la SPA

Note to self: hunt for wooden goose to put in upstairs window.  P.S. find wooden door beads, curvy curtainettes, and exotic leafery to dress up front door. What else is needed to charmify? Leave your answer in the comments box and play The Door Dress Up Game with us. What other animal might you replace the bird with? Would a bench or a chair add that bucolic air? Click here to comment.

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(Coucou, this petit mot and frenzied arm-waving is for Valencia Siff and her students. Hope you're having fun in Paris! Come see us when you get to Provence! How many seats should we reserve beneath the mulberry tree? --Kristin (a.k.a. "Cool Raoul", and for good reason ;-)

la SPA (es-pay-ah)

: Société Protectrice des Animaux

Audio File: Listen to Jean-Marc read the following sentence: Download MP3 or Wav file

La SPA, ou la Société Protectrice des Animaux... c'est dans un refuge similaire où on a trouvé Braise, qui nous a gâté deux ans après avec Smokey! The SPA, or Society for the Protection of Animals... it is in a similar shelter that we found Braise, who spoiled us two years later with Smokey!

A Day in a French Life... by Kristin Espinasse

 Today, a trip down memory lane...

Smokey learns to walk... thanks to a little nudge from Maman.

No, dear Smokey—only snakes can advance in this belly-to-the-floor fashion!

Encouraging kisses are allowed. One more bisou from Mama Braise and you're off!

Smokey, you're a natural! Allez! Keep truckin!

***

Smokey would now like to turn your attention to one of his favorite causes: La SPA! No, Smokey says--it's not where dogs go for a seaweed wrap or a mud mask! La SPA, as you have learned in today's post, is an animal protection/adoption organization in France. Even if you aren't looking to adopt an animal, you can take needed supplies--or even a donation--to your local shelter. Quelle bonne idée!

Smokey's Question du Jour:  What kinds of supplies do animal shelters need or accept? Colliers? Friandises? Couvertures? Help build this list by adding a suggested item, here in the comments box.

 And many thanks to the friends at SPA de CARCASSONNE for keeping us aware of the needs of some of our homeless friends.

French Vocabulary

coucou = hi there!

le petit mot = little message

la maman = mom

le bisou = kiss

quelle bonne idée! = what a good idea!

le collier = collar

la friandise = a goody (snack)

une couverture = a cover 

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Following Wednesday's photo of those love-locks in Paris, you will enjoy Kaaren and Ricard's article "Locking for Love in all the Wrong Places" -- wonderful photos, too!

 

Pictured here with Uncle Jacques, "Kiwi" is a SPA girl too! Cousin Audrey (her French wine blog, here) rescued her.  Have you ever adopted an animal from a shelter? Share your story here, in the comments box.

***
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 Please forward this edition to an animal lover!

Comments

[meredith]

Duffy is from the Marseille SPA. After finally convincing my husband to get a dog, we first went to a private refuge but did not have a coup de coeur with any of the dogs there. The refuge owners then pointed us in the direction of the nearby SPA where we went and "fait un tour" but didn't fall in love. As we walked around a second time, I heard frantic barking coming from a half closed garage that had a sign "ne pas entrer". I went in anyway and there in a cage was a poop covered puppy with a bigger dog that must have had digestive problems. I hurried back to the front desk and asked about the poopy puppy. They told me she was in her last day of waiting since being found on the side of the road...they have to try and find the owners before putting the dogs up for adoption. I asked if I could see the puppy and they said yes. When they let her out of the cage, she ran and jumped into my arms. It was love at first sight, poop and all. The SPA of Marseille told me that we could have her if no one claimed her by the next day. Et voilà, Duffy's story.

[Sheryl in Denver]

After my daughter moved out and I was feeling like my nest was a bit bare, I had to convince my husband that a pooch would be an excellent addition to our home. I searched online and went to the local pounds every weekend for 3 or 4 months until, one day, I turned the corner and there he was, my future best friend, a Jack Russell/Corgy/Cocker mix. He was in a cage between two huge barking dogs. He looked at me with these sad and scared eyes, as if to say "Get me outta here, pleeeease!" We had a brief first meeting and it was love at first sight. We had to wait for his waiting period to expire and then be there for a lottery on his day of release to see if we would be lucky enough to take him home. And then we had to wait another week for him to have his surgery to be fixed. But the moment he walked into our house, I could just feel he took a huge sigh of relief, settled in like he owned the place and he has been at the center of our hearts ever since. That was coming up on ten years ago. I wouldn't trade my pound puppy mutt for anything. And I will do it all over again someday when he heads to heaven to wait for me, just like he does at the door every day. I love my Ricki!

