I am as curious as everyone else to know which breed of dog the Obama family is going to adopt. They have already confirmed they intend to get a rescue dog, which is a good example to set.  Like us, they have decided to time the arrival of their new dog after their spring vacation.  There is no point in booking cruises straight after getting a new pet!The first family will be back home in April so we can look forward to the patter of four tiny new feet around Easter.

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and a lot of us are thinking about the cost of gifts and restaurant meals on the day.  Buy roses today and they will probably cost at least twice the normal price.  The same goes for a meal out tomorrow night. We have decided to stay in on Saturday and donate the money saved to one of my favourite dog charities, Rescue Remedies.  I feel much better for doing this, the dogs are having a hard time this winter and dog rescue organisations are being stretched to their limit. There are a lot of ways we can save money and give to a worthwhile cost – imagine if one-tenth of teh costs of Vegas vacations taken from Gatwick was donated to a good cause!!

If you would like to donate to the dogs, just click the link and your money will be sent immediately by a secure Paypal transaction.

Rescue Remedies is a small rescue charity run by volunteers who rehome dogs of all kinds, including purebreds, cross-breeds, special needs dogs or older dogs.

Rescue Remedies is based close to where we live,  in the South East of England. If you would like to help their vital work, click here to see the donation page.

The feelings of loss since Kev died are immensely painful, and they change every day.  At the beginning there was a feeling that he would just walk into the room again as if nothing had happened.  Whenever we were engaged in a mundane task, like cleaning the kitchen, it was easy to imagine that you could see him in peripheral vision.  After we scattered his ashes there was some consolation: I could visualise him lying there peacefully under the tree on his side, the way that I last saw him.  Now, after six weeks, it hurts more to remember him.  Maybe this feeling will pass – I sincerely hope so.

In order to numb my brain I tend to browse online auctions for longer than normal.

At least we are not alone – I met a friend last week who had to prepare to take her pet to be euthanised the following day. There is no worse feeling that I have known. The build up to the day was unbearable, even though I knew he was suffering. The saying is true – “the pain of loss that is so much greater than the joy of possession”.

But I still hope to get another dog in future: when there are so many animals who need a loving home, how could I not adopt?

Part of the necessary euipment could include dehumidifiers for those little accidents .. there, I am tearful again!

I was very pleased today to read about the Animal Rescue Foundation in Chicago, which was set up by Tony LaRussa, Manager of a Baseball team over there.  The charity operates a “no-kill” policy which is especially valuable for older dogs who are homeless.  Kevin was nine years old when he was found straying in the street.  Many of our dog shelters would have put him down because older dogs are hard to rehome. Fortunately he was taken to the Mayhew Animal Home, which pledges to keep all healthy dogs alive and find them a new home.  If you are thinking of getting a dog please go to one of these shelters and give a dog a lovely home. It beats giving your money to a commercial breeder’s POS system.

This is a story that cheered me up enormously today. A soldier, Gwen Beberg, on assignment in Baghdad, found and adopted a stray puppy who she named Ratchet. At the end of her tour of duty, Gwen arranged for Ratchet to fly back to the States with her luggage. At the last minute Sgt Beberg faced a new battle with bureaucrats who tried to prevent Ratchet’s return. But with the support of a charity, Operation Baghdad Pups, the six-month old dog was flown back to Minnesota where Gwen’s parents cared for him. This week Gwen herself flew home, and was greeted by her lovely dog – who has grown much bigger while they were apart! An enthusiastic welcome nearly knocked the soldier off her feet – aaah!

http://blogs.dogtime.com/the-news-hound-blog/2009/01/ratchet-and-soldier-finally-reunited