Wallace is Lost

This ad was in the Chronicle Herals on Thursday - and emails are now circulating because he is still lost - he slipped his collar while going into Carnegy Animal Hospital and ran away out in Clayton Park.

The owners are an elderly couple who are totally devoted to Wallace and miss him very much. There was an ad in the Herald on Thursday. He has been spotted several times since he escaped but disappeared again.

10 year old, light brown Irish Terrier last seen in the Radcliffe & Dunbrack area of Clayton Park (near CarnegyAnimalHospital) on August 18. He slipped his collar off while entering the vet. clinic so has no tags. He does have a tattoo. There is a reward offered. If you find this dog or know where he is please call Irma or Jim Brown at 443-7674.

Poor guy - and poor owners - I hope he finds his way home soon.

I went and checked out the HKC's 250th Show today!

So I went today and spent about 2 hours at the Halifax Kennel Club's 250th dog show today going on out at the Exhibition Park on the Bay Road.
When I got home I realized I had taken a bunch of really stupid photos of all the wrong stuff - once again - I've really got to start getting on the ball about what kinds of pictures I take - I didn't take any pictures of what was going on in the show ring - although there wasn't a lot of that going on while I was there unfortunately.
There was a junior handling group going on - or the end of it, and I was in there in-between obedience matches, which was too bad - but there were tons of vendors there this year - and I of course spent egregious amounts of money - but anything over $40 is too much I think - and I definitely passed that margin - I made the Animal Rescue Coaltions table happy anyway! haha! I took photos of her booth in February 2007 - and she had some pretty good stuff then too!

This is one of Cathy Prothro's - of the Dog Legislation Council of Canada's dogs.

This is a shot of the floor where the owners and handlers prep their dogs for the show ring - it's pretty interesting to walk through there - and if you're thinking about adding a dog to your life - it's really good to go to a show and walk through a spot like that and look at the dogs - and the people there would willingly give tons of information about the breed's that they're pretty much dedicated their entire lives to.

I saw some new vendors I hadn't seen before - and this was one of them - her name was Arlene Collins - and she is a self taught artist from near Parrsboro - her stuff was really neat - she's got a website at http://arlenecollins.com/

Another interesting table I was at - and an example of my bad photo taking - because I didn't take a photo of their table! - was a company called "Fine Dine Your Canine" - and they make the raised dog feeders with the water and food bowls - and they also personalize them for you - put your dogs' names on them - which I thought was really neat - and also the price seems a lot more reasonable than other places I've seen - their website is at http://finedineyourcanine.com/

This is a picture of a great dane at the show today who I also took a photo of at the HKC show in February! I've been going to the shows now for a couple years - so I'm starting to recognize some of the dogs from year to year.

And it was the September, 2006 HKC show that Oreo Chernin made her one and only fabulous showing in the ring - never to be forgotten.

One thing I bought that I've been wanting to buy for a long time is a grooming table mounting thing - so I can now hang Buttercup when I'm grooming her! She'll be so happy about that, I'm sure! haha! This was her when I got home - she wasn't too happy that I spent most of a Saturday without her, that's for sure!

A neat book and a good website

I read a review of a book that I've ordered from Amazon.com - it's called “New York’s Poop Scoop Law: Dogs, the Dirt, and Due Process” - seeing as how I'm so into all things dog poop. It sounds like a very interesting book - it's not been published yet, so I pre-ordered it, or whatever you do so that when it comes out I'll get it. The review has some funny stuff in it - like -

"...Tin-eared functionaries, too: “You got five cats? And a dog?” one city official asked a woman at a hearing. “Christ. What you need is a good man.” Then you had your community activists—Max Schnapp, of POPA (Pet Owners Protective Association), a labor organizer and the owner of two Great Danes (Tiger and Sampson), a pet crow (Mitzvah), three rabbits (Pinkie, Dutchie, unnamed), a white mouse (Piggy), a baby squirrel (Elmer Wiggley), a gerbil, and half a dozen alley cats (Mau Mau, Nebisch, Sister, Freddy the Freeloader, Monty Wooley), vs. Fran Lee, the founder of Children Before Dogs—grinding out their small-bore issues on the grand stage. “It was an amazing time,” Beck, who was the director of the Bureau of Animal Affairs for the city from 1975 to 1980, recalled. “I was actually caught in the crossfire when dog feces were being thrown back and forth.” (Gross but true: Lee, at a public debate, got smacked in the head by a loaded baggie.)"

