Friday, February 23, 2007

Memorial For A Feral Kitten, Christopher Gerard, For Farrelcat- Such A Bitter Loss


Beloved new Kitten, so  little time with us, yet who just grabbed our hearts and took us by storm.  Friend to all our cats and to people, also.  Precious, adorable, loving, adored, and loved. 
 
Dearest of Darling cats, I miss you already, miss you so so much. 
 
How cold, this season, this warming day - how cold, and dead.
 
but spring is to come, summer is to come.
 
Warm summer sun,
Shine softly here.
Warm summer wind,
Blow Kindly here.
 
Green sod above,
Lie light, lie light.
Good night, dear Heart,
Good night, Good night
.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

In Memory Of Peanut- a baby filly... gone now to the Rainbow Bridge

I read about Peanut and her tragic loss, and my heart wept for Pam and for the filly's Mom. I reached out to Pam and wrote to her and asked her if I could post a memorial for Peanut. This is what Pam wrote about Peanut. We ask that you send prayers to Pam to heal her broken heart and to pray for Peanut's mother who is grieving too. Rest peacefully little Peanut, and romp with Barbaro who opens his heart to you and who will watch over you!

Pam writes:


"My sweet little Peanut...it was not supposed to turn out this way. We had dreams of you growing strong, running next to your Mama, but it was not meant to be for my sweet baby girl. We had dreams of you becoming a champion show horse like your Mama, but fate would let that happen. You died in my arms, with your Mama's cries ringing out like a siren.

She knew the instant you left us. I told you to run to Barbaro....tell him your Mom was a Fan Of Barbaro....he will know what it meant. I know you are in God's hands now and being looked over by Barbaro.

Your Mama cried for you for many days...she lost her voice and still cried. Each day brings her to a more calm mood, but am sure each night she dreams of her first born baby girl who we called Peanut."

Pam
Imagine a world where the courage of a horse won the hearts of millions.
Barbaro 2003-2007
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/5025/
Pam's Family Web Site

In Memory of Morgan- Beloved Angel Cat - For Karen

Morgan, a beautiful eighteen and a half year old mixed breed cat passed gently to the Rainbow Bridge on February 19th, 2007, held in the loving arms of her "fur" Mom, Karen. Karen wrote that her passing was very peaceful and although her heart is broken, she knows that she did the right thing for her beloved cat, to set her free of her suffering in this world, and to give her a joy filled and healthy and happy life now, at the Bridge.

Morgan joined Karen's family in 1990 as a stray. She was over a year old when she moved in and gave great joy to Karen and her family. Karen wrote that she was a wonderful cat and ruled her house with an iron paw. She said that they needed Morgan to keep the rest of their pets in line.

She sounds like she was a very beloved cat, and that she had a memorable personality.

Please send some prayers Karen's way to heal her sadness and to give her support. Thank you.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Prayers needed for Kia- A rescue Boxer -for Beverly

This prayer request came to me through a "Divine" intervention, certainly. I was reading mail and received an IM from someone that I did not know. I generally ignore them but something made me stop and respond to it. After we exchanged pleasantries and tried to solve the mystery of how I appeared on her buddy list all of a sudden, and my telling Beverly about my journal for prayers for pets that need them, she immediately knew why we had "met." Beverly has an eight year old rescued Boxer who has Cancer. I asked Beverly to send a picture and some information about Kia, and this is what she sent. This "coincidental" event just made it more clear to me that we all are connected and that when prayers are needed, doors open. So please send special prayers to Kia and her loving family that adore her. This is what Beverly wrote:


"We got Kia from the Ocean County Humane Society on a Saturday in 1999.  She was due to be put down on that Monday because she was a one year old dog, and  large dogs are harder to get adopted.   When my husband passed her cage he said she just gave him a look he could not refuse. I was looking for a puppy. When I found a puppy I asked where my husband was and he was in a fenced in area with Kia.   So I handed the precious puppy back and went into the fenced area.   I saw her and immediately knew she was the one for us.   We took her home.  
 
She is the best dog I have ever known and the first one that I did not buy for hundreds of dollars.   It was as if she knew we saved her and right away wanted to please us  and that she did many times over.   She is so loved more than I can ever put into words.

Last October she became very sick.   Very anemic.   We went to the vet he took X rays, gave her IV's and sent her for an ultrasound, in fact two of them.   The specialist at the hospital told us she had stomach cancer and so many tumors that she was "inoperative." Her chances of survival were very low. She said we should just let her go.   We looked at Kia, and with her eyes she told us she was not ready so we took her home with medication.   The doctor said she would not make the weekend.  

