A Tribute To Romeo

I was very sad on Friday when I heard that my Twitter friends puppy was killed.



Today I continue the tribute to him. This is a blog post by his Human Granny. She explains in her blog exactly how wonderful this little guy was and his last happy moments with her.
A Tribute to Romeo by his Human Granny
Romeo’s death now has a new meaning due to Linda’s new initiative called Romeo’s wish.
Romeo's Wish
Please consider donating to this wonderful cause.



R.I.P. Romeo your life has not gone by un-noticed. Because of you many lives will be saved, and Hearts have and will be touched.
The pictures I have used are of Romeo from his Mommy and Granny’s blogs. You will see them there too.

A Week In Di’s World

I have been thinking all week about what to do on today’s post. I have decided that I will update you with some news and hopefully you’ll learn a little more about me as well as receiving a little pet education.
The early weekdays saw me really angry at humans AGAIN!
I hunted for a dog for someone to adopt. This person seemed really keen on adopting so as usual I put all my effort into saving another life.
I found gorgeous adoptees at the SPCA. When you adopt a pet there they ensure you leave with a pet that is inoculated, wormed and sterilized. I read that this adoptee would also be micro chipped, which is vital today with pets being stolen to be used as bait dogs or fighters in one of the cruellest forms of gambling.
Unfortunately the pathetic human, found the adoption price “too expensive” and ended up buying a pet from a shop. This is what really angered me.
Firstly, if he had taken a minute and added up what the cost of sterilization, worming, jabs and a microchip would cost on top of the price he paid at the pet shop, he would have realised that adopting was still the cheaper option. He could have saved two lives at that price!
Secondly, some pet shops are a turf for illegal breeders and puppy mills. I will probably write a blog about this in the near future! They are another two sick human practices!
I wonder if he would have been a good pet owner in the first place!
Wednesday was a turnaround for me. I witnessed humans on the other side of the scale. A family member in need received a much needed gift from people who have the heart and means to give. I listened to the radio with tears in my eyes. I imagine that if there were more people like this in the world that maybe there would be peace.
Unfortunately there are way too many people in this world who are so revolved around their own lives, ego’s, jobs and projects that the word “helping” doesn’t enter their vocabulary. It’s too difficult for them to do the simplest of things, for instance click on a button to share a pet’s plea for a home. Clicking a button takes less than a minute to do.
I have invested a lot of time to share other’s stories, listened to their rants, and helped a smile return to people’s faces. From now on I will be focusing my time on issues that matter, and people who are grateful, kind, beautiful souls. (This does not include the people who help to boost their own egos – however it does include - the ones who like to see the smile at the end of helping.)
This brings me to today.
A little white eye – a bird – flew into my open window today. The lovely little creature could unfortunately not find his way out and was fluttering around nervously.
I sent my daughter – who is home sick – to get a large net that we have. I waited until the little guy was in a place that was low enough for me to make a move, and caught him in the net. We quickly snapped a photo and set him free.
What an awesome feeling it was! I am an avid watcher of Wild Life Aid and like programmes and learned my catching skills from them! They always say how wonderful it is to see an animal go back into the wild. Now I know that what they say is true! I am more inspired than ever to help animals. They are the ones who deserve my time. (As well as the select few humans who fit the above category of beautiful creations)
I know that this post is really long but I have one more thing to say.
Those of you who follow me on twitter and my facebook friends should remember a post I shared a little while back about Romeo, a gorgeous pet of one of the amazing people I tweet. It makes me very sad to tell you that this lovely lady lost Romeo this week. He crossed the rainbow bridge after being hit by a car. Romeo must have been such a special creation because his mommy always had such good things to say about him. R.I.P. Romeo and make sure to brush your new angel wings against your heart broken mommy’s cheeks so she knows you’re still around to dry away her tears.

Children can benefit from having a pet in your home!

This is an article I received from the Johannesburg SPCA. I hope that you will be encouraged to choose a pet for your family.
Please remember that by adopting a pet you are saving a life, but by buying one you are most probably supporting a puppy mill or illegal breeder.

