Wags&Whiskers Pet Sitter

31/12/2023

20/04/2023

Shelby morning walk

15/04/2023

This wild Kingfisher's grandparent, I found in the garden, nearly dead, some years ago. Nursed him back to health, and set him free. The next morning, the family swooped down, past me, in gratitude.
A couple of years later, I awoke to find the next generation, a parent of this bird, waiting for me on the terrace, his wing seemed broken. I picked him up and examined him. He never flinched, and stared deeply into my eyes. A thorn had locked his wing from operating. I pulled it out, and set him free. Without fail, he passes my window every day at the same time, crying out to me.
This baby, sat in the tree, eye to eye with me, then flew directly to my hand, and sat there for several minutes, before flying away.
Intuition, compassion, good intent, those essences of love, was all we had. Pure, unspoken.
An energy that has no end, and passes silently onward, much further than we can imagine.

16/01/2023

16/01/2023

I can't take him to the beach for a walk because it annoys you and disturbs the vacation... I have no right to rent a house if I have a dog, nor can I take him on public transportation.

However, I can take it to the rubble to find you after an earthquake, in the woods after you got lost in the mountains and had no map or gps; under the snow because you took a detour forbidden off the track; in the water because despite the red flag you have entered the sea, and your life is in danger!

And finally ...

He is just a dog, but he or she will find you. And it will save you!!!

Dedicated to all who DO NOT love dogs!

©️Nicolas Alarcon

23/12/2022

😪😪😪😪😪😪

SWEDISH CHIMPANZEE DRAMA

The more I hear about the escape and death of chimpanzees in the Swedish Furuvik Zoo, the more upset I get, because it all seems so unnecessary. At least three, perhaps four of them lost their lives on Wednesday.

The zoo spokesperson says that the apes were “euthanized.” But why use this term, which sounds benign, when we know that the zoo called in hunters with loaded guns to shoot and kill the escapees.

But it gets worse, the reason given is that “chimpanzees are strong and dangerous animals and the zoo's main focus is that no human gets hurt." This sounds good until one learns that the zoo was closed for the winter, hence no visitors were roaming the grounds. There was no imminent danger.

Further, among the chimpanzees shot was a three-year-old, which is a baby in chimpanzee terms, and absolutely harmless. Who in his right mind would shoot such a little ape?

I myself have been among escaped chimpanzees multiple times, and they are almost never in an aggressive mood. They seem lost and hesitant outside their territory, and are usually eager to return to where they came from. I have seen animal caretakers take them by the hand to lead them back. I am not saying that there is no danger, but nowadays many zoos show outsized panic.

The procedure should be as follows:

1 - Watch the escaped apes to see in what kind of mood they are. Most of the time they are just curiously walking about.
2 - If aggressive, you may need to dart them with a tranquilizer.
3 - If non-aggressive, bring in people they know and trust. This is usually not the veterinarian, and most certainly not hunters or police. Bring in animal caretakers whom they know, who will often be able to lead or lure them back.
4 - Shooting should always be the last resort.

Among the chimpanzees killed at the zoo was Santino (see photograph), who by now is 45 years old. Santino had become famous for giving a clear demonstration of planning for the future by apes, which was studied and written up by Mathias Osvath in Current Biology
(www.cell.com/current-biology/pdf/S0960-9822(09)00547-8.pdf)

The killing of these apes was horrendous and unnecessary. I don’t agree that this makes all zoos bad, because I do know quite a few excellent ones, and feel that urbanized humanity does need places to connect with and get educated about the last remnants of the biodiversity on earth. It’s not zoos per se that are the problem, but the fact that zoo administrations are often taken over by people who have no background in animals or biology, and are in it only for business reasons. They have no affinity to the animals they care for.

On the other hand, I have known directors who knew their zoo’s animals individually and by name, and would explore every possible option before “euthanizing” any of them.

17/12/2022

“So this happened in Montana. I'm on my way to go to my interview this morning when I get pulled over by a police officer.

I am native American and my friend that was with me is black. Just saying.

Both brake lights decided to go out this time.

As he walked to the car and I was pulling out my stuff, he quickly said,

"Don't worry about pulling anything out. I just want you to know that your brake lights are out."

So I'm immediately upset, because I just got them replaced like last month.

So I explained to him how Firestone wants to charge me $600 just to run a test on the wiring of the car.

He looked at me like 😨 and told me to pop the trunk.

He checked the lights in the trunk and tapped them, but they didn't come on.

So he told me to pop the hood to check the relay box then asked me to get out to check the other one.

Then worked on the wiring under the dash.

He could've easily given me a ticket, but Officer Jenkins stepped out of officer role, and into mechanic role, and human role to make sure I was straight.

By the way HE FIXED THEM. Not everyone is racist, or a bad cop.”

17/12/2022

😪😪😪😪😪

Owned from 6 weeks of age - and dropped at the shelter at 9 years. A couple divorced - and neither wanted her.
Dropped at the shelter blind (severe bi lateral cataracts) she had emergency surgery due to life threatening Pyomentra. At the same time a mammary mass was removed.
There are more....

Her mouth is so infected the stench stays in your clothes. And she has forgiven all with the sweetest nature, in pain, and clearly ill she loves everyone - even though she was scared in the shelter - and her family disowned her.

I know what you're going to say - and I don't know the reason either. All we can do as a group is care about what happens next.

Little Bea came to us this afternoon. Not one more day in the shelter said Foster Mum Sarah - she needs out.

