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Critter's Corner
Stories from the Animal
World, and About Our Pets...
This is sad but sweet.
HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW
Here a female mate is injured
and the condition is soon fatal.
She was hit by a car as she swooped low across the road.
Here he brought her food and attended
to her with Love and compassion.
He brought her food again but was shocked to find her dead.
He tried to move her ... A rarely-seen effort for swallows!
Aware that his sweetheart is dead
and will never come back to him again,
he cries with adoring love.
He stood beside her, saddened
of her death. Finally aware she would never return to him,
he stood beside her body with sadness and sorrow.
Millions of people cried after seeing
these photos
in America, Europe, Australia, and even India .
The photographer sold these pictures for a nominal fee to
the most
famous newspaper in France. All copies of that edition were
sold out on the day these pictures were published.
And many people think animals don't have
brains or feelings?
You have just witnessed Love and Sorrow felt by God's creatures.
The Bible says God knows when a sparrow falls. How much more
He cares for us
Live simply, love generously, care deeply and speak kindly.
Grace is God reaching down
Faith is man reaching up!
Name: Shadow
Age: Four years old
Gender: Male Breed: Miniature Poodle
Home: Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Shadow is a Miniature Poodle. We got him when he was seven
weeks old, and he weighed all of 2-1/2 pounds. He was a little
black fluff ball that was full of energy. Shadow was given
his name due to the fact that he is: dark as a shadow, silent
as a shadow (he doesn't bark unless playing!) and of course,
he quickly became my little shadow. We intended from the start
to train Shadow as a therapy dog to visit with sick people
and make them smile and feel better. He is a great hit. He
will be-bop down the hall at the local nursing homes, without
a leash, and stick his head into the individual rooms. If
he hears "Oh, a puppy!" he goes in the room, hops
on the bed and proceeds to administer some "fuzz therapy."
When Shadow was about a year and a half old, I noticed that
he became very upset shortly before I had an asthma attack.
After this happened about eight to ten times, I called Service
Dogs of America and told them I thought my poodle was alerting
on my asthma. To my surprise, they replied, "It happens!"
When I asked what to do about it, they told me to keep him
with me 24/7, and if he did it consistently, I had myself
a good service dog. When asked about necessary training and
certification, they told me he had to have at least one certified
obedience school session, and his good citizenship to be "socially
acceptable" as a service dog.
Shadow is now four years old, and has never
been wrong when it comes to my asthma. He has saved me a lot
of medications and several trips to the emergency room due
to his advance warning. He is more than my little baby, he
is my hero as well.
Friends Forever?



IF you thought the legend of the horse whisperer
was impressive, here's an animal tale with even more bite.
Rather than trying to tame wild stallions, fearless Costa
Rican fisherman Chito prefers a playful wrestle in the water
with his best pal Pocho - a deadly 17ft crocodile.
The 52-year-old daredevil draws gasps of amazement from onlookers
by wading chest-deep into the water, then whistling for his
980lb buddy - and giving him an affectionate hug.
Crazy Chito says: "Pocho is my best friend. This is a
very dangerous routine but we have a good relationship. He
will look me in the eye and not attack me.
"It is too dangerous for anyone else to come in the water.
It is only ever the two of us."
Chito made friends with the croc after finding him with a
gunshot wound on the banks of the Central American state's
Parismina river 20 years ago.
He had been shot in the left eye by a cattle farmer and was
close to death.
But Chito enlisted the help of several pals to load the massive
reptile into his boat.
He says: "When I found Pocho in the river he was dying,
so I brought him into my house.

