jehnee05:

“They told me the big black Lab’s name was Reggie, as I looked at him lying in his pen. The shelter was clean, no-kill, and the people really friendly. I’d only been in the area for six months, but everywhere I went in the small college town, people were welcoming and open. Everyone waves when you pass them on the street.

But something was still missing as I attempted to settle in to my new life here, and I thought a dog couldn’t hurt. Give me someone to talk to. And I had just seen Reggie’s advertisement on the local news. The shelter said they had received numerous calls right after, but they said the people who had come down to see him just didn’t look like “Lab people,” whatever that meant. They must’ve thought I did.

But at first, I thought the shelter had misjudged me in giving me Reggie and his things, which consisted of a dog pad, bag of toys almost all of which were brand new tennis balls, his dishes and a sealed letter from his previous owner.

See, Reggie and I didn’t really hit it off when we got home. We struggled for two weeks (which is how long the shelter told me to give him to adjust to his new home). Maybe it was the fact that I was trying to adjust, too.
Maybe we were too much alike.

I saw the sealed envelope. I had completely forgotten about that. “Okay, Reggie,” I said out loud, “let’s see if your previous owner has any advice.”
____________ _________ _________ _________

To Whomever Gets My Dog:

Well, I can’t say that I’m happy you’re reading this, a letter I told the shelter could only be opened by Reggie’s new owner. I’m not even happy writing it. He knew something was different.

So let me tell you about my Lab in the hopes that it will help you bond with him and he with you.

First, he loves tennis balls. The more the merrier. Sometimes I think he’s part squirrel, the way he hoards them. He usually always has two in his mouth, and he tries to get a third in there. Hasn’t done it yet. Doesn’t
matter where you throw them, he’ll bound after them, so be careful. Don’t do it by any roads.

Next, commands. Reggie knows the obvious ones —-“sit,” “stay,” “come,” “heel.”

He knows hand signals, too: He knows “ball” and “food” and “bone” and “treat” like nobody’s business.

Feeding schedule: twice a day, regular store-bought stuff; the shelter has the brand.

He’s up on his shots. Be forewarned: Reggie hates the vet. Good luck getting him in the car. I don’t know how he knows when it’s time to go to the vet, but he knows.

Finally, give him some time. It’s only been Reggie and me for his whole life. He’s gone everywhere with me, so please include him on your daily car rides if you can. He sits well in the backseat, and he doesn’t bark or complain. He just loves to be around people, and me most especially.

And that’s why I need to share one more bit of info with you…His name’s not Reggie. He’s a smart dog, he’ll get used to it and will respond to it, of that I have no doubt. But I just couldn’t bear to give them his real name. But if someone is reading this … well it means that his new owner should know his real name. His real name is “Tank.” Because, that is what I drive.

I told the shelter that they couldn’t make “Reggie” available for adoption until they received word from my company commander. You see, my parents are gone, I have no siblings, no one I could’ve left Tank with .. and it was my only real request of the Army upon my deployment to Iraq, that they make one phone call to the shelter … in the “event” … to tell them that Tank could be put up for adoption. Luckily, my CO is a dog-guy, too, and he knew where my platoon was headed. He said he’d do it personally. And if you’re reading this, then he made good on his word.

Tank has been my family for the last six years, almost as long as the Army has been my family. And now I hope and pray that you make him part of your family, too, and that he will adjust and come to love you the same way he
loved me.

If I have to give up Tank to keep those terrible people from coming to the US I am glad to have done so. He is my example of service and of love. I hope I honored him by my service to my country and comrades.

All right, that’s enough. I deploy this evening and have to drop this letter off at the shelter. Maybe I’ll peek in on him and see if he finally got that third tennis ball in his mouth.

Good luck with Tank. Give him a good home, and give him an extra kiss goodnight - every night - from me.

Thank you,

Paul Mallory
____________ _________ _________ _______

I folded the letter and slipped it back in the envelope. Sure, I had heard of Paul Mallory, everyone in town knew him, even new people like me. Local kid, killed in Iraq a few months ago and posthumously earning the Silver
Star when he gave his life to save three buddies. Flags had been at half-mast all summer.

I leaned forward in my chair and rested my elbows on my knees, staring at the dog.

“Hey, Tank,” I said quietly.

The dog’s head whipped up, his ears cocked and his eyes bright.

“C’mere boy.”

He was instantly on his feet, his nails clicking on the hardwood floor. He sat in front of me, his head tilted, searching for the name he hadn’t heard in months. “Tank,” I whispered.

His tail swished.

I kept whispering his name, over and over, and each time, his ears lowered, his eyes softened, and his posture relaxed as a wave of contentment just seemed to flood him. I stroked his ears, rubbed his shoulders, buried my
face into his scruff and hugged him.

“It’s me now, Tank, just you and me. Your old pal gave you to me.” Tank reached up and licked my cheek.

“So whatdaya say we play some ball?” His ears perked again.

“Yeah? Ball? You like that? Ball?”

Tank tore from my hands and disappeared into the next room. And when he came back, he had three tennis balls in his mouth.”

Awwwwww

TEARSSSSSSS

(via aalisvolatpropriiss)

aalisvolatpropriiss:

lettucebevegan:

hopefulveterinarian:

itsdetachable:

myasphyxiatedmind:

theshoutsofmany:

fartsack:

this makes it so your dog can look down on people too

Oh yay, more unhealthy pet food!

Guys. Guys. You guys.

I have a great idea.

Let’s feed our carnivorous pets something with no animal protein in it whatsoever.

Flawless.

Vegan pet foods for carnivorous pets.