And so little Bea is now at home, comforted by the other dogs, in a soft bed and is going to Dylan tomorrow. Her surgeries are scheduled for Tuesday.

We will love you, care for you, treat you, heal you, and watch over you.

Welcome Little Bea.

17/12/2022

To mark our respect for the two fallen Police Officers, Constable Matthew Arnold and Constable Rachel McCrow, tonight and tomorrow night the Townsville sign, Victoria Bridge, Wharton Reef Lighthouse, George Roberts Bridge, Little Fletcher Bridge and Queensland Country Bank Stadium will be lit up in the colours of the Queensland Police Service.

Queensland has been rocked by the news of the last 24 hours, our police risk their lives every day to help keep us safe. Our thoughts are with their family, friends, colleagues and community.

With honour they served.

Queensland Police Service

30/11/2022

Please remember not to buy rawhide treats this Christmas it will kill ur dogs.. please share and make people aware..

12/10/2022

Good night 😀

05/09/2022

Cassowaries eggs are bright green 💚

26/08/2022

On Thursday, I was driving into town and spotted a Raven in the middle of the highway. As I got closer, I could see that it was hit by a car. The bird was in the middle of the lane and about three miles from home. Knowing Ravens well from living alongside a family for twenty years, I suspected it was one of the pair that lives in the big old dead oak tree on the ranch next to us.

Over the years, I have watched and been a part of this family as it raised its young every year. I know its the same family because of their habits and calls when they visit the farm. They know me as I know them, the pair sit in the afternoons on the top bar that separates the horse stalls. Preening and cooing, nuzzling each other. They know me and tolerate my presence as I sit on the ground watching in amazement at their love for one another. Two big black beautiful birds, making a vast assortment of sounds, I am lucky to witness this unconditional love.

Springtime is when the pair disappears, only having the male come over every day to collect chicken eggs, if he can find them, before I get a chance. Then, in the middle of June, the pair will bring over their fledglings, gawky, trying to fly. It is so fun to watch them making runs, getting up in the air. The horses and sheep do not mind them careening above their heads. The parents are always patient and proud, making all kinds of incredible noises.

Once the babies fledge, the parents go back into their usual routine, coming over every morning and sitting on the telephone pole at the barn, waiting for me to notice them. When I look up and say hello, they immediately go into this beautiful dance. It’s a coo, a dip with their body and then they click their beaks together. This goes on for at least five minutes with changes in frequency and additions of other unique sounds. The Ravens visit every day. I love these times with the Ravens. It has always healed my heart.

But now, as I was driving into town, seeing a black thing in the middle of the road, with cars whizzing by, my heart sank. Somehow I knew who this was.

When I picked the bird up I realized what had happened. I could immediately feel it’s breastbone knowing the bird was desperately hungry and took a risk. It went for some morsel in the highway but was not fast enough to get away. I have never seen a dead Raven in the highway before, they are too smart to get hit by cars. But everything here in the west is in a desperate race to survive this incredible drought. Animals are risking their lives to find food and water. I could also see the bird broke its neck when it was hit by the car.

At first I was just going to move the Raven off to the side of the highway, but something in my heart told me to bring it back home and put it in a more dignified quiet place. I brought it out in the field next to the house and placed it in the dried grass next to Grandmother Juniper.

After a few hours, I was in the house and could here one of our Ravens outside. It was making a strange sound that I have never heard before. I looked out the window and could see the Raven was by the other dead Raven that I placed in the dried grass previously. I stepped outside and saw the Raven was next to it and talking to the other. It would nuzzle it with its beak and coo. Tears came to my eyes as I watched this unfold and realized this dead bird must be its mate and my friend. The Raven stayed with the carcass for the several hours before night, sitting in Grandmother Juniper.

The next day, as I was watering the horses and sheep at the farm, the Raven flew up and sat on the telephone pole. I told it hello. It talked back in a language I have not heard before, a set of coos, clicks and head bobs. The sounds were beautiful and quiet. My heart ached for its love of its lifelong mate.

Maybe this was its way of telling me thank you for bringing its partner home. Maybe it was just lonely and wanting a friend. It sat on the pole conversing with me for a while. And then it flew away.

I can’t help but think about all the connections there are between living things around us. If we allow them into our hearts, we can learn how to be human through their devotions and unconditional love. I know, in my quiet existence at the farm over two decades, I have been taught what it means to love.

But in all of this, I can’t stop thinking about all the lives that have just been lost in the massive wildfire that is threatening our place in Mimbres. The many horrible dramas of families; mammals, birds, insects and plants, that are in the fire’s path, trying to survive the drought but adding to that stress trying to outrun from this massive blaze. I feel as if my concern of our material things like our house in the line of this 300,000+ acre fire and ready to burn is insignificant compared to this horror.

But life is resilient, and out of this tragedy there are lessons to learn. I somehow wish that for one day, every human being on this planet would take time and see and then listen with their hearts to the beings that surround us, and understand we are insignificant compared to the immensity of all life surrounding us.

Just one day would change the world…

---Jennifer Douglass ---
Silver City, NM

24/08/2022

Hacking a tractor to install a video game may seem like a funny prank, but it confirms security experts' fears about the vulnerability of our food supply to cyber attacks.

14/08/2022

14/08/2022

Little Jinx is a baby Tube Nosed bat, a fruit eater that was rescued when its mother died and now progressing well at Tolga bat hospital ♥️
Interesting to see here in this photo why bats are called “ chiroptera” which literally means “hand wing”.