"He was very skinny, weighing only around 150lb I gave
him chicken and fish and medicine for six months to help him
recover.
"I stayed by Pocho's side while he was ill, sleeping
next to him at night. I just wanted him to feel that somebody
loved him, that not all humans are bad.
"It meant a lot of sacrifice. I had to be there every
day. I love all animals - especially ones that have suffered."
It took years before Chito felt that Pocho had bonded with
him enough to get closer to the animal.
He says: "After a decade I started to work with him.
At first it was slow, slow. I played with him a bit, slowly
doing more.
"Then I found out that when I called his name he would
come over to me."
At one point during his recovery, Chito left the croc in a
lake near his house. But as he turned to walk away, to his
amazement Pocho got out of the water and began to follow him
home.
Chito recalls: "That convinced me the crocodile could
be tame." But when he first fearlessly waded into the
water with the giant reptile his family was so horrified they
couldn't bear to watch. So instead, he took to splashing around
with Pocho when they were asleep.
Four years ago Chito showed some of his tricks to friends,
including getting the animal to close his eyes on command,
and they convinced him to go public with a show.
Now he swims and plays with Pocho as well as feeding him at
the lake near his home in the lowland tropical town of Sarapiqui.
The odd couple have now become a major tourist attraction,
with several tour operators, including Crocodile Adventures,
taking visitors on touring cruises to see the pair.
On the Crocodile Adventures website it describes the spectacle
as: "One of the most amazing things that no cruise ship
passenger will want to miss, the adventure show between the
man and the crocodile."

Clever croc ... Pocho answers to his name
BARRY BLAND / BARCROFT MEDIA LTD
American crocodiles, which inhabit North, Central and South
America, can live to around 70 years old. It is estimated
that Pocho is around 50 - almost the same age as his owner.
They are also said to be less aggressive than their Nile or
Australian counterparts.
Chito, whose real name is Gilberto Shedden, was given hi nickname
by friends, who also call him "Tarzan Tico" - Tico
being a familiar word for a Costa Rican.
And he certainly plays up to the name, wearing a tattered
pair of leopard-print shorts for his half-hour performances
with Pocho.
A keen conservationist, he also offers boat tours, where he
eagerly points out a variety of wildlife.
But he only charges a few dollars to watch the breathtaking
crocodile show, claiming he does not want to cash in on Pocho.
He says: "He's my friend, I don't want to treat him like
a slave or exploit him.
"I am happy because I rescued him and he is happy with
me because he has everything he needs."
Maybe you don't believe this story? I didn't
at first! Please check out the video of Chito and Pocho on
the following link.
Click here: Bloke’s
best mate is a crocodile | The Sun |Features
Dear Critter lovers,
Thank you for your info. I am so blessed having you all supporting
me in this situation.
We had Spook to the vet yesterday and his Glucose is normal,
Praise God! I also mentioned my confusion about the food to
give him and the vet said it's OK to just have him on the
Special dry food provided by the vet's office. The thing is
that every cat I've had in my life has been spoiled by all
the different foods and treats on the market shelves and it's
hard for me to have to quit with all the different tastes.
Tuna is my cat's least favorite food, but he loves the juice/water
from the people tuna can.
The vet also said it's OK for me to continue with the boiled
chicken breast and boiled chicken livers once/day...so I think
I have it under control which has put me at ease.
God Bless - Eva
Dear Harriet,
I'm turning to you and all Critter lovers for some answers.
My cat "Spook" was diagnosed a few days ago having
diabetes and I give him insulin twice/day. He is 6 months
short of being 16 years old.
The vet recommended special dry food and can food. The dry
stuff is no problem, but Spook has never been the guy who
likes more than one serving from any kind of can food and
if it wasn't for having a dog it would be a lot of waste.
I need to know "What kind of cat can foods in the market
are safe for him to eat?" and "What people food
besides chicken is safe for him to eat?"
Your input is appreciated in a big way!
God Bless, Eva
Realizing there are no words to convey the
wonder and mystery of Antarctica -- what it is like to be
amidst such an abundance of wildlife that is totally unafraid
of humans -- I pass along this video, taken on the sub-Antarctic
island of South Georgia, showing a remarkable and loving interaction
between a young ("weaner") elephant seal (probably
weighing 300 pounds) and the lovely young woman who was the
"hostess" on our ship (ran all the hotel aspects
of our voyage, but also loved to get on land and be with the
animals). Video was taken by her husband, who was also our
excellent chef. This video was taken last November -- so not
on our just completed voyage -- but at a place we have been--
and probably one of my favorite places on this planet. This
video says it all. Watch it first for the seal, and then again
for the penquins in the background.
How to Cuddle with an Elephant Seal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-8WKskPBTA
Kevin Richardson -
The Lion Whisperer
Kevin Richardson, a zoologist and animal behaviorist, has
raised and trained some of the most dangerous animals known
to man. The kind of animals most people come to see on African
wildlife safaris are what Kevin refers to as his playmates.
To do this he does not use the common methods of breaking
the animal’s spirit with sticks and chains, instead
he uses love, understanding and trust. With this unusual method
of training he has developed some exceptionally personal bonds
with his students. He sleeps with lions, cuddles newborn hyenas,
and swims with lionesses. Kevin can confidently look into
their eyes, crouch to their level and even lie down with them
- all taboos in the normal world of wild animal handling -
yet he doesn’t get mauled or attacked. Some people call
him crazy; others shake their heads at his unique method of
interacting with the animals. To others he is a hero because
he has been able to tame and handle beasts that haunt our
imagination, triggering our deepest fears. This has earned
Kevin the name the Lion whisperer. The Lion whisperers secret
- get to know the particular personality of each animal, what
makes them angry, happy, upset, irritated - just like a mother
with a child.
Kevin’s interaction with these animals has raised questions,
and dispelled certain myths. Kevin goes to show that animals
do have individual characters, they do show feelings and most
of all they can develop a special bond with a man. Not only
does the whisperer get them to do things but he makes these
dangerous creatures to show their playful side. The relationship
Kevin has with these creatures is that of respect. Both man
and animal have great respect for one another. Kevin treats
each individual differently, speaking to them, caressing them
and, above all, treating them with respect. Richardson, who
has been working with the animals for the last ten years,
has had his share of close encounters. This in the early days
of his work when a four-year-old male lion gave him a lesson
he will never forget. He says the beast put him to the ground
and bit him until something in his passive attitude stopped
the lion. Honestly I don’t understand what he means
by that. Maybe the lion wasn’t just interested in having
him for lunch. I mean how do you put sense in a lion that
is about to turn you into a snack?
Having learnt his lesson early on the lion whisperer says
he relays on his instincts to gauge situations and will not
just approach a creature especially if it doesn’t feel
right. He is also more confident with animals he has known
since birth.






