Please Make Life Better for Scarlet

This is Scarlet. She is roughly a one and a half year old Labrador Retriever just like me. She leads a happy contented life in the care of one of my favorite persons in the world- The Secretary and The Animal Doctor!

Unlike Poopie and myself though, Scarlet has a little secret. Those who had been to their bloggie know this already but for those of you who don’t allow me to tell you what little I know about this wonderful, beautiful puppy who owns one of the biggest heart I know!

Scarlet first came to the life of my Mommi Lilli- the Secretary about a year ago. By that time, she was not yet officially part of their family but a patient.

Scarlet’s case was a case of neglect. She started out with an injury after her leg got stuck in her cage’s matting. She was not immediately brought to the vet after then. Her ex-mom only brought her for a check-up at The Animal Doctor’s clinic after her legs already started to atrophy. It was a complicated case and it entailed a lot of expenses for her ex-parents. Realizing the gravity of Scarlet’s condition, her parents decided to just bring her home and let nature take its course.

It was at that time that an angel tapped The Secretary and told her to not give up on Scarlet. What started as a temporary agreement between The Secretary and Scarlet became a permanent set-up as the weeks go by. Scarlet’s ex-parents communicated less, paid even less and soon enough gathered enough sense and left her in the care of her new loving family.

At that time, only her hind legs were affected and she was still able to make full use of her fore arms. Despite this little piece of good news, Scarlet was already unable to do things that most of us enjoy doing- do zoomies, gallop like silly horses, wrestle with our peers, etc.

In the past year, Scarlet dealt with so many problems. She had been unable to move her bowel for so many months, her spinal cord had become deformed in the middle and there is a sort of mass just underneath the arc.

The Secretary, who was a lawyer by profession, took the role of an architect cum engineer and designed for her a wheelie. Unfortunately her forelimbs started to atrophy as well, making it more difficult for her to maneuver the equipment.

Scarlet was left with no choice but to move using her belly.

Despite all these, Scarlet never gave up. She lives her life as normally as she can.

She takes baths like most labs and loves every minute of it



She chews on her toys, treats and siblings…

She plays with her siblings in the only way she knew how

She even managed to go and meet with less fortunate stray dogs and share with them a warm, hearty meal for Christmas.

I would say that Scarlet lives her life with passion. She lives it as if she’s no different from any other dog in her family. She is a special dog who came to live with The Secretary because of her special needs. And as I think about it more, I realized that that’s what she really is. In one word, Scarlet is indeed “Special”.

A few weeks back, The Secretary shared with us an exciting news. A wonderful lady from an organization called Labrador Life Line (LLL) had volunteered to bring Scarlet’s plea and ask LLL to give it a kinder look. With the organization’s help, they would be able to get a full quad cart for Scarlet and finally allow her to live a more normal life.

The full quad cart would however cost between US$800 – US$1,300, exclusive of shipping charges since the cart would be built in the U.S. and shipped to the Philippines. As of November 17, 2009, LLL had approved US$500 for Scarlet’s quad. That leaves her with US$800 more to raise in order to afford a complete set of working legs.

Considering the state of the ‘conomy these days, The Secretary and The Animal Doctor have proposed to cover all kind donations with free medical services to less fortunate dogs in the Philippines:
* 50$ neuter of male cat

* 100$- spay of female cat, neuter of male dog
* 200$ spay of female dog.

At the end of our fund raising campaign, we will conduct a one day feeding of dogs and cats in Brgy. Sto Tomas, Pasig City which was badly hit by the recent flood. We are sure that the animals would enjoy a fresh home cooked meal of rice and assorted meat.

We know the importance and value of every single penny and centavo nowadays. We too, are experiencing the adverse effects of the dwindling ‘conomy.

We posted this to take a chance and shamelessly appeal to those who have a few more pennies to spare. Please take time to visit Scarlet here.

To quote our beautiful friend,

Dear God in Dog Heaven,

Please, pretty please make her dreams of a wheelchair come true.

thank you all in advance,



Aki and Poopie

Typhoon Ketsana hits Manila

Today, typhoon Ketsana had already left the country, but not without leaving our countrymen an experience, and perhaps, a painful lesson, we will never forget.

