What are your best tips for getting good animal photos?

How do the good animal photographers do it?

This 2009 Holiday season is one of the best times for taking photographs of pets and sending them to friends and family. We have tried to get a good photo of Allen and our dog Leaf. With Linda as the photographer, we didn't always have the best results.

We have great admiration for good animal photographers. How do they ever get the animal and the person to CALMY and simultaneously look into the camera with pleasant expressions on both of their faces? It's a mystery to us.

When Leaf looks directly into the camera, the glint of light turns red in his eyes. If he looks at Allen, his cute profile is fun to see. His eyes with their unique expressions, though, aren't clear in a side view.

One time, after putting up with us trying to get a good photo for about fifteen minutes of hassle, Leaf found a solution. He licked Allen's nose, then turned, and stuck out his big, pink tongue at the camera. So there!

On the other hand, our cat Cuddles poses like a runway model. She's the ultimate beauty, posturing for the camera, arching her back, and gazing contentedly toward the lens.

What are your best tips for getting good animal photos?

We wish each of you a happy holiday and a Merry Christmas. Please give the special pets in your life an extra hug and tell them it's from us. We'd do it in person if we could.

Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net
angelanimals@aol.com

To subscribe to the Angel Animals Story of the Week Newsletter, send a blank message to AngelAnimals-on@mail-list.com

Have you befriended an animal who showed remarkable intelligence that others hadn't seemed to notice?

"GRATITUDE FOR AN AMAZING HORSE" was first published in Angel Animals Story of the Week Newsletter on 12-12-09. To subscribe send a blank message to AngelAnimals-on@mail-list.com

Angel Animals Story of the Week

GRATITUDE FOR AN AMAZING HORSE
By Karen Murdock

"Lukas is such a lucky horse. He should be so grateful to you, Karen, for everything you've done for him".

Gratitude is something on everyone's mind around this time of year. Especially for me. I receive over one-hundred e-mails a day about Lukas, from all over the world, and many are similar to the one above.

Granted, Lukas has come a long way since leaving the racetrack after three unmemorable back-of-the-pack finishes and two bowed tendons. After changing hands several times, he ended up in a yard with a family that had no horse experience and severely neglected and underfed him.

When I purchased Lukas as a ten-year-old, green, project horse from the lady who had rescued him, I was hoping to be able to show him in some lower level local shows. However, within a month of competition training with the person who was then my barn's instructor, Lukas quickly became surly, aloof, and dangerous. He began bucking, bolting, and spooking. Before long, he was unsafe even in his own stall.

At that low point, I decided to fall back on my trick-training experience to try and bridge the gap between us. Over the years, I had put tricks on horses as a way to help them find homes, establish a connection, and improve their concentration. I have found it to be a very fun, interactive, and creative process that promotes confidence, trust, and performance.

The foundation of my system is based on kindness and patience, using positive reinforcement to shape desirable behaviors and extinguish what I don't want. Certainly, though, dangerous behaviors receive a correction based on the offense.

We started with the smile trick. As our lessons progressed, I began to notice a definite improvement in Lukas's attitude and behavior. He became an eager and willing partner, happy to cooperate and initiate games. Our relationship deepened to love.

His ability to learn, his curiosity and personality flourished to the point that only four short months ago, friends and family urged (insisted) that Lukas was too special not to share with others. I agreed to have his videos posted on You-Tube and have since then, posted shorter clip versions, in hopes that it would increase awareness of horse rescues and thoroughbred ownership. The rest is history, as they say.

To date, Lukas is able to do all liberty moves: smile, pose, nod yes, shake his head no, yawn, catch, kiss (dry and wet), fetch, cross his front legs, wave, curtsy, bow, park out, push a cart, passage, Spanish walk (front and back), jambet (3 legged 180 pivot), act lame, put his legs all together, lie down and let me sit on him, rear, stay and come and go to a mark, pedestal work, hide-and-seek, and be "blindfolded". He can spell and count and identify shapes and discriminate colors.

We have been privileged to be on NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, HLN (along with many non-affiliates), and Equisearch globally. The Associated Press released a feature story on Lukas last month, and it is still being picked up nationally.

His amazing story has also been included in many magazines, newspapers, forums, blogs, and on numerous websites. He has over 4,000 Facebook friends. He is currently listed both on Yahoo and Google as "The World's Smartest Horse" (living) and is being compared to Beautiful Jim Key.

