Sasha is a special rescue cat.

I know that everyone who has a rescue animal says that – and they truly and whole-heartedly believe it; Sasha is different, however.

Sasha is an uncertified cancer therapy cat.

According to a study by Nestle/Purina Pet Care, “During times of stress or illness, the bond between a pet and … (patient) can be particularly strong.”

The study says that breast cancer patients relied equally upon siblings, parents and CATS for emotional support and love during chemo treatments.

We’ll get back to this in a bit. First let me give you some background.

Sasha knows what the “school of hard knocks” is like… she spent the first 6 months of her life being neglected, ignored, underfed and possibly abused (I never found out for sure but she definitely showed the signs when I stormed in and took her from the previous owner). When I went to “meet her” to see if I was indeed going to take her off the hands of this girl who had flyers around campus, I met a 19-year-old college girl in an apartment with hardly any furniture, an overflowing, disgusting litter box, no water bowl, beer bottles all over the place, a huge stereo… and … well that’s enough of that talk.

That was when I was 21. 21 and boisterous, raw, expressive, gutsy, a bit crazy and willing to do and/or say anything in the name of “animal rights.” (Now I have drawn a metaphorical and precise line between animal welfare and animal rights, with animal rescue advocacy being somewhere in the middle…)

Trust me; I left that apartment with Sasha underarm, police number in hand, ready to report animal cruelty and with that small sassy mademoiselle shaking in her skivvies.

Sasha first started being “therapeutic” back in those first few months I had her in the summer of 2001, my last semester of college at Colorado State University. We had a very nice neighbor, Mrs. B, whose husband denied her the love of charming, kind and cute kittehs; thus, Mrs. B would often put plates of food and other goodies out for Sasha (& Theodore) to eat so she could spend time with them, even though I politely asked her to stop. (Theodore was an outdoor cat with open in and out privileges – I feel no need to deny felines their natural instincts to play and hunt outdoors – I couldn’t very well make Sasha stay in when she was so socurious as to what Dora was doing out there all the time…)

Beautiful Sasha...

I later found out that Mrs. B, who Sasha took a special liking to, was suffering from breast cancer. Sasha – night and day, would sit with her on her front porch for hours, food or not, letting Mrs. B stroke her beautiful long black fur. Sasha would often opt to let Mrs. B cuddle and snuggle her outside during gorgeous stormy days in those unspeakably beautiful Rocky Mountain foothills of Fort Collins.

(Sasha’s older (and covetous, cantankerous) brother Theodore would surely come if food was out, but he was otherwise way too busy clearing the bustling college neighborhood of small birds, Colorado field mice, chipmunks, etc.)

Mrs. B told me – right when she found out that I was leaving Colorado to move back to California to find work after graduation – that she was sick and that Sasha had provided endless comfort to her. She had left me in the dark about her condition for about 8 months, as I left to go to Cali in February or March of 2002. (After 911, finding work in Denver was nearly impossible with so many college kids competing for the same jobs.)

Mrs. B was quite sad to say the least to see Sasha go; so sad in fact, that her husband, after seeing the amazing and positive effects that Sasha had on her over the months, finally caved and went on allergy medication. Mrs. B could now adopt her own cat. I kindly offered to take her to the Humane Society where I had found my Theodore  — she immediately found a cat like Sasha, one who “spoke to her” through the wire cage, one who she said she could feel feeling what she was feeling.

That’s how it happens for most of us cat rescuers I think…

Anyhow, I am not crazy. Mrs. B was not crazy. People who think animals are therapeutic are not crazy.

It is scientifically proven that petting a cat:

• Lowers blood pressure
• Lowers heart rate
• Calms emotions
• Has potential to stop or lower symptoms of a panic attack
• Makes the person feel at ease, i.e. more relaxed

The Purina study also “found that 84 percent of women battling breast cancer said their cat had a calming effect on them during their treatment. Cats also provided daily support to the patient, according to 76 percent of survivors surveyed.”

LifeWithCats.tv offers further proof of the science and history of these relationships for those questioning it, or those interested in the research.

Again – here is some precursor information to lead me into Sasha’s current cancer patient.

When we lived in California from 2002 to 2006, Sasha was a neighborhood roamer — again. Sasha would visit with folks up and down the street, picking the good ones to stop by, visit with and stay awhile.

When we moved to Ohio, she and Theodore couldn’t wait to go out every morning and explore. They absolutely loved the blowing leaves and super-strong lakeshore winds in the fall (similar to where they “grew up” in Colorado), the little critters in the summer and spring, the crisp clean rain to help them groom, and just having four seasons again in general.

We met sweet, sweet Laura right away as Sasha was frequently found in her beautiful backyard garden paradise. Then she started inviting herself into their garage (not the first time she had done this – I once awoke an angry CA neighbor “Umm, my cat is stuck in your closed garage sir…”)

Sashy immediately loved Laura, her son Jon, and her husband Dave. She LOVES men (we deduced it’s because a woman first neglected/abused her as a baby.)

