The video of dogs and cats being removed from filthy and unsafe conditions, plus trash bags the contents of which you’re thankful you can’t see (or smell) appears on the evening news.
You hear that so and so, and their spouse, are being prosecuted. Stay tuned for weather and sports after these messages.
What you don’t see — and most people don’t think about — is what happens after the cameras leave. The best writing of the week picks up the story from there, and it’s one from the vaults at from Heather Houlahan’s Raised By Wolves.
She’s not rescued when the bolt cutters sever her chain.
She’s not rescued when the video camera is packed up and the van drives away.
She’s not rescued when the man who cut her lips off signs her over, nor when he is sentenced for his crime. Indeed, that has historically been when she is most likely to be killed by her custodians.
She’s not rescued when she puts the first tentative foot onto a cushion by the hearth of a foster family’s den.
She is not rescued when the surgeon pulls the last stitch.
She’s rescued when she has been made as whole in body and mind as can be done, and she’s living a life as a normal dog. Not an object of pity, not a poster girl for anything, not a project — just somebody’s dog.
Read the entire post, please. I’ve intentionally omitted the best passages.
Lyme disease link: For more than three decades, public health experts and scientists thought they were sure of the relationship between ticks, lizards, and Lyme disease. There’s one big catch: the fundamental presumptions might be wrong. SF Gate‘s article summarizes the work of researcher Andrea Swei and her team at the University of California, Berkeley. The results, published in this month’s issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society, are further proof of what we say here all the time – question everything. Tip of the cap to Susan Fox for the link.
Kitty, meet jetliner: The purr of a cat is soothing and makes you smile, doesn’t it? Sure, unless it’s the same decibel level as a Boeing 737 on final approach. The Daily Mail points out that Smokey (a British Shorthair) isn’t like most cats.
Diana Johnson, of Northampton Cats Protection, who has met Smokey, said: ‘I have never heard anything like her purr in my life. It can drown out your conversation.
‘It is very unusual and I’ve never found a cat with a purr that is anywhere near as loud.’
Smokey has become an honorary volunteer for Cat Protection’s Northampton branch and is helping to raise awareness of the important cat welfare work they do.
And also the importance of earplugs, right?
Are you domesticated? Can you pin down the difference between a domesticated animal and their counterpart in the wild through genetic analysis? National Geographic is asking the same question. (Thanks, Marge.)
Do NOT let the duck near Mafia Wars: I bet Facebook hates me. My roster of friends includes a ferret, a few cats, a bunch of Flat Coated retrievers, a Corgi, and a duck who is adept at predicting the weather. Because they have nothing better to do, Mark Zuckerberg’s minions are starting to aggressively target accounts maintained by pets (or the pets’ owners) — that is, if they’re personal profiles. The Duck is safe; hers is a “celebrity fan page.” The Courier-Post Online has the details.
A feel-good Golden: Here’s a heartwarming story from Sara Whalen, published in Guideposts.
Shelled creatures take on the world: On Monday, it was turtle vs. cat. That, of course, immediately spawned a note from my friend Cindy Steinle…dog vs. completely fearless tortoise.
I always like to hear from readers, especially if you have tips, and links for interesting stories. Give me a shout in the comments, or better yet, send me an e-mail.
Image credit: Dog in cage, Flickr creative commons (bunchofpants). Smokey, Geoff Robinson.
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