ASPCA Rachel Ray $100K Challenge

Anyone who knows me knows I’m an animal lover.  And I know that a lot of my friends are animal lovers as well.  I would like to take this opportunity to try to do a little something for the animal shelter in my hometown and would appreciate your help.   There’s a nationwide challenge going on now through April 16.  You can vote once a day for one of the 104 shelters that are in the running for this challenge.

I think it’s very cool that the shelter here in little old Bloomington, IN is in this challenge.  I didn’t get Spooky from the shelter, but have had cats in years gone by who came to me from a local shelter…I really think they understand that you’ve basically saved their lives when you rescue them from a shelter.  If you feel the same way, could you do me (and a bunch of our little furry friends) the favor of clicking on this link…

http://challenge.aspcapro.org/contestants

and then voting for the Bloomington Animal Care & Control…pretty easy to find…last time I voted (earlier today) our shelter was in first place…isn’t that exciting?  And don’t forget, you can go back and vote every day!!  Spooky thanks you on behalf of her furry cousins…

Spooky enjoying the sunshine

 

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Pets are people too

Oh, I know,  a lot of you will argue that point with me.  And technically, pets aren’t people.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t love them and want to make them happy.  And yes, you can make your pets happy.  When I hear people say that animals don’t experience emotions, I just want to shake them and yell, “Are you kidding me?  Have you ever seen an animal so scared that it’s just shaking?  Or so excited to see you that it’s jumping with joy, hugging you and giving you sloppy kisses?  Or depressed because its person or best animal friend has died?” 

I know I enjoy watching Spooky run around the house all happy and excited because I’ve come home…maybe she can’t smile with her mouth, but she definitely smiles with her actions.  Then there are the times she’ll come up out of a deep sleep, tense and growling…yes, growling.  Invariably, when I get up to see what’s wrong, there’s someone outside.  I don’t know if she senses danger or if she just doesn’t like strangers running around.  Whatever, she’s my little security system.

Then there are the infrequent occasions when I’m upset and crying…she’s right there with me, whimpering sympathetically and cuddling as close to me as she can.  I honestly believe she understands that I’m upset and wants to offer me what comfort she can.

I remember a college professor telling us that animals don’t have personalities.  When some of the students argued with him, asking him if he’d ever had a pet, he said that he had not, but that he’d been around plenty of lab animals…What?  How can you judge the personality of a cherished pet by observing an animal that is held captive and tortured?

Anyhow, I have had plenty of pets over the years.  They’ve all had very distinct personalities and I wouldn’t believe anyone who tried to tell me that I was mistaken about that.

I’m not really sure what’s going on here, but I think Spook was simply trying to torment Goldi…

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