I Am An Animal Rescuer

Words that unite those of us who feel their pain and heal their scars with love and care....

I Am an Animal Rescuer
My job is to assist God's creatures
I was born with the need to fulfill their needs
I take in new family members without plan, thought, or selection
I have bought dog food with my last dime
I have patted a mangy head with a bare hand
I have hugged someone vicious and afraid
I have fallen in love a thousand times
and I have cried into the fur of a lifeless body

I have Animal Friends and friends who have animal friends
I don't often use the word "pet"
I notice those lost at the road side and my heart aches
I will hand raise a field mouse and make friends with a vulture
I know of no creature unworthy of my time

I want to live forever if there aren't animals in Heaven, but I believe there are
Why would God make something so perfect and leave it behind
We may be master of the animals, but the animals have mastered themselves
Something people still haven't learned

War and Abuse makes me hurt for the world, but a rescue that makes the news gives me hope for mankind
We are a quiet but determined army and making a difference ever day

There is nothing more necessary than warming an orphan
Nothing more rewarding than saving a life
No higher recognition than watching them thrive
There is no greater joy than seeing a baby play who only days ago, was too weak to eat

I am an Animal Rescuer
My work is never done, my home is never quiet
My wallet is always empty, but my heart is always full

-Annette King Tucker-

Who Do I Think I Am....

I watched The Breakfast Club this morning (it's a blizzard outside... me and the boys will be curled up on the lounges today) and in the beginning, principle Vernon asks the "misfits" to write an essay about who they think they are. In the end, the "nerd" writes for all of them and states... "We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions."

Those words... that line, i could not have said it better myself! For in today's society it does not matter who we think we are because people will judge us how THEY see fit. It matters not how we choose to live our lives or if we are compassionate or apathetic. If we are moral or amoral. We are judged by our look, status and affluence (or lack there of).

Society grants someone rights if she/he fits a mold or perception. It matters not if integrity plays a vital role in forming that person. It matters not if that person is golden from within... just as long as he/she is appealing from the outside. What can you really learn from a person if you base him/her by their outward appearance? What does it say about a person who will follow a trend or rules just to fit in?


Who is Dino?

Many colors define me as a whole...
Passion and compassion engulf my soul...
This drum of mine has a unique sound...
I dance with wild abandon for freedom I have found...
Deep is my ocean yet my waters are calm and clear...
I walk with head held high for there is nothing I fear...
I am taller than the mightiest redwood, odd as this may sound...
For my head reaches the clouds above yet my feet never leave the ground...

Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Natal, Joyeux Noel....

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired!

Ughhhh!

Wednesday was a rough day for me. I was given the day off from work because it was slow and, well.... I have seniority (this means they ask me first if I want a day off if things are slow). I shouldn't be taking any time off right now because money is a bit tight and I need to replenish my savings account (never know when that wild hair will start tickling my arse and tell me that it's time to move on)! But typical me.... I am always down for a free day plus my good friend had the day off so I figured we would hit the gym for a workout then go to the university and play a quick game of frisbee golf.
The gym it was! I had a great workout and did my mid-week power lifts (max weight on bench press and military press and worked on my legs). After the gym we went and had a bite to eat at a local pub. I had a spinach salad and Victor had his oatmeal with eggs and toast (Victor tries hard to be a vegetarian as he knows I am a vegan and I hate to look at anything on a plate which derives from an animal. YES, I know... don't preach, but I will when I can).

The University was virtually empty due to the holiday season so no one was around to bother us as we play our very competitive game of disc golf (I won the game by 7 throws... if anyone is interested). We were about to start another round when my mobil rings... it was from the veterinary hospital. "Hey Dino, can you come into work as soon as possible? We have a woman here who just brought in her dog. She is having problems giving birth to puppies?" There goes the round of disc golf and another win for me. "I'll be there in about 25 minutes. Make sure Amber turns on the processor and tell Hannah to get the surgery suite ready for a cesarean."

First thing's first..... PLEASE SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR COMPANION ANIMAL! This is the biggest reason for overpopulation and why shelters the world over are overflowing with animals who are no longer wanted. Buying from a breeder will result in the death of a shelter animal. And now a days that dog/cat bought from a breeder has a strong possibility of ending up in a shelter anyway!

Two hours later a little 3 year old Chihuahua is now fully awake with three newborns stuck on her teats. The C-section a success and 3 of 4 pups alive and strong (the first born was what we call a water baby... the body was about twice the size of normal due to water buildup within the body and body wall. This body was preventing the birth... mother could not physically pass the pup due to its large size).