I am most proud of his association with The California Thoroughbred Breeder's Association -- an organization dedicated to correct breeding and promotion of Thoroughbreds. Lukas is the official "Spokeshorse" of Canter -- a wonderful group committed to finding homes for ex-racehorses. In addition, we are associated with Heal with Horses, a program to aid trauma victims through equine-assisted therapy.

To date, Lukas's invitations include The Grand Prix HITS Desert Circuit, The Equine Affaire, The International Equestrian Festival, The Western States Horse Expo, and America's Family Pet Expo.

So, as you may have already guessed, it is I who am grateful to have such an incredible equine partner. His resilience, ability to forgive, zest for life and learning, sense of humor, trust, and love are a daily inspiration to me. Now he also inspires so many others.

Visit www.playingwithlukas.com to see photos and videos of Lukas.

Visit www.angelanimals.net/nlimage23.html to see a sweet photo of Lucas with a friend.

BIO:
Karen Murdock is a retired psychiatric nurse who has been fixing problem horses for over 30 years. She uses a combination of shaping techniques, a specialized version of clicker training, and positive reinforcement. Her unique approach uses games and play as a way to connect and bond with horses to develop confidence, increase focus, improve performance, and build willingness and trust. All of her services and proceeds go to benefit horses. Visit www.playingwithlukas.com to see videos, photos, and read more about Lukas.

SOMETHING TO THING ABOUT:

Have you befriended an animal who showed remarkable intelligence that others hadn't seemed to notice?

Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net

To subscribe to the Angel Animals Story of the Week newsletter, send a blank message to AngelAnimals-on@mail-list.com

What ways have you found to help animal rescue organizations?

Early New Year's Resolutions

Today, we had an invigorating breakfast meeting where we talk and about new goals for the new year. In this tough economy 2009 was hard on just about everybody. But the animal shelters and animal welfare organizations experienced undue hardships.

So many people's houses went into foreclosure that animal shelters were deluged with frightened, confused pets who suddenly became homeless overnight. The shelters have become overcrowded. Not as many people felt they could afford to adopt a shelter pet.

We're exploring ways that we can help animal shelters and organizations. We're looking at possibilities for doing fundraising and speaking engagements to increase awareness and funds for homeless animals.

Just a reminder that in this season of giving, please be sure to remember how much your local animal shelters (and even the national organizations) need your donations of time, materials, and money. Shelters with websites often list the types of donations they need. Things like blankets, food, toys, and crates go a long way toward helping them to survive.

The animals will thank you. They always do.

What ways have you found to help animal rescue organizations?

Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net

To subscribe to the Angel Animals Story of the Week newsletter, send a blank message to AngelAnimals-on@mail-list.com

What experiences have you had with animals in which they showed you irrefutably that you and the animal had communicated?

Communicating with Animals

How many times have you wished you could communicate with your pet or an animal in nature? It's a universal wish of animal lovers to exchange thoughts with a creature who means so much to you.

Trained and skillful animal communicators often say that they're only doing what we all have the capacity to do. Ours is just undeveloped. The average person doesn't trust or recognize what she or he sees and hears from animals.

Animal communication has always intrigued us. But living with our especially talented communicators -- our cocker spaniel Leaf and our wise black-and-white tabby Cuddles -- has provided us with a deeper level of understanding this process.

This morning, Leaf made his customary trip to the acres of off-leash dog park near the river where he loves to explore. Allen has many experiences with him there, because Leaf seems to be more of who he truly is in that expansive freedom.

Today, a little boy was teetering like a tightrope walker across a fallen log that hovered above the forested ground below. Leaf typically enjoys performing a balancing act on this type of log -- the higher off the ground the better.

Allen said to our daredevil dog, "Why don't you go and show that little boy how it's done?"

With his amber eyes Leaf looked up at Allen as if to say, Great idea! He trotted off to the log, leapt on it, and soon was strutting his expertise for the little boy. The child's parents clapped for Leaf, and the boy giggled.

No one had taught Leaf to obey a command: Show the little boy how it's done. We don't think you'd find it in any dog training manuals. But Leaf understands this everyday kind of communication and proved it with his actions, much to everyone's amazement.

