I received this urgent message:



Another one needs a home. Please help get the word out. I don't know what happens after the Feb 19 date noted below. Thank you.

Meet Andy

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He is 3 years old, Part Australian Shepherd and part Husky.

He has had his puppy shots and was kept up to date but is due his yearly shots now and he has been neutered.

Andy is friendly and active, likes the outdoors, has been raised around many cats (outdoor cats), and of course he loves children.

He has been an indoor dog before and does well with being potty trained.

His current owner is downsizing to an apartment and sadly she can’t take him with her.

Free to a good home only! Needs to be placed by 2-19-2010

Contact Elyse Ferguson: uferguso@wfubmc.edu

The News & Record in Greensboro has been providing follow-up to a cruelty case that sent shockwaves throughout the city and across the Internet as the case of Sally, a puppy found burned and beaten in August, has been investigated.

Sally suffered burns over 60 percent of her body. Her jaw and teeth were broken. Given her condition at the time she was found, it was estimated that she'd been struggling to survive alone for up to two weeks.

The most recent article about this case, found here, made me cringe almost as much as the original story about Sally's condition. In the article, the abuse suspect's mother claims he tortured this puppy because he feared the dog would harm his newborn son.

Keep in mind the injuries to this dog: burns covering SIXTY PERCENT of the body, and blunt force trauma violent enough to break teeth and bone.

The suspect's mother claims that he reacted to the puppy jumping or possibly lunging onto the couch with the baby. That type of behavior warrants a sharp "NO!", grabbing of the collar, and pulling the dog away. Get the dog away from the kid until you calm down, then teach the dog not to jump on or at the kid.

The suspect has allegedly said that he "lost it" when the pup got too close to the dog. "Lost it" translates to beating the dog, then taking that dog and a flammable liquid to another location (I'm guessing this monster did not set the dog on fire in his own home), wetting the dog down with the accelerant, and lighting the fire. Probably while continuing to beat or kick the dog.

This is not an "Oh, man, I lost it" reaction. I don't buy that this was a father reacting to a threat against his child. Those kinds of injuries bespeak viciousness, blind rage, and a desire to make something suffer. The suspect's mother claims he has been dealing with mental health issues, among other things. I'd want to see medical evidence of mental health problems before I accepted those claims as a factor in this case. Show me a diagnosis made by a medical professional. Show me evidence that he was at one time - any time - on medication. Show me something real.

Sally is recovering well and will soon be adopted, according to the paper. Despite the heinousness of this man's crimes, I suspect he'll will not receive the possible four years he faces for what he did to this dog.

I fear for this man's son. Two years from now, will we read an article about how this man beat and burned his toddler for breaking his cell phone or knocking over a lamp? Will his excuse again be, "I'm sorry. I lost it"?

I'm posting this on my blogs across the board.

Sometimes I really hate the world. Well, not the whole world. Just certain people/entities. Today it's the Marriott Corporation.


Three years ago, a woman was raped at gunpoint, in the presence of her two small children (ages 3 and 5), in a Marriott-owned parking garage. Marriott has decided that *she* was negligent in this matter. See USAToday story.


The Stamford Advocate has a lengthier article, describing how the woman gave the guy her wallet, told him to go, and he proceeded to assault her while threatening to assault one her children.


Another article on the case.


Here's a letter I'll be mailing to Marriott Corporate today:

In addition to promoting and working with area animal rescues, I also volunteer my time for a great cause: Veterans of Foreign Wars. Our local group, VFW 7999, has become like a second family to me. I've built them a blog, where I'll keep up with the efforts to raise money and build a memorial in the Summerfield Community Park. Here's the new blog.

Almost a year ago now, I welcomed Bertie Wooster and his three siblings into the household. Of the litter, I never dreamed Bertie would be the one we'd end up keeping. The little guy - now not so little - suckered us right in. As soon as he was adventurous enough to start climbing things, he claimed the bathroom sink as a Cool Place to Play. This photo is from July 2008:



He still hangs out there. Only now it's harder for him to pretend like you can't see him there. This photo is from earlier this month:


I expect to have new fosters any time now.

You know how you get those e-mails asking you to send a card to a dying kid, and it turns out to be some weird hoax? Well, this one, by all appearances is not. There's a little 4-year-old named Hannah Garman who is dying from a rare brain tumor. She lost her mom to cancer not long ago. Here is a link to a message from her cousin, and a link to her CaringBridge page.  And here's the Snope's page, confirming that this sad story is real.

Hannah wants cards. Lots of them. So let's send them. Her address is:

Hannah Garman
704 Orchard Rd
Lititz, PA  17543

Please feel free to pass this story on to everyone you think would be interested in sending a card to this little girl.