We found out through speaking to Laura outside on a sunny day that she had been fighting breast cancer for a number of years. My ears immediately perked up; my eyes immediately welled up…

She mentioned how sometimes Sasha would be outside meowing to come in their house. Never to turn down a sweet face or this new love in her life, Laura let her in and it was, as I have said before, love at first cuddle.

At some point Sasha got chased by a rather large Great Dane who was visiting the house behind us and she stayed inside for the winter and then through the spring of 2007. When she finally started going outside again – late spring – it was straight back to Laura’s. It was like she went outside and immediately ran over there.

Something was wrong and Sasha could feel in inside. She was relentless at the door at 6 am before it was light out to get over to see Laura; she needed to confirm her suspicions. She would zoom over to Laura’s as soon as the door opened for her in the morning, and stay over there all day until we went to get her at 9 or 10 pm or Dave brought her home.

Mom and I started to joke around about it before we knew it was serious: we always jested that over at Laura’s, Sasha has a silk pillow with satin lining and an “S” engraved on it. This is surrounded by a personal fan, a porcelain dish consistently filled to the brim with crème, and an entire corner of the couch. (Now in reality, she does have her own small couch, and she does spend many days sitting on their absolutely stunning, black Baby Grand looking out the window… And of course she gets crème there, but the whole neighborhood gives her that at this point!)

In an earlier post about this, I noted that sweet “Auntie Laura” has kitty treats – the good kind — for Sasha. And she also gets – sometimes — whatever the family has for dinner because Laura has said that Sasha meows for food (she’s a bad beggar, comes from her early roots) and she can’t resist her sweet little ways.

Laura was in such bad shape at this point that her son, Jon came home to help Dave. The chemo was totally wrecking her body and for quite a while we didn’t see her outside in the yard gardening… or outside doing anything. She lost weight, or gained it. She got sicker from the chemo. So sick she couldn’t’ leave her bed some days.

(Those of you who have experience with this know what I am talking about; I have been blessed to never have a human family member get cancer so I do not know first-hand what treatment is like…)

When Laura finally did appear in the mid-summer she wandered over to our house. Practically in tears she was exasperated, and said that she didn’t know what she would do without Sasha; how Sasha comforted her and help her relax. Sasha would lie on her (or next to her) for hours or all day long to keep her company. Sasha was the only thing that made her happy and gave her hope. She always had the energy to snuggle Sasha no matter how tired she was. This is what Laura told us.

We offered to help Laura find a rescue cat to keep. She said she wouldn’t be able to do it because she would never want to leave the cat. We asked her where she was going and she trailed off, “I don’t know how long I’ll be…” She kept repeating how Sasha is her savior and how enamored with her she is.

My Mom and I were almost in tears after that. We realized just how much Sasha meant to this sweet lady. We allow Sasha to stay at Auntie Laura and Uncle Dave’s all day long, bringing her home only at night time to sleep with me. Every now and then she will actually eat dinner at her real house, too.

We don’t care. We just want her to help Laura.

UPDATE:

In late 2011, Laura’s cancer, after coming and going for years, progressed into many places: it came back with vengeance and pure evil and invaded her bones and spine, among other places. She has had too many relapses to count, and each time, she gets herself through with support from her family – and from Sasha.

All chemo options have failed. All medications, steroids, pills, radiation treatments, and other courses have done some, but little, to help her. Some of the best doctors in the world at the Cleveland Clinic offer ideas or courses of treatment that simply cannot compete with the comfort, relaxation, and general good vibes that Sasha offers Laura.

Sometimes the Sasha relationship is not all sunshine and roses. There have been a few days here in the last couple months where even Sasha can’t really help her. Shakespeare once said, “Though he be little, he is mighty;” and that’s the attitude Sasha has. She’s come home a few nights recently with a small fever or a bit of an attitude of her own because, as Laura says in her cute little voice, “she’s punky!” Punky! Ha! You can tell that Sasha is “off.”

I made some inquiries to behaviorists/therapists and found that Sasha is simply trying quite hard to take on the emotional and physical pain Laura is experiencing – she is trying SO hard to help and heal her.

She’s the “Laura Whisperer.”

I told Laura this, and she got a bit upset, but I added that it does not hurt Sasha. Most cats and dogs have a very large capacity for pain of any kind – they are so much stronger than we humans are. That is, after all, why they can be used in therapy in the first place.

They heal. They help. They quiet. They cool. They make people smile and laugh; they help patients forget – even if just for a bit – about their conditions. For example, a 2005 press release on PRWeb said that one study group reported, “… a cat’s purr has been analyzed to be at the same frequency of vibration that mends bones.”

How amazing is that?

Laura is the strongest woman, alongside my own Mother and my Grandmother, that I know. I have such great respect and admiration for her – I love her like I love my own Mother.