What experiences have you had with pets or animals in nature in which they showed you irrefutably that you and the animal had communicated?

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Autographed Horses with a Mission books are half price. Many of the other Angel Animals books are at a 25% discount only until DECEMBER 14TH. We have limited stock, so order early for these wonderful holiday gifts that will thrill the animal lovers on your list. http://shop.angelanimals.net/main.sc


Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net
www.horseswithamission.com

To subscribe to the Angel Animals Story of the Week newsletter, send a blank message to AngelAnimals-on@mail-list.com

How do your pets or animals in nature show their independent thinking?

Animals as Independent Thinkers

Anyone who lives with pets or watches animals in nature knows that they are independent thinkers. Animals have their own ways of viewing the world.

Animals make decisions that often are incomprehensible to humans. Yet if we're observant and reflect upon animals' choices, we can learn a lot about our own mental, emotional, and spiritual processes.

In our family of animals and humans, we often look at our animal companions and appreciate the friendship, unconditional love, and sense of family that they provide in our home. We've made the mistake, at times, of presuming to know their routines, needs, and moods. Humans are funny that way.

But the animals teach us that although they are in our care, their independence and sense of self are totally intact. These traits keep them unpredictable and immensely interesting to live with.

For example, our yellow cockatiel, Sunshine, decides when he is ready to go to the mantel each morning. His flight from the cage to the mantel, where he struts back and forth and looks out the windows on either side, is always on his terms and timetable.

Sunshine regards our act of opening the door to his cage as simply an invitation, not a command performance. When he is ready, he ventures out.

We say, "Sunshine, you've been cooped up all night. It is time to fly around." He ignores human reasoning, though. If we try to assist by offering to give him a finger-ride to the mantel, Sunshine opens his beak threateningly and squawks.

Sunshine is quick to let us know that he's in charge of the decision about if and when to fly. To us humans, Sunshine's refusal of instant freedom is illogical. So we've settled for labeling our curmudgeon bird's behavior as "independent thinking."

As an aside, one of Sunshine's old tricks, before we had broadband, was to make the sound of uploading AOL on the computer. He would sing every beat of it perfectly. When he sat on Linda's shoulder in the morning, he'd remind her to check her e-mail by turning on his version of AOL.

How do your pets or animals in nature show their independent thinking?

We welcome you to answer this question and the "Something to Think About" question at our blogs and forums, so everyone can see your comments.

Note: Horse with a Mission and Angel Dogs with a Mission are half price at shop.angelanimals.net until December 14th. Visit www.angelanimals.net for details.

Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net

***To subscribe to the Angel Animals Story of the Week newsletter send a blank e-mail message to angelanimals-on@mail-list.com. Visit http://archive.mail-list.com/angelanimals to read past Angel Animals newsletters.

BUTCH, THE HORSE WHO BELIEVED IN MY DAUGHTER

Excerpt from HORSES WITH A MISSION: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service by Allen and Linda Anderson (New World Library, 2009), pp. 114-118. Reprinted with permission. All Rights Reserved. To subscribe to the Angel Animals Story of the Week newsletter send a blank e-mail message to angelanimals-on@mail-list.com. Visit http://archive.mail-list.com/angelanimals to read past Angel Animals newsletters.

Horses with a Mission is on sale for half price until December 14th at shop.angelanimals.net

BUTCH, THE HORSE WHO BELIEVED IN MY DAUGHTER
Jodi Buchan, Bemidji, Minnesota

While raising my ten-year-old child, Katie, who has profound mental retardation, my family experienced many encounters with the two-legged cherubic kind -- or what I like to think of as earthly manifestations of guardian angels. What I didn't expect to come across was one with four hooves and a whinny who tucked his Pegasus-sized wings beneath his saddle.

Butch, a retired chestnut gelding, standing about 14 hands high, was one of the horses at SMaRT, the Snow Mountain Ranch Therapeutic Riding Program at the YMCA of the Rockies in Fraser, Colorado, where I took Katie for therapeutic riding. When corralled in with the mares, Butch would thrust his maleness in the direction of every potential mate. Since I'm not an equine specialist, I can't say if this was typical behavior, but I came to learn that Butch was not a typical horse. Whether the mares responded with a kick or a stampede, he was not deterred.