Please check out the following link, it will
take you to an interesting article about Kevin and his cats.
Be sure and watch the video on the page...amazing story.
Click here: Lion King Kevin Richardson Treated Like One Of
The Pride By The Big Cats At His South Africa Reserve | World
News

Izzy...one of many...
Please pray for them all...
Harriet, I had to share this with you. Perhaps someone out
there can pray for, or send a love donation to the Humane
Society for the care of abused, neglected or abandoned animals.
Thanks.
Merry Christmas,
~Gayle
"You can't give away
kindness,
it always comes back to you!"
Please read Izzy's story
Click here: American
Humane: Email - Dog left to starve in filthy garage

A
Cat's Version of the "First Christmas"
It was a day just like most any day, I was going about my
"catly" duties, and the kittens were home playing
as kittens will do. What happened later that day, however,
was anything but normal. Let me tell you the story of how
I observed "The First Christmas".
It was around evening, actually, I suppose, it was closer
to night; the streets of town were bustling with folks, selling
their wares. I noticed in the distance a man leading a burro
with a lady astride, I paid no attention at first, as I figured
it was just another couple coming in to town to do some type
of business. As they got closer, I noticed the lady was going
to have a baby, she looked so tired, and the man looked very
disheveled as if they had been traveling for days. They did
not have very much with them, all I noticed was the man, he
was carrying a staff. I crept behind a building so as not
to be noticed, but, my curiosity would not allow me to leave
entirely; for some reason, I felt this couple was "special"
in what aspect, I could not have told you, I just felt they
were "special". The man started going from inn to
inn asking if they had any room for him and the lady, the
response was the same, however, at each place, "No, we
are full". Finally, they came to one that had some compassion
on them and they said "We have no room, but, you are
welcome to use our stable, it is warm and dry". He went
back to the lady, and he told her what he had found out, she
nodded her head in agreement. They found the stable to be
just as the innkeeper had said, it was warm and cozy, and
the smell of fresh hay was very soothing to their senses.
He helped her off the donkey, and then made a little bed for
her, then, he found a manger and put some straw in it for
the soon-to-arrive baby. I continued to watch all this in
amazement, I say amazement because all of the preparations
were done in such a manner of love and calmness. I could tell
that neither one held any animosity towards the innkeepers,
they were at peace with the world.
The kittens, who had been looking for me, asked me after they
had found me, "What is going on"? I told them to
be very quiet, that I felt this night was going to be something
that no one would ever forget. As we were sitting in our little
bed of straw, I suddenly noticed that there were other animals
in the stable, we were not alone. I saw a cow, a couple of
sheep, and two other donkeys, they seemed very intent on what
was occurring as well. There were some doves in the rafters,
and their gentle cooing gave us all a sense of calmness. Some
little mice came out from behind the barn walls, they, too,
could sense something was very different that night. I looked
over at them, and instead of a rollicking game of chase, I
just nodded my head and smiled, I did not want to break the
spell of peacefulness.
For approximately 3 hours, nothing happened. The cow started
to lazily eat some hay, the sheep lay down for a nap, and
the donkeys stood there looking around. I was having a hard
time staying awake myself, and the kittens were already asleep,
nestled against each other having "kitten dreams".
"Joseph"!!! I heard the lady cry, "what is
it Mary", he asked, his voice full of concern. "Oh
Joseph, I think my time has come, I am going to have the baby".
Joseph knelt down beside her and held her hand, he put a cool
rag on her forehead to help her stay in comfort. The stable
animals, doves, myself and the kittens all focused our attention
on the event. We were very concerned, as we had not experienced
a human giving birth before. I do not recall how long she
was in labor, to me, it seemed like a long time, but, it was