Because fuck physiology I need to push my morals onto everything and creatures that can’t argue with me or fight back are perfect outlets for this necessity of mine.

Animals eating other animals or their products? What are you, stupid or something? 

Crazy talk I says, absolutely crazy… 

Dogs are omnivores, not carnivores…just had to clear that up. ;)

Plants provide enough protein to sustain both people and dogs. Cats are a different story…they are strictly carnivores and require taurine that comes from meat. If a person chooses to feed their dog a vegan diet, the dog can get enough required nutrients from plant protein as long as they are fed a BALANCED diet. 

Personally, I would rather have a dog that eats a food with high nutritional value than some filler food off the grocery store shelf like Pedigree or Old Roy. 

When the time is taken to create a balanced and complete diet, vegan diets can work. Obviously, as with any diet, regular visits and check-ups with a veterinarian are necessary to ensure the dog is healthy and receiving all the nutrients it needs. 

People are going to argue that a vegan diet for a dog is not “natural.” But with that way of thinking…is any commercially sold dog food natural? Does any grocery store sell live animals that dogs can hunt, kill, and consume? (Wild dogs, such as hyenas, eat the stomach and intestines first because of the nutrients they receive from the partially digested vegetation content within.)

The fact is, we have domesticated this animal and the diet that is necessary for the survival of a canine in the wild is not necessary for the normal house dog. It mirrors the same thinking in regard to humans, we are no longer forced to hunt and scavenge for our food, therefore we can choose where our proteins and nutrients are derived from. 

One last point…plant-based diets for animals, much like people, have been proven to lower a dog’s cholesterol, and reduce the chance of strokes, cancer and heart disease. Many dogs have allergies to meat and their by-products and are forced to rely on a plant-based diet because of this. 

SO PERFECTLY SAID.

“Personally, I would rather have a dog that eats a food with high nutritional value than some filler food off the grocery store shelf like Pedigree or Old Roy. “

^This. Most of the dog food out there is made with animal by-products anyway which is not the healthiest thing in the world. 

dobbaaa:

no-rhythm:

underneaththecamerawhores:

axelaustteam:

hedwigx:

This is Nobby, a breeding bitch in an Australian puppy farm. 

Tell me now that what I fight for is stupid?

Prisoners for profit, Puppy Mills are not a life for a dog, more a Life Sentence. Don’t buy from Puppy Mills!

This is so sad. :(

Always adopt. :(

Also, don’t buy from those little shops in the mall with those itty bitty toy dogs. Their puppies come from mills, too.

“On June 4, 2011 Remi was shot in front of her house for being a Pit Bull.

She and her sisters had gotten out of the backyard gate some how for a minute, as I was getting the dogs back in I heard our dog Lola, a Cairn Terrier, barking in the front yard. Then I heard a POP and a dog yelping in pain. I called my dogs and they came running to the back gate. Remi our Pit Bull was bleeding profusely. I started screaming realizing she was shot. A man who lives around the corner from us was in my driveway yelling that the “Pit Bull” attacked his wife. I called him a liar saying she would never do such a thing. Then he said ‘The Pit Bull TRIED to attack his wife” I called him on that too. I screamed at him that he shot our dog Just Because She WAS a Pit Bull, and he started saying he was sorry over and over again.

As the 5 Nassau County Police cars pulled up, I was confused as to why they were not disarming this man, and why they were treating me and my son and daughter like criminals. They were harassing us and not aiding in getting care for our dog.

They were trying to make their way into our backyard, not looking for the man who shot our dog, but for our dog! I know NOW that if they would have found Remi, they would have shot her to kill her.

As I was screaming for some kind of assistance against this henious crime, I was informed by one of the police officers that this man was “allowed ” to have a gun. Right there and then I knew he was retired from the force.

I come from a police family. My grandfather was the Chief of Police of the Village of Freeport for approximately 40 years, my uncle followed his footsteps. I know about the law and the officers of the law. I knew right then and there, we would get nothing from the men in blue.

But I was shocked at the way these officers treated me, my children, my boyfriend and my dog. They made it difficult to get my dog treated, they harassed my son and daughter. They frisked my boyfriend after he pulled up at our house. Searching him for a gun, why ? I have no idea. While my son was sobbing on our front stoop, they would not allow Bart to go to his aid, instead detaining him in the driveway as 4 police officers ripped through his pants pockets and wallet.

After they had no evidence of ANY attack or harm to the wife of this madman, they informed me that they contacted Animal Control because Remi had no license.

The bullet used was one of those that shatter on impact. 
Aren’t they ILLEGAL? I guess not for a retired police officer.
I am disgusted. 

Be careful citizens of Baldwin. You never know if that “couple out for a walk” have CONCEALED LOADED WEAPONS in their pockets ready to take aim on your pets, your children or even YOU.

Our beloved pet is in ICU fighting for her life, with 6 Thousand Dollars of medical bills looming over our heads. We want Justice For Remi ♥”

Please take a minute and donate to help this poor pup get the surgery it needs to have it’s jaw fixed. Reblog and get the word out - through facebook or tumblr

Chipin - http://anarchyanimalrescue.chipin.com/remi

Paypal https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paypal.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Fwebscr%3Fcmd%3D_donations%26business%3Djusticeforremi%2540gmail.com%26lc%3DUS%26item_name%3DJustice%2Bfor%2BRemi%26currency_code%3DUSD%26bn%3DPP-DonationsBF%253Abtn_donateCC_LG.gif%253ANonHosted&h=0df92

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-For-Remi/226487464030014?sk=wall