On the other hoof, whenever he assumed his role as therapy horse, his stride became patient and gentle. His slow, rhythmic, and repetitive gait and the natural movement of his hindquarters influenced his riders, improving their core strength, range of motion, and stamina. It seemed that whatever his mission, be it misguided mating attempts or guided therapy activities, wherever his heart led him, Butch's dedication was unflappable.

Butch was not merely the "object of modality," as his purpose is described on paper in grants to funding organizations and reports to medical partners.

The breadth of Butch's contribution to the multidisciplinary therapy team, helping clients with movement, communication, and behavior is broader than that of his four-wall office counterparts: the hammock-like net swing and the padded, tubular bolster. These are. tools for aiding a therapist in creating positions that strengthen weak neck muscles or challenge balance for their clients, but the net swing and bolster are still inanimate objects. These aids can be useful, even stimulating, but they cannot come close to duplicating the immeasurable benefits of the human-animal bond.

By the time midsummer 1997 came around, Butch and my daughter, Katie, had developed an unspoken understanding, a trust between rider and provider.

Katie's Breakthrough

At the beginning of one therapy session, I brought Katie to the base of the wooden mounting ramp. Off in the pine-framed meadow, Rose, the program director, led Butch by the reins. Her golden hair lassoed into a ponytail, Rose led a sun-ripened band of three volunteers who trailed behind Katie and Butch.

Katie didn't look directly at any of them. She tipped her head. Using her peripheral vision to briefly glance in their direction, Katie made a guttural note of excited anticipation-her version of language. I held onto Katie's arm as she circled and circled in a jig, similar to what she does when waiting for her school bus to pick her up.

Once Butch was safely between the mounting platform and another elevated wooden base, he stood still and patiently remained with his colleagues. Rose took my daughter up the ramp and guided Katie's hands to the saddle horn. She lifted Katie's right leg over the saddle. A second volunteer, standing on the platform across from Rose, put Katie's foot into a stirrup. When Katie was centered, Rose said, "Katie, tell Butch to walk on."

Katie smiled, unresponsive to Rose's request. Aside from various pitches of sound indicating her excitement or discomfort, Katie's only other form of expressing herself was through an adapted sign language. This was limited to "eat," "drink," and occasionally "more," along with a turn away of her head for "no." We all waited for any kind of response.

Rose repeated the prompt. Katie waited for something to happen, seemingly content just to sit on Butch. Rose waited and repeated the verbal cue a third time. While we listened for any kind of sound from my daughter, the volunteers watched her feet for a slight kicking movement, another way a nonverbal rider could tell Butch she was ready to go.

Finally a volunteer on each side of the horse lifted Katie's feet to help her tap Butch's flanks. Rose spoke for Katie and cheerfully said, "Walk on," and they all headed toward the corral.

Katie's usually curved, slumped posture straightened. She lifted her head and beamed a smile of pride to the audience -- me. I swallowed her joy in a lump and claimed it for my own. Katie has had little to say in her own life, and she attempts whatever is asked of her. In spite of significant challenges, she is completely trusting and seems at peace with her circumstances. In that moment I filled with admiration at the way she sat upon Butch. My daughter, my Katie, my Dale Evans.

Engaged in fun and motivated by Butch, Katie didn't recognize that she had been positioned on him to achieve therapeutic goals. They were goals that would help her to walk with more stability, sit and stand with a stronger spine, and engage in developing communication. The fact that the assisted motion of mounting him was the same for getting into the bathtub at home -- a specific life skill -- was an added bonus. Therapy was boring. Butch was inspiring.

After he walked in the corral, Butch matched his gait to the stride of the volunteer holding his lead rope. The other two volunteers, who were walking on either side for the rider's safety, helped Katie pull back slightly on the reins to stop Butch. They added a "whoa" for her. They handed Katie a plastic ring and guided her hands to drop the ring over a fence post.

Next, they wove their path around barrels, stepped over a row of logs, and even turned Katie around to ride Butch backward. Butch was in sync through it all, even to the point of helping to right his rider by giving a little bump of his bum when she started to slide out of position. To offer Katie and Butch a change of scenery, they all headed out to a trail in the woods.

At the end of nearly an hour riding backward, forward, and sideways, Katie's stamina faded. She still smiled but was physically exhausted. As they walked back toward me, before they had even reached a halt, Rose said to me, "Katie said, 'Walk on.'"