Well, the miracle! Is it is now February and she is still here with us.   She has her good and bad days but she is not in pain.   She loves life so much and she is our baby girl

As long as she has the fight in her we will do everything in our power for her.   I can't imagine life without her"

Monday, February 12, 2007

Farewell To Beloved Prancer- For renopetpro

I was saddened to hear about Prancer's loss. He was renopetpro's beloved dog, and he is sorely missed. Rest peacefully dear Prancer. 

reno writes:

"It is with a very sad heart that I write this........
 
My beloved Prancer went to the Bridge at 12:45 on Saturday
(02-10-07) afternoon.
 
He had been doing so well.  I took him back to the neurologist for his recheck on Thursday (02-08-07) and she said that all was well and he could undergo anesthesia to have the tumor on his liver removed at any time.  He was to go today to have another xray to make sure that the tumor had not grown or spread and then the surgery would have been done on Thursday (02-15-07).
 
Saturday he was fine.  In fact, just one hour before he died he was outside playing in the snow.   Then at 12:15, he didn't look quite right to me so I took him to my vet and it was discovered that he was bleeding into his abdomen.  I had to let him go.
 
He was my best friend for 14 years.  But, I am thankful that he didn't have to suffer.  He was happy and active right up until the very end.  He was always happiest when he was working.   As most of you know, he had done alot of therapy dog work, he was trained as a hearing dog, he had gone to elementary schools to teach kids about responsible dog care, he did a litte Shutzhund on the side, alot of agility and he even was used as a demo dog for the Wahl Clipper Company at two prominent trade shows in the grooming industry.
 
Thank you all for your prayers through this last illness and for your kind words of support and encouragement.  It meant a great deal to me.  
Thank you to Teri for getting Prancer started with Wahl Clipper Company and for using him as a demo during one of your grooming seminars.  Thank you Sue for continuing the demos with Wahl and for always making such a fuss over him.  And my very special thanks to John for immortalizing him through your outstanding line of grooming products.  You all have all been great friends to me andmy husband and Prancer had such a wonderful time "posing" for you all. 
 
My Prancer will be greatly missed. 

 
Lisa
 
~~Reno~~"

Fluffy Revisited- A "Tail" That Is An Inspiration!


Some of you may remember Fluffy, a cat who was interviewed for this journal back in August, 2006:An Interview With A Handicapped Cat-Fluffy, and her FurMom- Laurentha Laurentha, her kitty slave, sent me her story of inspiration, hope and joy! There are two new photos of Fluffy and I thought it would be really sweet to share her story again here. Laurentha writes:

"When Fluffy was a few weeks old she ran thru a doorway when the door happened to be swinging shut. The door caught her and broke her spine just before the bladder. Due to the owner's finances,she was not taken to a vet. It was a shame! When she started living outside with the rest of the litter (can we say irresponsible pet owners?) my son brought her home because he knew she would never survive where she was.
 
She doesn't seem to have any feeling in either back leg or tail but does have some limited feeling in her body. I think she can feel bladder and bowel movements as she really fusses during them. Also, if her tail is tugged hard enough (this was done by the vet during a test) she does feel it. Her right leg is hyperextended and pretty much useless. The left leg is weak but she tucks it under and uses it to push. We have to be very careful not to step on her which is sometimes unavoidable because she is very bad about getting underfoot.
 
While I was warned that she would most likely suffer frequent urinary tract infections, bowel problems and skin problems from the diapers, that has not been the case. While she did have one very bad one not long after we got her, I've learned a lot more which I'm sure has prevented a lot of potential problems. Her bladder is expressed several times a day and we try for at least one good bowel movement a day. I make sure her bottom is clean and she sleeps in a medium sized dog carrier without a diaper overnight to give her skin a chance to air.
 
Fluffy plays with toys, romps with our six year old cat, loves the kitty tunnel, follows me around the house and can climb on anything that she can sink her claws into. She's very smart and tries to hide when she knows it's time for a diaper change and bed. She shares the house with my four other cats and three dogs and has taught our 70 pound dog that her claws are quite sharp. She's been with us for a year and a half (where has the time gone?) and is happy, healthy and a spoiled brat. "

Editor's note: Of course she is spoiled. All kitties deserve this treatment, and this particularly brave and courageous kitty certainly is a prime candidate for any and all of this treatment!

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Barbaro Remembered By RUSTYSGOLDENSONG

It has been over one week that the world lost you.

Our broken hearts and grieving are only the beginning of what we feel....and ponder...

When you look up the word "Hero"in the big book you will see many pictures, There are a lot of fallen heroes in this world.

For eight months you fought with every ounce of courage in your heart and soul to give the world back something that it cherished so very much.

You took the world by storm. You took our minds off all the killing and tragedy of the war. I write this without in any way diminishing the outstanding contribution that our men and women, who have given their lives for us have given.