[martina]

I adopted Gordy from Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue. He is a standard poodle/rescued from a mill. Though he now is going through some major health issues (possible liver CA---everyone PLEASE send prayers that this is not the diagnosis), adopting him was the most rewarding thing I've ever done. It was love at first sight. I fondly remember sitting next to this pitiful stinky pup in the backseat of Mom's station wagon; giving him a gentle hug and telling him he would never ever be abused again, but be loved beyond his wildest hopes and always protected. That has definitely come true. Though he was a filthy dirty, sickly and fearful one year old then, he is now nine years old, more confident and adores his people and is a wonderful companion. Actually, in a way, without us realizing it, he has rescued a lot of us with his love and devotion. Which is why his current illness is worrying all of the humans who love him. Adopting a dog from a rescue organization is a very fulfilling thing for you and your future pup. Sheryl expressed what we have gone through very eloquently.

[martina]

p.s. here is a story I wrote for a blog about Gordy. http://capnchucky.typepad.com/heartofdogness/2008/09/martinas-true-dog-story-2-gordy.html

[Maggie]

My miniature poodle Coco was from a shelter. It all started in 2009 when our old miniature poodle Carmen died at the age of 15. Mom was heartbroken and she just couldn't be without a little dog so we went to petfinder.com to search. We found three dogs that we were interested in but all their adoptions fell through for various reasons. Then we found Coco in a shelter in Maryland. His story was sad. He was a six year old miniature poodle. His owners had to give him up because they couldn't care for him any longer. That was the story the shelter gave us. We went to the shelter right away to fill out the paperwork. It took a few days for the paperwork to be processed but eventually, we got the call that we were hoping for. Coco was able to come home with us and he's been with us ever since. :) He'll be 9 on June 26. Adopting him was the best thing we could ever have done. Coco is such a blessing. :)

[mimi tatlor]

After my last dog died I was very depressed. My husband said we'll adopt another. We went to a few shelters, my heart wasn't into it but on the third, there was this shelter worker walking around with this charcoal colored small dog.
He kept turning his head looking at me.
I said that's the dog for me.But, it was already in line to be adopted by two others
We went home, I was disappointed, a few days later, I received a phone call asking if I were still interested in adopting that dog. I asked why the turn about. They said he was returned because he was too needy.
To me that sounded like a marriage. He was two when I adopted him, now he is eight.
After my husband died, he was the only thing that kept me sane. Love my dog, PASTIS

[Martine NYC]

I am writing next to my Brooklyn babies--two cats, brother and sister, who were found as kittens somewhere in Brooklyn, and brought to a vet who adopts kitten orphans and unwanted cats and has them on display in the lobby on the upper west side of Manhattan. They had a charismatic sister, too, but I took the two timid wallflowers and the diva was adopted days later. I first fell in love with them in the spring of 2007, when they were 9 months old. Marcello is black with butterscotch eyes. Althea is a tortoiseshell with golden green eyes. They are a huge blessing, and it thrills me to know that when they see a hand coming towards them,they know it is to comfort and pet them. They have no fear. I don't think they were ever abused, but they are sure they will be cared for now, and are playful and happy. Shelter mutts and cats are the best pets ever.

[Martine NYC]

I am writing next to my Brooklyn babies--two cats, brother and sister, who were found as kittens somewhere in Brooklyn, and brought to a vet who adopts kitten orphans and unwanted cats and has them on display in the lobby on the upper west side of Manhattan. They had a charismatic sister, too, but I took the two timid wallflowers and the diva was adopted days later. I first fell in love with them in the spring of 2007, when they were 9 months old. Marcello is black with butterscotch eyes. Althea is a tortoiseshell with golden green eyes. They are a huge blessing, and it thrills me to know that when they see a hand coming towards them,they know it is to comfort and pet them. They have no fear. I don't think they were ever abused, but they are sure they will be cared for now, and are playful and happy. Shelter mutts and cats are the best pets ever.

[Tom from Detroit]

Many told my son and me that a dog would be the perfect addition to our male-only home. Wife and mom had passed away 5 years earlier and many suggested my son needed some unconditional love and someone to cuddle with physically and emotionally. (I think they knew that dad needed it too!) We visited several shelters and found nothing suitable. Since my sister and brother-in-law had adopted their pet through Michigan Animal Rescue League they suggested we try there. We spent one afternoon walking and playing with all the dogs that fit the description we had imagined: no shedding, housebroken, not a little dog...a dog big enough for my son to "wrestle" with. Still, no sparks flew. We had given up and were ready to leave when my son spied a black matted ball of fur in a bottom cage in a corner. We asked about Tobias and were told he was a Pomeranian/Schipperke mix (Skip-a-pom). We were allowed to hold him and both of us knew immediately he was the one. He fulfilled two of the three criteria: he didn't shed and he was housebroken, but since he only weighs 14 pounds he was not in my son's heavyweight wrestling classification. But he cuddles like a champ and we're both okay with that. As an added bonus we found out he did all kinds of tricks and learned new ones with relative ease. What a super pup. Truly God's gift to two needy guys.