And Sasha is responsible for bringing us together in illness. I suffer from Multiple Sclerosis as well as a brain/mental disorder. Laura just happens to be a studied and specialized therapist in treatment; she holds a PhD and my doctor told me she is one of the most well-respected and reputable treatment specialists in Cleveland, and that 10 years ago you would have been hard-pressed to find someone in the field who didn’t know her name.  She has helped me multiple times and she says it’s in exchange for Sasha’s services.

Sasha has grown increasingly frustrated being in at our house since we got the two rescue babies – Maxwell and Tater. She does still love, of course, to sleep right next to my head, exactly as she has for the last 10 years of her life. But she prefers to spend her days relaxing with Laura and/or sleeping on Dave’s lap, offering him comfort too, as cancer is a family disease.

I will continue to allow Sasha to do what she can to help and heal Laura.

I will continue to do as much research as I can on the issue to find out what I can; I also plan to see if it’s worthwhile to get Sasha certified, although that idea sometimes leaves a bad taste in my mouth because I want Sash to continue to be Laura’s special treatment plan, and hers only.

Ironically, we found out this week that Sasha is suffering from her own condition – Osteoarthritis. She is on steroids – which Laura was on for months and months and months. So it seems that now Laura is familiar with what Sasha is feeling.

Amazing how the Powers That Be work sometimes, isn’t it?

Sasha and Laura will be forever connected, and I couldn’t be happier about the relationship. As for their diseases, I pray every morning and night that they will be comforted and that maybe, just maybe, a cure will be found one day soon…

Bless you Laura, and all you have done for us. Having you in our lives makes us grateful, more loving and caring, more forgiving and happier to be alive. We love you. And Sasha will always be here for you!

*** If you have thoughts on cats treating humans with cancer or animals offering cancer patients therapy, please leave them below. ***

**** Please, more importantly, leave your encouraging words for Laura – our dear Laura – who is such a fighter that on her last trip to the doctor, when her oncologist looked at her and told her they had been through all her options, she replied by looking up at him and saying, “Well then we’re going to have to figure something out aren’t we because I’m not just going to give up.” ****

It’s people like Laura and Dave (and Jon, the most caring son you could imagine having) that make this crazy world a better place.

* *All Live Strong© graphics are copyright the Lance Armstrong foundation, but were used in the graphic designs of my dear friend at Zoolatry for general use.

So poor Sasha (aka “Little One,” “Poopsie,” “Sash-Kash-B’Gosh”) has been having a hard time lately… can you all please send us some purrs and prayers…? 

Not only did she feel “upstaged” by the very younger Tater and Maxwell when they were welcomed in about 1.5 years ago, the rascal cats, but she’s been acting a bit strange – missing jumps onto the counter and the bed, limping a bit every now and then, being feverish, “missing” the litter box or flat-out going #2 on the carpet, and not eating (she is so damn picky – a true woman!)…

So today, after a strange day yesterday with a fever and dilated pupils all day, I had a FULL work-up done at the vet. I’m talkin’ stool, urine, blood, x-rays, everything.

Turns out, poor Sasha, my sweet Poopsie has SEVERE and PROGRESSIVE Osteoarthritis not only in the middle of her back, in both her back legs, and in both her back knees. Specifically in the back legs, the vet (who is so handsome and smart and he likes animals! – I love you Dr. Mills, will you marry me?) Anyhow, back to Sasha – in her back legs she has “joint mice,” or little fragments of bone in the joints… so needless to say, she’s uncomfortable at the very least.

And probaby in some pain at the worst/most.

So she came home with special instructions for feline arthritis, Cosequin for Cats, which is a Glucosamine-Chondrotin mix supplement that has received RAVE reviews, and a script for a liquid-dispense steroid (Prednisone — what else?), oh yay…

I guess the steroids will counteract the swelling and inflammation, and – WHO KNEW – THERE IS NO APPROVED NSAID PAIN RELIEVER FOR CATS out there? There is no equivalent to Rimadyl for dogs or anything close…

** Special note to pharmaceutical companies – without HURTING any animals, please try to create one so Sash doesn’t have to take steroids forever. Thanks. **

♥ So I pray tonight and ask of you to do the same  ♥

 ♥ Please pray that Sasha will be more comfortable & that her 11-year-old feisty little mind will support her fragile tiny bones… ♥

She did gain another pound, which is encouraging, because she went on a hunger strike when we adopted Maxwell and Tater… she weighs over 10 pounds today! HOORAY!

