NASHVILLE TN! Lost lab. Needs meds

WEST NASHVILLE,TN~Lincoln is lost-Also Epileptic and Needs Meds!

Subject: Lincoln is lost in West Nashville area. Also Epileptic and Needs Meds!
Importance: High

Please spread the word to help find Lincoln, especially anyone you know in Hillwood/West Meade area. He has been without his meds since Christmas!

CONTACT: LINCOLN 'S MOM: Katy Bell Hamnes and her cell phone number is 615-812-0087.:

Hey guys. . .this gorgeous boy is lost and one of our very own Silo Studios mamas is just as lost without him. They live in the West Nashville area (Hillwood/West Meade). . . .Lucy, Lincoln 's companion was found 3 days later in Bell vue. . .so Lincoln could be anywhere in that vicinity. He is a 4 year old black lab mix, about 85 lbs., sadly he is epileptic and has now been without his meds for several days. Please keep your eyes open if you are in the area.. ..also, if you have friends in that area pass this along. . ..the more eyes watching the more likely he is to be found and returned to his precious family . . . .if you have any information, his mom's name is Katy Bell Hamnes and her cell phone number is 615-812-0087.

The Christmas Winds are here!!

El Vientos de Navidad (The Winds of Christmas) are here. They start around Christmas and can last until February or March. The Costa Rican people, (Ticos,) say these winds "blow away the rainy season."
Makes it hard to keep a hairdo but the clothes on the line dry REAL fast!

2 Senior boxers in Houston Texas need help

From: jahoult@cs.com [mailto:jahoult@cs.com]
Sent: Monday, December 28, 2009 4:15 PM
To: Salise Shuttlesworth
Subject: please help

Recently, four members of my family died. They left behind two older boxers. I am desperately trying to find a home for them. They are currently in the care of the Southwest Animal Clinic, but I cannot afford to keep them there. I live in New York City, and can't bring them here. We have called all the local boxer rescue organizations and they are all full. I am flying down to Houston tomorrow (12/29) to pack up my family's home, and try to find a home for these dogs (Jake and Bella). I do not want them to be killed, but I am finding few options.I pray you can take them.Please email or phone. H 212-567-0710C 917-282-7536Jennifer Hoult

The Christmas Ladder

HOLA Y'all,
Me and Mom just love this story at Christmas time.
Enjoy.
BudBud

The Christmas Ladder

by: David C. Fantone

A CHRISTMAS TREE IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. CERTAIN RELIGIONS DON'T RECOGNIZE THE
BEAUTY AND SYMBOLIC MEANING OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE. SOME CAT OWNERS DO,BUT HAVE TO STIFFLE THEIR PASSION FOR SAID TREE. I HAD ALWAYS GROWN UP AROUND THE FULL-BLOWN CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS - TREE, TURKEY, PRESENTS, AND THE LIKE. BUT I KNEW THAT THIS WOULD ALL CHANGE, ONCE ON MY OWN.

IT WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT I WAS TO SPEND CHRISTMAS ALONE. I HAD MOVE AWAY FROM MY PARENTS AND WAS IN THE BIG WORLD ALL BY MYSELF. BUT I WASN'T REALLY ALL BY MYSELF. I HAD ADOPTED A FEW FRIENDS TO SHARE MY NEW HOME WITH.

OVER THE PAST YEAR, I HAD RESCUED SEVERAL CATS FROM THE LOCAL SHELTER AND FROM THE ROAD WAY. IT SEEMED THAT ONE KITTY JUST WANDERED UP AND INTO MY LIFE FROM OUT OF NOWHERE. I HAD THE ROOM, AND THE FINANCES, AND THE LOVE IN MY HEART TO MAINTAIN THIS LITTLE MENAGERIE. SO ALL WAS O.K. WITH ME AND IT SEEMED LIKE, ALL WAS O.K WITH THE RESIDENTS. EVERYONE GOT ALONG JUST SPLENDIDLY. WHICH SURPRISED ME,
AFTER READING DIFFERENT ARTICLES, IN DIFFERENT MAGAZINES ABOUT " INTRODUCING A NEW CAT TO AN EXISTING GROUP."