[Judythe Sieck]

I believe the "lone" goose is most poetic and a tad haunting. . . more would diminish how strangely moving it is to see. . . like he's waiting for his mate. — Judythe

[Ruth Fuchs Hallett]

Saturdey's Story
I met her on Dec 11 at the Blessing of the Animals at Christchurch. She came with other shelter dogs and had on an “adopt me” jacket. The man at the other end of the leash had her vital statistics on a card. Her name was Saturdey (not a typo – spelled with an E not an A), she was 15 years and 4 months old, surrendered by a family for unknown reasons, was low maintenance, low energy, quiet (she never barked in the month that they had her), lab mix, about 30 lbs, and had just had several teeth extracted. What the card didn’t say was that she was also deaf and had cataracts, but I figured that out all by myself. I fell in love and went to visit her the next day. So I met Saturdey on Sunday, visited her on Monday, spoke to the people on Tuesday, and brought her home on Wednesday. I wanted to give her a good last couple of years of her life. I had been hankering for a dog. The people at the adoption center said I was amazing for doing this. All check-ups and medical care would be on them. It was more of a foster situation, but long-term, or, as long as I wanted. They gave me food, wee wee pads (she didn’t need them; she was trained to go outside); even a little gate to enclose her in a small area (she didn’t need that either). I brought her blanket from the ASPCA even though I have dozens because I wanted her to have a familiar scent. She was not interested in toys. She slept a lot. But she loved to walk and she had quite a spring in her step for “an old lady” and she was excited to put on her coat – the nice red one with grey flannel lining that the lady in adoption had given us. I also bought her a yellow rain slicker at the pet store.

She had trouble eating, so we tweaked the diet, checked her out, and hoped for the best. Then she really couldn’t keep anything down. I brought her back to the vet at the ASPCA and they wanted to keep her overnight. That turned into 9 days because it was between Christmas and New Year’s and the blood work had to go to the university hospital to be analyzed. I said she had a blockage in her esophagus, and after the bloods came back and they did an endoscopy, my theory was borne out. Poor baby. No heroics for a dog that old. It’s either too early or too late when you have to make a decision to put an animal down. Better, I’m told, too early so that she doesn’t suffer.

After a fitful night, I woke up to the bitter cold but sunny day. I had packed up Saturdey's things in my shopping cart, and walked with the heavy load and a heavier heart over to the ASPCA.

Saturdey was at the vet's office on the 4th floor in the adoption center. She was so excited to see me that she did something she had never done before in my presernce, nor in the presence of anyone at the ASPCA - she barked!! It was a throaty bark and I was so happy to hear it. Her tail was wagging a mile a minute and she did not look like a sick dog at all, save for the fact that she has lost 8 lbs, and the only thing keeping her alive were IV fluids since she couldn't keep anything down. She was literally starving to death. The vet said I could take her out, so I put on her coat, and her leash, and off we went for a walk along York Avenue in the sunshine.

There was a hot pink bandage on her right foreleg, the purpose of which was to hold the catheter for the IV fluids. People on the street thought it was a cast of some sort - that she broke her leg - and said she's moving pretty well with the injury. They should only know. She was prancing right along. It was, in fact, the "easiest" walk we ever had. I never once had to coax her to continue or turn or do anything. Granted, it was totally her agenda - her last hurrah in the fresh air whether she knew it or not -and she was moving right along beside me at a wonderful pace. Once she sat down (also something she had not done before) and just looked around. I let her look.

It occurred to me that I could take a video of her bouncing along, ears flopping, especially when the shadows were so clear. I did stop to give her lots of hugs and kisses and even though she's deaf, I was talking to her the whole time.

When we came back, she did something else she had never done before - she licked my nose several times. She was really happy to see me which made my visit all the more difficult. The vet said we could have as much time as we wanted, so I sat on the floor, played with her, held her, and hugged her. And cried. Finally it was time. It was very humane. The vet administered a cocktail of valium and propophol to sedate her, and Saturdey promptly became woozy and flopped onto one side, so we gently placed her on her blanket. Then I lay down next to her and held her head while she received the final injection and then the vet listened to her heart and said that she passed away. I was inconsolable and sobbing. It was one of the most difficult moments of my life even though I knew it was the best thing for her. I stayed with her for some time and then a woman from administration came to console me, to tell me what a mitzvah I had done (I feel that it was Saturdey who had done the mitzvah) and gave me the name of a grief counselor.

Saturdey took a piece of my heart and she left me a piece of hers. She's in doggie heaven but her spirit lives on in this house and at the ASPCA. I was amazed that everyone there knew who I was - "Oh, you must be Ruth. Saturdey is such a great dog." It's a great place and we had a great experience with them given the circumstances.
I was very grateful for the good wishes, the love and support and the prayers of my friends. They "got it" - they knew that an animal is part of the family.

I don't think I can go through this again. I'm not looking for another dog at this time. It was just one of those things where we were at the same place at the same time and we found each other and gave each other a lot of love. A dog like Saturdey doesn't come along very often.
It's taken me a little while to heal but i'm ok and I know Saturdey didn't suffer. She was the sweetest, most gentle animal.