As I rest my head tonight with Sasha in her usual spot RIGHT NEXT TO MY HEAD… I will stroke her and send a silent request…

to the Powers That Be, to the Father of All Creatures, to Sweet Sweet Mother Nature and the Father of the Heavens…

That Sasha pulls through and can handle her severe arthritis; and that any measures we take will succeed in stopping its progression; that any medicines she is given do not have side effects; and that her sweet Sasha self-esteem and her therapy abilities are not effected by her condition. She would just lose herself if she didn’t have her cancer patient, Laura and 2nd Daddy, aka Uncle Dave. (And “boyfriend” Jon, but that’s a whole ‘nother story – she’s a neighborhood feline tramp… just kidding – but she does like to make new friends at ALL the neighbors’ houses in the summer)

We are also sending prayers out tonight to Grandpa Brian’s BFF’s wife, Norma in Canada – she lost her sister tonight to a bacterial (Staph) infection.

♥ ♥ We are praying for you Ernie and Norma, and love you! ♥ ♥

Okay, so this is the last update…

♥ These are THEE FINAL ENTRIES for the Annual ThoughtsFurPaws.com Halloween Pet Photo Contest! If you sent me a photo after 8 pm EST last night, it has automatically been filed for inclusion in the next pet photo contest, a “Funny Pets Picture” Contest to start end-of-November. Of course, I will announce the start of the contest-as well as personally email each late entrant (from this month) a notice that their photo is going up.

Voting for the Halloween Pet Photo Contest, because of the delay in posting these final entries, is extended to NEXT Sunday, November 5th at 10 pm EST.

** PLEASE DO NOT CLICK ON THE ACTUAL PET’S PHOTO TO VOTE; click on the Responses/Comments section and leave your name and email address please. If you do not vote this way (or by emailing me at thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com), your vote MAY NOT BE RECEIVED due to technical issues on the back end that arose this week. *** I cannot stress the importance of this…

And finally, at last count, here are the current leaders for the contest — in order — as of yesterday at noon EST:

1. TIE between Dakota and Angel (see 10/10 post for picture)

2. “Petey Honors Fallen Heroes” (see 10/10 post for picture) — Petey needs only 3 more votes to TAKE first place!

3. Brulee – who, to clarify, is a foster kitty and sib to the late Sweet Praline, not a “rescue kitten” as I previously mis-wrote (see 10/26 post for picture) – Brulee needs only two votes to tie for 2nd!

4. “Clyde the Native American” (Honorable Mention – but still gets a prize package) (see 10/22 post for picture)

5. “Wolfie in Sheep’s Clothing” (Honorable Mention – but still gets a prize package) (see 10/26 post for picture)

So, on to the final entries. Please be patient and scroll all the way down, there are about 15  photos in this post! And there are 15 more final entries above!

Ash

Baxter as Spaghetti and Meatballs

Beagle Doctor

Beagle Nurse

Bear and Daisy

Bentley the 2nd Chia Pet Entry!

Buddy and Bambi the Hair Sheep

Charlie the Cowboy

dog convict charged w/ ankle-biting & crumb-snatching!

"Gia's Drag Queen Impression"

Heidi the Cow & Sammi the Squirrel

Hobbs the Confederate Soldier (Close-Up)

Hobbs the Confederate Soldier

Holly the "Holla-peno" Pepper!

Sucrose

Please continue to weigh in on the final entries — get your contest votes in on these, the pics in the post above, and the several Halloween Photo Contest posts below…!

Okay, so this is the REAL last update… (please be patient if this page takes a bit to load)

♥ These are THEE FINAL ENTRIES for the Annual ThoughtsFurPaws.com Halloween Pet Photo Contest! This is the second part of the last post of entries. I had too many pics to post at once and didn’t want to slow down load-time. So please be sure to check out these photos AND the ones below, in addition to other, previous posts with “Halloween Pet Photo Contest Entries”

If you sent me a photo after 8 pm EST last night, it has automatically been filed for inclusion in the next pet photo contest, a “Funny Pets Picture” Contest to start end-of-November. Of course, I will announce the start of the contest-as well as personally email each late entrant (from this month) a notice that their photo is going up.

◊Voting for the Halloween Pet Photo Contest, because of the delay in posting these final entries, is extended to NEXT Sunday, November 5th at 10 pm EST.

** PLEASE DO NOT CLICK ON THE ACTUAL PET’S PHOTO TO VOTE; click on the Responses/Comments section and leave your name and email address please. If you do not vote this way (or by emailing me at thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com), your vote MAY NOT BE RECEIVED due to technical issues on the back end that arose this week. *** I cannot stress the importance of this…

And finally, at last count, here are the current leaders for the contest — in order — as of yesterday at noon EST:

1. TIE between Dakota and Angel (see 10/10 post for picture)

2. “Petey Honors Fallen Heroes” (see 10/10 post for picture) — Petey needs only 3 more votes to TAKE first place!

3. Brulee – who, to clarify, is a foster kitty and sib to the late Sweet Praline, not a “rescue kitten” as I previously mis-wrote (see 10/26 post for picture) – Brulee needs only two votes to tie for 2nd!

