Shake My Paw

Full Name: Bach in Black
Nickname: Kegan
Home: Mom and Dad's Place
Birthday: 27 June 2002
Breed: Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)

Favorite Things

Food: Mom's Homemade Dog Food
Snack: Ginger Snaps
Activity: Daily Walk
Toys: Kong, Golf Balls

My Human


Name: ~Marla
Home: Lee's Summit, Missouri, United States

See Her Complete Profile

Humans of Interest

My Girlfriends: Traci and Betsy


My Nemesis: Parker

Canine Buddies


Terrorist: Piper "Demon Dog"


Baby BIG Brother: Beamish Stout


Foster Terrorist: Scarlett


Pod Dog: Wicked

Dig Up a Bone

Old Bones

January 2005
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007

New Places to Dig

Message Board
It's a Dogs Life Network

Animal Welfare and Pawlitics
Animal Farm Foundation
Citizen Canine
Dog Law
Good Pooch
Paws for Change
Pet-Law
Understand-a-Bull

Health and Wellness
AHVMA
Animal Wellness
Spot Organics
The Dog Food Project
The Whole Dog Store
Whole Dog Journal

Just Fur Fun
Bark
Dog Quotes
Mutt Monthly
My Darn Dog

Rescue
Central Illinois Sheltie Rescue
JRT Rescue
Petfinder
Precious Secrets Sheltie Rescue

Training
Master Dog Training

Travel
Dog Friendly
Worldwide Online Pet Resources

What I'm Reading

Sheltie Nation

Dogs in the News

BSL News

Dog Politics

KC DOG BLOG

What's Barking on the Pod

Animal Talk Naturally
Dog Blog TV
Hound TV
PetWise

Guestbook

View My Guestbook
Bark at Me

Life is Ruff Pupdates

Add to Google

Add to My AOL

Subscribe in Bloglines

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

The Dog's Day

www.flickr.com
This is a Flickr badge showing photos in a set called Life is Ruff. Make your own badge here.

Site Meter


| J | ?| L |

~M Original Content Copyright © 2005

Thursday, September 28, 2006

My Paws of Approval for Animal Planet's Hero of the Year

As most of you have probably read by now, many in the animal community are appalled that Animal Planet would actually nominate a person that has admittedly broken the law as one of their heroes. As mom says, it just makes her job that much harder. Our hearts go out to Jake the dog, but we think he would have been best served if he would have been turned over and his owners punished if he was indeed abused. Just wanted to give you some information on one of the other candidates and the person I have choosen to support. This lady does good work and unlike, Tammy Grimes, she has not broken any laws or asked for media attention to do it. This really simply is a person doing acting on what is in their heart for animals and people alike and not what will put money in their wallet. As far as I can see, all the other people, with the exception of Grimes are as deserving of this award. Anneke is simply the person who I think is the most deserving in 2006. Please fell free to crosspost and share this information far and wide. Also, keep in mind that you can vote more than once and for more than one person. In the words of Chicago politics, "vote early, vote often".


A Good Soul

By Bill Forman


Anneke Vos needs more time in the day so she can get around to writing her autobiography. Born to Dutch parents who sacrificed their lives on behalf of the Nazi resistance, she has been a journalist, stewardess, mother, art dealer and guardian angel to as many as 45 animals a day. At age 79, Vos devotes much of her energy these days to taking care of the animals at Sacramento’s Loaves & Fishes facility for the homeless.


How did you first become involved with helping animals?

I think I was born with the feeling that I wanted to have animals, and I wanted to take care of them. But it was about 15 years ago that I started at Loaves & Fishes. It was a place where the homeless could come and eat, and then I started to take care of their dogs. Before that, I would rescue them. If I found them, I would find homes for them. ... I had dogs and cats, goose and chicken, the whole deal.


What was your first pet?


I'm Dutch, so I lived in Holland. My father had five Danish bulldogs. And because I was little as a child, I could ride on their backs! We always had animals. Only, in the war, of course, there was no food. The only thing that was left was a cat, and there was no food because we had nothing.


Can you tell me about your experience during the war?

Well, that was very bad. We were occupied in Holland. My family was very much against the Nazis. They were in the resistance. So, they went to jail and were killed. It's difficult for me to talk about it. That's a very painful subject.


You spent time in a camp?


It's difficult for me to ... sometimes they say it's good for me to talk about it. But I have a sister in Holland, and for us, it's a taboo subject. Once in a while, we say something, and we both immediately know, and then we let it go because then it is difficult to go back with your life. Because there's no explanation for it. There was no explanation for all the horrible things and hatred that happened. It's not possible. You see it now again, of course. You see now how there's so much hate again. ... Everybody hates somebody.


You were a reporter at one point?


I took some courses in the history of art at the Sorbonne in Paris, but my father thought it was more for my entertainment, so he gave me two years, and then I had to come out. And then I became a reporter. But I was not cut out for it. I was very shy. And then I was a stewardess for 10 years, and then I married and came to America in '58.

How has Sacramento changed since then?


At that time, it was so small, and you could sit nowhere outside. It was forbidden to sit outside in a cafe; they never heard of it. Everything was dark inside. You would go somewhere--you had to feel around in order to find where you are.


So, you prefer it now?


Oh yes. Now it's more European, more cosmopolitan. It's the feeling of a big city. It's more alive.


One of your colleagues told me about a dog named Tony who needs a home.


Sometimes people go to jail for a long time, or God knows what happens in their life, but with Tony, the owner died. And the dogs, they don't go away. They stay close to their owner. So, he waited until the owner went away, and then he came to us. ... At Loaves & Fishes, we always need somebody for adoption or a foster home. Desperately. And the vet bills--last month they were $4,000! [Vos says people who want to know more about adopting pets or donating to Loaves & Fishes' animal-emergency fund can call her at (916) 925-0907.] So many animals, so many accidents. You know, the broken legs because of traffic, the glass, the fishhooks along the rivers that they have in their mouths and in their feet and everywhere,
tumors. Spaying and neutering--that is our condition, that if you bring the dog to my kennel at Loaves & Fishes, I'll pay for it, but they have to be spayed and neutered.

In taking care of their dogs, do you end up interacting with homeless a lot?

Every day. They have to know you and to trust you.
Talk about man’s best friend. Yeah, for the homeless, it is their family. And even though they can't take care of themselves most of the time, that is their family, that is who they talk to, their last resort. I have to tell you that, every day, something sad happens. Yesterday at the clinic, we had the saddest man. He is another homeless guy, and he was hiding between cars, but he wanted his dog to be seen. He is convinced that people are going to kill him. He was in full camouflage outfit with so much gear he looked like a pack mule. He'd hopped the freight train from Seattle with the dog. And he was paranoid with fear, but he wanted his little dog to be seen, so he was hiding behind cars. The saddest man. I think about him all the time now.

Are all the animals you deal with benign?

Yeah, sometimes people make them mean and very protective. But most of the time, they are all nice, sweet animals. They know you. They are not all sweet, but to me they are all good souls.



Welfare of Our Furry Friends

Vote for Anneke as AP's Hero of the Year

~Marla barked at 11:01 AM

Post a Comment

0 comments

A dog is not 'almost human,' and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such.
~John Holmes