I'd like to see how John Charles or Peter Bigelow would react to getting sideswiped by a bag of doggy dew!

So it looks like a fascinating read - I got it from Amazon.com - I couldn't find it at Amazon.ca - at "New York's Poop Scoop Law: Dogs, the Dirt, and Due Process"

I also found a neat website yesterday - seeing as how I just bought a new-to-me car recently - there's now a site that you can go to that rates cars for dog owners - that's run by the people who write on the Pet Connection blog, which is a nationally written blog that's pretty well respected - it's called "Dog Cars.com" - and it's got quite a few makes of cars there. My car is too old to be included - but if you're looking for a car you should check it out!

Sukavati for Oreo

Last night a few of us got together and had a "sukavati" for Janet Chernin's dog Oreo - yesterday it was 49 days since Oreo died - and in the Buddhist tradition this is the time when Oreo will be moving on to whatever form she is going to take next - if you believe in reincarnation. She might be going to another dog, or a bird, or even taking on human form based on how she was in her last life. It's also a way for the people who loved the dead being to release their grasping of the life that's been taken away and they can never get back.

There's a little ceremony that's done and then at the end a photo of the deceased is burned - to signify that the loved one is truly gone and disappeared into the "ether". The ceremony was performed by a really good friend of Janet's who also happens to be someone really well known in the local Buddhist community - Colleen Logan. It was a really neat thing to go to - and Oreo was a really lucky dog to have it done for her, that's for sure.

Besides the shrine that had Oreo's photo that was going to be burned - there was an area that had another photo - along with a photo of Janet's other dog who died - Ceilidh, with candles to make everything look nice - and both of their ashes.

Oreo's sister Sassy decided to spend the ceremony laying behind me for some reason - I guess she feels like she's enlightened enough already!
Pickle on the other hand spent the ceremony curled up right next to a painting that Janet had commissioned of a bull terrier that's called "ghost dog" that was right next to the shrine - so she could be right in the middle of everything.


Even one of the most soon to be esteemed CEO's of the Clicker Leash Company showed up!

The dogs were licking raccoon butts last night again

Charlie and Daisy got to interact with 2 raccoons in the backyard again last night - even Jackie was one to to eye with the raccoons they were moving so slowly to leave the yard. I don't understand why they are so unwilling to climb the fence and leave once I've told the dogs to leave them alone. It mystifies me - any other animal would be gone in 1/2 a breath - the raccoons just sit there and stare at me in righteous indignation like - how DARE I interrupt their evening dinner at the finest eatery in Metro?

As an NB to this story - the letter to the Editor that I wrote about the raccoon situation did in fact make it into the paper on the weekend - my successful run continues unabated. Yea!

Another thing on the NS SPCA website

Another thing I saw on the NS SPCA website when I was there today was a press release put out on August 5th -

August 5, 2008
Halifax, NS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nova Scotia SPCA Champions Improved Laws to Protect Animals
and Responsible Pet Ownership
As the investigative body for animal cruelty in the province, the Nova Scotia SPCA is dedicated to conducting detailed and thorough investigations. Our investigators diligently prepare solid, convincing cases for the prosecution. However, once a case is turned over to the Crown Prosecutor, it is up to the courts to interpret and apply the law enshrined in the Animal Cruelty Act. The proposed changes to the Act that were introduced in May as a result of collaboration between the Nova Scotia SPCA and the Department of Agriculture will give the SPCA broader powers and eliminate loopholes.
The Nova Scotia SPCA would like to express our sincere gratitude to the provincial government, and the Department of Agriculture in particular, for recognizing the need for modernized animal cruelty legislation and for their support in drafting the proposed new law. The Nova Scotia SPCA urges their members and the public to contact their MLA to voice their support for the proposed legislation and for tougher penalties for those found guilty of animal cruelty.
Furthermore, the Nova Scotia SPCA strongly encourages people to adopt from their local SPCA, veterinary clinic or retail satellite adoption centre, as the responsible alternative to purchasing pets from pet stores that do not partner with the SPCA or roadside brokers and backyard breeders. SPCAs in Nova Scotia are overflowing with young and adult animals who deserve loving new homes. Often, adoption fees include vaccinations, a veterinary health check, microchipping, and the pet’s spay or neuter operation, making adoption not only a humane option, but an affordable one as well.
For those interested in a specific breed of dog or cat, there are many breed-specific rescues in Nova Scotia that can help match adopters to lifetime companions. The Nova Scotia SPCA also supports acquiring pets from reputable breeders who take responsibility for their animals for their entire lives, educate and screen potential new owners, and provide follow-up support after purchase or adoption.
For more information, please contact animals@spcans.ca.

