Rescue Please

"Can you imagine forcing your pet dog to live his or her entire life in a small wire cage with no human companionship, toys or comfort, and little hope of ever becoming part of a family? That is what life is like for a puppy mill breeding dog."

Its not all black and white There is a big controversy between people that rescue dogs and  cats and people that purchase their furry friends from a breeder.

The situation has reached a breaking point lots of my 4 legged friends are being put down or just simply never get a chance at life.

The deal is there are a lot of animals waiting at shelters and humane societies for some one to rescue them.

"Purchasing said animals perpetuates a demand, which in turn creates the supply. A store-bought animal is never a rescue."

That being said I think the animals in question should not be held accountable. They are still innocent of the crimes of humans. 

I stand with my rescued brothers and sisters but I have sympathy for the ones who have been purchased. They also are pretty lucky to have made it this far.

What really sucks is a lot of these animals end up in shelters after some stupid human buys them and cast them off later because they bought on impulse or just to be fashionable with their labradoodle  any other of the experimental breeds the mad scientist of society have created.

For Bones it works like this: War is bad but you must support the troops, for what ever reason they are fighting be it patriotism avoiding a jail sentence or a 100 other reasons they are the innocents.

Just remember the animal is innocent in all this.

Hugs from the valley: Cash Fargo Bellinger

Check 1 Check 2

Hi folks just keeping my site alive. More to come on my road trip tonight.

Dog Show

Okay, so what am I, chopped liver?

We went to a dog show competition and agility demonstration last weekend. Sure, there were some fine looking pampered pooches and some very good four- footed athletes.

I don't mind telling you that I hate to take a back seat to anyone, dog or human, but Bones and I were relegated to a bench where neither of us could cause a problem with an outburst of some sort. I sat quietly while the assorted Border Collies, Aussies and  a couple of Heelers ran around doing what ever it was they were doing. 

Oh yea over in a corner of the field were a bunch of my brethren herding sheep into enclosures of some sort. Now that looked like a blast.

The frisbee catch made sense and looked very fun.  There was also a bunch of red cones set up with tunnels and ramps and squirrely poles that the performers ran through, up, around, and under. I wanted to pee on the cones and knock the other stuff over. I guess that's why I was not entered. But you know what? Give me half a chance and some clue as to what this was all about and I would beat them all. Well, actually, I would still pee on all the cones, dominate all the males, and stoke the females dumb with my astounding good looks.

Still, Deb took photo after photo of these young bloods and, heck, I must admit they looked downright dashing. One of her friends had a dog entered in the agility competition.  He was a handsome Australian Shepherd that really, in my book, needed some herding.  But, hey, that's just me. All-in-all, a fun time and I was on my best behavior.  

Almost for got the costume contest, boy did I want to mess with those guys.

So about a month ago, before the big road trip, my ear was bugging me. I did all I could to let Bones and Deb know. I scratched it. I shook my head. I made it quite obvious something was in there.

Bones wanted to get some ear wash but neglected to do so. The day we left the women that takes care of Deb’s cats mentioned I had something in my ear and suggested we have it checked. Once again Bones chose not to go to a vet and spend a bunch of money. I guess he figured I spent my quota. We went on the trip and I had a great time, which I have not reported on yet but my ear bugged me the whole time.

Finally, after we had been back for a week or so, I had enough. I let them know I was in pain. It had gone from an irritation to discomfort to very painful. Deb said that's it and made an appointment at the vet.

 

We lucked out got a really nice doctor.  I have been to a bunch of them so I know the difference. This guy liked animals. He looked in my ear and sure enough I had a foxtail so deep in my ear they had to knock me out with drugs to get to it. Turns out it had pierced my ear drum and was exposed just enough so he could get ahold of it with one of the special tools and pull it out before it worked it's way through and might have deafened me or, worse yet, worked it's way to my amazing brain and lights out.

Thank you, Deb. If your furry buddies – canine, feline, or equine, are telling you something is wrong please listen to them.