[Susan]

Four huge white paws. A long black body lithe like a panther. And a deep white chest. My black Lab/Great Dane mix was rescued by a veterinary tech in Oregon. We met when his hip bones & ribs were sticking out of his too skinny body. At coffee shop! His rescuer was trying to socialize him. I lived next to à forested park & river.  Two days later I took him home. I know exactly the moment he gave me his trust: I was  reading in a  rocking chair, he very slowly climbed into my lap wrapping all 50lbs of leggy dog into me & chest to chest he laid his head on my shoulder and sighed deeply. Then slept. In a surprising turn of events I met & married a French man who took both of us to live in Paris! Quelle adventure! Parc de Saint  Cloud is a favorite. Surprisingly, he loves to regard the street below from the heights of our balcony. Snorting at people who walk too slowly through His Territory. From Portland Oregon to Paris is quite a change -- and he rose to the challenge -- and flourished. He is 75 lbs & can leap up light as a butterfly & plant a bise on your cheek and before you react he'll be wiggling at your feet. We didn't teach him this move! He observed & innovated. The only body contact in this is his muzzle whisker against your cheek. He saves the gesture for me of my husband. (Thankfully! Any one else would faint seront 75lbs of muscled dog flying at your neck.) He does this when dinner guests rise to leave !

[Susan]

Ooops. The autofil feature turned 'seeing' into 'seront' ...

[Janet in Berkeley, CA]

Wow -- what amazing, touching, and moving comments from your readers. Thank you for these heartfelt stories.

[Natalia]

Bless you,dear Kristin, for this beautiful story,pictures, and the message you have sent.
My dear brother,George,was a vet,and before his too early passing he worked tirelessly to help any and all who needed homes--and love.
THANK YOU!!!
XO Natalia

[French Girl in Seattle]

Bravo pour ce billet, Kristin. Great job. It is an excellent idea to mention the great work that la SPA does throughout the year. All my pets, both in France and in the USA, have been adopted through similar organizations. I would not have it any different way. The post was fun to read too, and I loved the pictures of Baby Smokey :-) Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

[Judi Boeye Miller, Lake Balboa, CA]

What darling photos! Who doesn't love a puppy! and, Smokey has grown up to be a fine young man!

My daughter adopted a cat from Pet Adoptions where the volunteers take 'lost' animals into their homes and care for them, until they are ready for adoption. Lucy was so sweet and just laid over my daughter Nicole's shoulder when I came into the pet store to give my blessing to the adoption. Well, that night the woman who had been caring for Lucy came over to Nicole's apartment with Lucy in a nice cat carrier, with several pages of written instructions. The woman had to see Lucy's new home before she would allow Nicole to adopt her. Lucy walked out of the cage and right into Nicole's arms. The deal was sealed for all concerned. This beautiful little black and white long-haired cat really knew how to work the room! As soon as the woman left her in Nicole's capable hands, Lucy got down and that was the last time she has been held! She is her own 'woman.' She knew what she had to do to get into a good home, and from there on out, it all goes along just how Lucy likes it. She is the love of our life. Now that Nicole had to move to another state, we, the grandparents are raising Lucy! My husband was not too happy at first, but you couldn't make him part with Lucy for a minute. She has wormed her way into his heart - she had mine from the first moment - and they are great pals, sitting on the couch together. Of course, Lucy has her place NEXT to my husband, just not in his lap (or anyone's!!). We are a couple of silly 'grandparents' who do silly things like say 'Lucy, I'm home' every time we return to the house - and she is so happy!

[Mary Keates]

For the past year and a half,I have just wanted to get in bed and pull the covers over my head.My best friend,my husband Richard had died suddenly.I move from the NYC area to the South....Nashville where my daughter and her family lives.My husband spent many years doing eye surgery or talking about it in France.We planned on completing the dream and moving there.One of my son's lives and works in France,so we thought we had it made.Our own translator.
Well that won't happen the same way,so maybe I need to add a SPA
love to my life.If only I am lucky enough to find a Braise...!

[Barbara Penn - Palmdale, California]

After our beloved Tibetan Terrier passed on, we adopted a rescue dog who had lived a miserable life in a puppy mill. She was a very shy little gold and white female whose hair was only a couple of inches long all over. She is a Shih Tzu and her hair is now a glorious 10 inches long and she has a quiet and rather spoiled life with us two "casanieres" and a female dachsund. She has become a lot less shy now that she has a loving home and a playmate not to mention two humans devoted to making the rest of her life a very happy one.

[Barbara Penn - Palmdale, California]

Suggestions for the Door Dress-Up Game:

Instead of a goose, why not a wooden cat (black is good for a silhouette) to sit in the window? I used to drive by a certain house every morning on my way to work and think "How sweet! That black kitty is always looking out their window."' After a very long time I finally realized that it was a decorative cat rather than a real one. A colorful bench (maybe of the same color as the shutters or in a sage green) might add a cozy touch.

