Al & Barbara Pet Sitting (aka) Camp Cooper

11/05/2024

11/05/2024

11/05/2024

One frigid February morning, my co-worker asked if I would take a cat that needed a home. I already had two and told her I could not. But she told me that the cat had been locked in a basement for months, and then thrown out after it killed the owners ‘pet’ toad, also kept in the basement.

She said the kitten kept trying to get into the nearby church on Sunday mornings, trying to get someone’s attention for help. I was incredulous that not one of of these church goers ever did help this helpless kitten.

After hearing this story I agreed to get the kitten, but I would not be able to drive to the location for three days. My co-worker called the kitten’s owner, who said the cat would be kept on the back porch until I could come. Naturally I assumed that by back porch she meant an enclosed heated shelter. I could not believe what I saw when I came three days later.

On a freezing February morning with howling winds in southern Michigan, there was this tiny terrified kitten on an outside concrete porch step in a tiny wire cage. This kitten had to survive like this for three days, exposed to the cold and wind with no protection. When I opened the cage, the kitten climbed to the top of my shoulder, desperate for help.

I did not attempt to confront the owner because I was so angry I did not know what I might do. So I grabbed the cat and left. She is sweet and quirky and still has multiple issues from her early dismal treatment. But she is safe and loved furever now.

11/05/2024

Inside a locked crate alongside Route 80 in New Jersey, animal control officers found an "abandoned, disabled, and completely helpless" chihuahua.

Stanley, as he was later named, weighed 21 pounds, over double the normal weight, and was unable to walk. The 8-year-old dog was rescued by The Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge after they heard his heartbreaking story.

"All four of his legs are so badly deformed that Stanley is unable to walk," wrote the rescue. Stanley is experiencing love, possibly the first time in his life, and he cannot stop smiling. An experienced and loving foster mom took him in and "makes sure he gets to see the sun and feel the grass every day."

The sweet and affectionate dog is loving life and enjoys his daily walks in a stroller. Thanks to a low-fat diet and veterinary care, Stanley has already lost weight. He has a temporary device that allows him to move, but once he reaches a normal weight, which should be around 10 pounds, he will be fitted for a wheelchair.

"His story is hard to tell and even harder to imagine," posted the rescue. "Stanley lives for today, but our minds can’t help but wander to Stanley’s past. In our moments of despair, we imagine Stanley trapped on the side of the highway, watching cars speed by, scared, confused and hoping for his people to return."

While most cruelty cases involve malnourished and emaciated dogs, the rescue says that Stanley's story is a reminder that animal abuse comes in many forms.

Stanley has not let his past get him down and is an inspiration to us all. The rescue recently posted an update that said, "Despite his limitations, Stanley is loving life. He is enjoying the beautiful weather and improving every day."

Thanks to kindhearted people, Stanley is in a loving foster home and will eventually be put up for adoption. The rescue thanks all their supporters for their help with Stanley's case. "His glowing smile is a reminder that we all didn’t just quit on little Stanley, right when he thought humanity had."

11/05/2024

There was a homeless man who 'camped' in the covered garage where my office was located. You'd see him huddle down for the night, along with his little dog, a small scruffy little terrier mix. When I walked thru the garage on my way to lunch, I would often check to see where he was and then bring him a burger and drink. He always tore the sandwich in half, ate one half and gave the other to his dog. I started bringing him a bag of dry dog food every month and he took great pains to keep it dry. His little dog rode in the child's seat in the grocery cart wherever he went.
One especially cold winter morning, I noticed his dog was missing and he seemed utterly forlorn. I bought him some coffee and he explained how the city rounded up the homeless and took them to the shelter because it was bitterly cold and they took his dog away from him. They took her to the local shelter (no license, no tags, no rabies vaccination). I was appalled.
I took the morning off, picked him up from the garage & drove him to the shelter where we asked to look for his 'lost' dog. When we found her, she put up such a racket of pure joy upon seeing him: yipping, yelping, wiggling uncontrollably. Paws squeezed between chain link trying to touch her master and his fingers stroking her little face.
I paid for her license, basic shots and retrieval fee and he rode back in silence hugging her so tight, I thought he would break her. When we got out, I told him to keep her safe. He hugged me, made Sasha give me a smooch of thanks, and hurried off to where he'd hidden his cart.
I understand the need to keep these souls safe but taking his one undeniable friend -- while legally founded -- was gut wrenchingly wrong on so many other levels.
Any act of kindness can change lives….no matter how great or small.

11/05/2024

OMG. My wife and I found these three on a hiking trip tied up to a pole with wire so short, they couldn't lay down and with no food or water, not that they could reach it even if there was. We knocked on the door, but there was no answer, so we took them. The white one collapsed on the way to the car, so I had to carry her the rest of the way. Animal cruelty should be a Class C Felony with a mandatory 10-year prison term.

10/27/2024

10/27/2024

She looks so much like our little Sophie. Thank you for the nice grooming. Wonderful pup. Hope she gets nice forever home.

10/23/2024

Fun afternoon and lunch with Joanne. Thanks for a great time.

10/08/2024

And well they should…The have the purest of hearts ❤️🐈‍⬛🙏🐕

10/01/2024

1585 likes, 203 comments. “ ”

10/01/2024

10/01/2024

10/01/2024

10/01/2024

09/30/2024

282 likes, 16 comments. “ #2024 #🇺🇸 #💙 #🌊 ”

09/27/2024

21.3K likes, 2534 comments. “No more 🙅 👉shirt link in bio👈”

09/24/2024

When your dog comes to the dog kennel because you’re tired of him, because he bothers you, prevents you from going on holiday or other excuses...
He sits and waits.
He's waiting for you to come get him.
A second, a minute, an hour, a day, a month, a year --- he's waiting for you.
He doesn’t know why, but he’s waiting because he trusts you; because unlike you, he loves you.
Your dog is not a toy. Think twice before getting a dog. You have the responsibility of a living being and of a family member.
Auther unknown

09/24/2024

The intense fire surprised Mr. Mario Alberto, who is a deaf man, in the middle of the night. His humble house and his vehicle were on fire, but his only concern was his best friend, Gordo, who was still inside. Desperate, he even tried to put out the fire with a hose but the flames were destroying everything, including his hopes of finding his dog alive.

He kept pointing out to the firefighters that nothing mattered more than his pet and when he thought he would never see him again, suddenly in the midst of the raging flames, one of them came out with his pet.