Memorial Day

What do Rifleman Khan, G.I. Joe, Simon, and Upstart have in common?

You might think they are all cartoon characters from the popular 80's t.v. series but, they were all very real heroes. Heroes that happened to be animals.

These animals have all been awarded the Dickin Medal for "conspicuous gallantry or devotion to duty while serving or associated with any branch of the Armed Forces or Civil Defense Units."

Photo from wikimedia

Rifleman Khan was a one of 27 dogs to receive the medal. He was a part of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and paired with Corporal James Muldoon. One night in 1944 the two of them were on a boat together on their way to an important battle when they were spotted and fired upon. Rifleman Khan was able to swim to shore, but he discovered that Muldoon was not a swimmer. The dog went back while still under fire and brought his handler to shore, dragging him far enough out of the water to be safe.

G.I. Joe was one of 32 birds to receive the medal. This pigeon saved an entire town in Italy from being bombed. Calvi Vecchia's bombing was scheduled for October 18, 1943 but G.I. Joe brought the message to the Allied Troops that the town had already been taken by some British Troops just in time. His speed saved over 1,000 lives including both the villagers and the British Troops.

Simon was the only cat to receive the medal. He started as a sickly stray cat that was stowed away on the HMS Amethyst. He quickly earned his keep on the ship by keeping the rat population in check. After an attack by the Chinese that killed Lieutenant Commander Skinner and seriously injured Simon you'd think that he'd retire. Instead Simon raised the men's morale by continuing his job of catching rats.

Upstart was one of 3 horses to receives the medal. He was a police horse on duty when a building was bombed near him. With the glass and other building parts flying around, not to mention the noise, you'd think that the horse would spook. Not Upstart. He was recognized for his ability to remain calm at that time, allowing his rider to direct traffic and maintain order.

If you're interested in reading about the other Dickin Medal recipients, wikipedia has a great list. Keep in mind that the award has been given out 63 times, so if you prefer a shorter list BuzzFeed has chosen 15 they think are the coolest. I previously wrote a post about Roselle, another dog that received the Dickin Medal, after helping her owner get out of the Twin Towers and to safety on September 11th.

Lastly, in my research for this post I found a beautiful poem called "The Soldier's Kiss". It's about a war horse dying and how the soldier responds. Here's a stanza from it:

"Only a dying horse! he swiftly kneels,

Lifts the limp head and hears the shivering sigh

Kisses his friend, while down his cheek there steals

Sweet pity’s tear, "Goodbye old man, Goodbye"."

Please go here to read the whole poem.

Today is a day to remember all of our fallen heroes both human and animal.

Cat Café

Several public places are open to dogs, but in Japan and now Austria there are restaurants that do not allow dogs. And not for the usual reason. It is to protect the cats that call the cafés home.

Photo by: techmusicmagik

There's a whole collection of pictures here.

These cafés offer cat lovers, who might not be able to own a cat due to pet restrictions or allergies of a family member, a place to hang out with some friendly felines.

This interesting trend began in Japan as a way to allow people to relax.

One Japanese woman brought the idea with her when she moved to Austria. She was just able to open her shop recently.

When do you think they will make their way to the US?

Exercise With Your Pet- Balance

This blogathon (and my friend and fellow blogger, Veronica) are pushing me to do things with my blog that I've been wanting to do. Today's post is the beginning of a once a month series "Exercises You Can Do With Your Pet". Please let me know what you think!


Balance is an important aspect of fitness. Deficits can be an indicator that someone has a high risk of falling and will likely experience hip fractures.

As with other fitness related aspects, balance can be improved through practice, but who wants to stand on one leg for several minutes?

There's an easy way to integrate your pet into your balance workout making it more fun for both of you.

Balance can be practiced many different ways; I've listed some from easy to hard. I'd suggest starting with the easier ones at first especially if you are doing them with your pet. Once you both get used to it, you can move to the harder positions.