After work I go home to walk my brood. I load them in the car and head to our favourite hiking trail, Devil Mountain.... an old inactive volcano which is teeming with wildlife of all kinds (will add fotos of this spot later). During our walk I get this sharp pain in my stomach! The pain was strong enough that I had to stop walking and hunch over to try and alleviate the pain. The pain subsides within a few seconds so I continue the walk to the river (there is a river which flows directly below the volcano). After about an hour of walking around Devil Mountain we are all ready to go home (I need to take fotos of my boys in the car.... they do love car rides, almost as much as they love their hikes)!

By this time it is almost 5PM and I need to fix my boys' dinner (they get a meat based diet. this diet consists of vegetables and free range chicken. YES, I am fully aware that I am a vegan but I am also fully aware that dogs and cats need a meat based diet to stay healthy and alert. I will never deprive my companion animals of anything they need due to my personal ideals and beliefs). After I finish cooking their dinner and washing dishes, the pain in my stomach has increased in severity and length. I now am fully aware of what is going on to me and prepare myself for the worst. I am one who does not take any medication and I also avoid seeking medical attention or visiting a doctor.
A few hours later the nausea takes control and my head starts to slowly ache, you know that ache which feels like how that african drum sounds.... slow and medium beats which picks up speed and power with each passing minute. Well.... by 11PM my stomach is wanting to upload the salad I so delightfully devoured a few hours ago. BAM! The first wave hits me like a heavyweight boxer's power punch! After about 20 minutes of heaving leafy greens my stomach feels like its just finished a set of 1000 crunches coupled with 1000 leg lifts! It is very sore, perhaps more sore than my throat which feels like it's been massaged by thick sandpaper!

TWO DAYS! Two days of vomiting everything I take in orally (I am only taking in fluids such as ginger ale and gatorade). I am feeling very weak, dizzy, fully body soreness, fever, lethargy. I hate people even more than normal during days like today! I become a hermit and my poor dogs suffer because they have not been walked!
By Saturday I am feeling more like myself. No more nausea, and the dizziness and aches have gone away. I still do not have an appetite and my stomach feels like there is a softball rolling around inside of it. I am keeping down my drinks and people have become tolerable again! Perhaps Sunday will be a good day after all....

Sunday.... Today.... "Today is the greatest, day I've ever known...." I feel great! My boys notice the change in me and start their ritual dance of running back and forth to the door then to me. If they do this enough times they know I will cave-in! The next thing for them to do is to get me to put on my shoes and then put on a coat.... YES! They made me slip my shoes on and fetch my jacket! It's working! Their running wildly inside is getting their wish granted! They will be walked today... even though it is snowing like mad and the roads are treacherous!
Sunday, the day of rest and the day of healing.... well, one out of two ain't bad! You should see the smiles on my boys faces right now as they lay sleeping on the bed. The look of contentment and of happiness painted on their faces. And why shouldn't they be, after all.... daddy feels like his old self again.... OH! They also went on their hike after a three day layoff!

WELCOME TO MY LITTLE CORNER OF THE EARTH......

Rufus

On April 22nd of this year, Rufus was found alongside a busy road lying on his side with his head picked up watching the cars speed past him. Today was going to be the luckiest day for little Rufus (or as I now call him, Woofies), and it was going to change my life in a most profound and positive way.

Below is the story of Rufus, as I remember it.... that fateful day when two lives will be changed, for the better, forever....


Today at work (I work in a very large mixed animal veterinary hospital where I lead the wildlife rehabilitation facility and where I am also their only small animal dental technician) we received a call from a client who sounded desperate and was frantic. "I just found a dog by the side of the road. he is just laying there with his head picked up. I think he was hit by a car because he is bleeding from his neck and his head is swollen. he is very skinny and won't move."
Well, we all prepared for the worst. This dog who we thought was hit by a car and had allowed a stranger to pick him up has to be in a bad way. Little did we know what we were in for.
This sweet woman rushed into the clinic and handed me a small bundle wrapped in a kids blanket. "here it is" she said. I unwrapped the blanket and was stunned, saddened and angered at what was inside.
I rushed this boy to our emergency treatment area and paged the veterinarian I work with. She ran up to the treatment table and whispered, "Oh my God.... how can he still be alive?" Well, alive this boy was but not too bright nor coherent. He was unable to move with stability and was very lethargic. The reason for his weakness and lethargy was due to his being extremely underweight and emaciated. Not only was he severely starved, he had been attacked many times over. His head and ears were riddled with bite marks. But his worst injury was found on his neck/throat area. He was viciously attacked and this attack was meant to kill. The laceration to his neck is about 5 to 6 inches long and about an inch wide. there are many other bite wounds around the laceration also.
This poor boy we determined to be close to 6 months of age and is unaltered. He is very scared of loud noises and loud barks. He is afraid of large dogs and of hand jestures to his head.
I have taken him home to treat all of his wounds, feed him properly and perhaps socialize him with my boys who seem to have already taken a liking to him!
This is going to be a very long process and this boy is far from recovery but.... he will recover and he will be a very happy boy!