[Maureen]

The goose looks to me like a certain lamp that was all the rage here in the 80's - made of some synthetic material, it looked really cool lit up. In the kids' room. I might even have ours in the cellar still. A wreath on the door? In the season's colours.... 2 nice pottery tubs with figtrees or olives to each side of the door? A jazzy welcome mat. There are some funky ones out there.....

[Martine NYC]

I should add is that I spent months looking at another pair of cats, waiting to fall in love with them. It never happened. When I met mine, I knew they were for me. As many of the other stories reveal, your heart knows what it's doing and when is the time to open wide and let in a creature(or two!).

[William and Lee Mears]

Another big Thank You for the wonderful photos of Braise and Smokey. I'm going to start saving all my favorite photos of your wonderful dogs in case you don't write that book about them. Hint, Hint! I know, I'm a pest. Sorry.
With regard to our own pets, from the time we got married we have had pets. First was Kim, a cat who lived to 17, then our beloved miniature poodle, Ginger, also lived to 17, then another wonderful cat, Sheba, also long-lived. Each one we had to make the difficult decision of having the vet put them down. We now have Misty, a cat we adopted from the Humane Society here in Bradenton, FL. She was 6 years old and had been at the shelter for several months, having been turned in by previous owners who said a child was allergic. She was very skittish when we first brought her home, very afraid and hiding. We have now had her 6 years and she is the most affectionate loving creature, sleeping with me at night with her head on my pillow and her paw on my neck. When I happen to wake at night and feel that paw and hear her soft breathing I feel such peace and contentment, and fall back to sleep as all is right with my world.
I truly feel sorry for people who don't have the love of animals in their hearts. They miss such joy.
Lee Mears

[Suzi Hodgson, Lima Mt]

Loved the story!My husband and I have adopted many dogs over the years..not from the shelters. Our home became the place that all our friends told their friends to send their unwanted dogs. They came by car, horsetrailer, camper shell and one was flown in by United Airlines from Californa. Our Idaho home always had a spot for a stray dog(cats were welomed too)!
My neice Dr. Schick, lives in Shiprock N.M. She has rescued several dogs( about to have puppies) cleaned them up and helped them get well. And then found wonderful homes for them.She does this inbetween her duties to her human patients and teaching the reservation children how to garden, do crafts etc. She is who I want to be when I grow up. Her soul is truly beautiful.

[AmyK in DC]

Rescue/shelter dogs are the absolute best! Both of my beloved pups were rescues - Annie from a hot parking lot in Phoenix (the rest of the litter had sadly died), and Valentino from a Phoenix shelter that took in pregnant dogs and adopted out the puppies. Annie was a tiny black lab/Chow mix who became my shadow – she was small but had the biggest smile. Valentino was a German Shepherd/St. Bernard/Mastiff mix - a 100 lb lap dog who loved everyone and everything – especially riding in my convertible with the top down so he could look over the windshield to “greet” people in crosswalks. Even though I lost them way too soon – Annie at 9 years to bone cancer, and Valentino at 6 years to Valley Fever, they saved my life in the most literal sense. They were my children, my friends, and my protectors. After I got married, they even learned to play nice with my husband's rescued cats. Now that I'm on my own again, I hope to visit a local shelter soon and ask for the most unadoptable dog they have. My rescues were the loves of my life and I can’t wait to meet the next one(s).

[Mike]

A flower box outside the window with colorful annuals would be smashing.

[Ophelia]

Kristin -- This has nothing to do with your post. We were in AR this week driving Route 66 to CA and stayed in Winslow at an utterly unique renovated 1930s hotel called La Posada. I did not want to leave... It's not too far from Phoenix, so I thought I would recommend it to you for your next visit. It's a bit of a splurge but not too much of one!

Love the photos today.

[Gwyn Ganjeau]

Kristin--I think the only thing needed to 'charmify' your front door is your shining face on the other side of the window! :)

Have a great weekend, all!

[edith schmidt]

Kristin:

Love the goose, etc. A nice white washed wooden bench with a terracotta planter and some geraniums might add something to the ambiance. An exotic rooster with a plumey tail might sub for the goose.
Speaking of pets, we have a declining 17 year old Siamese cat who we recently had to take to an all night emergency pet clinic. While we were there folks came in with a big dog in distress who turned out to have a stick lodged longwise in his throat. These folks left happily after its' removal not so for the family whose dog was bitten by a copperhead snake! It's good to know that there are places and people like the SPA folks who care!
Edie from Savannah
P.S. Just read a great book on Jane Austen by writer Carol Shields. I know there's a cult status to Jane Austen and her novels and you may not like them. What I liked about the book was what the author had to say about the life of a woman writer who is not living in a big city but writing about her own time and place.