4. “Clyde the Native American” (Honorable Mention – but still gets a prize package) (see 10/22 post for picture)

5. “Wolfie in Sheep’s Clothing” (Honorable Mention – but still gets a prize package) (see 10/26 post for picture)

So, on to the final entries. Please be patient and scroll all the way down, there are about 15 photos in this post!

Juno the Good Witch Great Dane

Lady Edwards

Lucky

Luna the Geisha

Lyndi Lou as Lady Gaga

Lyndi Lou as Lady Gaga II

Nimrod the Cat as a Sock Monkey

Ozzy the Vampire

Ozzy the Vampire II

"Know Where I Can Find Some 'Booty?'"

Rally as a Squirrel Cardinals Fan

Remy the Sprinkled Donut!

Rufus the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" Great Dane!

Simba the Pomapoo Pumpkin

Spot the Witch

DON’T FORGET: Please scroll all the way down to “Responses” to vote; DO NOT click on the pet’s photo or I may not receive the vote due to tech issues. You can also email two votes per email to me at thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com.

Don’t forget also to check out ALL the Halloween Pet Photo Contest Entries that have been posted over the last three weeks or so. There are about 100 or so!

Hi everykitty and everydoggie!

You have until THIS FRIDAY, October 28th at 8 pm EST to get your pet’s Halloween picture entered into the famous Annual ThoughtsFurPaws Halloween Pet Photo Contest.

AND — since it’s only fair for those who entered late — voting is being extended until NEXT FRIDAY, November 4th at 10 pm EST.

Another thing — I have decided to add on TWO Honorable Mention Awards after the First, Second and Third Place Winners! YAY!

*** REMEMBER, please leave your votes in the COMMENTS – not by clicking on the photo of the pet you like. (You can also send two votes per email address to me at thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com.)

So, now that the administrative stuff is out of the way, here are the latest entries! (And by the way – competition is STIFF: I have received 250+ VOTES already and there are THREE TIES right now.)

Blossom the Unicorn

Brulee the Adorable Rescue Kitten

Chainey the Cat, Not a Happy Witch!

Chico as The Grinch

Chico II

"Dogter Who?"

Gibbs the Giraffe

Harley Frog Prince w Sneakers Cat

Karma the Golden GAGA

Lady the Japanese Chin

Lily Pickles as Puggy Potter

Maggie as Hatsune Miku

Russell the Triceratops

Sassy the Santa Cat

Stella and Sophia

"Wolfie in Sheep's Clothing"

Here are yet some more cat and dog Halloween photos; have a look at the past photo entries (keep scrolling down) for the Annual ThoughtsFurPaws Halloween Pet Photo Contest and leave your votes in the comments section please!

Also, as of today, here are the current leaders:

1. Dakota/Angel (tie)

2. Petey

3. Jimmy/Pepper (tie)

4. Miss Misty

Bling Bling as a Witch

Clyde as Native American

Couture as a Cheetah

Cupcake the Therapy Dog with/as a Nurse at Work

Cupcake the Therapy Dog

Heathcliff

Neala as a Turtle Pillow Pet

Toro as "Batman who doesnt share candy!"

Many animal welfare organizations are advocating for pets, whether canine, feline, or other four-legged furball, to have a safe Halloween. We all know there are certain dangers out there on every child‘s second favorite holiday night (lol)… lit candles, spilled chocolate candy, etc. So I took some information from both ASPCA and Petfinder.com and made this handy list for you all to read and heed! Please take a peek so everykitty and everydoggie is safe this October 31st!

– Some Halloween traditions have prompted calls to ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center over the years.

And keeping pets safe on Halloween shouldn’t be a scary endeavor–

To help prepare pet owners for the creepy and the kooky, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) released a list…

Top Five Threats to Pets on Halloween

“Many of our favorite Halloween traditions could pose a potential threat to our companion animals,” says Dr. Camille DeClementi, senior toxicologist at the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center. “As you start to make plans for trick-or-treating or prepare your costumes, you should be aware of the dangers of some Halloween-related products and activities.”

Here are just some of the ways animal lovers can keep their pets safe this Halloween:

- No Sweets for Your Sweetie. Several popular Halloween treats are toxic to pets, especially candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol, which can be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol sweetener can cause a sudden drop in your dog’s blood sugar, which may lead to lack of coordination, seizures and depression. “Chocolate, especially baker’s and dark chocolate, can also be potentially poisonous to animals, especially dogs,” advises Dr. DeClementi. Symptoms of significant chocolate ingestion may include vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, increased thirst and urination, heart rhythm abnormalities, and even seizures.

- Careful with costumes. If you dress up your pet for Halloween, make sure the costume does not limit his movement, hearing, sight or ability to breathe, bark, eat, drink or eliminate. Also check the costume for choking hazards. A smart alternative to dressing your pet from head-to-paw? A simple, festive Halloween bandanna.

- Watch out for those wrappers. Cats love to play with candy wrappers, but ingesting aluminum foil or cellophane can cause intestinal blockage and induce vomiting.

