Archive for The Animal’s Point of View

Learn How to Talk to Animals – A Practical Guide for a Magical Journey

Yes! My book by that same name is finally up on Kindle at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007BSOLWW! It should be in print on Amazon soon. AND, if you have a Kindle e-reader you can “borrow” it for free through Kindle’s new ADP Select program.

If you read it, will you please leave me a review? Here’s the book description:

Whether you aspire to be a professional animal communicator, want to talk to your own animals, or simply wish to understand animal communication better, this unique book is for you. Leta Worthington has distilled her 25 years of experience into an easy-to-read yet complete guide. Learn How to Talk to Animals answers commonly asked questions like: “What is animal communication?” and “How does it work?” You’ll find insights as to why opening the heart and learning to use the brain differently are important for ensuring success, and practical instruction for expanding your subtle awareness. Many other compelling topics, such as the dos and don’ts of animal communication, are covered as well, but if you’re eager to dive in you can skip to Part Two and start practicing with Leta’s step-by-step guidance. Verbatim case histories and fascinating true stories will spur your confidence and enthusiasm. This book is a one-stop-shop for anyone ready to experience the magical journey of talking to animals.

And stay tuned for my next book on animal afterlife and animal reincarnation. Thanks for visiting!

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“Conversations With Mr. Kiki: One Woman’s Spiritual Journey With Her Best Friend”

This is a precious and delightful new book about what happens when we “die,” … and many other soulful topics as well. The messages are delivered to the author, Linda Atnip, by her dear departed friend of almost 20 years, Mr. Kiki, an old-soul Pekingnese. If you have lost a beloved animal friend, this book will bring comfort and strength to your grieving process.  Read more below in the current press release. And click on any of the links to go straight to Amazon.com and order it now!

Conversations with Mr. Kiki:

One Woman’s Spiritual Journey with Her Best Friend

Just Released by Balboa Press, a division of Hay House

Have you ever wondered what happens when animals die?  Where they go?  Do they experience an afterlife?

Author Linda Atnip answers these questions and offers other profound insights in her new heart warming memoir.

Linda’s ability to commune with her beloved Pekingese companion began as she was laying Mr. Kiki to rest.  During the ceremony, she heard a mysterious voice say, “You are going to write a book, Conversations with Mr. Kiki.”  From that point forward her world was never the same.

Atnip, who had penned an award-winning children’s book, Miranda’s Magic Garden, based on a dream she had experienced, was perplexed.  How could she possibly communicate with her dog who was now on the other side?

The answer came when Linda turned to her mentor, animal communicator Leta Worthington for advice.  Leta suggested that Linda and Mr. Kiki choose topics for conversations to begin the process.  These included birth, death, depression, expansion, grief, healing, life purpose, reincarnation and soul evolution.   The project came together like assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle with Linda sharing the moments from her life that related to these subjects.

“Mr. Kiki’s words were in a totally different voice than how I string words together, and contained guidance that I had not been exposed to previously,” says Linda.  “That is what ultimately convinced me that these conversations were truly his thoughts. I was ultimately challenged to delve into my past and relive poignant memories and create a manuscript from these elements.”

Anne Brewer, author of The Power of 12 compares the memoir to Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestseller, Eat, Pray, Love:

“Linda takes us through her intriguing personal journey and ensuing growth via a unique narrator, her dog Mr. Kiki, whose transition from the physical to spiritual plane enables him to tap into expanded consciousness and share it with his beloved companion.”

The book which retails for $11.95 is available from Amazon.com and other on-line retailers.  Atnip is available for interviews and may be contacted at lotara7@yahoo.com.

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Is Your Soul Mate An Animal?

This is Hamilton - a Wise Oracle from the Other Side . . . in the form of a SharPei.

Is that even possible?

Hamilton says it’s not only possible, it simply IS.

Over the years I have had many human clients who, upon the loss of their beloved animal, felt they could not go on. They could not function. They weren’t eating or sleeping normally and, frankly, many of them wanted to die themselves. A common thread was that they had never felt as close to any other being, animal or human, as they had to the particular animal they were then grieving for.