[Colby the Golden Retriever]

Hello, My name is Colby, I'm a golden retriever like you Smokey. When I was 5 months old I must have done something very bad because I found myself wandering the streets of Winnipeg, scared and alone. A nice man in a van picked me up and took me to Animal Services, the pound. There were many kind people there that looked after me but it wasn't the same as having a home. I always wanted to have a little boy to play with and one day a family came and took me home with them. Things didn't work out as the little boy was afraid of me because I was quite big, back I went. I was sad! The same day a lady happened by, she was older and had no children at home, not my ideal but I was willing to try. The first few days I didn't think I'd stay with her, too many rules but then I thought she needs me to look after her I can't leave her all alone. Now I have a warm home to sleep in, food to eat and a big backyard where I chase squirrels and rabbits. About a year and eight months ago my wish came true! I got a little boy to play with. Mama calls him her grandson, I call hime my little buddy! Just goes to show you that with a little luck and some hard work life can be great! Now if I could only learn to speak French!

[nancy v]

Love the goose but I would add a penguin. A little surprise creature. A bench for the owner and his/her pet and some pale green shutters - celadon might work.

I adopted Manfred, a white Lhasa Apso, from the Canyon City, Colorado women's prison pet program. I cannot tell you the joy that dog brought into my life. He was found on the streets in Pueblo, very dirty and sick. No one wanted to adopt him and he was to be euthanized when the lady who managed the prison program found him. About that time I called her number listed in the newspaper asking if she had any small dogs. One look at those sad dark eyes and that black button nose and I was hooked. Now that he had a sponsor - me - he was taken into the program and trained for six weeks by an inmate. When I saw him next he was healthy, white with short hair and looking at me rather skeptically. He was a wonderful companion, always gentle and well mannered. So soft and fluffy and he loved to put his face in the wind and ride down the highway with his rear end on the back seat and his front paws on the center console. He learned to sway with the turns and he never fell. I was sure he would get hurt that way so he didn't get to do it often but he loved it. We tried pet goggles once, to protect his eyes, but when they were on he would not open his eyes. When mother was confined to a hospital bed and we visited he would lay next to her, snuggling up to her side so she could pet him. Her hand would move in fast jerky motions but as the moments passed her hand would slow and calm. He would stay by her side like that for hours. He had that effect on most people. Manfred went to doggie heaven on June 6, 2011. I still miss him but you can already tell that. Thanks for your site and give your golden ones a pat from me.

[Betty]

Just recently we adopted a "rescue" dog and we hit the jackpot with this one. He's wonderful, affectionate, already knew not to potty in the house, and he's adorable. He's part Yorkie or else Pappillon (sp.) with tall ears and tail like a big pompom, a regal manner of walking, and looks like he'd be perfect in the French Court of "olde." He was very, very, thin and now he's filled out and happy as a lark with our other dog, a feisty West Highland Terrier. The two get along beautifully. Your Smokey was an adorable puppy and I loved these photos.

[Sally]

For years cats just showed up at our door and we took them in. Then we moved out of a city, and after a beloved cat died we were catless for the first time in years. We adopted Fenway and Frank. (Yes, Red Sox fans) Fenway had been found at age 3 days and nurtured by hand, Frank was a "parking lot" kitten, handed out for free by someone with a basket of kittens in a parking lot and then brought to the rescue group because he was so flea-bitten he was anemic. They are indoor cats because of the bobcats and coyotes here.
As to what your local vet needs, ours asks for our old sheets and towels to use for ailing animals. A great way to recycle them.

[Millie]

Bonjour Kristin: J'ai mal aux yeux, so I could not read all your readers' long comments.Just want to tell you I love all the photos of maman Braise et le petit Smokey.
Et si je ne me suis pas trompée, "Maman Braise nous a gâtés..." et PAS "nous a gâtée..." ET "one more bisou from Mama Braise" bisou, sans S.

Bon weekend!

[Mim (Richmond, VA)]

I love reading all the rescue stories. Now I'll add mine. One year, while standing in front of a friend's house, on a fireworks filled 4th of July night, a little blonde dog rushed over and sat at my feet. We brought him home and called the rescue places and the next day, we reunited him with his owner. The day after that, a friend of a friend, brought me some photos of a little dog they had groomed at the local dog shelter. They said, rescue this dog soon cause it's time is almost up. Uh oh, we knew what that meant. The next day, I adopted Smitty. He was small, very thin, with a rat like tail. His hair had been so matted that it had been just about shaved off. He was wild to get out of the shelter and pulled on the end of the leash. I brought him home and my husband didn't like him very much. I said that I wasn't sure I wanted him either so I'd look for a home for him. Three days later, a co-worker said she'd take the dog as her's had died a month earlier. When I told my husband, he said "What dog? My dog?" and like that we had our little guy. He put on a bit of weight, his hair grew out, he had a fluffy tail, he was calm and friendly and the best little dog we ever had. The vet thought he was a mix of poodle, terrier and lhasa. He was over a year old when we got him and he lived for 15 + years. We've been without him for 18 months now and still miss him. When we are ready for another dog, we hope to find one as sweet and loving as Smitty.

