu was killed. He's also a chow, now 16 years old.

Goodnight, Benny, Squirt, Rebel and Buddy. I hear Squirt's leg is sore. I'm bringing some Rhus Tox and Arnica. I am looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.

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