Last week I had such a client who lost her beloved Shar Pei, Hamilton,  very recently. Hamilton was only three years old, so my client was not only wracked with grief, but also wrestling with guilt about whether she could have saved him or not . . . or at least have prolonged his life a bit. She was completely inconsolable. All she could focus on was hoping he would come back to her, reincarnated as another Shar Pei inhabited by only his soul. She wanted only his soul back in her life.

Talking with Hamilton was one of the most amazing experiences I have yet had as an animal communicator. He is a very high soul with much to impart. I felt like I could have talked to him for hours.

You know the Buddhists believe that we humans can incarnate as animals. Now that’s a pretty darn large  and ancient spiritual sect, dating back long before our more modern religions, so who am I (or anyone else) to say this is not so. Having had more than one animal tell and show me previous lifetimes as a human, I certainly don’t feel qualified to refute this possibility.

So back to Hamilton.

Most of what Hamilton had to say was private, just between him and his person. But one of his most important messages was that the two of them could never be separated. And that we who are still in the physical must learn to trust and perceive beyond our limited bounds, for the connections with the departed are still there. Meditation was one technique Hamilton emphasized for his human to be able to “feel” that connection and his presence. Any time she wanted or needed to.

But the most surprising thing Hamilton told us was that he and his person were soul mates. And that that was why she was feeling the way she was feeling. He explained at length how people often feel this way about other people, but that it can also pertain to those we are close to in animal form. He was definitely this person’s soul mate. No doubt about it. Period.

There was, obviously, a lot more detail in our discussion, but I was definitely mind-blown from this revelation. I had never had an animal spirit address this relationship before, much less proclaim that it exists.

Do I believe it? Yes. I think I have an animal soul mate in my life right now. I guess I just hadn’t expressed it that way . . . even to myself. It’s a beautiful thing. Deep beyond belief. And I’m so glad to have Hamilton’s reassuring words about this. I will keep them in mind as I go through the coming years, for both myself and my wonderful clients, who will hopefully find comfort in Hamilton’s message.

 

 

 

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Please Consider Adopting an ‘Owner Surrender’

What is an ‘owner surrender’? You probably already know, but just in case: being classified as an ‘owner surrender’ is one of the most heartbreaking conditions an animal can find itself in. These are the dogs, cats, horses, birds, and other animals who have been given up by their owners for adoption. They are abundant in our shelters and humane societies. Many are quite aged, and many have health conditions. Others are just thrown away because someone gets tired of them or they’re going through a difficult growth spurt. Whichever it may be, the term ‘owner surrender’ has come to carry connotations that are not valid. People still may tend to see that classification on a dog or cat’s card at the shelter and think to themselves, “Uh oh, this one will have big problems. No way can I consider him!”

Not so. Please keep an open mind. Here are some facts I recently came across  from a 2007 Pethealth Inc. study as reported by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals:

The top 10 reasons for canine relinquishment

1. Moving
2. Landlord issues
3. Cost of pet maintenance
4. No time for a pet
5. Inadequate facilities
6. Too many pets in the home already
7. Pet illness
8. Personal problems
9. Biting
10. No homes for littermates

The top 10 reasons for feline relinquishment

1. Too many cats in the house
2. Allergies
3. Moving
4. Cost of pet maintenance
5. Landlord issues
6. No homes for littermates
7. House soiling
8. Personal problems
9. Inadequate facilities
10. Doesn’t get along with other pets

If you’re reading these lists like I am, at least 8 out of 10 of the top reasons for surrendering dogs and cats relate directly to the owners or peoples’ issues, not to the animals themselves. And even then, if the animal does have a problem, like biting or soiling outside the litter box, those types of behaviors are often linked to larger issues in the household or the environment to which the animal is reacting instinctively or normally.

What is so sad to me is the emotional toll being abandoned takes on a loyal pet. You can see it on their faces as you walk through your local shelter viewing the animals up for adoption. Besides the confusion you will see on most, the owner surrenders are often severely depressed and sad, and it surely shows.