As sourced from www.abs-cbnnews.com, tropical storm Ondoy (typhoon Ketsana) hit a great part of Luzon, leaving 27 provinces and the National Capital Region in the state of calamity.

As of today, death tolls have now reached 73, with more than 300,000 people affected by the onslaught of strong winds, huge rainfalls and flash floods within the metro.

According to PAG-ASA, about 34.1 cm of rain fell on Metro Manila in just six hours, close to the 39.2 cm. average for the entire month of September. The previous record was 33.4 cm. recorded during a 24-hour period in June 1967.

We heard that Pasig, where our Mommy Lilli and the Animal Doctor, together with our buddies, MoyMoy, Scarlet, Jappy and Trudis live, is also affected by the flood. We did try to call Mommy Lilli this morning, but all phone lines were dead. We are just glad, though, that auntie Jenny informed us that Mommy Lilli and co. are doing well. Thank goodness!!

However, in some areas, other people are not so fortunate. Some even had to go to the rooftops of their houses because the water level had already risen so high that they needed to be rescued by pump boats.

We even read that San Miguel Corp. is willing to buy 50 pump boats to help hasten the rescues. If only, I could give them Capt. Jack Sparrow’s boat, it would have helped save more people. Alas, I could only hope and pray for better days... or maybe exchange my kibbles for some pesos for donation.

We are sad to note that a lot of people and animals are still out there, waiting for rescuers to get to them. In some video clips that we saw, we had seen numerous dogs being rescued together with their hoomans. Some, however, were not so fortunate- it breaks our hearts.

Today is a day of major concern. We are one with those who had lost family members and those who had lost their properties and sources of living. We can all continue to hope that the sun continues to shine in the coming days (esp. that manang is supposed to go to Manila tomorrow night).

To the rescuers, volunteers, businessmen and media personalities who had given their time, money and service to help our fellowmen and keep all of us continually informed, our hats go off to all of you! The selflessness of rescuers and continued outpouring of assistance and donations are so overwhelming it inspires us. It gives us hope, that indeed, we can work as one nation.

In my young Labrador life, no day makes me more proud to be a Filipino.

Godspeed everyone and may this new day, though difficult, be a new start for all of us.

Be safe everyone and keep dry!

Drooly kisses,

Aki

Power of the Paw Needed

It has been a rough two weeks.

The hoomans are still somehow in denial over the loss of George, who went missing on August 30, while they were in Hongkong. Somehow, we still hope that one day George will turn up. Every time a bird chirps, they would always look up, hoping that it would be our fat, avocado-colored brother. But it never had been. And we don’t know if it will ever be.

Poopie and I wanted to make this post the moment the hoomans came back last September 4. But we never could. Doing so would make things final. We still hoped that he would turn up. Although the reality is, George didn’t stand much of a chance since his wings were clipped. He was a hopping parrot, not a flying one. And with Gring Gring and a gazillion other cats in the neighborhood, I shudder to think at the 2 hours that my other hoomans failed to realize that he was already missing.

Every night I would dream bad dreams. Really really bad dreams about George. Maybe that is why when manang first learned that George was gone, she asked Poopie to comfort her. Who wouldn’t need comforting? Knowing that your brother, even if for two months, had gone missing and you don’t even know if he is alive, well or already at the Rainbow Bridge.

Last Sunday manang saw a black butterfly continually swooping down on a certain spot near my day time kennel and she was almost already convinced that it was George, it was still difficult to accept that he was gone. But each time a bird chirps and we can hear the fluttering of wings, a spark of hope flickers within us.

I never knew until then that there were so many birds around us. Beautiful birds. Lively birds. Living birds.

But that was not the end of it. We had delayed this post intentionally because we didn’t really know how to start, or where to start. Learning what happened and how it happened was not easy. But we choose not to think about it. But now we had to, because apart from George, another brother needs your help. And it breaks our heart into tinier pieces everyday.

My brother Batista is sick.

Batista was with Poopie when manang bought her Pet Taxi as they prepared to travel from Bacolod to here. He was this little tan mini pinscher boy with a big bark but an even bigger heart.

