June
3
Mine were all accounted for so the dogs who had been under her horse trailer for the past hour were apparently someone else's. This neighbor is elderly and walks with difficulty so I told her I would be right over to see what I could do. At first, it didn't seem like I could do much--it was a mama dog, about 20 skinny pounds, and two pups about 10 weeks old. Mama dog barked at me, hackles raised, and ran into the brush where she continued to bark menacingly. The pups cowered near a tire, taking their cue from their mother. They looked dirty, hungry, and unsocialized. I reported what I had found to the neighbor, told her not to give them any food or water so they could be humanely trapped, and walked home to call County Animal Control and leave a message. About two hours later, the County officer phoned back and told me she couldn't come for the dogs until Monday. "You mean the dogs have to be outside all weekend? Do you know how hot it is?" I complained. She said that not only was she someplace else in this 7,000 square mile county, but she "would have to make room" for new dogs since all the shelters were full. Another hour passed and another neighbor called. "There's a puppy under Daddy's car," she said. "It's a NEW puppy." They were already taking care of a puppy dumped here two weeks ago. On the way to their house, I drove past the horse trailer--both pups were accounted for so this was apparently a third baby who was somehow misplaced. The kids came with me when I returned to the horse trailer with Puppy Three and more food and water. What a reunion! We put the scared puppy down and watched as mother and child licked each other and waggled all over and the two other pups joined in a happy puppy dance. And as I added more water to the empty pot, Mama, who hadn't growled at all this time, came over to me and cautiously reached out and gave my hand a little kiss, which, of course, was the very smartest thing that she could possibly have done. It's now about 9 p.m. and I have been over to the trailer another four or five times. Mama now greets me with kisses on my face and the last holdout puppy has decided that I am a lot of fun. I know that Animal Control doesn't work on weekends, but I had better call and leave a message tomorrow telling that officer not to bother coming on Monday. I know I can't save them all, but I can save these. ***
Profiles in Black History This does not mean these things didn't happen to less illustrious people. *** Saints celebrating feast days today include Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Saint Cecilius, Saint Pergentinus and Laurentinus, Saint Lucillian and Companions, Saint Clotilda, Saint Liphardus and Urbicius, Saint Kevin or Coegmen, Saint Genesius of Clermont, Saint Isaac of Cordova, and Saint Morand.
Birthdays today: Chuck Barris (Gong Show)(1929), Tony Curtis (1925). Onward
to June 4
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(2005?) At about 10:00 this morning, a neighbor called to ask if I were missing a few dogs. Because my life is hideously out of control, I said "Just a minute--I'll check."
Charles
Richard Drew was born on this day in 1904. Dr. Drew was the African
American physician who discovered how to store blood plasma. A commonly
heard myth (even reported in "Time") is that Dr. Drew, who
died as a result of a North Carolina auto accident in 1950, could
have been saved if a whites-only hospital had allowed him admission.
This same sort of myth exists around the death of blues legend Bessie
Smith, but neither is true; both individuals were treated and died
solely from their injuries and not from lack of care.