IN ONE OF THOSE MAGAZINES THAT I WAS NOW A SUBSCRIBER TO, I HAD READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT CATS AND CHRISTMAS TREES. I WAS AMAZED AT ALL THE DANGERS THAT A CAT COULD FALL VICTIM TO DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON. THE CHRISTMAS TREE. WAS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT PROVIDED THE MOST HAZARD TO MY KITTIES AND CATS. "SO,THIS YEAR THERE WILL BE NO TREE" I SAID TO MYSELF. " NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WANTED ONE OR WOULD MISS ONE, I WOULD NOT PUT ANYONE IN JEOPARDY".

IT WAS DECEMBER 23 AND IT JUST DIDN'T FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS. NO TREE? HOW COULD IT BE CHRISTMAS? THERE WERE PRESENTS IN THE CORNER, AND MOM SENT A MIXED BATCH OF HER FAMOUS CHRISTMAS COOKIES. BUT WITH OUT A TREE, IT JUST WASN'T CHRISTMAS. I SAT WITH MY ADOPTED FAMILY OF CATS WATCHING THE T.V., WITH ALL IT WONDERFUL COMMERCIALS WITH BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREES IN THEM. I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF " AT LEAST NO ONE WILL GET HURT FROM ANY BROKEN ORNAMENTS, OR CHOKE ON ANY ICICLES."
BUT STILL I MISSED THE TRADITION, BEAUTY, AND THE EFFECT OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE.


I DIDN'T WANT THIS TO JUST PASS BY WITHOUT TRYING TO FIND SOME KIND OF SOLUTION. IT HIT ME ALL AT ONCE. I'LL MAKE A CAT SAFE CHRISTMAS TREE. THAT'S IT. I'LL DO IT MY SELF.
I'LL JUST THINK A WHILE AND I'LL COME UP WITH SOMETHING. AND IT DID COME TO ME. I'LL TAKE MY SIX FOOT LADDER AND PAINT IT GREEN. THAT WILL BE MY TREE. THEN A FEW APPLES AND ORANGES WILL BE THE LIGHTS, A COUPLE OF POPCORN GARLANDS AND A LOT OF COLORFUL STICKERS WILL TAKE THE PLACE OF THE ORNAMENTS.

BY DECEMBER 24TH THE PAINT ON THE LADDER WAS ALL DRY AND THE TREE WAS TRIMMED. I PUT THE PRESENTS SENT FROM HOME UNDER IT AND I WAS HAPPY. THE CATS WERE VERY INQUISITIVE ABOUT THE NEW AND COLORFUL STRUCTURE THAT WAS ERECTED IN THE CORNER OF THE LIVING ROOM. THEY LOOKED AND LOOKED AND, WHEN THEY GOT BRAVE ENOUGH, THEY SNIFFED AND SNIFFED, AND THEY SNIFFED SOME MORE. AFTER A WHILE, EVERYONE WAS BACK ON THE COUCH WATCHING T.V. TO THEM IT WAS NO BIG DEAL.
EVERYONE HAD THEIR TIME EXPLORING AND THEN IT WAS JUST ACCEPTED AS ANOTHER PIECE OF THE FURNITURE. BUT TO ME, IT WAS MY FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE AND A CAT SAFE ONE TOO. IT HELPED WITH THE FEELING OF LONELINESS AND THE LACK OF REAL FAMILY.

I SAT THERE HOLDING ONE CAT AND RUBBING ANOTHER. I HAD ONE BEHIND MY HEAD ON THE BACK OF THE COUCH AND ONE IN MY LAP. BUT STILL THE FEELING OF BEING ALONE CAME OVER ME. I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD NEVER BECOME HOMESICK, BUT IN FINAL ANALYSIS, I WAS. THE NEWLY-MADE TREE HELPED, BUT IT ALSO HINDERED. IT WAS CHRISTMAS EVE AND I WAS WISHING IT WAS ALL OVER.