Hugs from the valley  Cash Fargo Bellinger

Road Dog

First day itinerary called for us to leave at 8 in the morning and drive straight through to Redding, arriving at 6 pm.

We hit the road and drove for a very long time. At first I was excited, although a little afraid of being abandoned. When I realized I had my blankie with me and the back seat was all mine I relaxed and got in the groove.

I have developed a method of traveling. I stand on the center console with my two front feet and my back feet on the back seat. This angle is very conducive to sight- seeing. I have a 360 degree view and people in the other cars can see how incredibly good looking I am. If I get tired I simply lay down and take a siesta in the air conditioned car. By the way, it turns out air conditioning is mighty nice on a road trip. It was 128 degrees by the time we hit Redding, California. I now knew we were going a long distance. 

We spent the night in a hotel. Bones got in big trouble the first night. He trashed the hotel bathroom. He didn't do it to be mean but just fell into his old ways. Deb had to remind him even though they were on vacation he was still sharing the spaces they were going to occupy on their journey.    

So, first day 10 hours on the road or 70 hours in dog time. First stop, the La Quinta Inn where dogs stay for free. I went for a walk and let all the other tourist dogs know I am Cash and I am a force to be reckoned with. Deb told the clerk at the counter that Bones is an invalid so we got a room very close to the outside door making things much easier. 

Well, we were close to the itinerary and the following morning got going about 8:30—not bad really, considering Bones gets up about 9, okay 10, on most days. Like I said, I was glad to be going since my buddies Purrcy, Murphy, and JuJu were staying home and I was on the coolest trip of my life. I have ridden in a lot of cars but this was different. Deb works hard for these vacations and the fact I got to come along made me love her all the more.

Bones and Deb brought a lot of cloths shoes and jackets. The funny thing is they only needed about a fifth of what they were lugging around. I brought my collar, my food,my leash, and a wide eyed lust to experience this once in a lifetime journey. End of day 1.

 Bones says Deb has a lead foot. I don't know what that means.

 Hugs from the valley. Cash Fargo Bellinger

Cash's big adventure

    Where to start?  

I guess you humans start most of your stories from the beginning. Relationships, meals and, as it turns out, road trips. Dogs start from the end if you get my drift.  

Somewhere way before the actual story begins Deb was very excited about something coming up. She would send Bones something called an itinerary and expect him to not only read it but commit it to memory and have a working knowledge of the ins and outs and schedule that this plan involved. Bones is not good with planning. I mean look at his life—a series of un-hatched schemes and an unending procession of situations that he never envisioned. 

Anyway Deb was making plans for something BIG. I was a little nervous about whatever was going on. I did get the feeling that it included me so that was reassuring. Still, I had no idea that we were preparing for a journey of epic proportions. We were getting ready for a road trip. 

A road trip, it turns out, is a journey from where we live to a multitude of places where other people live. We were going to see a friend of Deb’s, Deb’s niece and boyfriend, and old and dear friends of Bones. Along the way we would be seeing lakes, rivers, and beaches where we had never been. Oregon was our destination. The dogs, cats, and people I met were all very cool.  

The story is long, so this is the prolog to “Cash’s Big Adventure”. I know how short your attention spans are so this will be the first in the series. 

I didn't know what was in store for me. 

I moved from Arizona to a place out on the coast

Then I moved to Ojai where the summers really roast

After bones got in his car crash Deb took us both back home

It seems like forever that I was done with roamin.  

Hugs from the valley: Cash Fargo Bellinger   

Really another dog?

 Deb sometimes gets a wild hair to adopt another dog. Believe me I feel for those dogs that need a home. I know the love we all share is plenty to fill up this house. It is actually quite upsetting to think that I am not somehow enough for Deb.  

Anyway we went to meet a dog named Ted in Summerland. He is being fostered by a women that takes in mostly Heelers and border collies that need to find their own human.  He is a 1 year old Border Collie Heeler mix and has never had the chance to be loved before. We went on a walk on the beach. I tried to teach him some simple rules about coming when he gets called and walking with the pack. The women did not like Bones all that much. She said something about them both being alpha.