Do What's Right....

Today, right now, this very moment, a dog, cat, rabbit, mouse and any other animal which was brought into a shelter is dying. Dying because we could not or would not care for him/her.
We as caregivers to companion animals made a conscious decision to be the protector and guardian of the very animal we have chosen to share our lives with. That means for the life of that companion.... NOT, until we grow tired of him or can no longer keep her.
Todays economy is dwindling and everyone is feeling the effects. But no one is feeling it more than those companion animals whom are dumped at city shelters because an owner feels burdened or is apathetic.
Shelters are being inundated with animals and are unable to shelter them all. Shelters can no longer afford to keep and shelter these animals. So what happens then.... what do you actually think happens in an animal shelter? Do these poor souls live out the remainder of their lives in a sanitary and compassionate environment? NO! The majority of them will be killed because they are UNWANTED by society!
Before you choose that special dog or cat as a christmas gift... before you see that cute puppy jumping up and down, wagging her tail and barking... before that kitten imprints himself on you by his dreamy little purr and kneading of paws on chest, think about whether or not you can commit your busy life to this boy or girl. Check your calendar and pocketbook and see if you are willing to devote your time and money to her or him.

I speak from experience when i say.... A dog or cat (in my home it is dogs and cats) is at least a 12 to 20 year, full time commitment! Are you willing and able to spend your time and money on a companion animal for this period of time?
Think before you buy and if you decide to get that special dog or cat.... make it an extra special one and adopt! Adopt your companion animal, for right now they are being killed thousands at a time because we no longer want them... and this is very, very sad and very, very pathetic!

Free Me....

I roam this world alone, uncaring, careless, free...

Afraid of nothing nor of anyone whom attacks me...

Traits i've honed early in life, whatever shall be will be...

Hit me, kick me, this pain i've felt many times before...

Can you hold me down, can you feel me fighting even more...

My strength enormous and my heart, like the eagle, does soar...

Search deep within my soul, can you see who i am or what i need...

Am i like you, do you hunger for information, shall i let you feed...

No, i am not like you but i do feel pain and, like you, i do bleed...

Forgive me, i forgot to mention one small detail which you may want to know...

But one fear i've failed to address and it is one i shall never show...

Alone... what an ugly word, my eternal enemy, it will never let me go...

Thanksgiving.... What is it to me?

I don't follow holidays as many others do. I don't succumb to tradition or to the "rules" which apply to a hallowed day.  Holidays, for me, are just another day to work and play. Another day to live and survive.

I find that holidays tend to be very hypocritical. A day in which a reason is had for people to get together with friends and family they may not see on any other day. A day to socialize with those in which you don't remember or don't care to remember the next day.... 

Holidays have also become very glamourized and commercialized. People stray from a holiday's true meaning and use it to skip another day of work and be gluttons and drink in excess. Is this wrong, I am not saying it is wrong or right, all I am saying is that people will use a holiday to better suit themselves and forget exactly why the day is celebrated.

I don't need a holiday to spend quality time with people I care about. Nor do I need a holiday to celebrate life, in all forms. For me, everyday should be a day to give thanks to that which makes you happy and complete. Thanks for good health and the health of your friends and loved ones.

Today is a day which has me in very mixed emotions.... I am truly thankful for waking this morning in good health and strength of body, soul and mind. I am thankful for being able to go into work and walking the dogs which are stuck in kennels for the holiday. Making them happy for a little while and allowing them a bit of freedom from their cages. 

I am very thankful that my own boys have health and vitality and such a verve for life. I am thankful that they never are in need of anything and want nothing.

