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I want to share a couple of photos that make me feel good. The memories of the pets and the life we enjoyed before my husband passed. Katie Kat was his cat, she died the same week he did.

Sorry, folks. I didn't realize this free replay was up...possibly only for the rest of TODAY. But if you want a good overview on cancer in companion animals, this is part of the Truth About Cancer series. You can purchase the entire series if you miss either this replay or others now being replayed for free in different time increments: https://go2.thetruthaboutcancer.com/pets/chapter-2/ This one will cover: Vaccines Nutrition Water

Worse days are coming.. I was put in such a situation where I had to rehome my beloved dog.. Because of my finances I worried that something would happen to her and we wouldn't be able to afford it. That is enough to bring someone to tears alone.. Here's where it takes a turn for the worse.. My dad just lost his job. If he doesn't get a new one in 3 months we will lose the house. On top of this my worst fear is coming true.. My dog is now walking with a limp. She can't put any weight on it. It's her birthday today. This is literally bringing me to tears right now. If I give her to a rescue what if she needs a surgery and they don't have the resources for it and they have to put her down? I feel so guilty and hurt because the one year of my mom passed and it was rough but I was going to get through it. People reopened old wounds by apologizing to me when I was rehoming her. They were trying to be kind but all it did was remind me of what I had lost and what I went through. I was coping but it was still hard Now by Christmas/New Year's I might be homeless and my dog might be dead or alone and scared thinking we abandoned her. The agony of it is ripping my heart to shreds. I haven't cried this hard in months. I hope a kind rescue will be sympathetic and help me but I just. I just don't know. This stuff always happens at once and it's hard and magnifies my grief. It feels so hopeless and it's horrible knowing thst you can't take care of your pets. I just don't know what to do. I hope she finds a good home but it was hard enough when she was healthy. I attracted pretty much every nut and dog flipper that has made these past two weeks hell, of horrible meet and greets and suspicious behavior. People wasting my time about her. People asking nosy questions then disappearing. People on the DO NOT ADOPT list. It has been beyond stressful and each blow brings me back every bit of progess I have made over the year. Each day brings new challenges I'm not ready to deal with and each challenge, threatens the people and animals I care about most. It's just too difficult.. I don't know anymore. We were doing good and then suddenly we aren't anymore. The holidays were going to be stressful enough, but now this... It's a whole new low.

I wasn't sure where to put this, abut wanted you guys to see it. Lena is near the end looking very clever, and wearing an alien tag as she appears to be driving the car..

I work out on a reservation as a school counselor, and it grieves me to see the way animals are treated out here. Of course, this is not anyway near what I would feel if I were to lose my own beloved pet, but it bothers me. I used to bring Lena, my therapy cat out here (for two school years) but the current principal is concerned that some kids might have allergies, and so no more cat. The kids miss her and loved seeing her; they ask me frequently about her, but Lena probably doesn't miss the car ride. Very often one child or another will tell me about the death of a pet- usually by some trauma. There is a lot of trauma to the humans out here too. Anyway, a boy was telling me this morning about the loss of his cat, and he seemed a little sad but nonchalant at the same time. He'll get another cat. I hear this all the time and it mystifies me and hurts my heart. Cats do get somewhat better treatment than dogs because it's well known that they won't last long if you let them outside out here. But dogs have a pretty bad time of it as well. I thought that it would be good for the kids to see Lena, because it is obvious that she is a treasured pet and the bond of the relationship hard to miss. I would often do things like take her into a classroom-especially in the younger grades- and do a little presentation about how your pet is your friend and investing your time and love yields a better friend. Then they would all take turns petting her, and I'd give each one of them a little photo of Lena. A week or two ago, I was talking about this to a woman who lives out here and she was telling me that they think we white people are crazy, the way we "coddle" animals. I asked her if she thought it had any impact on them to be exposed to what I was trying to show them. She said, "I doubt it". Anyone have any thoughts about that?