1. Stand with feet together.

2. Stand with feet in half tandem

3. Stand with feet in tandem.

4. Stand on one leg.

You can also make it more challenging by changing the surface that you are standing on. Find a foam cushion or rounded surface and go through the positions again. NOTE: when you're on uneven surfaces, make sure that you are barefoot, and start out with your feet shoulder width apart. Work up to the harder positions.

Now it's time to add your pet!

If it's a pet dog, play fetch while in the different positions. Throwing a ball is going to add to the workout and make it more challenging to balance.

If it's a pet cat, wave a stick with a ribbon on the end for your cat to chase while you're in the different positions. Again, moving the stick will challenge your balance.

If it's a pet horse, brush the horse while in the different positions.

Get creative if you have other animals as pets!

As you work on balance you are activating your core muscles to keep you upright. If you get to the point where you are standing on one leg, you are strengthening that leg. So you get increased muscle strength and balance and the best part is that you get to spend time playing with your pet!


Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Use your best judgement when you are participating in these activities. Do not try if you are already at risk for falls unless cleared by a health care professional.

The Grim Reaper Meows?

With the recent deaths of Maurice Sendak (author), Carroll Shelby (auto icon), and Mitchell Guist (Swamp People), I was reminded of a story I heard a few years ago about a cat that predicts deaths.

Photo from Oscar's page.

Oscar (the cat) lives at Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Centre in Providence, Rhode Island.  In 2007, an article addressed Oscar's uncanny ability to determine when a resident was nearing the end of his or her life. At that time, the employees noticed that Oscar would sit on the bed and refuse to move which was completely out of character for this normally reclusive cat. The person in the bed that Oscar chose would pass away within the next few hours.

Of course the staff was initially horrified in this "odd coincidence" and they tried to keep Oscar from going into the rooms. But then they realized that he was actually doing good. Oscar was able to accurately predict the next death, allowing time for family members to be gathered to say their good byes. And if there was no family to be called, at least the person wouldn't be alone.

The New England Journal of Medicine published "A Day in the Life of Oscar the Cat" written by David Dosa M.D., M.P.H detailing an occasion where Oscar performed his ability. The nurse noted his presence and called the family.

"Within a half hour the family starts to arrive. Chairs are brought into the room, where the relatives begin their vigil. The priest is called to deliver last rites. And still, Oscar has not budged, instead purring and gently nuzzling Mrs. K. A young grandson asks his mother, “What is the cat doing here?” The mother, fighting back tears, tells him, “He is here to help Grandma get to heaven.” Thirty minutes later, Mrs. K. takes her last earthly breath. With this, Oscar sits up, looks around, then departs the room so quietly that the grieving family barely notices."

Oscar's story sounds unbelievable but, he has proven his talent at least 50 times. He's been right when the staff thought that it was another resident's time. So now they've learned to trust Oscar's instincts. Although no one is completely sure how he knows, the residents and their families are grateful for Oscar's gift.

So what do you think? Would you want Oscar at your nursing home or the nursing home of a loved one?

Animals Give "Paws" to Grief

Today I have another guest blogger as a result of the 2012 WordCount Blogathon.


Kirsten writes a fabulously fun to read blog called Running for Autism about her life in Toronto, Canada raising two boys (6 and 8 years old). Her older son has autism which is why she runs to raise funds for the Geneva Centre for Autism. You can also catch her on twitter (@running4autism) and facebook (Running for Autism).


She shared the story of her father's death and how her mother coped with the help of their pets.


Enjoy!

My first dog was a mutt named Judge. He was what we called a “pavement special” – in other words, we had no idea what his lineage was or what breeds were represented in his genes. He became my dog not by virtue of someone giving him to me, but because he decided, when he came into our family, that he belonged with my two-year-old self.

It was a beautiful friendship between girl and dog. Apart from the times I was at school, Judge and I were rarely apart until he died at the age of twelve.

From the very early days of my life, my parents were “animal people”. There was no abandoned animal that went untended by them. The vast majority of our animals were rescue pets, from Sebastian the cat who was found in a parking lot with a list of injuries that went on for two pages, to Jessie and Bessie, the mother-and-daughter pair of dogs who didn’t have a home. On one occasion, my mom pulled over on the highway and darted into the traffic to rescue a budgie that was in the middle of the road.