"She did?" I asked, a tone of disbelief in my voice.

Katie didn't talk. Ever.

After nine and a half years of occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy, none of her human therapists had been able to stimulate Katie's language. And none of those synthetic bolsters, dangling net swings, or cause-and-effect toys, which when poked, shaken, or rolled rewarded the effort with a sound, a light, or other stimulus, had prompted any language.

In fact, after years of stomped hopes and dreams with words such as, "Maybe when she's three, she'll be able . . . ," "When she's five, eight, ten . . . ," I'd learned to lower my expectations. The fighting with our city and school district for inclusive activities and appropriate services had gotten to me. The words, "Jodi, you can't expect miracles," spoken by a school administrator, had begun to resonate. I'd become half empty. I'd become a mother who thinks of her child, "She can't do that."

Nevertheless, there is something ethereal in therapeutic horseback riding. In spite of her disabilities, Katie was participating in an activity some city slickers find terrifying. She had placed all her trust, vulnerability, and ability in Butch's care without a moment's hesitation.

That very next week on the mounting ramp Rose again told Katie, "Tell Butch to walk on." I could see Butch's left brown eye. His ear twitched backward. I thought I recognized an expression from him of anticipation, of hope.

Then we all heard it - the "w" and "k" sounds were absent. There was no lip closure, but the rhythm and inflection was unmistakable. She said, "Ahh, ann." Butch gently began to walk. He'd heard it. I don't think he ever doubted that he would.

At the end of the session that day, after his biscuit and some TLC, I watched a volunteer lead Butch back into the corral with the rest of the horses.

Butch had become the horse who taught me to look up again, who taught me to raise my expectations, to have a little more faith in my daughter's unknown capabilities and future. Butch is the horse who taught me that miracles can happen 14-hands high above the corral dust.

To see a photo of Butch, go to www.horseswithamission.com

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

"Meditation: Butch's belief in Katie brought about a miracle for Jodi to witness. How have horses or other animals listened to your deepest longings and heard what no one else could hear?"

BIO:
"Jodi Buchan has been a merchandiser, advocate, and writer. She is currently working on the story of a mother's metamorphosis, NORMAL: A MYTHICAL MEMOIR."


Allen and Linda Anderson
ANGEL ANIMALS NETWORK
www.angelanimals.net
shop.angelanimals.net -- Horses with a Mission is on sale for half price until December 14th
www.horseswithamission.com

To subscribe to the Angel Animals Story of the Week newsletter send a blank e-mail message to angelanimals-on@mail-list.com. Visit http://archive.mail-list.com/angelanimals to read past Angel Animals newsletters.

Horses Who Found Their Purpose

We're doing a special edition of the Angel Animals Blog to make sure all our readers know what a treasure-trove of stories are in the new book, HORSES WITH A MISSION.

Since it's nearing the holiday season, we're combining this special edition with a half-price sale on the autographed book from our bookstore (shop.angelanimals.net). The book is now half-price at $7.49 for U.S. only. Sorry, but our bookstore doesn't accept orders from outside the U.S.

THIS SALE ENDS ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2009. Last year's new book, ANGEL DOGS WITH A MISSION, is also being offered at half-price for the duration of this sale.

The book is also available at other online bookstores around the world, at www.newworldlibrary.com, and at chain and independent bookstores.

To read more about this book and see photos of the majestic horses in it, go to www.horseswithamission.com

But first, we want you know how much love and devotion each of the twenty-one amazing contributors put into this book. We all worked along with Georgia Hughes, our wonderful editor at New World Library, to bring you the best telling of each story.

Our hope is that you will both enjoy and be inspired by these incredibly heart-opening testaments to the spiritual nature of horses. The stories honor horses who have helped people to fulfill important dreams and who have found their own meaning and purpose in life.

In this book you'll meet:

MOLLY: a pony who survived Hurricane Katrina and the loss of a leg, but went on to spread her message of hope to children and adults with disabilities. Her story went viral with coverage on the Internet, in the New York Times, and on the CBS Evening News.

SANKOFA: an Arabian stallion who made it possible for social studies teacher Miles J. Dean to complete a cross-country journey in tribute to African American ancestors. Millions of adults and schoolchildren followed their odyssey as Miles and Sankofa made history come alive.