In my experience as an animal communicator, these rescues are usually the most grateful of any you can take home. They DO understand what has happened, and when you take them into your heart and treasure them it lights up their life and they are able to turn their love and allegiance to you 200%.

I’ve taken several rescues in my lifetime who were in the owner surrender category and can only say they have been among the most loyal and devoted animals I’ve ever had.

So please, if you’re considering adopting an animal from a shelter, don’t rule out the ‘owner surrenders.’ Know that they are in dire need of reassurance and affection — and yes, possibly medication and special attention. But they are well worth it. No. They are MORE than worth it.

And for those happy pups in the shelter who haven’t a care in the world and want to go home with everybody — well they deserve great homes too, so don’t pass one of them up either if they’re your cat’s meow!

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Horse Lovers Beware: Your Horse Can Read Your Mind!


Here’s another wonderful blog post borrowed

Stephanie

from my friend Stephanie, the “Zen Cowgirl”. Boy, is she right on the money with this one!

Are you thinking about attending a horse bodywork seminar? Perhaps going to a tack fitting clinic? Or how about participating in an animal communication workshop?

If so, good for you. And also, be forewarned!

Once you have learned something new that will improve your horse’s life, your horse will know. Your horse will read your mind and know what you know. A previously forgiving horse who patiently put up with an ill-fitting saddle will likely buck you off after the tack-fitting clinic.

The swaybacked horse who has always come right up to you in the pasture will now kick up her heels and run the other way when she sees you coming if you don’t plan on doing bodywork that day.

And the horse unhappy in his job but doing it well? He’s likely to make an ass of you at your next horse show … especially since you went to an animal communication workshop but refuse to heed his pleas for a new career.

What the Heck is Going on Here?

Unfortunately, many a horse lover has had to discover the hard way that our horses are telepathic, they can read our minds, and they know what we know. Somehow most horses are willing to forgive us in our ignorance, but the minute we learn something that will make their life better, they expect us to use that knowledge … right now!

So if you are planning on opening the door of knowledge for better horse health care, better horse feed, and better horse management, beware! Once that door is opened, it can never be slammed shut again. Your horse will make sure of it!

A friend of mine is an animal communicator, and she tells me that she often notices that people who communicate with their animals, and then fail to take action based on the resulting conversation, tend to pay a big price. Whether it’s the dog peeing on the carpet to indicate that he’s “pissed off” or the horse going into a bucking frenzy, forgiveness isn’t the picture.

Marcus Aurelius & Stephanie

Marcus Aurelius: A Case In Point
Marcus, my first big-time jumper horse, was hugely forgiving and easy to ride when he first came to me. We did well at shows, won championships all over the place, and I thought we had a great relationship. Unfortunately, Marcus was a cribber, which affected his teeth, spine, and performance. Thinking that cribbing was bad, I used to try all kinds of techniques to stop him from cribbing. Nothing worked. He continued to crib but he never seemed to resent my efforts to stop him.

Then I had the brilliant idea to try animal communication. During the conversation I asked Marcus what it would take for him to stop cribbing. His reply was short and sweet: “How about if I asked you to give up eating?” In other words, he was telling me that cribbing was an essential part of his nature and his life.

Despite hearing this, I continued to try to stop him from cribbing. Now he definitely resented my efforts. He started turning his butt to me when I went to catch him, and broke as many objects in his stall as possible. He issued his strongest complaint, though, by refusing to jump at the shows. Neither my trainer nor I could get him to jump around courses reliably, even on courses he used to love.

Back to the animal communicator we went. Marcus made his demands clear: “Let me crib or forget showing, and count on having to replace everything in my stall often!” Wow, was that clear or what? So thereafter, we let him crib. He started doing his job again and loving it.

He now lives with my former trainer, Sally Francis, in Texas, has his own cribbing tree, and a couple of cribbing buddies. These days he is one happy cribbing camper. He still takes adult amateurs and small children around three foot courses and, as long as he’s allowed to crib, all is right in the world with him. Yes, his teeth suck but he’s very happy!