SLEEP COULD BE THE SOLUTION TO THIS DILEMMA. YES, IT WAS EITHER GO TO BED AND
SLEEP OR STAY UP AND BROOD OVER THE FACT THAT I WAS ALONE. BESIDE, IT WAS GETTING LATE AND SANTA WAS COMING. THE WHOLE TIME I WAS LAYING THERE TRYING TO SLEEP, ALL THAT I COULD THINK OF WAS WAKING UP, ALONE. THERE WOULD BE NO BROTHERS AND SISTERS, NO MOTHER AND FATHER, NO PRESENTS, NO TURKEY. " WOE IS ME" I THOUGHT.
TOSSING AND TURNING, SLEEP WOULD NOT COME TO ME. FIFTEEN MINUTES PASSED, THEN A HALF AN HOUR DRAGGED ON. LOOKING AT THE CLOCK THIS TIME, I COULD SEE THAT IT WAS FIFTY FIVE MINUTES SINCE I HAD LAID DOWN. THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE EASY, NOT JUST TONIGHT, BUT TOMORROW, WHAT WILL THAT BRING? THEN IN THE SILENCE OF THE NIGHT I HEARD SOMETHING. "MEOW," A STRANGE MEOW. I KNEW THE VOICES OF ALL MY CATS AND THIS WAS NOT ONLY A STRANGE VOICE BUT IT SOUNDED DIFFERENT, IN DISTRESS. IT WENT ON A COUPLE OF MORE TIMES AND NOW I COULD TELL THAT IT WAS COMING FROM OUTSIDE.

THIS WAS A GOOD REASON TO ESCAPE FROM THE DARK ROOM THAT WOULD NOT LET ME SLEEP. I RACED DOWN THE STAIRS TO THE FRONT DOOR. LOOKING OUT, I COULD SEE THE GOLDEN REFLECTIONS OF A PAIR OF EYES STARING BACK AT ME FROM UNDER THE
NEIGHBORS CAR. I KNEW THAT THEY HAD NO PETS, SO IT WASN'T THEIRS. I SLOWLY MOVED FROM THE THRESHOLD TO THE FIRST STEP. "HEAR, KITTY, KITTY" I CALLED. TO MY SURPRISE THE CAT CAME RUNNING TO ME.


SHE HAD TINY DROPLETS OF FROZEN WATER ON HER WHISKERS AND HER BODY TEMPERATURE WAS DROPPING TO A DANGEROUS LEVEL. IT WAS ALL THAT I COULD DO TO KEEP FROM BREAKING INTO TEARS. A QUICK INTRODUCTION AND WE WERE BACK IN THE HOUSE. ALL THE OTHER CATS WATCHED ME AND A STRANGE CAT WHIZZING PAST. TO MY SURPRISE, EVERYONE WAITED QUIETLY IN THE OTHER ROOM.

AFTER A WARM BOWL OF MILK AND A DISH OF HOLIDAY FARE, A QUICK INSPECTION WAS IN ORDER. TO MAKE IT EASIER ON HER, I HELD HER IN MY ARMS AND LOOKED HERE AND THERE.
" NO EARMITES, NO SIGN OF TAPE WORMS, AND NO CUTS. GOOD. BUT WHAT A BELLY. YOU’RE A BIG KITTY AREN'T YOU?" I WAS REALLY HESITANT ABOUT BRINGING A NEW CAT IN TO THE FOLD WITH OUT A COMPLETE AND PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATION. WHAT WAS WORSE, THERE WAS NO WAY TO QUARANTINE HER. I JUST HAD TO TAKE MY CHANCES AND HOPE THAT SHE WAS FREE OF ANY FELINE DISEASE. I THEN PUT HER DOWN AND SET HER FREE TO EXPLORE. IT WASN'T LONG UNTIL SHE HAD FOUND EVERY CORNER OF THE SMALL AREA THAT I CALLED HOME. SHE ALSO SEEMED TO GO TO EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE AND ALLOWED HERSELF TO BE INTRODUCED WITH THE USUAL SNIFF SNIFF. " IT MUST BE CHRISTMAS, FOR EVERYONE TO GET ALONG SO WELL" I THOUGHT TO MYSELF. ALL THE INTRODUCTIONS WENT WITHOUT INCIDENT. EVERYONE ACCEPTED HER WITHOUT A SPIT, HISS, OR A GROWL.

IT WAS GETTING LATE AND ALL I COULD DO WAS DONE. I TOLD HER THE RULES OF THE
HOUSE AND MADE HER A BED NEAR MINE. IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE I WAS FAST ASLEEP. I RECALLED THE NEXT DAY, THAT IT WAS A GOOD SLEEP. IF I DREAMED, I COULDN'T
REMEMBER. UPON WAKING, I LOOKED FOR MY NEWLY FOUND FRIEND IN THE BED THAT I HAD MADE FOR HER, BUT SHE WASN'T THERE. I CLIMBED OUT FROM UNDER THE WARMTH AND HEADED FOR THE COFFEE POT AND REALIZED THE IT'S CHRISTMAS MORNING. I CHANGED THE DIRECTION THAT I WAS HEADING, TO THE CENTERPIECE OF THE HOLIDAYS, THE CHRISTMAS TREE. MY TREE. MY CAT-PROOF CHRISTMAS TREE.

