Grrrrrr

This past week six people in and around Tucson were arrested for running a dog-fighting ring. One of the men is known nationwide for his stock of fighting dogs. Most are pit bulls. There were at least four homes involved with over 130 dogs. 110 of them kept on ONE property. Look how sad this doggie is:

Mama is not a fan of pit bulls. She's been attacked twice by them; once with me. No harm came to her or to me, but it sure did make her scared of them. Me too. But mama also says it's not the dogs' fault. It's the owners who breed and raise them to be mean. She realizes there are many, many pit bulls that are sweet and fun and playful and safe. But she still is scared of them.

She also says that her thoughts on pit bulls are irrelevant. No dog, she says, deserves to be treated the way these dogs were. No dog deserves to grow up having to fight to be fed, to win to stay alive. She is sad for these dogs, and hopes that at least some can be rehabilitated.

What makes her even more angry? The people arrested are out of jail. And they are still listed as the dogs' owners. Mama realizes the importance of innocent until proven guilty, but several of these animals needed emergency veterinarian care. Most had wounds and bite marks. It's obvious the dogs were not cared for and it's obvious the owners knew they were there since they were in the home at the time of the raid. Therefore it's obvious that they are at least guilty of neglect and it's obvious the owners belong in jail.

At least to mama. Now mama prays that enough donations come to the Pima County Animal Care Center and the Humane Society to help care for these dogs.

The above picture is courtesy of http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=7892983&nav=menu86_2 .

The Great Reveal

Mama is hoping to start her own business soon. She enjoys doing genealogy research. She has three blogs devoted to it! The biggest one is The Oracle of OMcHodoy. Isn't that an odd name? OMcHodoy? That's a combination of the last names of all four of her grandparents! Anyway, go check out her blogs:

The Oracle of OMcHodoy -- chronicles her research over the past three years, along with some stories.

Orations of OMcHodoy -- this is her newest blog, focusing on stories and experiences from her own genealogical perspectives, as opposed to her ancestors.

Only In Genealogy -- this is a blog that may go away soon. It's meant for her fellow genealogy bloggers (aka genea-bloggers) and her to share the funny side of genealogy. But it never really took off. But it is kinda funny.

Oh, so back to the business thing. Mama doesn't really want to do other people's genealogy; she says with the Internet, many people are choosing to do their own as opposed to hiring someone else. What she wants to do is create a business to teach people how to start their genealogies.

She has a name for this business: Regenerations. She thought that was clever since she'll be teaching people to "RE" visit previous "GENERATIONS". She still hasn't registered the name, though. But she does have a logo, thanks to .... guess who? (Answer below).

This logo was created by none other than CUBBY ART! Click on that title to see Cubby's work! Thanks Cubby. You made mama very happy!

Awards!

My friends Abby and Rosie gave me some awards! Can you believe it? There were many to choose from, but I only picked two cuz mama said I have to be nice and save some for others. Blasted mama. Anyway, here are the ones I chose.I chose the Interesting Blog award not only for what I hope is my interesting blog, but for all the interesting blogs I have linked to the right! check them out!
And I chose this award because I want every shelter dog to have HOPE in finding a furever home like I did.

I'm passing both of these awards to:

DONNA (who's HOPING to bring home her human baby this year. I hope she does, too!)
Sherman, Lola, and Penny
Mack
Joe Stains and
Bella

A Picture of Health

Mama took me to *that* place again. No, not the dog park. She swore off torturing me with that again. The V-E-T place. The vet thought I was so cute when she opened the door and I was laying down looking at her with my tongue sticking out. But then she stuck two things up my butt. Then put some liquid in my nose! She said that will prevent me from getting something called Kennel Cough. Then she tried to stick something in my neck. Then in my leg. She kept saying she was sorry. She was just trying to get my blood.

BLOOD? WHY does she want my BLOOD? Is she a vampire or something???? Whatever her reasons, she got my blood. She gave mama some advice on how to get me to to a park kind of far away without getting sick (20 miles, but when you get carsick, that's FAR). First mama will try putting a couple of blankets on the seat to raise me up enough to see out the window (it's cheaper than buying a booster seat). If that doesn't help, she can try to give me some dramamine. Mama doesn't want me tired and sleepy, but she doesn't want me to get sick, either.

Anyway, back to the healthy part. Mama asked the vet if my fur is turning gray so early because of the Prednisone I've been on (I have Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and Pred is one of the meds I take periodicallly, in addition to the hypoallergenic food and Metronidazole meds that I'm always on). The vet says if it's the meds, it's more likely the Metro, and not the Pred. But she says it's not to worry about. Besides, mama took me off the Pred last week for a while since I haven't been throwing up.

Later mama said the vet called back with the blood work results. I have to have blood work every 6 months to be sure the meds aren't affecting my liver function. I have NO parasites, whatever that means (mama says it's good). Better yet, she said the vet said my bloodwork looked FANTASTIC. That's the exact word she used. FANTASTIC. So I guess that means I'm healthy!

Tell me, do I look healthy to you?After the vet, mama took me home then went to a doctor herself. She accidentally kicked the leg of the coffee table last night when getting off the couch and she thought she broke her toe. She didn't though. (Would you believve she was so stupid as to have kicked the same leg of the same coffee table again this afternoon???? With the same foot but the toe next to the one she hit yesterday??? SHEESH). Anyway, then she came home and instead of her putting more ice on her toe and elevating it (it was swollen...when the doc asked her what toe, she said "the one that's big that's not supposed to be big. DUH), she took me for a walk.

By then it was nap time. The vet, the doc, a walk. What a day. But the good thing was, it was a byootiful day in Tucson: low to mid 70 degrees with sun all the way around!

Pawsome Post #6

This edition of Pawsome Posts will spotlight a little dog who seems to be a LOT like me. He gets blamed for things like this:

Destroys stuffies in what seems to be a matter of seconds:
And he has a big long tongue, just like me:
In case you don't recognize this fella, I'm talking about Ike of Ike's Life. When you get a chance, link on over there and see and read all about his antics. I love antics, don't you?

The Dog WHAAAATT??

This is my tail on a normal, happy day:This is my tail when I'm either scared or forced to do something I don't want to do (usually because I'm scared of something).Mama took me to the park today. The one by the YMCA that has two adjacent enclosed off-leash areas. She knows how much I hate those dog runs. She usually isn't a big fan of them either. As soon as I am in sight of one, I either turn and pull away, or sit and pull away. Well, today, mama was MEAN. She PICKED ME UP (I hate being picked up) and CARRIED ME INTO THE SMALL-DOG RUN. Then she put me down. She said it's time I learn not to be so afraid. Before she could even get the leash off me, a Basenji had come up to sniff. I got scared and kinda snapped. Mama scolded me, and I backed away. Then mama unhooked the leash and guess what I did? I trotted along the fence to the other side from where the other dogs were! I was hoping to escape out the other end, but alas there was no gate. I was stuck.

She made me stay in there with her for a little bit. She tried to engage me in a game of toss the ball, but I didn't want to. A few dogs came up to me, but I was focused on the big dogs in the run next door. A little girl did come up to me, and I did let her pet me. And there was a baby cousin Cocker Spaniel in there, too. I had nothing to do with him until we left. Then I walked with him and his parents a little bit. And the basenji and his mom, too. I did okay with him once outside the run area.

I don't care what anyone says. I don't like these dog runs. I'm still scared of them. Guess which tail picture looks the way my tail did at the dog park today?