A very LARGE disabled pet...

Well, okay. Maybe not a pet, exactly. But nevertheless, Motola is a disabled animal who belongs to someone, even if it's someone she worked for.

48-year-old Motola just got a new leg!

Ten years ago, Motola was seriously damaged when she stepped on one of the many stray landmines left over from several wars. She survived the blast, but lost her left front leg while working in a logging camp on Thailand's border with Burma. After she recovered, her owners fitted her with a large canvas "shoe" filled with sawdust. And that's how she got around until recently, when she was fitted with an artificial limb.

I'm sure you'll be as happy as I am when you read the rest of the story. There are still sad parts, but the world is definitely progressing when even in relatively poor countries, people find a way to help an elephant like this. Gives me hope. I hope it gives you some, too.

Thanks to Roberta for the heads-up on this tale.

Woo Hoo! A Promotion Comes Home To Roost!

Well, sometimes things just work out, ya know?

I am so very, VERY pleased and happy to report that my cousin, Chris Snyder, took to heart the message of "Adopt A Less-Adoptable Pet Day" and went out and adopted herself the cutest little Jack Russell terrier today! I went with her to pick her up and all I can say is WOW!

You see, Chris had another Jack for 13 years. Her name was Nip, and she did indeed resemble the little RCA Victor dog after which she was named. Sadly, Nip crossed the Rainbow Bridge about two months ago, and I think the time since then has been possibly the saddest and emptiest of Chris' life. That dog was so close to her, it was almost like a physical appendage. Anywhere Chris would go, you could be sure Nip wasn't too far away. Nip was Chris' daughter, her best friend and her closest confidante. When she left, I watched her take a big piece of my cousin with her, and she hasn't been the same since.

It was so hard to know how much she missed that little wriggling ball of love and energy. She fostered a dog for a bit, and has been taking care of some friends' dogs to fill the void a little, but it just wasn't the same.

"Cherry"

Then on Sunday, Chris called and asked me to go to the Center for Healthy Animals online and take a look at Cherry, a little Jack that was up for adoption. Cherry was listed as having arrived as a stray, and they estimated her age at 7 years, though she may be a bit older. Her listing said, "Cherry is a sweet little dog looking for a loving home. Cherry gets along with other dogs and is eager to please."

We all know that age is one of those qualities that can count against a potential adoptee, but Chris didn't care. She knew there would never be another Nip, and she decided she'd just love a new dog for as long as she could. So we went to see Cherry on Sunday afternoon.

She was indeed a sweet, mellow little creature, and yes -- eager to please, but without seeming all needy and clingy -- very nice combination of characteristics. Chris, an active and athletic gal, was concerned that Cherry might not be up for the long walks she likes to take to keep herself fit. But as it turns out, no problem there. As soon as Cherry saw the leash, she was ready and rarin' to go.

We went back several times to look at Cherry and even a few of the other small dogs. We spent more than an hour at the shelter, which was typically full of many deserving critters all wanting someone to love them. Normally, I can't do this without leaving in tears, but the thought that we might be taking one of them home shored me up and I did well.

At the end, I waited outside while Chris filled out the application papers. I must say, the shelter was prompt on the followup, because she listed me as a reference and they called on Monday. Of course, I told the truth about how a dog couldn't have a more loving home than my cuz would provide. They also called her vet, who gave an equally glowing report, and they called Chris this afternoon to say they'd done a workup on Cherry and determined she was not only spayed, but micro-chipped, as well.

Chris called me and by 5 PM, we were on our way to pick Cherry up and bring her home! WOO HOO! What a happy trip that was!

When we arrived, what we found was a completely different dog. We joked that they must have sedated her on Sunday, because instead of a quiet, low-energy older dog, we found a lively, energetic, typical Jack Russell, jumping and panting in the 95° heat and wanting to go see the kitty room and get outside to walk! It was a hoot, and frankly, I think Chris was secretly pleased to see how much like Nip Cherry actually was.

After finishing all the paperwork, we put a leash and the new collar Chris had bought on Cherry. We learned that no one actually knew what the dog's name really had been, and Chris wasn't really hot on "Cherry." It's just too girly for this little four-legged package of personality, so as of right now, Chris' new older dog is testing out a few other monikers. I'll let you know what they finally settle on.

I know this isn't really about disabled pets, but I just HAD to share this wonderful news with y'all, and say that I feel this day of observance was not only observed but honored in the most profound of ways by my dear cousin. I'm so pleased to have been included in this important and joyous time, and look forward to many good times with Chris and what's-her-name!