probably only a matter of an hour or so. I do remember looking
at my kittens and telling them, "This is a most solemn
event, never forget what you have seen" they assured
me they would not.
After the Baby was born, Mary had to wrap him in some rags,
she had nothing else available to her. She then, ever so gently,
placed him in the manger. I looked at the lady that was called
"Mary" and her face was full of such beauty, love,
peace and happiness, I had never seen anything like it. I
then looked over toward the man that was called "Joseph",
he, too, had that same, wonderful look on his face. The little
Baby was peacefully lying in His manger, and hardly made a
sound, I noticed around Him was a beautiful light, I guess
you would compare it to that of halo. The entire stable took
on the feel of a purely holy and sacred place, we all but
forgot that it was indeed a stable.
Shepherds started coming from all around, as an angel had
proclaimed to them the wonderful news. I am told that at first
they were afraid, but, the angel reassured them. They were
also told to follow a lovely, brilliant star. I even can recall
some kings coming to visit the newborn Babe, they brought
Him some gifts. More and more kept coming, Mary kept silent
during the entire time, I think she wanted to remember this
night as the "Holiest of Holy nights". When the
crowd finally ceased to arrive, all those that were able,
gathered around the little manger and the Baby in it. The
Shepherds, kings and even some of the animals, it seemed,
knelt down in adoration. My kittens gingerly made their way
towards the crib, one stopped, his paw in mid air, then backed
up, I think he was afraid, it was such an emotional time;
however, I nudged him forward with my nose so he could see.The
atmosphere of peace and beauty remained throughout the remainder
of the night, the gentle cooing of the doves served as a lullaby
and the sweet Baby went to sleep. The shepherds remained for
a while longer, I do not know how long, as I fell asleep myself,
but, I do know that they worshipped Him until almost morning.
The following morning, I learned just how wonderful and important
that night really was, I was in awe as I had been given the
privledge of experienceing this truly "blessed"
event. I learned that the Savior of the world had been born,
and that in the coming years, He was to be the most important
Person in every human's life. His name was Jesus, and He was
to be the "Lord of Lords and King of Kings". That
night, indeed, WAS the "Holiest of Holy Nights".
Written by:
Susan Lewis
2009
May God Bless You Always
-A Susie-Q Original-

News from Winnie and
Buttercup & Skittles...
Buttercup's stitches are all out. YA She has healed nicely
and even shared her "I got spoiled at Tarzana Pet clinic
T-shirt" with her lil bro "Skittles! Buttercup wears
her quitar shirt now and Skittles the grey vet T-shirt and
they are both nice and warm at night when it gets so cold
out. They look so cute (will have to take pictures and show
you)
Winnie the Wonder Bunny is ACTIVE. He (Official words from
the Doc today). "HE" is completely healed. His wounds
are gone. He is healthy and growing strong.
Today will mark a MONTH since Winnie the Wonder Bunny has
come into our home. He loves it there. He enjoys cuddling
on the couch with me and the dogs. Occasionally he will take
off hopping onto the dogs back on his journey down the couch!
I love the times he will sit on my lap with his carrot and
each dog will take their post on either side of me chewing
their duck jerky dog treats. It is such a joy how they all
seem to want to be close together.
Snack time, YUMMY.
No more Meds at our house, the animals are all better. Winnie
is more active than ever. Always jumping out of his cage,
running across his playpen and trying to Jump out to come
greet me. If I don't go over and pet him he will continue
to jump higher and higher. (One day he will get himself out
of that playpen. He is one deteremined little bunny). Fits
our household. God gave all of us the FIGHT to survive and
push through, and that's exactly what Little Winnie did. He
got away from whatever was hurting him, hid in our carport
until rescue would come and he pulled through his injuries!!
I'm so thankful to have him...and trying to enjoy each and
every minute with him because he gets bigger by the SECOND!
Love you all, Steph