My mom and dad treated the animals in much the same way they treated people. When cookies were distributed, the dogs got some too. Breakfast was not complete until all of the dogs and cats had received some milk and a sliver of toast topped with anchovy spread. The four-legged members of the family were not banned from any part of the house as long as they left the mud outside and didn’t scratch the furniture – much like us kids.

My brother and I grew up, we left home and eventually, the country. My dad retired, life events happened. Through everything, the animals remained a constant factor in my parents’ lives.

Seven years ago, the landscape of our lives – including the lives of the animals – was completely altered by the death of my dad. After the funeral and the cremation, after the ashes had been scattered, and after everyone who had gathered to say goodbye had gone back to their own lives, my mom found herself in her long-time home with only the animals for company.

The loss of my dad was devastating for my mom, who had been born in the generation of girls who left home to get married. In her youth, she had not gotten to experience any of the independent woman stuff that we have today. She had gone from the parental home straight into the married home. And therefore, when my dad died, my mom was living by herself for the first time in her life. She and my dad were two months shy of their fortieth wedding anniversary, and it had been a harmonious marriage.

My mom credits the animals for getting her through her initial stages of grief. They just seemed to know what my mom needed, possibly because they were grieving themselves.

They started following my mom wherever she went in the house. Dogs and cats alike were always with her, keeping her company. And yet, when she needed a good cry, they stayed a respectful distance away and gave her grief the space it needed. If the crying went on for an extended period of time, the big Belgian Sheppard would approach her and rest his head in her lap, as if to say, “That’s enough now. You have to get back to living for while.”

At night, the loneliest times of all, one of the cats would curl up with my mom, his body right up against hers. He would start to purr, and my mom just knew that he did it to soothe her, that he understood the calming effect that the purring had on her. She would fall asleep to the sound of the purring, and once satisfied that his human companion was all right, the cat would then fall asleep himself.

Having the animals to care for gave my mom purpose. It gave her a reason to get up in the morning. Some days, the idea of having to feed and care for four dogs and three cats seemed too overwhelming, but she did it anyway. If she hadn’t had the four dogs and three cats, she simply would have stayed in bed.

The fact that she was able to move on with her life in spite of her grief is a testament not only to my mom’s own strength of character, but to the role the animals played in her grieving process. Today, my mom is an independent woman with a rich, fulfilling life. She misses my dad every day, and occasionally, she still needs to have a good crying bout.

But the two dogs who are left over from my dad’s days (Jessie and Bessie, the mother and daughter pair who are miraculously still alive and ridiculously old) are there to help her through.

Jessie, Bessie, and Chelsea

Animal Mothers

Being a mother doesn't mean you physically gave birth to a living creature. In fact, you don't even need to be the same species. These stories are about some unlikely mothers:

Photo by Tom Harvey and Keith Philpott

A golden retriever takes care of three Bengal tiger cubs that were rejected by their mother. They stayed together until the cubs were a year old. You can read about their last time together here.

Photo by Johanna Kerby

This little piglet has become one of the litter, in fact, he's "mom's" favorite. His story is actually a children's book called The Pink Puppy

Photo by Peter Greste

This young hippo was orphaned after a tsunami and when he was brought to a reserve the first animal he saw was the tortoise. The tortoise took the young hippo's attention and affection and stride and their relationship was explored by NPR.

Koko's relationships with kittens made the news. She named her first kitten All Ball because to her that's what the kitten looked like.

The real "criteria" for the term mother is the endless love, and giving of self to another. These animals display this in a beautiful way. Happy Mother's Day!

Cats in Prison

Last summer I wrote about Puppies Behind Bars, a program where prisoners raise future Explosion Detection Dogs, Service Dogs and companions for returning veterans. But I just found out there's a prison that houses cats that need a home.

