Angels

Maggie Saves the Day

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:21:38 -0500

Ten dogs were brought into our clinic that day. All with the same owners, all in bad shape: malnourished, severely underweight, mangy and flea-ridden.

The worst of the lot was a black German shepherd named Maggie. She was rail thin. Every bone in her body showed. She was covered with open sores from her mange. I cradled her head in my hands and sighed, having seen cases like this far too often in my 15 years as a veterinarian.

Unexpected Friends

jbloustein — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:27:01 -0600

Just a few more things to do on the computer before bed. I glanced down at my feet, expecting to see Mocha, our chocolate Lab.

But the floor was empty. Mocha was gone.

For 12 years he’d been my constant companion. Although Mocha was “my dog,” Hazel, my wife, loved him just as much. Mocha and I played catch with a Frisbee and explored the woods near our rental house in Rockport, Massachusetts.

Axel's Gang

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:23:06 -0500

Am I a serious animal lover? You bet. I'm 73 and I've been rescuing animals my entire adult life. I've got 11 cats and a dog.

Still, when my good friend Jimbo told me he'd adopted Axel, a young Rottweiler, I hesitated. Jimbo's family had kept small dogs when Jimbo was growing up. He'd never had a big dog. And if you know Rottweilers, you know that they're the quintessential big dog.

"Wait till you see him," Jimbo said. "You'll fall in love."

Our Hero, Hurricane

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:23:04 -0500

You couldn't sit by watching the television images from New Orleans and elsewhere in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and not be affected. Thousands of people left homeless, families torn asunder, desperate people forced to leave their pets behind.

As a professional dog trainer I was a member of an internet mailing list for trainers who specialized in problem dogs. June Towler sent out a plea for help. She was part of a group called Stealth Volunteers.

Man's Best Friend

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:23:04 -0500

My wife and I adopted a Chihuahua with a bright white spot on her back, whom we named Nuala (pronounced noo-luh, short for Fionnula, an Irish name meaning "white shoulder").

In addition to the white spot, Nuala has another unusual marking—or pair of them, to be exact: two symmetrical black streaks just above her shoulder blades.

A Horse Named Sandy

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:23:02 -0500

My world revolved around my husband and daughter. I could not picture my life any other way.

But John became ill and was diagnosed with a serious vascular condition. Doctors said it was only a matter of time. Elizabeth was four, too young to understand how sick her daddy was. For me one thought blocked out almost everything else: How would I go on alone?

I tried to keep my spirits up, but John's illness changed his personality. It became increasingly difficult to be around him. I longed for a quiet escape.

Stray to the Rescue

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:22:58 -0500

Even in Texas, New Year's Day can be cold. Sharon and I were happy to be settled inside, behind the glass door, watching our sailboat bob peacefully in the canal out back. A dog barked somewhere close by.

"That's not Abe," I said. Our elderly yellow Labrador was not a barker. We listened as the barking got louder. A stray dog ran up to the glass. He jumped in wild circles, barking and barking.

The Hungry Dragonfly

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:22:59 -0500

Working outdoors in all of God's creation is the best part of being a landscaper. Most of the time. A few years ago I was finishing up a job at a house in the Adirondacks. Once I put in the perennial garden I could collect my pay.

I stuck my spade in the dirt. Out of nowhere a dark cloud enveloped me. Black flies—hundreds of them. I shut my eyes and waved my arms. The flies just kept coming. They flew into my ears. My nose. They crawled in my hair. Lord, help me!

They Call Him Kangaroo Kid

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:22:59 -0500

Spina bifida didn't usually stop my 5-year-old grandson Jaden from keeping up with his brothers and sisters. But after surgery to loosen the muscles in his knees and ankles, both his legs were in casts. He had to ride in a wheelchair during our trip to the zoo.

I wheeled Jaden down a wood-chip path. A low rope ran along its edge, dividing us from the kangaroos lazing in the grass. "Can we pet them?" Jaden asked the zoo attendant who was passing by.

"Yes, they're very friendly," she said. "But you must stay on the path."

Ready to Fly

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:22:58 -0500

Summer heat radiated off the sidewalk outside our house. The air was dry and still. Two baby barn swallows panted for breath in the mud nest on our porch.

Four babies had already flown, and the parents came daily to check on the remaining two. One afternoon the babies jumped, but they were too weak to fly. Help me save them, I prayed.