Winnie Rescue Story
By, Winnie's friend and rescuer
Stephanie Rice
Last Sat a bunch of us went to the park to play Ultimate
Frisbee (we were going to be away from home all day). Just
so happens that a few of us needed a restroom and this park
had NONE. So we jumped in my car and drove to the house for
a quick stop. When I pulled into the driveway I noticed a
small white bunny hiding under the truck in the carport. It
was so cute, I thought for sure it would run away when I got
close. But it didn't. It sort of ran back and forth under
the truck. The three of us spent the next ten minutes trying
to get the little bunny to come to us. Finally Bethany's boyfriend
caught it and we brought it in the house. We found a little
box to put it in and gave it some carrots to eat. We discovered
it had been wounded. Under its front left leg was a big gash.
Poor little bunny.
I was certain my two little dogs would go crazy with a bunny
in the house so I started planning "Who could I take
the bunny to?" Was I ever shocked when both dogs came
out of the bedroom and just sat on the couch. They didn't
care at all about the bunny. No barking, nothing. (odd for
my little dogs) We took the bunny to the park with us and
than to band practice and than back home. The dogs still left
the bunny alone. By nightfall "Winnie" had stolen
my heart. I could not bear to part with her.
Two days later I got her to the vets. She is about 2 - 3
months old, gender unknown at this point. She had three small
wounds that are healing nicely and the vet has her on antibiotics.
She started feeling better immediately and the next day we
found her "out of the box" and roaming the living
room. Off to the store I went and bought her a 2 story condo
with a yard (a nice play pen that attaches to the cage so
she can be inside or out).
She is so friendly, sitting on my lap and even licking my
hand. The next night my dog Buttercup (a little white Maltese)
was licking the bunny and than laid down next to it and they
both fell asleep sitting on my brothers lap. How cute is that?
Such a small little creature , and yet she has brought such
joy to our little home. I am blessed she likes the dogs and
they seem to LOVE her too!
~Steph

Friends forever; Winnie...Buttercup...Skittles

Buttercup and Winnie

Winnie's Condo
Stay tuned for more adventures of
Winnie and Friends
Story and Pictures
Submitted by:
Stephanie Rice

Grannybuns loves
Stephanie, Jennifer
Buttercup, Skittles and Winnie

Meet Kingsford, the little pig that could
Hit link above and get ready to smile!
In depressing economic times like these, everyone needs to
see something sweet, enriching and heartwarming.
And Kingsford fits the bill. I had to watch this three times.
I don't know about you, but I'm never having another ham
and cheese sandwich.
This little dude is so darn cute, it hurts....
But you can see from the cat's expression that she's thinking,
'Man, you are one bug-ugly kitten!"
Click here: Facebook
| Potbellly Pig Lovers!
Kingsford the Pot Bellied Pig
Video and comment

Submitted by
Linda Turner
Oxnard, California


Cats
are sooooo dramatic!
It all started this morning when I made
breakfast for the cranky youngsters
and fed the baby a bottle.
I loaded up the kids in the car seat and took them to daycare
& school
I was late for work and traffic was a nightmare
My husband called my cell phone to tell me he got laid off
from his construction job
I got to the office (I'm a Tech Analyst)
My supervisor chewed me out
for misplacing the mouse
I went out for lunch and got caught in the rain
I left work early to pick up my new glasses (wrong size)
I then picked up the kids from school & day care
Fed them all quick
Drove the boys to karate lessons
and the girls to tap & ballet
When we got back home, all they wanted to do was watch tv