DIANA: a wild horse of the rare Gila herd who proved to be a proud and resourceful lead mare, protecting her herd and teaching the great lesson of forgiveness.

VIOLA: a Norwegian Fjord horse who was imported from Norway to become a broodmare in upstate New York and eventually made her way to Tanya Welsch and MN LINC (Minnesota Linking Individuals, Nature, and Critters). With her innate maternal wisdom, Viola is incredibly intuitive and nurturing, especially with at-risk youth.

PEGASUS: an ornery and unfulfilled horse who found his mission in life by nurturing a rescued foal with a gravely ill mother and went on to provide surrogate care to numerous weaker horses.

The book has been reviewed in a number of magazines and newspapers and we've been interviewed about it on radio and television.

For about a month now, the book has been listed as a Top 100 Bestseller in the "horse" book category on Amazon.com. Last week, it became a Heartland Indie (independent bookstores) regional bestseller.

Below is a partial list of print reviews:

**Best Friends Magazine (Nov.-Dec. 2009)
**Equine Wellness
**The Latham Letter
**New York Daily
**News Santa Barbara's The Daily Sound
**Ride Magazine

Rather than our going on and on about what a great book this is to read, we'll let readers and reviewers express what they appreciated about its unique ability to bring good news to a world that needs to be reminded of the best in human and horse nature.

"The stories in Horses with a Mission demonstrate the soul presence in horses as they use their innate creativity, sensitivity, and intelligence to make choices that serve themselves and others. Karen Sussman's account of rescuing and documenting a wild horse herd reminds all of us that native and indigenous horses have been here for 52 million years. With hearts and minds open, we can learn from the wild and domesticated horses in this wonderful book."
--Joe Camp, author of The Soul of a Horse and creator of the films starring the canine superstar Benji

"This collection of stories will remind anyone who has ever had a horse as a best friend, confidante, and soul mate of what a special gift that can be."
--Carson Kressley, Emmy Award-winning TV host, designer, and author of Off the Cuff

"The brilliant complilation of lovely and touching stories reflect upon the remarkable connection between humans and equines. You don't need to be an avid equestrian like me to truly enjoy this book, as the stories resonate with a spirit of hope and harmony that is shared by all creatures great and small."
--Alison Eastwood, actress, director, and producer

"The spiritual and physical bond between horses and the humans who love them often reaches mystical proportions. Nothing celebrates that very special relationship more movingly or with greater clarity than Horses with a Mission."
--Steven D. Price, editor of The Whole Horse Catalog

"Through their courage, sensitivity, and kindness, the horses in this book become our inspiration and guides. I was especially taken with the way each story gives us something to reflect on in our own
lives. And each chapter ends with an invitation to follow up on what we've just felt and experienced, a way to experience quiet time with these magical beings."
--Michael Mountain, former president of Best Friends Animal Society

"This important book will spark your imagination and inspire you to embrace the magical moments in life that happen every single day. This book is a joy to read."
--Melanie Sue Bowles, author of Hoof Prints and founder of Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary

"Horses with a Mission allows us to travel into the world of the horse from so many unique perspectives and introduces horses that have touched and changed the lives of many people. To have our own writer, Cooky McClung, featured in this wonderful work makes it all the more fun. It's a fabulous read."
--Mason Phelps, Jr., president, PhelpsSports.com

"As an equine professional teaching in seven countries for over forty years, I have read and witnessed many inspirational, magical, and wonderful interactions between horses and humans. Horses with a Mission is an exceptional collection of such stories. The contributors fine writing abilities and talent share the deep appreciation and love they have for their equine counterparts. Bravo. Enjoy!"
--Franklin Levinson, www.WayoftheHorse.org

"Many pets are here on this earth to help humans in the journey of life. Horses, with their primal nature as prey animals, daily make choices to override their fears, get past traumas, and put themselves in danger
to be one with the humans who love them. The stories in this book are great examples of the power of unconditional love, which I am reminded of every day in my work helping clients."
--Lydia Hiby, animal communicator

