Crazy for Critters

Remember Shelter Pets During the Holidays

Click here to read a recent Herald story about how you can make life a little brighter for the critters at the Miami-Dade County animal shelter. Better yet, show up at the shelter on Dec. 2 for the Home for the Holidays adoption event. You might just leave with an armful of furry love. For details, click here.

More Good News for Lava Fans

If you're a regular blog reader, you know I'm a big fan of the book From Baghdad With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava, by now-retired Marine Lt. Col. Jay Kopelman and writer Melinda Roth. I reviewed it over the summer and have been in intermittent e-mail contact with Kopelman since. The book is about his superhuman efforts to spirit a little Iraqi puppy back to the U.S., an escapade that involved lots of people willing to take incredible risks, given that doing so was a clear violation of military policy (not to mention the danger).

Kopelman gave me a heads-up the other day that he's a Border's Original Voices finalist in nonfiction writing. Winners in five arts categories get $5,000. That's a lotta kibble!

Click here to read about the competition. But more important, click here to read about Lava (and see his adorable little puppy face on the book cover). He's all grown up now and living happily in San Diego with Kopelman, his new wife, her son and dog. To see a really cool video about Lava on YouTube, click here. 

Never a Dull Moment

What a day! It began with a dog rescue. I was on my way to the office this morning when I spotted a smallish, fawn-colored dog - obviously lost and scared - in the path of a bulldozer working on road construction on one of Miami's busiest thoroughfares. I pulled off the road and, with the help of two construction workers - thanks, guys - snagged the pup and got her into my car.

Miracle of miracles: she had a current Miami-Dade County rabies tag on her choke collar. I called Animal Services, they called the owner, gave her my number, and within a few minutes, the sweet little girl was back home (where she apparently worms her way out of a backyard fence).  There's a lesson here: TAGS SAVE LIVES.

THEN I get to the office, and within the hour word rockets through the newsroom that there's a guy with a gun on the 6th floor, in the newsroom of the Herald's Spanish language edition, El Nuevo Herald. Having been close to people who lived through something like this at my last paper - it happened a few weeks after I left the Courier-Journal in Louisville in '89, and seven people lost their lives - I wasn't about to hang around and see what happened. So I joined the Herald employees streaming out of the building, got some quotes, phoned them back to the Herald newsroom (on the 5th floor) then was dispatched to the home of the guy's soon-to-be ex-wife. She was understandably distraught, since they have two kids.

Anyway, it all ended peacefully. Go back to the Herald's main page to read the latest. And have a safe and sane weekend.

More Info on Missing Show Dogs

The daughter of a woman who owns two of the show dogs that were stolen (see prior post) sent a link to a site with pictures of the two Maltese males. Click here to see them,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Among the things for which I'll be giving thanks tomorrow: My dogs. They're an endless source of amusement and pleasure (and, on cold nights like we've had this week, warmth in the literal sense).

It's hard to imagine that the Gersches of Cincinnati get much snuggle time in with their pet, Popeye, though he'll be an honored member of the family at dinner tomorrow - when he'll be thankful not to be dinner.

Popeye is a turkey. A pet turkey. Who'll be at the table in a Pilgrim outfit. I'm not making this up. Click here to read about it.

Then, for a giggle, click here, which will take you to a San Francisco Chronicle column entitled: ''The Dog Ate My Turkey...and other Thanksgiving disasters.'' And click here for a dog in a turkey costume.

Have a wonderful, satisfying day tomorrow (but don't overdo it on the table scraps for that critter staring at you from under the table). 

Another Stolen Dog

What is WRONG with people? It's such a nasty, cruel thing to do. This time it's a female Staffordshire Bull Terrier named Saffie, from Micghican, snatched right from her pen at the Nov. 18 Pet Expo Novi at the Rock Financial Showplace. She's 5, 26 pounds, 12 inches at the shoulder, red with a black mask, chipped and spayed.

From the e-mail I got:

She was inside her pen and was taken approximately 2:30 p.m.  She was left unattended for approximately 5 minutes when someone stole her along with her collar and leash.   If you have any information regarding the theft of our dog, please contact the Novi Police Department at (248) 348-7100.  A reward is offered for her safe return  and/or the prosecution and conviction of those responsible for the theft.   She is very much loved by her family, and our little girls are devastated by this heartless act.

You can also call the Greens at 517-851-4044 or 312-802-4505. There's a reward.

This Tongue Was Made for Kissing

Which she does in the course of her work as a nursing-home therapy dog. Her name is Fleurie and she's a Norwich terrier (just like the winner in Best in Show, and Toto from Wizard of Oz). She's 13 and lives in LA.

Send your pet photo to pets@MiamiHerald.com (it's got to be a jpg) and I'll post it.

BOLO for a Miami Cat

That's cop talk for "be on the lookout." The cat in question is Tigerlily, a 6-year-old tortoiseshell who belongs to Molly Adams of West Miami. Her daughter in Alabama sent an e-mail telling me that her father is in a nursing home and her mother's companions are the cat and an "elderly" miniature schnauzer.

"Tigerlily isn't supposed to go out, but she does," wrote Laurie Frost, none of whose siblings live in South Florida. "Always before, after playing hard to get, she'd come waltzing back in. Except for this past Friday night, 11/18.''

If you've seen Tigerlily or can help, call 305-266-1352 or e-mail MAdams8948@aol.com.

Show Dogs Stolen

This first appeared on Craig's List/Hartford Nov. 14 and has been circulating around the country. These dogs could be anywhere.

From Darlene:

I need everyone's help and prayers today. Yesterday on the way to a show in Greensboro, N.C., my handler stoped at a rest stop and took a Golden puppy out for a walk in the dog area behind the building. When he came back a window had been broken and the other seven dogs he had with him were taken. Three were mine and I am devastated for myself, one other client and my handler, as three were also his.

There were three Maltese. My 1-year-old female Nikki, my 7-month-old male (that I co-own with my handler) Geno, and 8-month-old male, Peanut. Both boys were were wrapped. Also in the van was my 1-year-old, Pom Magic. He is 3 1/2- 4 pounds, and is an orange sable with a lot of black, very dark. The other three were Chihuahuas, all smooth coats, two fawn.

One of the fawns is the dam of a number of champions and is subject to seizures if she becomes stressed. She is bred and will require a C section. Her name is Ellie and she is very quiet and sweet.

One has unusual coloring. She is a silver color with black sabling. She has a black saddle and a silver blaze. She is microchipped; her # is Avid 095812321.

Please post and cross post this anywhere and everywhere you can think of and please pray for their safe return. Thank you.

Call: 678-471-6912, 865-621-4424, or email: RStorey@BMNet.Com.

Cindy Soars to New Heights

The Herald recently ran a story in the Neighbors section about Cindy the high-jumping greyhound. She's the offspring of racing dogs, but wasn't a racer herself. She was adopted from a greyhound rescue group in Hollywood, Fl, and trains in the Homestead area.

Her feat - she can jump an astounding 68 inches - got her on national TV. Click here to read about her latest triumph.