and sing karaoke instead of doing their homework
After much chaos, they took their baths,
got ready for bed and brushed their teeth
I read them their nightly bedtime story
and they finally went to sleep
I tried doing some aerobics in the living room
Uh oh, I don't think all the 'fast-food' and exercise is agreeing
with me
Now, I think I'm getting a migraine...
and a runny nose
I'm pretty certain it's the flue
After a long and gruelling day, I crawled into bed and was
just drifting off when
I realized I had forgotten something!
Dear Lord, despite the topsy-turvy day
I've had I give thanks to you and
For
all the blessings you've bestowed upon me and my family.
Next
week, I'm off to the spa and pool for some much-needed rest
and relaxation with my friends....
That's
how MY life is going....
how are things with YOU?



Puppy Love
BY: By Jan Morrill
I ran across this on the "net"...oh that we could
learn from our pets. enjoy
One rainy night, I dreamed a Beagle named Sunny came into
our lives. The next day, by strange happenstance, a friendly
little tri-color wandered onto our farm, half-starved, with
that draggy-saggy look of having recently had a litter of
pups.
She looked at me with big, brown eyes.
My husband, Stephen, knelt to pet her. "We should try
to find her owner."
Knowing this was the "Sunny" from my dream, I said,
"But she doesn't have any identification."
Still, we ran an ad in the paper to try to find her owner.
Over the next several days, I dreaded each time the phone
rang.
A week later, a storm rumbled far away. We turned out the
lights for the night, and rain began to patter on the roof.
Within an hour, thunder rattled our front door like an impatient
intruder, and lightning flashed through the windows.
As though possessed by a poltergeist, Sunny whined and cried
as she frantically scurried around the bedroom; she was clearly
frightened by the storm. Finally, she found her way to the
closet and pushed the door open with her nose.
Though we coaxed, she refused to come out, and we decided
to move her bed to her self-imposed sanctuary. There, in safe
darkness and relative quiet, she slept the rest of the night.
Nobody called to claim Sunny, so we adopted her into our
animal family -- a dog and four cats. I took her to our veterinarian
for a checkup and shots.
"No," Dr. Woody said. "She didn't just have
puppies. She's about to have puppies. I'd say in about two
weeks."
"She's... pregnant?!" But we were leaving for China
in two weeks. I wanted to keep her, but now what would we
do?
I guessed Stephen had succumbed to the pregnant Beagle's
charms when he talked his son into dog-sitting while we were
gone.
Four weeks later, we returned from China to six squirmy,
gurgling bundles of joy. Mama Sunny looked at us proudly,
as if to say, "See what I did while you two were off
gallivanting?"
We saw what she did all right -- with help from what looked
like an Australian Shepherd or Blue Heeler.
Over the next few weeks, we fell in love with Oreo -- named
for the black "cookie" over her eye, Cleo -- for
her Cleopatra eyes, Big Jake -- for his size, Blue -- for
his one blue eye, Muffin -- for her golden color, and last-but-not-least,
Scrappy, the runt of the litter.
Sunny was a protective and doting mother to her six pups.
Though always watchful, she allowed our German Shepherd, Duke,
to sniff and poke at the odd little creatures. We laughed
as our big, black, ferocious-looking Duke would approach,
sniff, and then leap back at the slightest movement from the
curious puppies.
When the puppies were a month old, we'd grown a little weary
of sleep interrupted by six yelping puppies, and we installed
a dog pen in the backyard. We left the gate open, and built
a "mini-gate," low enough for Sunny to jump over,
but high enough to keep the puppies inside.
Not only did we sleep better, but it also allowed Sunny a
break from her half-dozen rumbling, tumbling, suckling fur
balls.
With Sunny and her litter tucked safely in the pen, we enjoyed
peace and quiet as we crawled into bed. Gentle raindrops tapped
on the roof, and the smell of wet earth wafted through open
windows. I looked forward to my first undisturbed night's
sleep in a long time.
But just as the peaceful weight of slumber settled over me,
high-pitched cries drifted into our room from outside. It's
okay, I thought. Just the puppies getting used to their new
home. Go back to sleep. But the cries soon became frantic,
frightened.
And it wasn't the puppies; it was Sunny.
Bright flashes of light flickered outside, followed by claps
of thunder that shook the house. The patter of rain turned
into a roaring, torrential downpour.
Snug and dry, I fought the call to go outside, but my conscience
wouldn't let me ignore Sunny's cries. Climbing out of my warm
bed, I pulled on my shoes and raincoat, grabbed a flashlight,
and ventured into the cold downpour.
The scene was frightening. A torrent of water poured down
the slope of the backyard and through the dog pen like a rushing
river. In the strobe-like bursts of lightning, I discovered
the puppies had been washed to the edge of the pen, where
they huddled together, shivering and whimpering. A wild-eyed
Sunny struggled to pull each of her babies over the mini-gate.
I ran to the pen, cold water splashing through my nightgown.
Shining my light on the wet mob, I counted. One, two, three,
four, five. Only five? Who was missing? Scrappy! Visions of
the littlest puppy being swept away by the water flashed through
my mind.
I scanned the pen with my flashlight to see if she might
have been swept to a different area by the flood waters.
Nothing.
I scooped up an armload of five soggy puppies and ran to
the house. Sunny stayed by my side, jumping up constantly
to check on her babies.
Inside, I called upstairs to my husband. "Stephen! Scrappy
is gone."
His feet thudded on the upstairs floor. "What do you
mean, gone?"
"I have five of the puppies, but Scrappy's missing.
There's a river going through the backyard. I'm afraid she
was washed away."
We searched the yard, calling for the little runt. Sunny
scrambled around in a frenetic fit.
"Where's Scrappy?" I asked, wishing Sunny could
comprehend.
She ran to the back deck. Did she understand? I followed,
keeping my light on her white-tipped tail. Sunny stood at
the edge of the deck, tail erect. I knelt to look beneath.
There in the spotlight sat Scrappy, looking like a wide-eyed,
shivering rat.
"We found her," I called, at once relieved and
amazed.
Sunny had disregarded her fear of thunderstorms to save her
puppies. Though Scrappy was the only one she'd been able to
carry out of the pen, she'd tried mightily to rescue the others,
even through thunder, lightning and rain.
As I held the shivering runt, impulse drove me to rock her
back and forth, and I began to recall the times when my own
instincts made me ignore my fears to protect my children.
Later, Sunny rested in her indoors pen, surrounded by her
six puppies. She looked up at me with those big, brown eyes.
I smiled, realizing a mother's unconditional love is not
exclusive to humans. And then I wondered. Maybe dogs are more
like their humans than we know.