Larch Correctional Facility in Yacolt,Washington started a pilot program pairing two "unadoptable" cats with prisoners. A local animal shelter supplied the cats, who have issues with people and other animals. The prisoners were chosen based on a pre-set time period of good behavior. Some admit that they signed up for the program because it got them out of the group living quarters and into a double.

It's only been a short while since Princess Natalie and Clementine joined the men there, but already they are showing improvements in their behavior. The men working with the cats are also seeing a change within themselves. It's no longer about only looking out for yourself, a living creature is relying on you.

I got this photo from the slideshow on SVG Tribune's website

The prison is planning on getting 4 more cats for their "Cuddly Catz" program. I think it's a great idea, not only does it teach about caring for others, but it's also a great lesson in patience and building trust. The change that the cats go through shows the men that it is possible to change your ways.


PS. I LOVE that they are walk the cats! I used to walk my cat when he was younger.

Stress Relief During Finals Week

This is finals week for me and countless other students. This is the week that our stress level is through the roof, and for some schools suicide rates increase. This is the week that we are low on sleep and high on caffeine.

None of this is good for our health or our grades, so schools have been coming up with ways to decrease the tension. My undergrad had a designated scream time where you could get out your frustration and despair vocally. But a recent trend spares the vocal chords.

If you feel overwhelmed, or just need a study break some colleges, universities, and even a couple of law schools are offering to give you a hand. Or a paw, really.

Starting today (May 7th), students at U.C. Berkeley can visit with animals outside Moffitt Library all week as a way to relieve stress. They aren't the only school to offer this escape, Yale Law School, Tufts University, Emory Law School, University of California-Irvine, University of Akron, George Mason University School of Law, University of Tennessee, Georgetown University and Sam Houston State University have all enlisted the help of animals.

The cool thing about these programs is that the animals benefit as well. Several of the schools use animals from shelters. This allows the animals to be seen by potential future owners (or people that know someone looking for a dog or cat). And it's a great way to socialize the animals (a key component in being seen as adoptable).

So it's win-win for everyone. I hope next semester more schools will be on the list. Maybe my school!

 For now, I've recruited my cat to act as my stress relief.

Good luck on finals everyone!

The Gentle Barn

If you haven't heard of The Gentle Barn before, you will know all about it after watching this TV special.

I find the story incredibly inspiring. Ellie Laks found a way to accomplish her dream of working with animals as healers while they are receiving healing themselves. And she was able to do it with no business background or even a well thought out plan (at least initially). Not only has she been able to accomplish this, but she's been extremely successful. The Gentle Barn will be celebrating it's 12th birthday this summer.

I want to do something similar and I've felt that my dream is out of reach because I don't have any business or entrepreneurial experience. Ellie Laks gives me the motivation to keep on believing in my dream, and more importantly, to actually jump in and get it started.

National Pet Day!

April 11th is National Pet Day which was created by Colleen Paige, Celebrity Pet Lifestyle Expert and Animal Welfare Advocate.

I am lucky enough that I own both a dog and a cat, but when I was little that wasn't the case. I'm one of 6 children and when we would ask for a pet, our parents' clever response was "we have enough animals in the house".

If I had done some research, I might have had some reasons for why having a pet is a good idea. (Beyond wanting one more friend to play with)

Here's a slideshow called 27 Ways Pets Can Improve Your Health. Maybe you will have better luck convincing those in your life that getting a pet is actually good for you!

P.S. What do you think about the above collection of animals as pets? Are there any that you wouldn't consider a good pet?

Peace Begins with a Smile- Mother Teresa

I found another article featuring a slideshow of animals smiling. They must be on to something.

If you've caught your animal smiling, send me a picture and we can create our own slideshow to be featured on my blog.

Why We Love the Animals in Our Lives

Today's a day that we set aside to express our feelings to those we love. When I was thinking about writing a blog post for today, I was going to find a story about an animal sharing the healing power of love. But then I realized, our animals show us that healing love 365 days of the year (or 366 days in the case of leap years).