Last Thursday manang’s brother brought him to the vet for a check-up because Bat-Bat was not behaving like his normal self. His blood test results were very low. :(( He failed in all categories except for his WBC.

The vet said he had blood parasites or ehrlichia. Poopie and I searched it over the internet and it didn’t sound too good. Mommy Lilli said that if both RBC and platelets were low, he might already be in stage 3 if he does not respond to his medicines.

By some divine intervention manang will be going to Manila today for work. She would then be able to buy his medicines there since they were out of stock where Batista is.

Please everypup, please please pray for our dear brother Batista. He needs your help. Poopie still needs him. She will be going home again on December and she wants to see him and Kim Tzi there.

My sister loves him so much, and even if I had not spend any time with him, I also love him. He makes my sister happy and knowing that alone makes me happy as well.

Please Dear Lord, make my brother Batista well again.

In all fours and paws,

Aki and Poopie

URGENT!!: Please Help Us Save the Greyhounds!!!

Dear friends,

Today, allow us to shamelessy solicit for your help/ support.

A few weeks ago, our emails have been flooded with news about various congressmen and a senator pushing for the enactment of two house bills: House Bill 5291 http://www.senate.gov.ph/lis/bill_res.aspx?congress=14&q=HBN-5291 and 5648 which aims to legalize the creation and operation of a greyhound racing facility in Mandaue City and Rizal/Pampanga/Laguna, respectively. What alarms us most is the fact that such an inhumane proposition is getting much support from the local government as posted in these articles (please take time to read).

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20090731-218084/Nothing-cruel-about-dog-racing-in-Mdaue

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20090807-219134/Mandaue-City-Council-open-to-dog-racing

We never had nor met a greyhound personally but more than the breed, dogs or any animal at that, be they mongrels or pedigrees, have a right to life and should not be in any way treated as a commodity or instrument for meaningless entertainment. There is far too much hurt and pain in this world. What we need is more people to spread more love.

We believe that there are more significant and productive activities worthy of the funds being planned to be poured in this bloody and meaningless so-called-sport. However, if such individuals- the proponents and its benefactors find delight in such pitiful activities then they should really consider finding for themselves a life.

Please help us stop the enactment of these housebills. Greyhounds are living beings worthy of a chance to live in loving homes and families who understand their needs. They deserve more than a life muzzled up and behind kennels, if not running in the race tracks. If we were blessed to have been given the chance to live with loving pawrents who treat us as integral members of their family, why can’t they?

For more information please visit the following sites:

http://www.mefindhome.org/

We were informed that House Bill 5291 had already passed Congress and is already now in the Senate for a second reading and is in danger of becoming a law very soon.

As of latest, only 11 senators have committed to vote NO against the passing of this bill: (Thank you very much!)
1. Senator Chiz Escudero
2. Senator Gringo Honasan
3. Senator Pia Cayetano
4. Senator Miguel Zubiri
5. Senator Jamby Madrigal
6. Senator Manny Villar
7. Senator Rodolfo Biazon
8. Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr.
9. Senator Mar Roxas
10. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano
11. Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III

However, we still need to convince more than half of these senators:

Sen. Ping Lacson - ospml@yahoo.com
Sen. Lito Lapid - sen.litolapid@senate.gov.ph
Sen. Loren Legarda - loren_b_legarda@yahoo.com
Sen. Kiko Pangilinan - kilosko2004@yahoo.com, kikopangilinan@gmail.com, kikopangilinan@kiko.ph

Sen. Bong Revilla - senbongrevilla@senate.gov.ph
Sen. Antonio Trillanes - senateoffice@trillanes.com.ph
Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile - senator_enrile@senate.gov.ph
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada - senjinggoyestrada@senate.gov.ph
Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago - senmds@yahoo.com
Sen. Dick Gordon - rjgordon@senate.gov.ph
Sen. Ed Angara - edgardo_angara@hotmail.com
Sen. Joker Arroyo - office_sen_jokerarroyo@yahoo.com


You can also sign up in this petitionsite:


http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-the-philippines-from-greyhound-racing



We would like to encourage that emails to the remaining senators be made so as to let our voices be heard faster. Just this morning, we were told that it is around this time that the Senate will vote on the House Bill. Please help us amass support to show these senators that the world does not need another "burial site" for greyhounds.