I’ve had similar experiences with almost all of my horses, especially the mustangs. They are more forgiving to start with (when I’m ignorant) and much less forgiving later. They have elephantine memories, which they use often. But once you give then what they want, they will also work harder and better for you than most domestic horses.

In any case, consider this article a “buyer beware” to the horse lover who wants to learn more about horse health care, training, tack, or you-name-it. I’m all for it. Definitely go for it and learn as much as you can. Just be prepared to use what you learn or you’ll pay, pay, and pay!

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Do You Have a One-Person Horse? Or Dog? Or Cat?

kissing horseThe larger question is whether animals CAN be “one-person” individuals. And yes, of course they can. They come in as many different personality types as we do,  so why should they be any different?

I just spoke to an aging show jumper — “Cinder” (to protect anonymity) — to see if the work was getting a little too difficult for her. Her person — we’ll call her “Jamie” — is eager not to overface her. Plus, they have been together for 13 years (the horse is 19), and Jamie refers to Cinder as her “beloved,” so she very much wants and respects her input on such important questions.

The answer from Cinder was that yes, the work is a bit much for her older body and joints at this point, so Jamie will now tailor their riding and working time together appropriately.

But the interesting aspect of this session was how absolutely devoted Cinder is to Jamie. And only to Jamie.

Years and years ago, before Jamie finally decided to buy Cinder, she consulted a well known Native American animal communicator on the West Coast, by the name of Fred. (Fred is no longer with us, but those who had the good fortune of having him talk to their animals have never forgotten him.) At the time Cinder told Fred she hated all humans, but she was married to Jamie!

These days Cinder tells me that being with Jamie for 13 years has really opened her heart, so she is just fine with other people and, in fact, likes many of the staff at her barn. But she is still, positively, absolutely, a one-person horse, and her person is Jamie.

Madalyn Ward, D.V.M., has written a fascinating book about horse personality types, Horse Harmony – Understanding Horse Types and Temperaments . . . Are You and Your Horse a Good Match?, which talks a lot about how some types will work for only one person, or must have the respect of their person in order to cooperate, or become very depressed or ill if separated from their person. Some people seem to be surprised by this, I guess wondering how a horse could have such emotions that many attribute only to humans.

But we horse lovers and dog lovers and cat lovers and bird lovers understand. Our domesticated friends come in as many different personalities as we do, so it is best never to underestimate them or make a judgment call about what they are feeling unless you really understand them.

Of course there is the opposite personality type as well — the one who could kinda care less what you think and is not at all dependent upon your love and support to enjoy his or her life.

The important point here is perhaps that, since it has fairly well been proven that this wide variance of personalities does exist amongst our furry friends, be absolutely SURE you are teaming up with the right type for your own personality, your lifestyle, and your needs.

As for me, I happen to love the one-person type, and have more than one animal like this, amongst them my beautiful Mustang mare, Bella. In this case it pays. She will do anything she can to please me. But have someone else who she doesn’t know or respect ask her to do something special and she’ll go into a big sull — or buck them off!

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Blue-Green Algae: The Proof is in the Pudding . . I Mean, The Old Horse

"Why does everybody get SO bent out of shape about this aging thing?" asks Copper.

"Why does everybody get SO bent out of shape about the aging thing?" asks Copper.

A few days ago Copper, my 32-year-old Quarter Horse, says to me, “I have had, ahem, a little setback.”

He’s referring to a punishing kick in the chest from one of  his herd mates exactly one week ago. But true to form, even though Copper considers this a “little setback,” he hasn’t missed a meal or limped a step.

We were appalled when we found the huge lump growing on his chest like something out of Alien– complete with hoofprint stamped thereupon. It was about as big as a small watermelon and within hours was as hard as a rock.

Homeopathic, high potency Arnica to the rescue. Lots of doses for three days then tapering off. The lump stayed about the same, though softened a bit, and the heat left it. And Copper just kept chomping through his rations. And, might I add, a 32-year-old horse doesn’t have many teeth left, so chomping on anything is quite a feat. But Copper does it very well. In fact he can still eat grass hay and even graze, a true miracle at his age.