- Trick-or-treating is for kids, not pets. During trick-or-treating hours it is best to keep pets in a room away from all the excitement at the front door. “Be sure that your pet has ID tags should he or she accidentally get loose,” adds Gail Buchwald, senior vice president of the ASPCA Adoption Center. “Halloween brings a flurry of activity with visitors constantly arriving at the door, and pets can easily slip out unnoticed.” Making sure your pet is always wearing a collar with ID tags and is micro-chipped can greatly increase the chances that they will be returned home if lost.

- Decorations can be dangerous. Re-think putting candles in Jack-o’-lanterns. Pets can easily knock these over and start a fire, and curious kittens are particularly at risk of getting burned by candle flames. Also take care to prevent your pets from having access to wires and cords from holiday decorations. If chewed, a wire can damage your pet’s mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or deliver a potentially lethal electrical shock. Pumpkins themselves are relatively non-toxic, but could cause upset stomachs in pets that nibble on them.

***** If your dog or cat accidentally ingests any potentially harmful products and you need emergency advice, please consult your veterinarian or call the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee applies) or www.aspca.org/apcc. 

In addition, PetFinder.com offers up these tid-bits:

• Don’t leave your pets out in the yard on Halloween: there are plenty of stories of vicious pranksters who have teased, injured, stolen, even killed pets on this night. (Personal note: Sasha was cat-napped a day before Halloween before she was even one year old…)

• Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets: chocolate is poisonous to a lot of animals, and tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed.

• Be careful of pets around a lit pumpkin: pets may knock it over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned.

• Don’t dress the dog in costume unless you know he loves it. Otherwise, it puts a lot of stress on the animal.

• If you do dress up your dog, make sure the costume isn’t constricting, annoying or unsafe.

• Be careful not to obstruct his or her vision; even the sweetest dogs can get snappy when they can’t see what’s going on around them.

• All but the most social dogs should be kept in a separate room during trick-or-treat visiting hours; too many strangers in strange garb can be scary for a dog.

• Be careful your cat or dog doesn’t dart out through an open door.

This post is in honor of Petfinder.com’s “Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week” – which starts on Saturday, Sept. 17th and goes through the 25th.

The special week is devoted to giving those pets who are often overlooked at shelters and rescue groups for whatever reason a better chance at finding homes, no matter the reason — they’re old, the wrong breed, have special needs, or are simply different or the wrong color. Big black dogs. FIV+ cats. Senior pets. Special-needs animals. Many factors can make a pet seem “less adoptable.” So to promote these unusual (or, in some cases, too common) animals, Petfinder has designated Sept. 17-25, 2011, as “Adopt-A-Less-Adoptable-Pet Week.”

Petfinder.com is doing some special things to pay tribute to this week. Here’s a main hub page of all the stories being done; and here’s a Photo Gallery of some four-legged friends who are having a tough time finding a home. You can also see the Facebook page, which will be filled with messages and blog posts and pictures and fun stories.

I have a special place in my heart for these types of pets. Many times when I visit my favorite local shelter – the Friendship APL – my Mother and I talk about how we would take all the kitties over age 8 or 10 and bring them home since it seems that about 75% of adopters there want kittens or cats under the age of 2 (statistic from Executive Director of the shelter).

And this brings me to a story that I wrote a LONG time ago for a different publisher about this issue.

Many people think animal rescues or “shelter pets” – as Mike Arms of Helen Woodward Animal Center has said — are places (or things) where the pets are banged up, imperfect, unwanted. And some of them are. The word shelter has come to have a negative and ill-perceived undertone in today’s world. But in reality, rescue pets end up being the best kind to have because their little souls have seen so much in life that they would do anything to make you happy and to be loved in return.

How do I know? Because I’ve had rescue pets for my entire life – for 30 years. Too many cats to count and about five dogs. Plus we’ve fostered feral cats, indoor cats, and puppy mill Basset Hounds — who are the most injured and damaged of the injured and damaged…

And I happen to have a few friends in animal rescue because of the work I do locally and at a state level with animal welfare groups.

Running an animal rescue is hard work. And it’s not for the faint of heart. Most rescues are funded by donations only and are run on a volunteer basis. If not for the big wide open hearts and equally large open wallets of people who run and volunteer at these facilities and give in-kind with time and consistently donate money, hundreds of thousands more pets would die each year.

My well-respected friend, Amy Weitzel, is the Founder of Multiple Breed Rescue (MBR) in Elyria, Ohio. For years she actually ran TWO rescues – one was a state breed rescue. Now she focuses on one — MBR from her personal home and farm. This is one of the most sensible things she ever said to me:

“If you are willing to find the RIGHT dog and not just the first dog you see then the puppy mills and backyard breeders would not exist,” Amy said.

That’s the whole reason she got involved. She bought a cute little Jack Russell Terrier (JRT) from a pet store awhile back. She was uneducated about the process, and was horrified after she researched where the puppy really came from.