So instead I asked my friends and family to share why they love their animals and these are the responses I got:

Christopher:  Perfect song

Amanda V's adorable dog

Amanda V.: They always know how to make you smile!

Jim: Unconditional love!

Gabe: They don't over analyze things like humans do. They live life simply.

Amanda G.: My dogs were both adopted and they know they got a second chance. They cuddle and take care of each other. I just love them so much. Russel is really old and Ringo is younger, but sometimes he'll go up to check on Russel. And Russel can't hear anymore so when it's time to eat or go out Ringo will go and get him. So sweet!

Michelle M.'s Bunny and Cat, who are sometimes friends

Michelle M.: They are so simple-minded. Makes them great companions to de-stress with!

Sharon: The way they look at you after you've had a long day. The smiling face and wagging tail, like everything is going to be okay! Also, they always think you're the coolest most amazing person in the entire world, no matter what!

Juanita: I love them cuz they love you with out questions and/or conditions. Love you Joy (my shi-tzu poodle friend)

Michelle H.'s cat aptly named Trouble

Andrew's dog , Thor, looking dapper

Alexa: Whatever you do, they're excited about it. If it's sitting on the sofa all day, fantastic. If it's a hike through the Denali wilderness, fantastic. If it's a long car ride, fantastic. If it's a day on the computer reading reddit, fantastic. Also, they, like small children, don't care who you are outside of the house, what other people think of you, what your job is or how much money you have. It's beyond unconditional love, to uncomplicated love. Love that just is. But, I really like that a nice day in a dog's mind involves playing fetch, a car ride, a walk and time curled up on the sofa.

Michelle H.: My kitten trains me :)

Andrew: I love him because he's way more loyal than any human.

Erin: There's nothing better than waking up in the morning to find the warm, soft little body of cat next to you.

Patricia: They're much more interesting to talk to than people and they don't watch Fox News.

Amy: They show me what it really means to love unconditionally.

Kim: No matter how bad your day has been, when you come home they are there waiting for you and instantly make you smile =)

Carol's two sweethearts

Debra: Because the love that they give to us every day is so unconditional. They expect absolutely nothing from us but give us all that they have.

Carol: Just look at these two... how can you not love them?

Juice Baby, who loves the sink
almost as much as he loves Matthew

Matthew: The way he thinks he can protect me from dogs, humans, or even coyotes, but when the going gets tough he hides under the bed. The way he knows if you're sick or sad and the best medicine is for him to curl up next to you and he gives you plenty of kisses. The way he makes sure to clean your face so you never walk out the door with a dirty face. The way he jumps right in the engine compartment or interior of my car to see if he can help with anything. The way he rushes to the door to see you off to work or when you come home. How he shows he's grateful for water with a kiss on the cheek. How he makes sure you are never alone. Because he comes home after a long day of being free out in the "wild". That's why I love him and I know he loves me...

Dewey Readmore Books

February's book focuses on love; the love of one cat for an entire town and the town's love for that cat.

The cat's name is Dewey, to be more specific Dewey Readmore Books and the town is Spencer, Iowa.

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
By Vicki Myron with Bret Witter

Dewey's story begins when he was found in the library's book drop box on the coldest day of the year. He arrived at a difficult time for the town of Spencer; a time when people were faced with the decision to give up their family's land and completely start over somewhere else or continue to hope that things will turn around (and hopefully soon).

Vicki Myron, who found Dewey on that fateful day wrote:
I don't want to make too much of this one turn of events, because Dewey didn't put food on anyone's table. He didn't create jobs. He didn't turn our economy around. But one of the worst things about bad times is the effect on your mind. Bad times drain you of energy. They taint everything in your life. Bad news is as poisonous as bad bread. At the very least, Dewey was a distraction.


As you read the book, you learn that Dewey is much more than a distraction though. Somehow, Dewey seemed to find the people that needed him the most. He made a connection with people and somehow was able to make everyone feel special.
...Dewey jumped into their laps. That's when I saw the smiles. It wasn't just that Dewey sat with them for ten or fifteen minutes; it was that he had singled them out for special attention. By the end of his first year, dozens of patrons were telling me, "I know Dewey likes everyone, but I have a special relationship with him."