What I am not thankful for is all of the turkeys (roughly 42 million) which were abused, tortured then slaughtered just to satisfy the palates of the millions of americans who gluttonously ate of these magnificent birds. 

I read in bewilderment how george bush pardoned a turkey. Pardoned a turkey for what! This bird committed no crime! He never threatened a life nor did she ever break a law! Yet, for amusement and celebrity, the president pardoned a turkey for no other reason than to humor a nation which has been led by fear....

Well.... I've ranted and I've raved, this is just my two cents worth. You can collect your change at the door, thank you!

Friday.....

Two days behind on my new blog but i am finally starting to feel alive again.... after feeling like shit or half dead with a major head cold.

Friday i survived the elements and a herd of horses after 10 hours of castrating 16 stud horses. It proved to be a very long day as Friday i probably felt my worst, and then after getting to the ranch we were informed that the only way to the stud horse corral would be via horseback. This meant i.... dino, who suffers from equinophobia, would have to jump on a horse's back and ride 8 miles to our destination. Man.... did that make for some great foto ops that will never be seen, not because i don't want them to surface but because we had no camera on hand (thank your god)!

So after a quick lesson in horsemanship from one of the hired hands, i jump on my trusty steed (a very beautiful gelded paint named Zipper) and walked a few circles, first to the right and then to the left. When that felt comfortable i took Zip for a nice trot and stop. After a few laughs (i even have to admit it must have been a pitiful site.... imagine me, wearing Holister cargo pants, trail running shoes and a Northface snowboarding jacket while everyone else wore their wranglers, cowboy boots, cowboy hats and thick jean jackets) we proceeded to the stud corrals where 16 horses awaited to be castrated.

The castrations went extremely smooth and we buzzed by each one in relatively short order. Two of the "cowboys" stayed behind after we left to make sure each horse was standing and not bleeding. No bleeders were found so our job at the ranch was over!

I would like to say that after all of this i've found a new admiration for horses.... unfortunately i cannot! I am still afraid of horses but it is not as severe as before. Now i know that i can control them better and i've a new found respect for them. A respect which will aid me whenever i am called to work with horses, be it in the hospital or on a ranch.

El Nadador

The ebb of life draws near as its water flows....

Its ocean rushes madly to a place no one knows....

Fight the undertow swim wildly to the shore....

Submerged you panic as the light shines nevermore....

Heavy hands pull you under exploding is your heart....

Too weak to continue, from this earth you shall soon part....

Yet an epiphany engulfs your dying soul and mind....

Life is yours for the taking with many wondrous adventures to find....

Alive and powerful are your strokes to reach the surface above....

You are about living proud and free you are compassion and love....

-dino-

The First....

The First Breath....

The First Walk....

The First Smile....

The First Laugh....

The First Cry....

The First Kiss....

Well folks, my first post.... it may not be as supreme or grandiose as the above mentioned firsts but it is a first none the less.

I've been thinking about blogging for some time now, actually for about four years. I was telling a good friend of mine just today how those who know me say I should carry a journal at all times. This is because my mind is always turning, always working and what emanates from my mind flows out of my mouth and is lost somewhere thereafter. Unfortunately my mind is also a sieve when it comes to retaining my own thoughts and ideas.... but watch out, I have an uncanny ability to retain information which is given/told to me!

My thoughts, my ideas, my voice, my convictions.... this is what you will be reading, or should I say what I will be writing, from time to time. These thoughts will range from animal rights to what I cooked for dinner. My day at work to my day playing frisbee golf or hiking the mountain or taking my dogs for their daily walk or rants and raves about how I hate my life because I find myself somewhere I would have never imagined. Perhaps I will tell you just how wonderful my life is because I enjoy doing what I do for a living and I am surrounded by people who actually care about me and what I have to say and value my opinions. 

I most definitely will be writing poetry.... poetry is something which I do for my own pleasure and rarely write it down for anyone else to read. Hell, I rarely write it down at all and I can kick myself in the arse for not saving any of it. 

Well.... this will be it for now. I am in my third day of having this wicked flu. I thought I was over it two weeks ago but after a great workout on Tuesday afternoon.... BAM! the little bastard entered my body and is making me miserable! Right now all I want to do is curl up next to my boys... Kaitu, Dag and Rufus and sleep away my congested nose and major headache! 

Tomorrow will be a long day for me as I will be out on a ranch helping to castrate 16 horses. And I must add...... I AM VERY AFRAID OF HORSES! Wish me luck!