This is great - and what is needed - it must have been put out in response to what was going on with the Gail Benoit case in the news - it's a shame though that I don't remember seeing any news organization picking it up locally. The Chronicle Herald should have put it in the newspaper at the time. There are lots of other ways that they could have gotten their views out though - they have an email list that they send out emails to is one way.

Someone left a comment on my prevous post about the available SPCA positions that " it's shameful that your membership was ever revoked and that it has not yet been reinstated"

There were 5 people who had their memberships revoked by the Board of Directors of the NS SPCA - and most of those Directors are still sitting on that Board. I personally believe that just having our memberships reinstated isn't good enough. Our memberships were revoked in an attempt to publicly humiliate us and to attack our reputations in the dog community. And when you read the letters - especially mine and Janet Chernin's they amount to libel - and they were approved and done with the UNANIMOUS CONSENT of the Board of Directors of the NS SPCA - most of whom are still sitting on the Board.

For me - they said I had procured a dog illegally from the NS SPCA - I
adopted Jack from the Animal Rescue Coalitions. They were threatening
to have their Cruelty Inspectors come to my house to seize Jack from
me so that they could put him in a cage.

The 5 people who had their memberships revoked were some of the
hardest working volunteers - and former board members of the NS SPCA -
and they were summarily dismissed by the Board of Directors because
they were trying to expose what was going on behind the closed doors
of the organization - and I don't think the organization is healthy
enough yet to give us our memberships back. I certainly would not
feel comfortable getting my membership back. And at this stage I
wouldn't accept my membership back because it would feel entirely
hollow.

I don't know how everyone else feels - but just having it reinstated
is meaningless.

The Greatest Thing ever invented by a Nova Scotian - the Clicker Leash!!

I am so proud that 3 friends of mine - Adina MacRae, Amy Slaunwhite, and Shannon Spruin have unknowingly to most - been working for the last 3 years - and invented an amazing thing that is going to take the dog training world by storm. It's called a "clicker leash" - and it is such a neat idea that it's amazing no one's ever thought of it before.
It simplifies the act of clicking when you are doing clicker training with your dog because you don't have to try to hold a clicker in your hand AND hold a leash a leash at the same time because the clicker IS the leash - and the little button that makes the clicking noise is in such an ergonomic spot that you can really precisely time the click with the treat and or desired behaviour. The whole device and idea is really genius.

It comes in 2 sizes - for dogs under 25 pounds and dogs over 25 pounds - and it also comes with educational materials as well - and also comes with a trainer locator - because Adina, Shannon and Amy know how important it is that you learn about clicker training from someone who's qualified to teach it.

I ordered mine today - I hope I was able to beat the rush - because they're probably going to be getting a TON of orders - they've got ads that are going into Modern Dog, Animal Wellness, Bark, Clean Run and Dog Sport Magazines!

Their website is at http://www.clickerleash.com/

They've also got a program called "Train Humane" that goes along with the clicker leash - that is going to change the way a lot of people think about dog training - which is also going to be awesome - and it all started here in little Nova Scotia. Isn't that super!

NS SPCA Volunteer Positions available

I think maybe I made a post about this previously - but there are several volunteer positions that the NS SPCA is advertising for on their website - there are also several that have closed recently, and hopefully the successful applicants will be announced shortly.

