Cultured Views

Heartbreaking puppy tales

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I really like a good cause and animal welfare is right there at the top of the list. Right now the statistics show that levels of animal cruelty and neglect are showing no signs of decreasing; animal shelters everywhere are currently bursting at the seams with abandoned dogs and cats.

At this time of year the problem skyrockets when those cute kittens and puppies that appeared under the Xmas tree have started to grow out of the cute stage and into the larger, higher maintenance stage. That sweet little ball of Xmas fluff has gotten bigger, hungrier, louder and now requires spaying, vaccinating and more time.  This is when those living, breathing Xmas presents start to become too much trouble for their owners - they cannot be bothered with them anymore, the novelty has worn off and so they end up dumped.

Makes you want to get these idiots by the neck and…

Well, I have always said that if you are going to dump a pet then at least do it the right way and leave them at an animal shelter. These shelters are staffed by angels from God. People who volunteer their own time and money to care tirelessly for these poor unwanted creatures. I say ‘money’ because it is a fact that the volunteers often dig into their own pockets to help these animals, but thank they are there because they pick up the pieces for these pets and give them a shot at a new home and new family.

One shelter in particular, Heard County Animal Control in Franklin, Georgia is currently at the desperate stage with the latest influx of new arrivals, and the tide shows no sign of stemming.  There are dogs there waiting on death row right now who should not even be there; young, healthy animals who are ready to be adopted and loved. 

What we need are people to adopt one of them; if you cannot fit a pet into your life right now then consider sponsoring an animal there and ensure that they live as long as necessary.  When I was a child we adopted two dogs on different occasions, I can tell you that these animals know what is going on and seem to spend the rest of their lives showing you their gratitude for saving them.

To be fair, not all the dogs are abandoned. Some are simply lost and without effective tagging the owners cannot be found. Have your pet microchipped as early as possible and when you go away on holiday keep them with you on a leash. And please, if you are thinking about getting a dog, or a cat, remember that this is a living, feeling creature. Not a toy to be discarded when you are bored with it. These volunteers do their work out of love for animals, but I bet they would be really happy if there were no need for their services anymore. Fat chance though.

Here’s a couple of little darlings just biding their time in the hope that someone very soon will decide to give them a new chance at life; one thing - choose your dog to suit your lifestyle and take any children or other pets in your home into consideration. Better still, ask the animal shelter workers which dog/cat would best suit your lifestyle as they tend to get to know their charges over the course of time.

This young lady is American Bulldog Cross; she has had a pup which has been placed in a home. She needs a home now and is under sponsorship. Not suited for farms/livestock, maybe needs to be an ‘only dog’. Probably great choice for a single person.

Isn’t he a beauty! Lab/Border Collie Cross makes for a great temperament and would need regular walkies and exercise. These dogs are known for their intelligence, loyalty and make good companions for kids. They are very protective as well - I had a dog just like this.

I know it breaks your heart dosen’t it. But if my post here gets just one of these dogs, or the others, a loving home this weekend then I will have a warm fuzzy glow for the rest of the year.

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Launch me off to Planet Fat Loss!

How appropriate that I should be writing about this whilst cramming my second slice of pizza down my gullet - and you can be sure that the third is due to follow pretty soon.

Ahh well, I allow myself treats such as pizza as I balance my food intake with my energy output; this means I move around more than I sit and eat. But there are a lot of folk who have yet to discover that this is the key to losing weight; not starvation, not diet pills and nothing too extreme.

Even so, as we are just coming out of winter it is usually a very confronting sight when you try on that skirt or pair of shorts that you haven’t worn for months and stand in front of the mirror - yep, that little spare tyre did not just come out of nowhere did it - and please, who has taken the plunge and braved the fitting room in a bikini yet…yep, I thought I heard screams.

Come on girls, lets all join hands and worship at the shrine of Planet Fat Loss where we will learn the basics of eating sensibly and losing weight. It is all in a supportive atmosphere with plenty of advice and even meal plan suggestions. This looks like a fun way to get rid of those excess winter pounds and make some friends as well.

No excuses girls, now follow me!

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Get ready for OAP Muskateers!

This is an elderly folks home with a difference! these residents who live at Melbourne’s Catholic Homes Corpus Christi in Australia are all retired Nuns and Priests. Not for them the boredom of sitting in a chair all day with nodding heads and doing crosswords.

These ex-people of the cloth spend their leisure time learning to dip, lunge and jab just like Zorro!  they should be good at it too as I well remember the days of corporal punishment at the schools I went to. Those Nuns were fast !!

Their instructor is a ripe 73 years old himself and over 80 of the residents take part in the weekly lessons designed to keep them fit, active and safe at the same time. They are loving it and several are showing themselves to be quite talented at the sport.

Maybe it is the time to declare the geriatric olympics a reality…?

I have to admit I could imagine my old heamistress, Sister Mary Philomena, under that mask - she was always great at brandishing the ruler and had a very good aim - which I experienced on a few occasions…

Go Sister go !!

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