The book takes you through all 19 years of Dewey's life and his "special" relationship with several people in the town including Crystal, a girl in a wheelchair, a little boy allergic to cats, and a homeless man. Even though Dewey never left the library (except once) his story includes people from other towns in Iowa, other cities in the United States, and even people in the country of Japan.

Of course his most special relationship was with Vicki, his "mom", the one that discovered him in the library drop box. Dewey was able to help heal some of her wounds.
Somehow Dewey knew when I needed a little nudge or a warm body, and he knew when the best thing for me was a stupid, mindless game of hid-and-seek. And whatever I needed, he'd give me, without thought, without wanting something in return, and without me asking.

Ever since I finished reading this book, I've been thinking about Rocky and Boaz (my cat and dog) a little differently. I'm learning to treasure my relationship with each of them; loving them just a little bit more. Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World,  touched me.

Animals Provide Spa Treatment Part I

Rocky, my cat has that strange habit of kneading blankets, pillows, really anything soft including us, with his paws.  Evidently it's more common than I initially thought.  Some of my co-workers call it "making bread".

One evening, my husband remarked, while being kneaded in the back by Rocky, that cats should be used for massage.  I don't know that anyone has capitalized on cats' abilities to work the knots out, but another animal has been used as massage therapists.

In Israel, you can swim in the dead sea, walk in the Garden of Gethsemane, and get a massage by several snakes.  Ada Barak is the brains behind this spa treatment idea.  She noticed that people seem to calm down when they interacted with her snakes.  With that thought in mind, she figured that using snakes in massage would be a great idea.

Evidently she's not the only one because her snakes have been giving massages since 2007.  

I don't know, what do you think?  Would you be calmed by a snake masseuse?

Cats in the Classroom

Julia sleeping

So, I was still trying to figure out the name of the school that had a cat and I thought perhaps I'd find the answer on the internet.  Instead I found something even better.

If you are thinking about bringing a cat into the classroom, "Cats Protection" in the UK has developed curriculum that revolves around cats.  Or you can say that it highlights how cats can be used to teach curriculum.

Need to get the kids excited about the history lesson for the day?  Tell them a cat's role in that time period or place.  The kids want proof that math is used in the real world?  Have them figure out the cost of owning a cat.

They have a range of activities that allow your classroom cat to be the inspiration and motivation for the kids to stay engaged in the lesson.  Just click here to get the PDF.

I wish I could take credit for the idea, but like I said it was created by "Cats Protection" in the UK who have their own blog.  I'd love to hear if someone uses anything from the curriculum, or changes it to fit their classroom pet.

Animals as Medicine?

My husband was talking to me tonight about some of the children that he works with.  One child can be described as "active".  He always seems to be in motion, whether it's dancing in his seat or moving about the classroom when he should be sitting.  You might imagine that the child is ADHD, and that might be true, I don't know.  You might believe that the child would benefit from medication.  I would probably disagree, unless you are suggesting nontraditional medication.  My first thought as my husband described the situation was, I wonder if they could have a cat in the classroom...

While I was the Zoomobile Coordinator I visited a school that had a cat.  This cat roamed freely from classroom to classroom.  It was a stray that showed up on campus one day and since the school had a bit of a rat problem they let the cat stay.  The cat turned out to be more useful than just solving the rat problem.  One teacher shared that the children will lean down and stroke the cat if it came by, but it isn't actually a distraction at all.  The children make sure to check the water and food bowls (kept in the hallway) and actually learn a bit about pet care and responsibility.  I wish I could remember the school's name, that had the cat.  Or the cat's name for that matter.

Maybe if there was a cat in the classroom for the little boy at my husband's school, he would be less of a distraction in class.  He could still be "active" but his activity would be stroking a cat, which is known to have a calming effect.  What if instead of ADHD medication we allowed touchable animals in the classroom?

My cat, Rocky, as a baby

Rocky surveying the neighborhood