Those positions are the interim President, Vice President, and Directors at Large. Interviews have already taken place - and I know that people have been offered positions for some of those tasks already - so hopefully announcements will be forthcoming shortly.

Other postings that will be interesting are for the paid position of "Funding development officer" - that position pays $36,000 - $40,000 and responsibilities include developing a provincial fundraising strategy, building relationships with individiauls and community leaders throughout Nova Scotia, and forming fund development initiatives to secure and maintain supporters in both spirit and sponsorship. That deadline for application was August 22nd - so hopefully an announcement will come out about that soon too.

Another interesting posting is for "Metro Shelter Capital Campaign Committee Membmers" - it says:

"The Nova Scotia SPCA is currently researching a new facility that would combine investigations and a provincial animal shelter in the Metro Halifax area. A search has begun to form a committee to document this ressearch and create a ten year plan to replace the current facility."

What is a "provincial animal shelter"? Would animals come in from all over the province? And it would replace the Dartmouth Metro shelter? So the provincial branch would really then actually have it's own shelter and the Dartmouth shelter would close down? Is that what this is saying?

And then lastly - there are a bunch of Education Committee's that have people needed to fill their spots - there are heads of committee's needed -

There is a Chair for the "Outreach Committee"
There is a need for a "Funding Support Officer"
They need "Committee members"
They need "Outreach volunteers"

Positions on the Education Committee's that they've already filled -
They've filled the Chair for Content Creation
They've filled the Media Officer position
and they've found someone to be the Metro Shelter Education Officer

If you want position descriptions for any of these you can go to the NS SPCA's website and get click on the relevant section from their main page

You may wonder, am I going to apply for any of these positions - or did I apply for any of the higher up positions? And the answer to that is - No, I did not - and No, I will not be applying for any of the lower positions either.

I am not now, or will not be volunteering to work with the NS SPCA.

On April 17, 2008 I received a letter from the Board of Directors of the NS SPCA rejecting my membership from the organization - and I have yet to receive any kind of notice that my memberhship has been restored, or that they made a mistake in revoking it - or that the things that they said in the letter were not correct. So I have only to believe that the things that were said in the letter are still believed by the Board of Directors currently sitting at each meeting every month currently. Which to me doesn't say too much about the future of the organization.

But it's pretty hard to volunteer for an organization that doesn't want you as a member, so I'll advertise that it wants help, but I can't very well help it myself, now - can I? I don't why I keep going to it's functions and giving it money - I just can't help myself for some reason.

Hopefully the new blood will help a bit - but we'll see what happens next April. Probably nothing.

Chazzie has been found! - Sunday August 24, 08

from Christine Greening at 2:29am this morning (Sunday morning) -

Hello everyone! Dealy and I are very pleased to say Chazzie has been found and is in excellent condition!

He was found on top of the Cambrigde Battery tangled in the bush a little anxious but overall very good!

Thanks to all for your help, kindness, love, prayers, friendship, and positive thoughts!

Christine

Yea!

Chazzie is still missing! Saturday Aug 23, 08

These are some photos of Chazzie.
As of Saturday August 23rd, 2008 - he is still missing - he was lost at Point Pleasant Park Friday morning August 22nd - he got lost on the Shore Road around 7am
He had a flexi leash attached to him as well as ID tags.

Animal Control has been called and people are looking for him at Point Pleasant Park - but he may have moved on from there or someone may have picked him up and don't know who to call.

Anything would be appreciated. We're telling people to call the store... 406-3489, or 406-FITZ

Zeus Update!

My deepest apologies - somehow I got distracted - I got Zeus photos a couple days ago and I forgot to post them! But here they are now...

And here is some narrative to go along with the photos - it's kind of funny - his owner sounds like a pretty funny (and understanding) person!