So here we are, a week later, the watermelon has turned to mush, hair is falling out, and the whole thing is about to become Mount Vesuvius and massively erupt as what may become known as the mother of all abscesses. It’s going to be a gory sight — a nasty and smelly business. But Copper seems like he could care less, and we of course are going to see him through.

I know what is going through your mind. Where is the vet? Aren’t you totally freaked out? To answer, the vet is coming in 3 days — to check the horses’ teeth, so I’ll have him check the abscess too, just to cover all bases. And no, I am not freaking out. In fact, I am thrilled.

The fact that the immune system of a 32-year-old horse has the wherewithall to form and dispose of abscess material within a week, in a normal way — by erupting,  is a phenomenon worth celebrating. Contrary to what one would think, one does not want to suppress the infection in an abscess by giving antibiotics. This just drives the energy of the infection deeper into the body, and it will show up later as more serious symptoms.

So we are celebrating as we speak. Awaiting the smelly pus and blood and gore to begin flowing out, hopefully tomorrow. We will help it along with hot compresses and will keep it open and “clean” (an oxymoron in this case) so it can do its deed and rid dear Copper’s body of the offending infection.

The moral to this story is: how and why can a horse Copper’s age be so healthy and his system so effective at clearing such a heinous injury? I have to believe it is all due to the absolutely superb nutrition he has had since he was given to me as a throwaway horse 10 years ago. During that time he has also received no vaccines (since he doesn’t ever travel or go on the show circuit — though I’m sure he could if he wanted to), and his worming is mostly handled herbally.

I’ll admit, Copper gets a LOT of superb supplements, but so do I and so do the rest of my animals. Our mainstay is the superfood blue-green algae by Simplexity, in many different forms. It is such a perfect, easily assimilable, food that it literally fills pretty much all nutritional gaps. I urge you to try it, for yourself and your old horses — and for your kids and other animals too.

So, in case you’re interested, Copper’s blue-green algae each day is:

2 Enzymes

1 Bifidus

1 Acidophilus

1 T.  APA blend

1 tsp. Simply SBGA

And on the new moon and the full moon he gets 15 Spectrabiotic to power up his gut to rid itself of offending parasites! He hardly ever requires a chemical worming.

Go Copper!!!!!

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Animal Communication – How Do Animals Perceive?

The Skull of a Giraffe

The Skull of a Giraffe

This is a big, big question, and one that is receiving more and more study and attention as time goes by. Learning more about how our planetary co-habitants perceive and understand their environment offers us humans invaluable information for moving forward both scientifically and sociologically.

I am certainly no scientist — not even close — but I find this question a fascinating one so am interested not only in the results of ongoing studies, but also in anything my animal communication clients can share with me on the subject.

We human animals have virtually tuned out any modes of perceiving except through the five senses we depend on most: seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, and smelling. Not so with other species. While most of them share the “big five,” many also have other means of receiving information. Or their use of their five senses is keener or differently honed.

For instance, it is a widely known fact that both dogs and cats have a kitten smellingsense of smell that is phenomenally greater than a human’s, and in fact they often use this sense first in determining the nature or identification of an object or person. This heightened sense of smell is often reflected in my animal communication sessions. Just recently, Joseph, an alpha male cat in a household of three plus two dogs, told me he was not allowing the petsitter to see him while he was in her care because he didn’t like her smell. We can’t change that person’s smell, but explaining to him the importance of her laying eyes on him so she’d know he was all right did help solve this problem.

Similarly, my Mustang mare, Bella, has always relied on her sense of smell to gather information — about everything. She always sniffs people’s hair before deciding what she thinks of them, and this was, in fact, the very first thing she did with me when I traveled to Colorado several years ago to pick her up. One thing she is looking for, she tells me, is any hint of fear or anything to be fearful of, as her wild-animal instincts still rule her actions.

Many times in my practice animals have shown me what they “see” whenghosts something is amiss that their person can’t figure out. What they show me usually looks like vibrational waves or  cloudy fog and represents everything from ghosts, to vortexes, to contaminated auric fields around humans. They may look something like this picture and generally do not have any color.