When we heard the news that a Hero had died, many of us, throughout the world, dropped to our knees and wept for you and our great personal loss.

Keep reaching for the stars. Your wings glistened with the colors of white flowing to golden.

What amazes me is how much we can love them from afar, never being in their presence personally. I loved this great horse so very much. He was majestic, a king of kings with his royal blood flowing from his father..his grandfather and all the "greats" in his lineage. Your blood was the blood of a true fighter.

You loved people. To look into your eyes.. it was like was looking right into your soul.

In the near future those of us who loved you deeply will be standing at your final resting place We will shed the tears of longing to see you again, so strong, so proud, so gentle with a love that you have for those around you. You will know we are there!

Race horses are bred to run. That is their nature. They will fly through the meadows when they are turned out to play. They love to gallop swiftly with their friends and they have a competitive nature. However, we must protect our beautiful racehorses and ensure their safety so they can run in safety. Part of your great legacy will be that these great horses that follow you in the future, will receive safer racing conditions.

Barbaro, I love you. I too will weep for you when you reach your final destination.

My friend, when you closed your eyes so gently, rocked to sleep, you closed them to this world, but when you open them, you will see God's eyes. You have crossed over the rainbow bridge.. we will all see you again someday.

I love you my friend.
Jessy

Monday, February 5, 2007

Reflections on The One Week Anniversary..

It has been a week... a week in which many of us have mourned and continue to grieve .. the loss of our great champion, Barbaro. Most of us have never met this great athlete and magnificent horse.. most of us have never touched him physically, have never been in his presence, but most of us fell in love with him, remembering his incredible Derby win, where he flew to the finish.. were shocked at his tragic injury at the Preakness, and wept when the time came when his recovery was no longer a possibility.

He became the People's horse, and he belonged to all of us, just as if he were really ours!

But we wept not only for the loss of our hero who represented so much hope and courage to so many of us. We were stunned, in shock, in disbelief that the end had finally arrived for him, and yet, we all knew from the start that the odds were slim. Many of us remained in denial of this fact, which made it so much more difficult to accept his loss.

Yet, this morning, as all the mornings during the past eight months, as I thought about Barbaro, and the incredible love that I have for him, I thought to myself, that there is something even greater that Barbaro offered us during this long period of time that we became "intimate" with him during his hospitalization at New Bolton Center, and how eagerly we looked for updates on his condition and felt such joy at the daily messages "ACN" ( another comfortable night).

What Barbaro gave us, was the chance to see the best of humanity, as he reflected back to us, courage, strength, hope and the ability to connect on a profound level with others for a purpose.. to overlook differences, to feel the love that exists in this world of strife and upset for a moment, and to be able to reach out to others that we will never meet, either, in prayer and unconditional love to one another. We were able to touch each other in friendship and support.

It was an incredible gift that Barbaro gave to us. To diminish the impact that he has had on so many people around the world is a great injustice not only to Barbaro but to us.. who saw a bit of ourselves in Barbaro, and for a moment in time, were able to just be with one another in a moving and blessed way.

So while some people cannot understand the magnitude of our feelings and how deeply this experience has touched us, let us continue to connect with one another inpeace and love and strive for peace in the world.  What we have seen in the mirror that Barbaro offered to us is the joy of love.. the possibility of true connection between humankind and all the potential for a world free of fear and hatred.

Sleep sweet, Barbaro.. our sweet one! You have gifted humanity immeasurably.

Thursday, February 1, 2007

The Rainbow Bridge For Horses


There is a bridge connecting Heaven and Earth.

It is called the Rainbow Bridge because of its many colors. Just this side of the Rainbow Bridge there is a land of meadows, hills and valleys with lush green grass.

Whenever a beloved horse passes from this realm, they all go to this very special valley. There is always thick lush green grass pastures with tall grasses dancing in a soft breeze. There's crystal clear blue sparkling waters, running in rivers, waterfalls and streams. Warm spring weather with a soft gentle breeze. The old and frail animals are young again. Those that had been injured or maimed are made whole again. They romp and play all day.

There is only one thing missing. They are not with their special people who loved them here on Earth. So each day they run and play until the day comes when one suddenly stops playing and looks up! Nostrils flared, ears up! Sparkling eyes, from the intent gaze, as this one looks onward toward the bridge! And then, suddenly runs from the group!

You have been seen, and when you and your special friend meet, you wrap your arms around your special friend's neck, tangle your fingers within the locks of hair in the flowing mane, your friend arches that graceful neck and bows low the noble head, in order to be able to reach down in your arm's embrace. You look into those big knowing and loving eyes, and your own lashes are covered in a vale of happy tears.

You are at long last, together again, and together you cross over the Rainbow Bridge ... never to be separated again..

Modified for Horses- 2002 by D.Enise.