Happy New Year from Cat & Comet!

Seventh Hour Plea--Two pit bulls in need

We are desperately looking for either a rescue group, or a very experienced Pit bull owner/handler that can help us solve the problem of two pit bulls who were rescued in New Orleans. There are two, a male and a female, who would make great pets for the right owner, but as pits go...the right owners are hard to come by.

Please, if this is you, contact me immediately at: ce_buell@yahoo.com or the Humane Society of Dickson County.

DO NOT CALL IF YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH PITS! These two are not for the feint-hearted. They must be placed with people who truly understand and LOVE pits. They are very special cases.

But please, if you are one of the special few who handle pits or run a pit rescue, please call us immediately.

Update on Loot!

"Loot" the puppy that we rescued in New Orleans is pictured here with his new family, Tracey, Adam and Lexi (his big sister!). He arrived at his new home in Maine several weeks ago and is adjusting well. He's been learning how to share his toys with Lexi and how to play in the snow. Maybe for Christmas, he'll learn how to pee outside!

Anyway, we wish Adam, Tracey and Lexi the best with their new little treasure from Lousiana, and thank them for giving our special rescue such a good life. It's hard to believe this is the same dog that started out with the world against him. This is surely one phoenix arising from the ashes!

Stay tuned for updates on Loot's progress and his adjustment in Maine!

Photos courtesy of Tracey & Adam.

Santa Claws Success

How do you make a dog smile? Well, for starters, don't make him sit on Santa's lap, because the big red suit is a little scary to a furry baby!

But, put two babes behind the camera and watch the canines grin...

Okay, so the babes had dog treats and squeaky toys and fancy tricks and occasionally the help of a little elfin dog named Comet, but still...the magic worked!

So, this is Chandra and I at the event she talked me into. Now, this fearless feral kitty whisperer is in New Orleans rescuing more four-legged furries...trapping, caring for and giving shelter to pets in need. She's not only brainy and beautiful, but she has a (vegan) heart of gold. Hats off to my new friend who is still fighting the fire in NOLA. Many animals will find better endings because of this lovely lady.

New Orleans brought me many new friends. We fought hard and learned alot about disaster, distress and die-hard resolution. Life may never be the same, but I'll have some new friends in my life that I will be bonded to because of it. Chalk it up to the animals saving me once again.

Oh, and if I've said it once, I'll say it again. The disaster in New Orleans is not over. When you go sit in your cozy chair tonight in your warm home and your seasonal happiness, remember that the fight is not over down there. And then get up tomorrow and make a difference. There are still many animals (and people) in need. Don' t believe everything you read (damned Humane Society telling us the problem is over) and resolve to help to contribute in any way that you can. Skip your Starbucks and send a couple bucks to Best Friends or ARNO. And damn it, DO NOT BUY FROM BREEDERS, people! There are too many animals that don't have homes and one of them is waiting for you. It's a complete cop-out to say that you can't find what you're looking for in a shelter. There are shelters all across the United States that will help transport an animal to you. Everytime you buy from a breeder, you are responsible for putting another animal (sometimes several) to death. And yes, that is harsh, but it's the truth.

I'm sorry, but I just don't buy the bullshit line that you just can't get what you're looking for from anyone but a breeder. You are smoking crack if you believe that, and setting bad examples for children. And damn it, dogs are being euthanized when you do that.

How's that for Happy Holidays?

Thoughts Tonight

I wasn't going to post again tonight. I wanted to let the picture and plea for Betsy to stand out; for everyone to know that finding her a home is the most important thing right now, but I can't.

I've been on hiatus. Not really, but I've been trying to resume my old life, while still juggling the animal rescue issues that are left to deal with (finding adoptive homes, communicating with owners, uploading pictures...the kinds of residual rescue issues we are all facing after our time in NOLA). But aside from the day-to-day, I've been on heart-hiatus, you might say. I wasn't letting myself relive those moments from the rescue. I couldn't. Honestly, it's been too hard.

But tonight, I posted for Betsy on Craig's list, and I started to read through the postings that were out there in the last week or so under the "Pets" section (for NOLA). All of a sudden, seeing the photos, hearing the desperation, reading the pleas of owners...made it all come flooding back. And then, I found a post that someone had written regarding the St. Bernard school shootings. They meticulously listed all the CNN video packages (there are three: 9/30, 10/1, and 10/20), describing the carnage and the owner's losses.

It broke my heart all over again.

Then I read the stories of other rescuers who have seen what I have seen. I couldn't even finish reading them. My tears were too heavy.

And then I looked at Matt's website again (www.justthinkingaboutit.blogspot.com). Every one of those dogs looked like animals I had seen, fed, cared for. I identified with every rescue worker who held dogs, cats, food and leashes, and I knew how they felt. I saw the photo of a female rescuer who held a leash in her hand, ready to slip gently around the neck of the doggie to the right, while another dog laid dead at her fead. It was all too familiar.

The tears just kept falling.

So here I am tonight, wondering how I will ever make sense of this tragedy and thinking about how I would ever live through it if my loyal pup of 10 years were to be lost, or separated or shot after surviving a flood. I have no answers. No. Only tears.

How will we ever heal from this loss of life, this horrible lesson in survival, this painful road to rehabilitation, this dicotomy of feeling death and revival all at once?

There is no hollywood ending tonight. Instead, sleep arrives as a light drizzle of tears wash across my pillow.

This dog needs a home ASAP

Meet Betsy.

She was rescued in Lousiana and now she is in a kill shelter in Tennessee, waiting to be rescued. She desperately needs a good home...and fast!

She is about 4 years old and she is a sweet girl who LOVES attention. She likes to run and play, but mostly she likes to be petted and cared for. She's not a big fan of other dogs, so she should probably go to a family who wants just one that they can totally spoil. Spoil this girl, and she'll be loyal for life!!

She's a mix...maybe part Australian cattle dog and maybe even part beagle, but she's healthy and happy and really, really needs a home...quickly.

Betsy was surrendered by her owner, so she is available for adoption NOW. If you, or anyone you know, is interested in her, please contact me (ce_buell@yahoo.com) ASAP. She faces euthanization in the near future if a home can not be found.

She's had her life totally turned upside down in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and has experienced and now needs to be rescued once more. Please help us find her a good home!

Santa Claws Event

SANTA CLAWS (and his HOT HUMAN HELPERS) is coming to (a) town (near you)!!

To help raise money for animals in need, I'll be making a cameo appearance at Petsmart next weekend as Santa's helper!

Santa will be there to take photos with your pet (only $5 !), so stop on by to see Chandra and I (and Mystery Santa! Oy!) sprinkle all the doggies and kitties with Christmas cheer....can't beat two girls in santa hats, can you??

Here's the info:

Date: Sunday Dec. 11, 2005
Time: 2:00-4:30 pm
Location: Petsmart, 2160 E. 17th St., Santa Ana, CA 92701

All animals and their owners welcome!