"When I was a child I was fascinated by the love for horses the cowboy heroes showed -- like Roy Rogers' horse Trigger. Indeed, Trigger at times seemed almost human. This book [Horses with a Mission] celebrates horses that have helped people heal in various ways and that have become special servants to people in need. Horses clearly can have therapeutic uses, and the collection of stories here captures some of the more remarkable examples."
--Bill Tammeus, Bristol Herald Courier, October 10, 2009

"As with all the Andersons' books, Horses With a Mission relates amazing, poignant stories of animals who make a difference in people's lives. These horses, though, go beyond the expected to true acts of courage and heroism, demonstrating the powerful link between humans and horses and also the feats of love and compassion possible when we follow our best instincts."
--Eason.com, October 2009

"[Horses with a Mission] With twenty-one dramatic true stories of courageous, loyal, and loving horses who found their life's purpose, this book reveals the wonders possible when both humans and horses are encouraged and allowed to follow their best instincts."
--New Consciousness Review: Books that Expand Minds and Lift Hearts, August 28, 2009

"Horses with a Mission: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service is a feel-good book that any animal lover can appreciate. While I am a dog person at heart, I found many similarities in the stories included in Horses with a Mission and several of the dog-human stories I've read in the past. This is a brilliant compilation of loving, heart-warming stories and would make a wonderful gift for any animal lover on your list this year."
--Nicole, Lapdog Creations, October 2009

"Horses with a Mission is a great book that shares amazing and heart-warming, true stories about horses. The stories show how horses help humans by enriching, inspiring, and even saving lives."
--Ride Magazine, November 18, 2009

"Another great work [Horses with a Mission] by authors Allen and Linda Anderson. This husband and wife writing team have put together such classics as the popular Angel Animals anthology series published by New World Library including Angel Dogs, Angel Cats, Angel Horses, and many more."
--Pet Memorial World, October 2009

Another wonderful book [Horses with a Mission] by Allen Anderson of stories from his readers of how horses have changed peoples' lives. Very touching stories of horses that return to their original home, the impact the horse had on a person and/or the whole family. All the stories touch the reader and you find yourself remembering the stories and talking to other animal lovers about them.
--Victoria Yates, Chapters.Indigo.ca, November 14, 2009

When have you witnessed an animal overcoming fear or anxiety to burst into the light of self-confidence?

Facing Your Fears

We often take Leaf to the dog park. We especially like the one that has a river running through it. At this park Leaf runs, plays, explores, and has a great time.

On a recent November day Leaf was having a lot of fun. I (Allen) would throw the ball into the river, making sure it didn't float out too far. Leaf would go in after it with only a bit of hesitation as he evaluated the distance and possible challenges.

We walked the long distance to where there is an inlet of still water from the fast-moving river. The water in this inlet is dark, undisturbed, and appears to be deep. It's unlike the river where there are all sorts of activities with dogs jumping in, small waves from the boats passing by, and people chatting and throwing sticks into the water while intermittently sipping on their Starbucks coffee.

This inlet also had a few ducks swimming nearby. But the real difference was how still the dark surface of the water was, as if there were unknowns lurking below it.

Leaf loves his black-and-white ball. He lives to chase and find it, often running into the water and retrieving to bring back the ball for more tosses.

After we arrived at the inlet I threw Leaf's ball into this different type of water. He hesitated. He looked at the ball and at me. I said, "You can do this." It was not that far for him to swim and retrieve the ball, maybe six feet away from where he stood on his short legs with water up to his knees.

A gentleman sat on a log nearby and watched us. I learned later that his larger dog was also a rescue. Like Leaf, the man's dog had become a wonderful friend and companion. The man called out words of encouragement for Leaf to go and get his ball.

Leaf barked at the ball. He whined and whimpered as if pleading with it to return on its own. Since the ball wouldn't cooperate, Leaf took one careful step after another into the water. It was clear that he did not know if he might be hurt by some unknown danger lying in wait below the surface.

Nearby, maybe three or four feet to the left of where Leaf's ball floated, an old rather large tree branch had fallen into the inlet. Leaf looked at the branch. He assessed the situation and worked out a strategy.

Carefully he jumped up onto the long branch and slowly walked toward where his ball floated. He took one cautious step after another. As he drew closer, I could tell that he still felt conflicted. Should he continue on his quest or retreat to the safety of land?

Bravely he continued onward. After arriving at the spot closest to his floating ball, Leaf had to make another decision. Would he jump into the ominous water or retreat from a dive into the unknown?