[Marianne Rankin]

Our cats, past and present, are from shelters, and they are terrific pets. We've thought of getting another, but are kind of waiting to see what life brings: I've seen a stray in the metro parking lot, so maybe, if I can entice it to the car, it might join the family. My son is also considering getting a dog, and would prefer a golden retriever, or at least a "big" dog of some kind, but no decision has been made. If he moves out in a couple of years to his own place, where a pet probably wouldn't be allowed, I would wind up with a larger dog that I think I want; we'll see.

I've given sheets, old towels, and old scatter rugs to shelters to line cages with, as well as older pet toys, and have bought collars, food, etc. to them as well. In addition, I occasionally go to a store behind which is a colony of feral cats, and I always bring them something to eat.

It's hard to say good-bye to pets, as we had to about a year and a half ago. I'm glad we took plenty of pictures.

[joie/carmel-by-the-sea, ca.]

I have been sans un chien for 2 years now and am beginning to think it is time. Prior to that I had different dogs for 35 years...All loving female German Shorthairs.
The first Liza came from my boyfriends female...she was a queen. She was sort of a parting gift, therefore a rescue. Then came Ginger...rescued by a roomate from someone who was just going to turn her loose because they couldn't keep her....well, guess what. Then came Katie...rescued from the SPCA. My sister went to SPCA to get a license for her dog and came back and told me of this Shorthair that had been turned in with two puppies (she had been raped by a Rotweiller). I went to see her and fell in love. The next day I left Ginger with my sister and took her two kids with me to pick up this new dog. They were 12 and 9(my nephew). We go back to stall where she was and the volunteer puts a leash around her neck and my nephew wants to walk her out front to sign the papers. As he takes the leash she gets out of it and starts racing through the place. All the other dogs are barking "you're free, run!". At this point we are all chasing her down the corridor and I look up and some man is looking through the windows in the door to the front desk area and his eyes are so wide. The whole scene must have looked wild. We finally caught her in the kitten room. I thought "what have I done?". The kids were delighted. I named her Katie and she turned out to be a real sweetie.
The last rescue was Abby. My niece, Kyle was in college in Boulder and had visited this pet shop. She found this Shorthair that had been there for a long time and was in one of those window rooms where you can get close and see them, but they can't see you. Anyway, about three weeks after Kyle told me about her, I get a phone call saying that no one wants a shorthaired dog in Colorado in the middle of winter.And that her price had gone way down. They had let Kyle take her for walks. I still had Katie, but the next thing I knew I was picking up this puppy in San Jose,CA at the airport. She found a non-stop flight. She had been sedated a bit and came with a letter. It started out "Are you my new mommy?". And then listed the things she liked to do and those she didn't...like ride in the car (she got car sick!). Her first baby tooth was also taped to it. I named her Abigail.They all lived to 13-15, all different personalities, all loving children and racing on the beach chasing the birds. Liza and Ginger liked swimming in the ocean. Katie not so much and Abby not at all although she would go after a tennis ball in the surf. So those are my 4 rescue dogs as an adult.

[Julie]

While I DEARLY love dogs too, for the last many years my husband and I have been made painfully aware of how many stray cats are "out there". Over the years we've fed and rescued many. Last year, after TWO of our beloved pet cats died within months of each other, we grieved awhile and then went to our local animal shelter in search of another cat. (this was our FIRST time because usually our cats have always come to US instead!). We went in to adopt ONE cat and emerged with THREE littermates that we couldn't bear to separate. Now our home is full and happy again with Marmalade, Charlotte and Tinka (3 orange sisters). What joy! We still have stays that we feed, but so far they've been too timid for us to catch (to bring in or take to the shelter) Even too timid to let us touch them. It saddens us to see how frightened they are of human contact. One day they might just get up the courage to trust us....

[Alice Halliday]

I can't resist writing about Chumley (Cholmondoley to the British aristocracy)! My son, aged 7 needed a diversion as was very ill at the time, chose him from a dog's home. He was a very disturbed doggie when he first arrived having run away from previous homings. He forced himself through the cat flap, did 'press ups' over the 5 bar gate, howled at night, pulled the coats off the rack, did his washing in his 'bedroom' by chewing through beer cans and dropping them in the soap powder from the box he had chewed through, was returned several times by the dog rescue together with overnight B&B expenses, etc. I felt I needed training! But... I carried him around, loved him endlessly, took him jogging with me and eventually, he was the BEST dog ever. He was the biggest and most well known character in the children's school. He cavorted with foxes when put out for his night time pee and guarded our house. We still miss him soooo much since he died. We had gone away for a family reunion and a friend said she would have him but he had cataracts so could not see and pined for me. After three days of not eating or drinking he smelt the water in their swimming pool and tried to reach it only to fall in. My friend pulled him out and even tried to resussitate him but we think he had a heart attack and his head rolled over and he died. I still cannot forgive myself for abandoning him over those few days and so want another dog. A man's(and woman's)best friend! We had him cremated and his ashes were spread over the English South Downs where he used to love to chase rabbits! People still ask after him!
Alice, Oxford UK.