CHILDREN CAN BENEFIT FROM HAVING A PET IN YOUR HOME!
Whilst having a pet in your home is a very big responsibility for you and your child, bringing an animal into your life can have enormous benefits. Those who truly love and care for their pet can reap the rewards of a loving, trusting and faithful companion as well as numerous health benefits.
Besides a very close bond that builds up between pet and child, pets have been known to decrease high blood pressure, assist in the prevention of heart disease and most certainly combat depression. Whilst parents enjoy these benefits, animals are able to teach children a couple of lessons in life.
Whilst responsible pet ownership can assist children to develop their independence, it can also set them on the path to becoming mature and dependable adults. Owning a pet can teach children numerous skills and have other benefits, including:
1. Responsibility
Children can learn the importance of responsibility at an early age, by becoming a pet’s primary caregiver. Pets that require more attention, like a cat or dog, can present an opportunity for a parent and child to bond with each other, whilst enjoying the company of their pet. Teaching children how important it is to become responsible for an animal’s life can help them to understand the qualities of discipline, patience, kindness and attentiveness.
2. Discipline
Walking the dog, feeding the guinea pig and talking to the parrot can serve as a fun replacement for television programmes, Play Stations, movies and videos. These pet-related activities help children to remain focused on the task at hand. Enhanced concentration enables them to then cut out distractions, allowing focused time for homework and chores.
3. Life skills
Bringing a pet into the home as a part of your family can be an effective way of preparing your children for real life situations. For example, pets are able to ease the tension of sudden change for a child. When mom and dad bring home their new bundle of joy, the older child will still have a great deal of undivided attention from the family pet. Taking proper care of your pet can also help children to learn how to deal with medical issues and illnesses, when they are exposed to routine veterinarian check-ups or when your pet is hurt or ill.
4. Allergies and illnesses
If your child misses a lot of school due to illness, maybe you should get a cat. Research has shown that children who own pets attend school up to nine more days a year than their non pet-owning classmates. The immune function of pet owners is more stable, making them better able to fend off illness. Cat hair is thought to be a common source of irritation to the immune system. However, a leading theory still currently under investigation by asthma researchers suggests that the presence of pets in the home, from an early age, may adapt the immune system so it is less sensitive to allergens later in life. Always consult your doctor.
5. Unconditional love
Children who live with pets show more empathy for others and help others more. This may be related to other findings that children who are raised with pets have a higher self-esteem. This is thought to result from the pet’s unconditional love. No matter what's going on at school, or with friends, pets always treat children the same way.
Pets play an important role in many children's lives as they often talk to them and regard them as friends and confidantes. A five-year study of 600 children aged between 3 and 18-years-old showed that pet-owning children, who have challenges such as being slow learners or having divorced parents, cope better with life than those who don't have a pet.
Having a pet that shows unconditional love, regardless of what is happening in the home, can cushion other difficulties in a child’s life.
For more information please don’t hesitate to contact the Johannesburg SPCA on:
Tel: (011) 681 3600 Fax: (011) 681 3660 Email: jhbspca@jhbspca.co.za Website: www.jhbspca.co.za

Beauty in the “Beast”

Each of the pets I’ve ever had has their own story.

In this post my aim is to try and dispel some myths and try to turn you over to adopting a pet rather than buying one. To me preventing an animal from ending up in a shelter in the first place is a route that people wanting pets should also think about.

Never just decide that because you’ve heard that a certain breed of dog is dangerous that they actually are.
“So-called” dangerous dogs can come from the worst conditions and still end up being the most loving family pets with a little bit of love.

Our family were blessed to witness a truly beautiful transformation.
We brought a Rottie home that had been used in the concrete dam fighting rings. What these dogs endure in their short lives is nothing short of horrific.

To make this gentle soul more vicious and angry, these ‘morons’ would burn him behind the ears with cigarettes and cut his hind legs and testicles with razor blades.

It was hard to look at this poor Rottie and imagine the torture he went through with every fight. His paw pads were raw from having to fight on the rough concrete floor, so walking was difficult. His body was sore from the cutting and completely inhumane ways of the world of dog fighting. Then he had his battle wounds and scars.
We literally rescued him from the euthanasia needle. It was believed that he would be too vicious to be adopted.

We brought him home, nursed his wounds and gave him the love he deserved. Instead of being the monster he was thought to be he became our protector and play mate.

He would bounce up and down in a playful way, he loved fetching tennis balls, and ensured you were soaked with a good shake after a bath.

My brother was only two when we rescued Turbo. One day while my mom was in the kitchen washing dishes she saw my brother’s head pass the kitchen window. She darted outside when she realised that he was still too short for her to see any part of him through the high window. To her surprise Turbo had decided that he was a good horse.

During his remaining years he became husband to my Dobermann Racy. He also became a father when we rescued his white son, Rocky (a Samoyed).

Turbo lived on to the ripe old age of 12.

I strongly believe that any animal - no matter how abusive their back ground was - will thrive in a loving, affectionate environment.

If you are thinking of adopting, don’t turn away an entire breed, you may be losing out on very special moments…