“Do you know not ONE pet store clerk asked if I had experience with JRT’s? Not one pet store clerk asked if I had any other dogs. Did you know female JRT’s do not get along with other female dogs 90% of the time?” Amy recounted. “Not one person said a thing. I was some young kid with a credit card. Heck they didn’t even ask me how old I was.”

Pet stores, puppy mill stock sellers (Internet breeders) and backyard breeders don’t care about the dogs themselves, they care about making money off of them…they care about churning out litter after litter to make the big bucks off the parents.

And as Amy so eloquently put it, we are in a society of “I want it now…” hence the reason pet stores are so successful.

Therein lays one of the challenges of running a dog rescue or a shelter.

“Adopting a pet takes a little effort. You have to find a pet that interests you, complete an application, meet the dog, etc.,” Amy said. “All of this takes time. Usually a week or two. People don’t want to wait that long. Unfortunately our society treats dogs like they treat a new CD that was just released. GOT TO HAVE IT NOW. Go to the store, buy it and when they get bored with it throw it away and get a new one.”

Thus Amy began her crusade to save animals from untimely deaths. It’s not an easy job. She doesn’t get paid. She doesn’t get reimbursed in any way. Most of the time she ends up in the red. Many times she spends tons of money to recuperate the dogs, have them spayed/neutered, get them their shots, only to have a potential adopter rudely scoff at her $100-$200 adoption fee. And remember – Amy travels around Northeast Ohio pounds taking the MOST UNWANTED and most “UNADOPTABLE” dogs they have. She doesn’t take the cute puppies; she doesn’t take the purebreds; she doesn’t take the ones with no health problems. She takes the “tough to take” ones.

“Normal adoption fee is between $100 for a dog I get in that is already fixed and $200 for a dog that I had to get everything done and pay a pull fee for,” Amy said. A pull fee is a fee that pounds charge Amy to save a dog that is on death row. Yes, they actually charge her to save a dog’s life. “If it is in an older dog and even though I have a lot of money into the dog I will adopt it out for $100. I might have put $300 into the dog but it is 10-years-old. I am just lucky to find it a home.”

That’s the whole purpose of Amy’s Multiple Breed Rescue – to help all the “mutts” and all the “hard to adopt” dogs from the shelters.

“When I say ‘hard to adopt dogs’ I am speaking of the dogs that might require more medical attention due to skin allergies, broken bones, eye infections, etc. or dogs that are older and black – the most common in all shelters” she said. “There are rescues out there that, although I think they do a great job, stick to the easy to place dogs, leaving the dogs that really need help at the shelters to die. I personally like to take the leftovers, the dogs no one looks at twice, they usually turn out to be the best dogs!”

Amy placed about 183 dogs in loving, forever homes in 2010. She saved 183 lives. All in all, since the start in 2005, she has saved a whopping 730 dogs. This is a one-woman show, keep in mind. Yes, she has foster families and tons of volunteers, but she started out of the goodness of her heart when she realized the “less adoptables” being skipped over. Amy now takes in anywhere from two to 20 dogs a month, depending on how much space she has in her home and in foster homes. (The majority of the dogs stay at her home and large farm.)

Amy has adoption events at places like PetSmart and local festivals and stuff every month and has a whole slew of volunteers and caring foster parents who help her.

She thinks the biggest hurdle is getting the word out about adopting. It’s hard to educate people about adoption because they either don’t listen or don’t care. (I can’t say that I argue with her. Many of my regular readers know how strongly I feel about this.)

“Animal rescue isn’t a moneymaking business so it isn’t like we have money to spend on advertising. Most of the media don’t care about pet adoption because again, it isn’t a moneymaker,” Amy said. “I dream about having billboards and large newspaper ads with statistics and facts about the pet overpopulation problem and about the adoption option vs. the pet store or backyard breeder advertising in the newspaper, on the Internet or on the telephone poll.”

Don’t we all?

The "Less Adoptable" Liz: See Her Description at the Bottom

All of this brings me to my main point: pet adoption is really the only viable option there is. Even if you want a purebred dog, go to that breed’s local rescue chapter and save one’s life. You can find any breed rescue in any state on Petfinder.com. You can find any dog or cat that you want on Petfinder.com. And if you want the animal bad enough – you’ll figure the ways and means out.

But please, first consider one of the less adoptable ones. Consider what they might have been through in life already. Consider what they’ve seen and felt and heard. Consider how long they may have been in a cage. Consider the raw emotions they must have – although animals are masters of disguise and stronger than all humans in terms of emotional strength. For once, consider adopting a less adoptable pet. They have so much to give (I can tell you from personal experience.) They just want to be loved and I GUARANTEE that they will give you all that you need or expect and more in return.

And remember: every time you buy a dog from a pet store, another dog dies in a shelter somewhere.