The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags
his tail instead of his tongue. -Anonymous
The Bears and
I, by Tom Sears
Black bears typically have two cubs; rarely, one or three.
In 2007, in northern New Hampshire, a black bear Sow gave
birth to five healthy young. There were two or three reports
of sows with as many as 4 cubs, but five was, and is, very
extraordinary. I learned of them shortly after they emerged
from their den and set myself a goal of photographing all
five cubs with their mom - no matter how much time and effort
was involved. I knew the trail they followed on a fairly regular
basis, usually shortly before dark. After spending nearly
four hours a day, seven days a week, for more than six weeks,
I had that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and photographed
them. I used the equivalent of a very fast film speed on my
digital camera. The print is properly focused and well exposed,
with all six bears posing as if they were in a studio for
a family portrait.

I stayed in touch with other people who saw
the bears during the summer and into the fall hunting season.
All six bears continued to thrive. As time for hibernation
approached, I found still more folks who had seen them, and
everything remained OK. I stayed away from the bears as I
was concerned that they might become habituated to me, or
to people in general, and treat them as `approachable friends'.
This could easily become dangerous for both man and animal.
After Halloween, I received no further reports
and could only hope the bears survived until they hibernated.
This spring, just before the snow disappeared,
all six bears came out of their den and wandered all over
the same familiar territory they trekked in the spring of
2007.
I saw them before mid-April and dreamed nightly
of taking another family portrait, a highly improbable second
once-in-a-lifetime photograph.
On 25 April 2008, I achieved my dream.

When something as magical as this happens
between man and animal, Native Americans say, "We have
walked together in the shadow of a rainbow". And so it
is with humility and great pleasure that I share these exhilarating
photos with you.
Click here: Photographer makes it his mission to get photo
of black bear family

Article submitted by:
Eva Andersen
Fort Mohave, Arizona
Author - Photographer
Tom Sears
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