What about other ways of perceiving? We know whales and dolphins communicate through sonar. And a current study is underway about the meaning of the vibrational messages elephants may be sending when they stamp the earth with their feet.

I took the picture of the giraffe skull a few years ago in Africa and was utterly fascinated by the big knob on its forehead. When I asked our guide what it was for, he was clearly at a loss and told me no one knew . I haven’t found the answer to that yet (if anyone does or knows, please get in touch), but to me it appears obvious — another sonar device, for exactly what purpose I can only imagine, the giraffe’s head being located so high up in the air. Maybe communicating with UFO’s?

If one of your animals is acting strangely, or you notice behavioral changes, please keep in mind that there are possible and probable answers that exist that you and I would never be aware of. Give your friend the benefit of the doubt and ask him to try to tell or show you what is going on. And if you still feel at a loss, consider asking for help from someone who does animal communication. You may be amazed to learn what your animal friend is perceiving, and how.

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IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS TOPIC, YOU MIGHT ENJOY THIS POST TOO:

Can Cats See Ghosts?

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Animal Communication – What Do Our Animals Want When It’s Their Time To Pass Over?

"Boo" - Whose Message From the Afterlife on Honoring the Spirit You Will Read Below

"Boo" - Whose Message From the Afterlife on Honoring the Spirit You Will Read Below

In my practice I am frequently called upon to help with end-of-life issues. When an animal is old and nearing its “time,” or when it is suffering tremendously or extremely ill, its caretaker or human companion is often anguished and at a loss as to what action to take, if any, that might help. The options … of course … include euthanasia, and that is usually the source of the greatest confusion, fear, and grief.

From my experience, most animals simply are not attached to their bodies in the same way humans are. And many of them understand the process of death and dying and remember having gone through it before. They are usually ready to go.  This doesn’t mean they don’t have concerns.

So what DO animals need from us when it is their time, or when it might be a blessing to help them on their way through euthanasia? What ARE their main concerns. Three things stand out in the hundreds of such cases I’ve handled. Our animals want:

Information   -   Permission   -   Honoring

INFORMATION

If the animal doesn’t understand the death-and-dying process, that is the first thing to explain. My way of doing that is to reassure them that we all leave our bodies eventually, but that our spirit lives on in an aware state and is free and light. This usually puts the animal at ease and in a frame of mind where he can then participate in a discussion about the form his passing might take. Sometimes the animal wants to let his body shut down naturally, especially if he’s not suffering too much and the end-of-life vigil won’t be too distressing or difficult for his person.

"Mo"If the animal is suffering, he is often relieved to be given the option of euthanasia.  I had the good fortune a few years ago of having the way euthanasia feels explained to me by a wise horse spirit, “Mo,” after his death, and you can read his word-for-word explanation HERE. I have shared his message (with permission of course) with many clients, both human and animal, and it has brought great solace to both in many instances. Mo stresses the importance of being told about what is going on and about being given a voice in deciding on euthanasia.

PERMISSION

Often animals will hang on and on, long past the time their bodies should have quit, because their loved ones haven’t told them they can leave. It’s as simple as that. If you know it’s  “time,” please remember to give your animals permission to “leave.” Simply tell them they can go on, that you will be okay. They’ll know you’re grieving and may still hang on because of that, but tell them that it’s a normal part of the process and you will eventually be okay — you want them to go . . . for their sake.

HONORING

Many animals I talk to, both before and after passing, request a ceremony. They want to be honored. Boo, the horse in the first picture above, talked quite specifically about this to me just last week. He was euthanized at an equine clinic, so his message is relevant to not dying at home, but I have found that those lucky enough to pass at home request similar recognition. I will leave you with excerpts from Boo’s message and hope we will all honor the spirits of those we love who pass over.