Well Zeus has shown his personality and if you are a human he loves you, if you are a dog....RUN. Zeus is simply a K9 asshole , I mean that in the kindness sense of the word as he will try to destroy another dog regardless of its size, age, behaviorism(s) and distance. He is determined to convince every other dog on the planet he is the boss.
Other than that he is a pretty good fella, he is very calm around people and small children and LOVES to go for drives in the car that happen at least twice a day.
He still has a couple bad habits but is very eager to hear the words GOOD DOG so he has been making progress. In short he has been a lot more of a handful than originally thought but he genuinely loves being loved and is eager to be 'good boy"

So that's it for this Zeus update - his owner teased us in his email that he has more photos to come - so hopefully they will be forthcoming in the next little while. Zeus looks pretty pooped in these photos - so maybe the other photos were of Zeus romping around trying to chase those aforementioned dogs that need to be killed - just JOKING! haha!

Dogs like Babies too

This story is for those people who think that all dogs want to do is eat babies. A dog in Argentina saved a baby's life by picking it off a field and putting it with her own puppies. Me - I'm not so hot on babies - I don't like to touch them because they're contagious - once you've touched one, you want one.


Argentine dog saves abandoned baby
By Daniel Schweimler
BBC News, Buenos Aires

La China has become a celebrity in her shanty town (Photo courtesy of Clarin)
An eight-year-old dog has touched the hearts of Argentines by saving the life of an abandoned baby, placing the girl safely alongside her own new puppies.

The country's media are calling her "the miracle baby".

She was born prematurely to a 14-year-old girl in a shanty town outside the capital, Buenos Aires.

The mother is said to have panicked and abandoned the baby in a field, surrounded by wooden boxes and rubbish.

Then along came La China, the dog which somehow picked up the baby and carried her 50m to place him alongside her own puppies.

The dog's owner heard the child crying and found her covered with a rag.

The baby, weighing 4kg (8lb 13oz), had some slight injuries, but no bite marks. The owner called the police and the child is now being looked after by the authorities, while a decision is taken about her future.

The frightened mother appeared shortly after her baby was found.

The Argentine media has descended on the shanty town, talking of "the Argentine Romulus and Remus", the founders of Rome, abandoned as babies and rescued by a wolf, nearly 3,000 years ago.

La China, worried about her own puppies, is reported to be petrified by her new-found fame, and her owner says he is worried that she is not eating.

They like to talk about pit bulls in Cape Breton

In the last day or so there was an editorial about a previous letter to the Editor at the Cape Breton Post about a woman who left her toy poodle out loose in her back yard while she went shopping for an hour, and when she came home it had been killed by a relative's pit bull who had gotten loose. She blamed the pit bull entirely and the pit bull as well is now dead. It's a lovely story - there are comments allowed with the letter to the editor and some of the comments are quite delicious. I'm going to post the Editorial, the original letter to the editor - and the comment that I left with the lady's letter to the Editor. I was rather wild.

This was the original letter to the editor:

It’s time for rules concerning pit bulls; their owners
The Cape Breton Post

Pitt bulls should be banned or their owners should be screened, and the dog should be locked up in a proper pen.

On August 18, we decided to go into Sydney to do some shopping. We did something that we never do; we left our toy poodle KD outside because it was beautiful day. We returned home after not even an hour. When we pulled into the driveway, we waited for KD to come greet us at the car. She wasn’t coming. I said, “Where’s KD?” Immediately after my grandmother let the biggest scream come out. We looked and there she was. Just after being brutally attacked and killed by a vicious pitt bull. She was just lying there. It would have been bad enough if it had have been the first time, but no, the same dog attacked her last year and nothing was done about it because the pitt bull was just after having a litter of puppies.

So what does that mean, more vicious dogs running at large?

The owner, who I know very well, since he is a relative, should be charged. My poor dog was just minding her business in her own yard and was attacked. What would have happened if it were a child that the dog got?

She tried to get another dog according to neighbours. At least the dog has been put down and now she will not be able to harm any more dogs or children.

I just wish she had have been put down last year, at least then, I would still have my KD.

Bev MacDonald
Glace Bay

This is my response:

To all the posters who are saying "thank God it wasn't a child that
the pit bull attacked" - if it was in fact a child this pit bull
attacked - then this lady should have been charged with CHILD
ABANDONMENT - because she left her dog unsupervised and unattended in
her back yard while she went shopping!! Imagine if she would have done
that with a 2 year old child? That is basically what a dog is! A 2
year old child! If she WOULD HAVE done that to a child - imagine
someone walking by and seeing an unattended 2 year old child in the
back yard! They would have immediately called the POLICE! But since
it's "Just a dog" - that's okay - so when another UNATTENDED DOG -
comes along - of course bad things are going to happen.