ROUNDING THE CORNER, A SMILE CAME UPON MY FACE. I COULD SEE THAT ON EVERY RUNG OF THE LADDER, ONE OF MY CATS WERE SITTING. THEY ALL LOOKED AT ME AT THE SAME TIME, ALMOST AS IF IT WAS REHEARSED. THEN THEY ALL LOOKED AWAY. I COULD SEE THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT SOMETHING UNDER THE TREE. SLOWLY I WALKED CLOSER TO SEE WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT. AMONG THE PRESENTS WAS MY NEW FRIEND AND SHE WASN'T ALONE. SHE WAS CLEANING HER NEWLY BORN KITTENS.

THERE WAS NO WAY OF RETRIEVING ANY PACKAGE FROM UNDER MY CHRISTMAS LADDER WITHOUT DISTURBING HER. BUT THAT WAS OK. I HAD TWO PRESENTS THAT WERE VERY SPECIAL TO ME. THE KITTENS WERE NAMED SANTA AND CLAWS, AND I BLESSED MY NEWLY FOUND FRIEND WITH THE NAME OF NOEL.

From One Rescuer To Another

FROM ONE RESCUER TO ANOTHER

We know, you and I, about these things
Things that cause us grief
We have witnessed the cruelty, torture, and abuse
Where even death would be a relief

We are of two bodies, but we share a place
In our hearts for all to see.
For we are two who truly care
And we do our best you and me.

We talk to others but they won’t hear
Their hearts are not willing to learn
They turn away and hide their eyes
“That upsets me.” “That makes my stomach turn.”

If only they’d listen. If only they’d see
Then they’d help fight the abuse
And the things that torture you and me
The torture and neglect. There’s no excuse

For the cruelty is real. It won’t go away
Til many stand up to fight
And animals will die needlessly every day
If there’s no one to defend their rights

So we’ll keep doing whatever we can
To open the eyes of a few
Who don’t turn their heads and hide their eyes
From the things so important to me and you

And maybe someday, if we continue to work,
The rest will finally see
And stand with us in the battle we fight
To end animal cruelty

By: Frances “Kitten” Jones
12/20/2000

WOW!! What a story!!

Hola Y'all!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Hope your Christmas was GREAT!!! Us perros here at Lighthouse got LOTS of toys from Santa!!

This is a photos of Bingo!!! He's still lookin' for a home! He's a sweetie and would make a perfect lap baby for an older person.

A friend sent us this story about a stray dog named Jake. It's a GREAT story!!
TAILWAGS!!!!!!!!!
BudBud
PERMISSION TO CROSSPOST

Please enjoy this true story, a letter to the editor, written by my good friend Debby Lebby, Assistant Director of the Williamson County Animal Control, Franklin, TN.

WCAC is one of those few "good" county shelters in TN that try very very hard to place their adoptable animals instead of PTS. Debby works hard on "Meet Your Match", a program to match the right animal with the potential adopter.

She also started years ago a Meals on Wheels program for our senior and infirm members of the community, sending free dog and cat food (and even bird food!) to those citizens who are on the human Meals on Wheels program and have pets that need food too. She found that the humans were sharing their own meals with their pets. Today, volunteers help pack ziplock bags of donated dog and cat food to be delivered to their owners.

I am proud to call Debby my friend! Thanks Debby for sharing this neat true story with us!


www.tennessean.com

December 27, 2009

Stray dog brings comfort to mom at funeral

To the Editor:

Sadly, in December, many people decide to bring in stray animals that have appeared on their doorstep. Many keep the stray a week or so, thinking it will find their way back home. But then we receive calls to pick up animals that have continued to stay at people's houses.

Several owners surrender animals to the shelter. Maybe they have company coming or are traveling for the holidays. It makes our workers sad to see all these animals come to the shelter, just in time for the holidays.

On a snowy day in December 1998, one of our animal control officers received a call to pick up a big white Great Pyrenees that had been "hanging around" a farmer's house for a couple of weeks.