It is very important to honor one’s spirit during the process of dying.    . . .     I am sharing this information for future purposes and needs.    . . .    I would like a ceremony . . .This should be done for all who have to pass other than naturally.    . . .    Everyone needs to know this. I am not conveying this as a complaint about my situation. I am sending it as a message to help people understand what the spirit needs when it is passing – honor, first and foremost.

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If you are concerned about the passing of one of your animals, you might find these posts helpful:

Talking to Departed Spirits

Euthanasia – What Does It Feel Like?

Kali Tells Us What Heaven Is Like

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The Devotion of Our Rescues – Including Mine

Me -- trying to write while totally immersed in my devoted rescues.

Me -- trying to write while totally immersed in my devoted rescues.

Just about every animal lover these days has one or more rescues. Be they canine, feline, or equine — and sometimes feathered and finned as well — there are more and more rescued animals being taken into forever homes every day.  Go online and you will find a rescue organization for just about every kind of animal or breed there is. What a confirming and heart-warming trend this is in an age of throwaway-everything.

As an animal communicator, many of my clients are rescues, maybe even most as a matter of fact.  I cannot tell you how many of them proclaim how thankful they are to their people for rescuing them, often saying it actually saved their life, literally. There is no end to their devotion and gratitude, and it is forever.

Out of my own numerous dogs, cats, and horses, all but two are rescues — well, not counting the chickens, who are here at my behest and for their fabulous eggs. The other two exceptions are my Chihuahua puppy, Frida, who was a gift from a friend, and my 8-year-old Mustang mare, Bella, whom I took as a birthday gift to myself when she was four from another dear friend. Besides those two, here is my line-up, oldest to youngest, and you can see from the picture above how their devotion extends to every minute of the day. Frida was not yet born when this picture was taken, and of course the horses can’t come into the living room … or else I’m sure they would have been in the picture as well.

Dscn2232Copper – My 32-year-old Quarter Horse was a throwaway. His owner said, “If you can get him in the trailer, you can have him!” Copper is still ridden lightly by a petite friend whom he adores. He is everyone’s favorite and loves to kiss … yes, kiss.

GabeHead1.jpgGabriel – My 18-year-old Dutch Warmblood. Rescued after his second six-month stint at an equine clinic 10 years ago, Gabriel’s entire body is compromised from performance injuries and he has a bad heart murmur. He probably shouldn’t still be alive, but HE doesn’t know that and he is one happy camper.

DSCN3124Rose – A 12-year-old Border Collie mix, Rose was actually born at my house to a NM stray I had picked up on the road. She was then homed with a woman who turned out to be a maniac so I rescued her back when she was four months old. She is my coy, demure sweetheart, and can’t stand loud noises or voices (probably due to the maniac!).

Hello!.jpgSabrina – I am Sabrina’s 4th home. A 10-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, she was found running wild on the streets of Austin because it is well nigh impossible to contain her. Having climbed, dug, and chewed her way out of just about every conceivable type of fence, she tells me it’s just because she loves to go exploring. Sabrina is our social director and adores visitors. At 10 she is no longer challenging the fence so much, so is safe and sound for her later years.

DSCN2937Charlie – My heart and soul, walks-on-water dog, Charlie is a Golden Retriever/Chow 6-year-old who was found running on a country road at midnight — an unneutered, uncollared 6-month old. He was dumped, clearly, as he is petrified I’m going to do the same with him every time I take him in the car. Otherwise, he goes with me everywhere on foot or horse, and watches me like a hawk. He is my guardian.

DSCN2950Lily – Lily was freezing to death, injured, and emaciated when I grabbed her up as a half-feral, adolescent kitten in Texas. She was the fastest to tame down I’ve ever seen, and is highly motivated by food. She is my only remaining cat and holds her own amidst the chaos of my dog pack — I think she may be part wild cat.

DSCN2675Tucker – My 3-year-old Chiweenie rescue whom I took from the Santa Fe Humane Society last year about this time. Tucker has filled our hearts and home with his gratitude, joy, and playfulness and it is because of his precious little spirit that I decided to take his new heartthrob, Frida.

For news and pictures about the others:  Bella, Frida, and the chickens, there are blog posts galore — I hope you will read about them too!

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