[Sharon]

Late to the party again! Has anyone mentioned string curtains to you? Check them out on line. I have some in off-white or cream and they look great. I wouldn't try a color though unless you are going something funky. Let me know what you think.

[Eileen deCamp]

Hi Kristin,
Nice post! I have never adopted from the shelter but I volunteer there walking the dogs! I have been tempted many times to leave with one!

[Cathy Pankiewicz]

So reassuring to know that love of animals is something that unites people with a heart from every nation. Let's work on getting humane treatment for horses too. Thanks for the post and for your blog! My dream is to visit your "neck of the woods" to practice my "mauvais francais."

[Beverly Mercer]

When my oldest son was young, he wanted a dog. So one day I went to the Marin Humane Society in Novato,Ca to see if any of the dogs available would melt my heart. Of course, many of them did!! However, once I saw the sweet, handsome Samson the XV, a one year old Irish Setter, I knew he was the dog for my son and our family.
He was a character and could get into "trouble" quickly. One day I stepped out to the back porch and sitting on the stairs were 2 bags of unopened candy with his doggie teeth marks on both bags. Obviously a gift from him to us but I always have wondered where he picked them up...as I said, he was a character:)
He's no longer with us but will always and forever be in our hearts.

[Beverly Mercer]

A p.s. to my last comment....I love seeing pics of Smokey Dokey and his mama. The pics in this column are adorable and priceless.
You do a great job Kristin. I always enjoy your perspective.

[Kathleen from Connecticut]

I adopted 2 cats from a shelter. I visited twice and the second time I had them put the 2 cats which I wanted to adopt, together in a cage to see if they got along. Well they didn't hiss or attack each other so i figured that they would become friends. Well needless to say they didn't. Emma the older one wanted all of the attention and didn't like it when Tess received any attention. She would hiss at her and take swipes at her. Tess liked Emma and wanted to be friends and for the 7 or 8 years that I had them they just tolerated each other. They are both gone now and my husband doesn't want any more cats. I had the cats when we met so he had to tolerate them. Maybe someday I will have cats again, but when we travel we have to have someone cat sit and it isn't always easy to find people.

[Linda Cane]

I had always had Golden Retrievers, but when my last one died, my children convinced me that this would be the dog that would go into my "older years" with me and I should go smaller. So a Cavalier King Charles puppy came to cuddle here. Not long after, an English Cocker Spaniel with a sad story had to be rescued. And so he came to stay and love. Now I had 2 dogs that when put together, equaled 1 Golden girl's weight for sure. And then one day, Golden Retriever Rescue of NJ had a boy Golden, small, that had gone from shelters to 2 homes and was now in a foster care situation. I had to become home #4! And so Wally's tale.

He was such a wreck from so many homes and who-knows-what, that he needed doggy Prozac, bladder pills, and lots of quiet consistency and love. I am quite sure his first owner got him through a pet shop. He is a classic puppy mill dog.

We belong to K-9 Obedience Training Club of Essex County, NJ, and this year, Wally was their Dog Of The Year, complete with engraved plaque. I screamed when his name was called. Why was he chosen? On October 25, 2011, I was walking through my dining room, heading for the kitchen, when I had a spontaneous break of my femur--all the way through mid-thigh (caused by a prescription drug that will remain nameless here). I was on the floor in agony trying to inch my way to the kitchen where I knew was the only phone I could reach from the floor. It took 5 1/2 hours, and Wally was next to me, gently leaning, keeping me warm, every minute of those awful, cold hours. At some point I either passed out or fell asleep,leaning back on the wall, and when I woke up, Wally was lying over my body with his head on my chest, his eyes WIDE OPEN!

The other 2 dogs were so terrified, they wouldn't come near me. Without Wally's love and encouragement, I don't know if I could have kept going. His award says: DOG OF THE YEAR AWARD 2011 "WALLY" Who has repaid his rescue with life saving loyalty to his grateful and loving companion, LINDA CANE. Awarded June 2012.

[Lesley]

Such a beautiful photo of your dogs. Love it. I do volunteer feeding at a dog rescue here in Sydney and never cease to be amazed at the reasons come up with for dumping their dogs. It makes my blood curdle.
Merci bien
Lesley

[Lesley]

That was meant to say the reasons people come up with.....

[Dee Dee Dudek]

I have two English Setters (Jolene and Trey) that I have rescued and they are like my children! I also work with rescue when they need help transporting dogs to get to a foster or forever home. The organization is called ACES (Another Chance for English Setters). You will get a laugh out of this -I had a French girl staying with me for a week and her name was "Julie". The way I pronounced "Jolene" when I called her apparently sounded like the way "Julie" is pronounced in French. She kept thinking I was calling her when I called for the dog! Love your blog!

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