A quick & dirty rescue story

I know, I know—I'm behind on rescue stories: the blind Chihuahua, the puppies... But this one happened just recently, and it has a gorgeous happy ending, too, so... Well, happy endings are too few and far between to postpone sharing, right?

Right.

So back in January I got a job. Yeah, a real one (albeit part-time), involving actual paychecks. And it didn't really work out the way I expected—I'll get into that some other time—so I quit. But, being the responsible human being I am, I didn't just quit; I gave a three-week notice. And over the course of those last three weeks, on my way to and from work, I kept seeing a rather large black dog, all matted fur and pointy ribs, on this one street. A rather busy street. I didn't see the dog every day, but whenever I did, traffic simply didn't allow me to stop. By the time I'd turned around and gone back, s/he was gone. Now, this dog looked skinny and in need of help, but s/he also looked street-smart. S/he wasn't panicky, dashing in front of oncoming cars or acting freaked out. (If she had, sorry, everyone, but I would've put the car in Park right there in the middle of the street and stopped traffic bodily if need be. I actually did that for a kitten, probably around a month old, that dashed out into the street right in front of the car ahead of me. I screeched to a stop, got out, ran out to stop the cars in the next lane, and herded the kitten—who was, miraculously, fine—back to his panicked owner on the sidewalk.)

Your Feel-Good for the Day. Or the Week.

How cool is this?

High school cross-country team take shelter dogs out for a run. Read the story here, and watch the video the team's coach (and mastermind behind the whole idea) posted on Facebook.

Kudos, St. Joseph High School. Here's to more kids (and adults, and schools, and offices, and... well, people) following your example.

The Story of Little Leo (and How He Adopted Us) — Guest Post by Susan Brody @unpubYA

It all started when cancer took our beloved Murphy from us in February. He wasn't quite 11 years old.

Murphy & me

We'd had three months of warning that this was coming. In November, he had collapsed. I was the only one home. I scooped him up and drove like a lunatic to the vet. The vet did a sonogram and showed me the unmistakable outline of the large tumor on his spleen. He could probably save him this time, the vet told me, but it would only be a matter of weeks or months until the tumor ruptured and no one would be able to save him. Every day from here on in would be a gift.

The vet did save him that time, and then performed the same miracle once again in December. But in January Murphy began steadily losing weight and becoming weaker, despite his six daily medications. When he collapsed again on February 6th, we knew it was the end. Despite all the time we'd had to prepare, once he was gone no one in my family could imagine what we would do without him.

But we still had another dog at home that we had to take care of: 8-year-old Finney, our younger Goldendoodle, who from the age of 8 weeks had never known life without Murphy. And, unlike us, he didn't understand what had happened.

Finney (left) and Murphy

Work a miracle before the year ends

As an animal rescuer and volunteer with animal welfare organizations, I'm no stranger to the cruelty humans inflict. Like one of the Animals Asia staff says in the video, it's stuff you never get used to—you just learn to put your emotions on hold in order to get the job done.

But this one... This one made me cry. For the puppy's pain, first, and then for his amazing recovery. And, especially, for his capacity for joy.

Miracles do happen. But only if you make them happen. Please donate / foster / volunteer at your local shelter or rescue organization before the end of the year. Remember these homeless and abandoned, and often mistreated, little ones when you're doing your holiday shopping... A little goes a long way for them. And no one will be more grateful.

The Wonderful Story of Djoeke Giliam

Just before leaving for Holland--literally; it was a Sunday and we were leaving on Tuesday--I interviewed Djoeke Giliam, a woman I met a couple of years ago through the dog rescue foundation we were both involved with at the time. Ever since I began working for the Amigoe Express, I'd wanted to write a piece on her. Many reasons, but the bottom line is that she's the greatest human being I've ever met.

No exaggeration.

She has the largest, kindest heart. She's a fundamentally and intrinsically good person. She cares, deeply and selflessly, about the world. She wants to make it a better place--not in any dramatic, Let's-Change-The-World-Order way; she understands that small things are the biggest change-mongers.

And she lives with thirty-six dogs.

Buy a book, save a dog

Or, you know, a cat. Or any other animal that someone, way less cool than you, figured would be a good idea to abandon.

See, my good friend Lynne Hinkey, who also happens to be a writer of extraordinary wit and sensitivity--she's a marine biologist, she owns two of the luckiest dogs on this or any other planet, she cried with Old Yeller (okay, everyone does that, but you get the point)--has a new novel out. And she's donating all the proceeds of e-book sales during June--yep, 100%--to the Charleston Animal Society.

This is your chance to do good.

Ye Gods! A Tale of Dogs and Demons (e-book available at Amazon and Smashwords)

Author Jack Halliman sails to Puerto Rico seeking a cure for writer's block, but instead finds a dead body. When a second corpse turns up, Jack becomes one of two suspects. The other is the chupacabra. Jack has to find out who--or what--is responsible for the killings before he lands in prison. Again.

According to the town's reputed witch, belief brings myths to life. As the death toll mounts, the mayor puts pressure on the police to capture the chupacabra, but Detective Eddie Corredor thinks there's more than a monster behind the killings and he's determined to discover the truth.

As the conniving mayor, a dogged detective, and a voodoo-practicing 14-year old drag Jack deeper into the investigation, he discovers that separating reality from myth is no easy feat. The lines between men and monsters, monsters and gods, and in this case, between gods and a dog, are thin and blurry.

Is the chupacabra real or myth? Dog only knows.


It isn't a mystery, although it reads like the best page-turner and will keep you guessing. It's not a corny man-loses-dog tear-jerker, but I can't guarantee you won't need a Kleenex at some point. It's definitely not a pro-animal-rights sermon, although there's an underlying theme that, one hopes, might make some rethink their breed-specific prejudices. It is funny, and it is exquisitely written. I might be somewhat biased, but I suspect Lynne might find several die-hard fans after this novel.

And that's all besides the fact that--I'll say it again--Lynne is donating 100% of e-book sales proceeds (no, not just profits) to an animal rescue organization.

Go buy it. Gift it to your friends. Share this. Change lives.

How The Valentine Grinch Celebrates Feb 14

I'm a Valentine grinch. It's pre-fab and commercial, and it turns peer pressure up sky-high. If you're with someone, V-Day turns a relationship into a checklist that grows longer--and more unsatisfying--with every other couple you see. Is my partner good-looking enough? Are we, as a couple, romantic enough? Did I get flowers? A card? Handwritten? Did I get jewelry? Was it the real stuff?

If you're single, the twenty-four hours of February 14th are proof time is relative. No day lasts longer.

There's someone, though, who would--quite literally--die for a little of that love consumerism's trying to convince us to show via Visa or Mastercard. This someone doesn't need a box of chocolates (that would actually be a bad idea), wouldn't know what to do with a dozen red roses (but the box might be interesting), and couldn't care less about diamond-studded accessories. What s/he wants, more than anything, is your time. A half hour of your day will make her/his life, which is doomed to be short, not just bearable but purposeful.

Visit your local shelter. Spend a little time cuddling an abandoned dog or cat today. They might never know what a friendly human hand is without you.

Photo credit: Claudia Sanches
(ace photographer, loves animals)

Take your partner, take your friends, go alone. Celebrate this Valentine's with the only beings on the planet that understand unconditional love. Make this V-Day what it's meant to be about: giving, receiving, and spreading love.