To follow Amy’s everyday life, visit her dog rescue blog, A Dog Rescuers Life.

Click here for a picture gallery of Petfinder’s Less Adoptable Pets.

And remember:

“Saving just one pet won’t change the world… but, surely, the world willchange for that one pet…” (courtesy Petfinder associate)

Pictured: Liz, beautiful black & white Persian mix with luxurious fur. She is a lap cat who needs a quiet home without other cats. If she is displeased, she may poop just outside the box, a problem that can easily be remedied. Check Maumelle Friends of the Animals for more information about her!

I wanted to share a little story — the story of how I rescued Sasha and how much love we share today, ten years later.

I was a senior at Colorado State University in Fall of 2000. Sasha was born in December 2000. In the spring of 2001, I was looking for a second cat, a rescue. Actually, I was waiting for a rescue to find me as it were…

A roommate of mine said she had a classmate with a 6-month-old black kitten that she “could not take care of anymore.” Yeah, right. I went over to check it out and left with a new cat under-arm and almost swiped the previous owner across the face for the conditions of not only the home, but the cat. The only thing I wasn’t displeased with was this little black fluffball’s name: Sasha. It was my favorite DJ’s name (I was big into music in college…)

Sasha, aka 'Poopsie" or "Sash-Kash-B'Gosh"

Sash had pretty much been neglected for the previous two months. She was full of mats in her long hair, dirty, covered in fleas, underfed, underweight, and had an attitude towards women like a scorned lover. She was PISSED. It took some time for her to warm up for sure; once she realized she was safe, once she understood she was free, and once she got the concept of regular mealtimes and decent food (and treats!!), she was warming up. She also LOVED my other roommate’s new Persian kitten James. The two of them would play and chase each other around the house and it would just look like a blur of gray and black fur meshed together!

Sasha grew up in a house with five girls and LOTS of foot traffic (parties, study groups, etc). She became an outdoor cat because her older brother, my beloved Theodore, was already an expert outdoorsman. Sasha relished her time outside – she would stay out for hours chasing things, lolling in the grass, trying to climb things (previous owner de-clawed her) and taking naps in the shade or on the front porch. Every time I came home from class, she and Theodore would run to greet me. It was like having two dogs! She had a bad medical scare that year in Colorado – the exact reason escapes me but I do know she almost lost a paw and I spent a fortune at the famous CSU Veterinary Clinic saving her… poor thing.

After graduation we moved back home to Orange County, California. She perfected her bird-hunting skills there (and lizards, ew), and loved the sunshine. All the neighbors new Sasha as she had a tendency to go into their open garages to nose around. Sometimes she would get stuck and I would have to wake up a family at 10 pm to get my cat out of their garage. We moved back to Cleveland, OH in summer of 2006. Sasha loved being around the four seasons again and has never let deep snow stop her from going outside. She either stands on top of it or waits for me to shovel paths for her.

Today Sasha is a therapy cat. My neighbor has suffered from breast and bone cancer for years and Sasha has been playing nurse for three years. EVERY SINGLE MORNING, she eats, then goes outside and makes a beeline for the neighbor’s house. She’ll go in there and just rest beside Laura, the patient, or she’ll follow her around the house. She always lets everyone over there pet her and often purrs for them, which is not a common occurrence. Sash is the most independent cat I’ve ever had so for her to be so reliant on the love and affection of a neighbor is strange, but I’ve gotten used to it.

Sasha has worked miracles for Laura, and Laura will be the first to tell you so. She’s the shining light in Laura’s day many days. And Sash KNOWS when it’s not a good day for Laura – she will just itch to go over there and get inside to help Laura through what must be agonizing pain and discomfort. She even follows her into the bathroom. And the garage. And the back porch. And as of now, every single night, either I go over there to get my cat or she is brought home by her ‘boyfriend,” Laura’s husband, who Sasha just adores. (She prefers men since a female first neglected/abused her.)

I am perfectly fine with sharing my cat. Sasha still sleeps right next to my head in bed every single night. Like clockwork, she makes herself cozy and waits for me to turn in. She knows I have a special treat drawer for her in my room that the other cats don’t have access too. She has her own blanket and special pillow.

Sasha is loved dearly by all who meet her. The whole neighborhood knows her as she makes her “rounds” to visit others as well. And when they all hear me on the porch at 8 pm yelling “Sasha,” Ill often hear an echo from a neighbor! Sasha comes like a dog when I call her, even though it’s time to come in for the night. She is a lot like a dog actually, just like Theodore was. They learned at a young age to respond to my commands and to be loving and generous to everyone they cross paths with.

So here’s the deal–if you love your pet as much as I love my pets, you could win a $100 Visa gift card just by participating in the ProPlan campaign shown on this page of the BlogPaws site.

Who wouldn’t like to win a $100 Visa gift card? So head on over there and check it out – but first, tell me in the comments how you rescued your pet or how much you love your pet today!