 To be truthful I knew what was up and had no intention of taking him home. It was sad though to know he was abandoned because I know exactly how that feels. He was handsome ( not as handsome as I )  but needs a lot more hands on action to get him calmed down. I hope Ted finds a home.

The women has several dogs that for some reason or another can not be adopted, one has only 3 legs and does not even let it bug him. I met them all and wished them well. 

People please do not get a dog if you do not intend to commit to them. We are life long companions not just brief encounters. 

I know this will sound weird but spay and neuter your pets. If you truly intend to keep and raise the whelps they produce that is a different matter, otherwise believe me there are enough dogs to go around just visit any place with dogs up for adoption and you will see what I mean. 

May be if you hairless apes were more responsible about dogs and cats you would be more responsible for this planet we all share. 

I love you Meg, Dan,Jess, Deb, Susan, Rox, Purcy, Murphy and 

Juju.

The rest of you I am not so sure about today.

Hugs from the valley Cash Fargo Bellinger

Patriarch

It’s been a while since I sat down and put out some effort to share my journey with you my faithful fans. 

Father’s day happened recently. This is some human invention to stimulate sales at the local retail stores. The concept is simple enough—to honor the patriarch of the family. Bones pretends to scoff at these events but secretly he loves any chance to get his clan together in the same time and space. This year was especially grand. 

It was kind of a combo deal. We had all been scattered about on Dan’s birthday and Megan’s birthday was coming up so it was a multi-purpose celebration. We all got together in Solvang where Deb and I and Bones live. Meg, Jess and Dan all made the journey up the hill and met us at the field where I go so that Rox and I could blow off some steam.

Oh yea—it  was Roxy’s first visit to the valley and a big deal for me to show her my new stomping grounds. We ran and barked and wrestled and I got to show her one of the spots I go to walk. Afterwards we all got in 2 cars and headed to a restaurant so the silly humans could spend way too much money on food. It is some sort of ritual. Roxy and I could split a dead squirrel and be very content. 

Woo and I rode in Meg’s truck and Dan rode with Deb and Bones.

One year ago on Father’s day the clan minus Deb (who had not become part of this dynamic, yet) were eating in a Santa Barbara restaurant.  Meg reminded bones that at that time I was in his car bleeding from my nose.  I was diagnosed as terminal and not, by any means, a happy boy.

Wow, what a difference a year makes. Sure, Bones got in a brutal wreck and his knee is still frustratingly too weak to surf on. But guess what? The big picture is I am so healthy I am chubby, have the best girlfriend in the world, nd the coolest group of people that love me.

I guess when I think about it, this party was really for me. Who knows? There could be some little Cash’s running around Arizona somewhere. Heck, they didn't mess with my junk until I was 3 or 4 so I sowed a few wild oats.

Of course, don’t forget that Bones also ended up with the coolest girlfriend in the world. I guess from tragedy comes deliverance. 

When we left the restaurant the girls dropped us off on the grass—another of my spots—and Bones and his puppies, Rox and I, walked backed to the house after we did a journey to the creek bed to burn off some more energy.

Later we went to our house. Now, remember this is Roxy’s first visit and we had no idea how she would do with the cats who are now my buddies. Murphy was really funny.  He showed no concern, fear, or aggression. He just kicked back and watched it happen. Purrcy was a different matter. He and Rox did a have a few moments. Rox was intent on getting his goat. JuJu kept her distance and watched the whole scene from her perch. 

Bones got a gift of some 5-finger shoes. He loves them even though they are gay. Not that there is any thing wrong with it. The peeps played a word game and ate pie and ice cream. Bones got a card that all the kids signed with a message from each. He cried but what’s new? He wears his heart on his sleeve.

We all stayed up late and it was hard to watch Rox leave, but I had the best time. 

Deb is really cool to have opened her heart and home to 

the Bones clan and I love her so much for that. The cats were really cool also.

Family matters: Hugs from the valley   Cash Fargo Bellinger