By choice, I barely watch the news much anymore, and the lives of celebrities don't normally garner my attention either. But while searching for something else, I happened upon this older story and wanted to share the sacredness of its message. I'm not even familiar with singer-songwriter Fiona Apple's work, but the depth of her character certainly shines through here. Fiona had made the decision to abruptly cancel her tour (in 2012) and instead remain with her beloved dog, Janet, in light of her failing condition. Apparently, Fiona took some hugely insensitive and selfishly-motivated criticism for being true to her very primary relationship with Janet, putting their love and committment to each other well above her career. Yet thankfully, she also received at least 80,000 "likes" on FB for her "instant" decision. I say her heart was exactly where it belonged, most certainly for Janet's sake, but also for her own. That's devotion -- deserving of being widely applauded and fostered, and particularly when it involves these deep connections to and with other animals. You can read this touching story and her 4-page letter (fully transcribed; keep scrolling past the scanned portion) to her fans here. Tissues are advised: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/11/fiona-apples-defense-of-canceling-concerts-to-be-with-her-dying-dog/265573/#

Friday was two weeks without my pekingese, Buffy. I just received her ashes back from the vet today. The house feels a little less empty. Although each day gets a little easier, I feel it's only because I have blocked out my pain and am not dealing with it. The first few days without her were terrible. I felt empty, lost, alone. I cried a lot, but then I just stopped. I pushed the emptiness out of my chest and refused to deal with it. I have been afraid to think about it anymore because I am afraid that I would let the guilt of having to put her to sleep overwhelm me and it's blocked any of the other feelings out. As soon as I feel anything start to creep up, I push my thoughts elsewhere. The house feels empty and too quiet. There are no little nails clicking on the floor, no pants echoing in the air. I still feel like I need to be taking her outside to pee and feeding her her meals every morning and evening. I still catch myself thinking I need to check on her while I'm in the kitchen, to make sure she hasn't gotten stuck in a corner somewhere in the house. I am 25 years old and Buffy was 16 when we put her to sleep. I don't remember what life was like before her. I work in a pet store and am constantly bombarded by new dog toys, leashes, bowls, and dogs themselves. It is difficult to be constantly reminded that I am no longer a dog parent. I think this is why I have just shoved any emotion out of my body because if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to do my job every day.

LOST ANIMALS If your companion animal is missing/lost, in order to maximize the chances for a happy return, rather than having to suffer a more definitive loss, my first piece of advise would be to do web searches for "lost animals resources" or the like....and follow as much of the advise from each site as you can! In conjunction, were it me, I'd hire a recommended Animal Communicator from one of the lists provided, as an invaluable aid and understanding counsellor during such trauma. There are several good sites out there now, but I will list just one of the most helpful & info-packed ones I've found through the years, as a start. Many of the other ones I've favoured are listed within this site anyway: This is an excellent "lost pet" resource site compiled by Morgine Jurdan, a well-known Animal Communicator who also includes this service as part of her work with/for animals. Please check out ALL the categories listed there, as there are several lists, each under different headings: http://findalostpetresources.com/ TREED CATS RESCUE SERVICES If your, or someone else's cat, is ever stuck in a tree and cannot (or will not) get down on their own, PLEASE do NOT leave them up there, hoping "they'll come down eventually, on their own." Cats have suffered and died this way, and fire departments apparently often do NOT mythically provide rescue help for these situations, although you could always ask, of course. Of immense interest and relief to me, I recently came across this helpful site and resource. Dan Kraus, an arborist and award-winning tree climber, has rescued more than 950 cats to date (!!! ) and offers his service, helpful tips and other info, PLUS a directory listing of other arborists who also help rescue cats stuck in trees across the US, Canada and even Internationally. Each place where they are available for hire, is under his "Directory." But also invaluable is all the other info he provides on treed cats and what you should & should not do. I would also highly suggest anyone peruse his whole site well in ADVANCE of such a scenario ever happening, to be prepared and avoid making possibly lethal mistakes, should a dear cattie ever get stuck in a tree. http://www2.catinatreerescue.com/view/Directory_view.cfm?directory_id=1