This tragic incident did NOT HAPPEN because the dog was a pit bull and
the llittle dog was abandoned in his own back yard - it was because
the TWO DOG OWNERS WERE COMPLETELY NEGLIGENT. That is where the blame
lies. NOT WITH THE DOGS.

They are the ones that suffered - BOTH THOSE DOGS ARE NOW DEAD.

Doesn't anybody understand that? The blame is with the owners - they
are BOTH negligent - for leaving the little poodle unattended in the
yard - it could be bloody shangri-la back there - but there's no way
he could've been completely safe.

Blame the OWNERS - not the DOGS.

Joan Sinden
Halifax, Nova Scotia

and here is the editorial that was in today's Cape Breton Post:

Pit bull attack sparks debate
The Cape Breton Post

People are passionate about politics, religion, sports, and one other thing, their pets. People love their pets.

They are members of the family who provide companionship, comfort and endless hours of pleasure for people of all ages.

An injured, sick or lost pet can literally traumatize a family. Any family who has suffered the loss of a cat, dog, bird or who has to make the gut-wrenching decision to put their pet down knows first-hand about the anxiety and even depression associated with the decision.

It is always the last course of action and comes only after every other alternative has been exhausted.

So it’s not surprising that a letter to the editor published in Thursday’s Post from Glace Bay resident Bev MacDonald under the heading: “It’s time for rules concerning pit bulls; their owners”, prompted so much debate.

Readers were either in total support of MacDonald whose toy poodle had been mauled to death by a neighbourhood pit bull or found fault with the Glace Bay resident for leaving the dog outside and unattended.

MacDonald is so incensed over the incident that she feels the time has come for regulations that govern not only pit bulls, but maintains something also should apply to the dog owners.

All dogs are potentially dangerous and it’s a proven fact that some breeds are more dangerous than others. Unfortunately for pit bulls and their owners this breed rates at the top of the list, according to the U.S-based Center for Disease Control.

Dog owners share a responsibility particularly for breeds who are bigger and stronger to make sure their pets are trained properly and kept in restrained areas and away from pets, adults and children.

Some breeds like pit bulls are naturally aggressive, so it is incumbent on their owners to make sure they use training and discipline to control their animals.
When family members or neighbours conclude that a dog is dangerous they should contact animal control officers who can assess the situation and if need be remove the animal so it’s no longer a threat.

Negligent and irresponsible dog owners who mistreat their animals and train them to be mean and aggressive must share some of the blame.

It’s also a documented fact with Canada Post and utility companies where letter carriers and meter readers will attest to being attacked and seriously injured by the supposedly friendly smaller dogs.

This debate has plenty of emotion, but it lacks one important element and that’s basic common sense.

Lost Dog!! - Friday August 22, 2008 12pm

Lost at Point Pleasant Park at 7am on Friday August 22nd, 2008

Christine from Bark & Fitz was walking a dog for a friend this morning at Point Pleasant Park.

His name is Chazzie He has Id tags etc. he's a rough Coat Jack Russell, 4 years old and is blind in his right eye. He's also got a 26 foot red Flexi Leash attached to him. We think he may have run into the bushes and has gotten tangled up.

Animal Control has been called and people are looking for him at Point Pleasant Park - but he may have moved on from there or someone may have picked him up and don't know who to call.

Anything would be appreciated. We're telling people to call the store... 406-3489, or 406-FITZ

What are some people thinking

I was out driving and I saw this. What I saw first was the "rescue and adopt" sticker and it says "SPCA" on it - and I thought - isn't that nice - a compatriot. Someone who thinks like me. And the person in the rear view mirror looked pretty normal.
And then something popped up in the back of the truck and I suddenly realized - this person had a DOG loose in the back of that fan-damned truck.