Great Pyrenees are working dogs that have instinctual qualities to protect sheep, goats and other livestock from predators. Their loyalty and sense of protection for their "flock" is amazing. The farmer claimed the dog came as a stray, was quite a nice fellow but had no interest in being a working dog. The farmer had been calling the dog "Jake" and hoped we could find him a good home.

When John, our officer, arrived at the farmer's property deep in the Williamson County hills, he found a very large, friendly, snow white and furry Great Pyrenees. Just as John started to slip the leash around Jake's neck, Jake took off running up a hillside into a small family cemetery as if he was on an important mission. John trudged up the hill where the tidy little family cemetery was situated. Jake, of course was faster. John suddenly noticed there was a graveside service in progress. Jake plowed through the cemetery gate with the vigor of a young pup. John noticed that Jake ran over to a lady seated by the casket, lay beside her and proudly rested his snout on her foot.
Our officer was embarrassed about the situation and began calling softly, "Jake, come here boy, let's go for a ride!"

The bereaved woman, looking confused, said, "What did you call the dog?" John replied, "His name is Jake, and I am here to take him to the animal shelter. He has been lost for a couple of weeks. Please forgive this intrusion."

With tears rolling down her face, she said, "We are here today to bury our 22-year-old son. His name was Jake."

John's face was as white as the dog's fur, and he was speechless. The lady then said, "I think this boy is going to go home with us today, that is, if it's OK with you."

John just nodded his head and tried to regain his footing — and composure — and returned to his truck. Jake looked back at him as if to say, "See, I knew where I was going!"

That cold winter day, the big, white dog and his quest to find a home led him to a family who needed him as much as he needed them. This Christmas miracle will always remain in our hearts.

Debby Leddy
Assistant shelter director, Williamson County Animal Shelter
Franklin 37064

IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!

Hola Y'all!!
Well Christmas is almost here!! Santa is comin' to see all us perros and gatos here at Lighthouse Animal Rescue In Costa Rica!! The tree is up and Mom has got all the toys hidden somewhere in the house!! I think maybe Andre might have stumbled on the mother load!!! That's him in the photo!!

The voting is over for the $1,000.00 grant. We won't know until Wednesday whether we won or not but we want to say a VERY HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who voted for us all this time!!!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We will let you know if we win!!!

TAILWAGS and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS Y'ALL!!!!

Sure hope all you folks have got your Christmas shopping done!! We're all set here at Lighthouse and the presents are under the tree!!!

Today's the last day for voting in the www.animalrescuesite.com grant competition!! We sure do hope all you folks are voting for us!!!
Click on Shelter Challenge. Then type in lighthouse for shelter name and Costa Rica for country. The click search and vote!! Wait for the vote confirmation question!!

We could win $1,000.00!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!! That would help feed the animals for about 4 to 6 months!!!!!

IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!!!

Hola Y'all!!!

Mom and Dad put colored lights up on the house!!!! And there's a TREE in the screened room with all kinds of decorations on it!!!

Mom and Aunt Jane went to Grecia a couple of weeks ago and Mom came back with a BIG BLACK BAG!!!!! Y'know what that means??? It means she's been to see SANTA CLAUSE!! I'm one of Santa's favorite perros y'know!! I even got to sit on his lap a few years ago!!

Y'see, Santa lives in Grecia in the ropa americano store!!! That's a store that sells used clothes and stuffed toys from the US!! Goodwill sells them to Costa Rica by the pound!!

When Christmas comes around Santa goes there and stays until Mom comes and gets LOTS of toys for us perros!!!!!!! All kinds of stuffed toys that we can play with and tear up and sleep with.

Mom says it gets kinda crowded in our bed at Christmas time cause we all want to take our OWN toy to bed with us. Since there's between 7 and 10 dogs in my bed, AND Mom, all the stuffed toys kinda make it like a big pile of real fur and fake fur!!!!! 'Cept for Mom of course. She ain't really furry 'cept for on her head.

Anyway, the toys are hidden somewhere in the house and Mom and Dad will probably put them under the tree pretty soon!! They'll put treats under there too cause we can always smell 'em!!!

Y'all keep voting ok? There's only FOUR DAYS LEFT til the voting ends!!!!!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS Y'ALL!!!

Man!!! I sure hope I get a toy with a squeaker in it!!!
Tailwags!!!
BudBud