Thank you very much and we hope that, united, we can put a stop to this abuse to one of God’s greatest creations.

If loving these animals is too difficult to do, we, at least ask that they be given respect.

The Value of a Human in the Eyes of A Dog

We would like to share a beautiful story that we read in a forum that we are joining...

A Touching Dog Story
by Anonymous

Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named 'Lucky.' Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing.

Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's other favorite toys. Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease....in fact , she was just sure it was fatal.
She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders. The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die, Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him. The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.
Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap. Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.

When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life. He had covered her with his love.

Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every day. It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lu cky? He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.

Remember.... live every day to the fullest. Each minute is a blessing from God. And never forget....the people who make a difference in our lives are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards They are the ones that care for us.

If you see someone without a smile today give them one of yours! Live simply. Love seriously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God

source: whatsuppaws forum

THIS IS SOOOOO SAD! IT MAKES ME REALLY MAD!

Baby Killed (due to the ignorance, negligence and outright st*pidity of the baby's parents!!!) By Puppy Unattended For Over An Hour
July 30, 2008 07:58 PM

There are new details about the baby killed by a dog on Monday. Tulsa Police say the two-month-old baby boy was named Zane Alen Earles. The News On 6's Emory Bryan reports police say he was unattended for possibly as long as an hour and a half before his body was discovered.

More has been learned about the family involved in the tragedy and also the puppy that police say is to blame. The little boy was two months old, the dog only slightly older.

Tulsa Police now say the baby's father, 18-year-old Tyler Craig, was not home when the baby died sometime between 8:30 and 10 a.m. Monday morning. The baby boy was in an

elevated wind up child's swing, inside the house, when he was killed.

"The baby's father left the residence about 8 a.m. and the baby was fine. The baby's grandfather left the home about 8:30 in the morning and he had put the baby in the swing set," said Tulsa Police Officer Leland Ashley.

The medical examiner's report is pending, but police say the evidence clearly shows that the black lab puppy killed the baby. The dog was euthanized and examined at the Tulsa Animal Shelter, and found to be between two and three months old.

"It was a very young puppy. We don't know what caused the dog to act the way it did, but all indications are that the dog is responsible for the child's death," said Tulsa Police Officer Leland Ashley.

The baby was identified as two-month-old Zane Alen Earles. He was born May 28th at the Peggy Helmerich Women's Health Center at Hillcrest Hospital.

His mother is 17-year-old Linzy Earles, who was in the home with the baby's grandmother. They told detectives they were on the opposite side of the house from the baby when the dog killed the child. (are they deaf? couldn't they hear the baby cry?)

"We're looking at it as possibly just a tragic accident that occurred. We're not looking to blame anyone or anything like that, but the detectives will investigate this case," said Tulsa Police Officer Leland Ashley.

Court records indicate the mother filed a protective order against the baby's father back in January of 2007. It was dismissed within just a few days, and that was well before she was pregnant with Zane.

The Inu Ogler: I'm bleeding, grieving, angry, furious, hysterical. The puppy was 2 months old. If someone were accused of a crime, would they be euthanized immediately, too? Nothing was proven, that's why they are investigating it. Eitherway, irresponsibility, ignorance and lack of true maternal concern of the parents and grandparents caused the death of the child. PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY CARE FOR A DOG DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO OWN ONE! This is a very very very very sad and depressing news.

Prison Pool

Below is a flyer made by Widmark Morales from my manang's whatsuppaws group :
If we want to see dolphins, there are lots of dolphin/ whale/ butanding viewing tours organized all-over the country, which showcase our marine creatures in their natural habitat. During the inu ogler's visit to Camotes Island a few years ago, their boat was accompanied by a group of beautiful dolphins. This came without any entrance fee nor admission ticket.

In order for us to see more of these marvelous creatures let us Please stay away from Dolphin Shows and other shows/ places which imprison our dear animals.

To see how these creatures are being treated, please visit this link since I'm having difficulty in downloading it :(..

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FV8C8U71vtM

Let us help save the Dolphins. Let us help save all of mother nature's creations..