It takes all kinds of people to make up this world - I'm sure he thought there was nothing at all wrong with carrying his basset hound loose in the back of his pick up truck so that it could slide back and forth - which is what he was doing - and the window open - I wonder how many times the dog falls out the back when he has to make a sudden stop. I'm glad he didn't have to do that today so that I had to run over the poor dog.

The guy also had a personalized licence plate - it said "BASSET". Can you imagine - he must really LOVE HIS DOGS.

Perfection in a dog bed

Do you know how sometimes you walk into a room and you find that something is for the most fleeting moment - showing that perfect happiness, or something that alludes that concept - does exist?
It's so amazing that 16 pounds of white fluff can show us that. Or at least me - I wish I could keep it forever.

Me and Buttercup went to Antigonish Today!

So me and Buttercup were lucky enough to be invited up to lunch with the ladies who run the Antigonish branch of the SPCA - and we had a fabulous time - and we got to meet their fabulous dogs - this is Nova - their rescued Greyhound - can you believe this face? Buttercup wanted to bite it off. But luckily fate intervened and Nova got to keep it looking as beautiful as it was when we arrived.
This is their little basenji Dakota - and she is true to form and didn't bark once, but she did lots of squealing. I left them some liver - so hopefully they'll get lots of opportunities to be good in the next little while.
We went out to lunch at "Boyd's Seafood Galley" - "located on a scenic drive on Highway 337 North overlooking Cribbon's Point Wharf" (I know that because I saved the menu). The food was awesome. I had clams and chips and the lobster roll looked especially good too.
I forgot to ask what the significance of this rock sculture was - but I'm sure it has one.
A little shot of a wooden seagull and some buoy action outside the restaurantGuess what? I found more milk thistle at Cribbon's Point Wharf! Yea!
I also had lunch with some very other amiable individuals too!
Here's a couple poses of Buttercup modelling alongside a docked boat next to a big cliff looking very beautiful. She'd just taken a big dump - so I think she was feeling pretty good at this point (and yes, I did pick it up)
Still looking beautiful
Here's a nice shot of the harbour with the boats - isn't the Antigonish area nice?This is the lobster trap that my hosts found for me while we were at the wharf!! I don't know if you've noticed in the masthead of this blog I say this blog is about "Me, my dogs, ... along with pictures of the aforementioned that I've taken - as well as pictures of various and sundry pieces of rope or buoy booty" - so pieces of ocean stuff are important to me - an intact lobster trap is like GOLD to me. This just MAKES my back yard now! hahaha! Sorry Dad!
This is the dogs surveying my new masterpiece of a backyard - they look pretty - well, actually they don't care - but it's something pretty damned good for them to pee on!
!And proving that no day is no complete without a new t-shirt - the ladies of Antigonish even gave us t-shirts from the Antigonish SPCA - modelled here by Betty - it was a perfect day all around

Plea to a puppy mill broker

Believe it or not - the first time I heard Elton John's song "Sorry" was last week. And since I heard it, I've been thinking about it - and today I put it together with photos from Gail Benoit's story. I think they fit together pretty good. I thought I'd write her an online "plea" to have her think about the career that she's chosen for herself. A lot of people for some reason I think don't really consider anything other than themselves and their families "alive" - maybe if she's shaken - and people who treat animals the same way she does, for whatever reason - are shown the effects that they have - maybe they'll see where the rest of the world is coming from.

So here's the results of my little project:

WOW - now here's a pretty flower!

We were just up in the woods walking - now today is a hot summer day. The dogs had fun though, with the rain the last couple of days there's lots of raccoon urine drenched puddles to drink out of - so they were able to keep hydrated. But I noticed a flower I hadn't noticed before - and it was coming out of a flower I've seen forever.
It's like as if the flower is a caterpillar and this flower is the butterfly - the former flower is a white wide bloomed kind of ugly thing that is everywhere - and it's now closing up and turning green and turning into the neatest cactusy thing and the blossom on it is purple and it's gorgeous! I had to take a bunch of photos of it. And of course several of the dogs because it was such a nice day.

But I didn't know we had a cactus type flower native to Nova Scotia. It's very neat!

A couple more birthday photos of Buttercup being cute. It's pretty impossible for her not to be, really.