The gentleman said that watching Leaf's dilemma and problem-solving skills was the cutest thing he had ever seen a dog do. He commented on how smart Leaf was to find a way to retrieve his ball. He also observed how conflicted Leaf seemed to be.

I said nothing to Leaf at this point. I knew he needed the freedom to make his own decision. And he did.

He held tightly to the branch with his paws. He jumped into the murky, still water. His head and body dipped under the surface for a second. He emerged from the dive, saw his ball, grabbed it in his mouth with determination, and victoriously swam back to shore.

Leaf had conquered his fear. A bright light of new confidence emanated from him. Both the man who had been watching and I were totally enthusiastic about Leaf and his victory over fear. He had made the decision to face the unknown, and I was so proud of him.

See Video of Leaf playing at the dog park at www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiVo_Jdt8lA

What fears lurk in the dark, still waters of your life? When have you witnessed an animal overcoming fear or anxiety to burst into the light of self-confidence?

Allen and Linda Anderson
ANGEL ANIMALS NETWORK
www.angelanimals.net

Have you had a special relationship with a chicken or other animal most people only think of as edible?

"Boots, A Chicken with Options" by Sam Griffin was first published in the Angel Animals Story of the Week Newsletter on November 7, 2009. Visit http://archive.mail-list.com/angelanimals to read past Angel Animals newsletters.

BOOTS, A CHICKEN WITH OPINIONS
By Sam Griffin

There was a time when I would shop at the grocery store, never giving a thought to what it was I was really eating. Slowly I became aware of all the chemicals and preservatives in the food, the pesticides and irradiation used on the produce, the inhumane treatment of the animals whose meat I was eating.

I became vegetarian, started growing vegetables in my tiny backyard, stopped buying anything that had ingredients I couldn't pronounce, and purchased a few hens to have my own eggs.

Finally, I decided it was time to leave the city behind and move somewhere I could become as self-sufficient as possible. I planned to leave materialism behind and live a simpler, more rewarding life. I moved to a small farm in rural Virginia after selling my row home just outside of Philadelphia. Quite a radical lifestyle change, but it was time to "put my money where my mouth is."

The hens on my new farm were the biggest challenge. I had five chicks and no idea what I was doing. I read everything I could find about raising chickens. As they grew and thrived, I learned just how fun and curious chickens are. What a surprise to discover that they had personalities, different food preferences, and odd habits unique to each bird.

One lovely spring day, while I shopped at the local flea market, I was astonished to see goats, turkeys, and chickens for sale. Most of the animals were sad, sickly specimens. It broke my heart to see them. I just wanted to buy them all and give them a better life. But if I did that, I would be encouraging the owners to breed more.

In the back of the flea market lot I noticed a man whose birds looked well cared for, clean, and healthy. As I looked over the birds, proud of myself that I could identify the different breeds, an older gentleman approached the vendor and said in a booming voice, "I need a rooster!"

The vendor asked, "What breed?"

The man hollered, "I don't care; just as long as it makes a lot of noise. I've got a hen in the coyote trap now, but she doesn't make a sound, so I'm not catching any coyotes."

Needless to say, I was stunned. Using live chickens as bait? Do people really do that?

The vendor showed the man a rooster in a cage with a hen of the same breed. The man wanted the rooster, but the vendor said he sold only in pairs. The man said he'd take the pair.

Unable to be quiet any longer, I asked, "What are you going to do with the hen?"

He said, "I'll just turn her loose in the woods. Something will eat her."

I said, "What about the hen in the trap?"

He replied, "I'll just turn her out too."

Without hesitation I asked, "Can I have both hens?" Luckily, he said yes.

Soon I was following his pickup all over twisting back roads and into a dense pine forest. We approached the trap, and there was this tiny hen, laying in inches of muck with no food or water. Choking down my anger, I took the hen and thanked the man. Somehow I managed to find my way home.

After getting the flea market hen settled in, I took the tiny trap hen out of the box and looked her over. She was in horrible condition. She stank, her comb was purple, she was sneezing, and her breathing was labored.

Her feet were completely infected. She only had one toe left on each foot. The toenails were so long she couldn't stand. I was completely at a loss. I knew I didn't have the skills to help her.

I put her outside in a flowerbed with food and water nearby. She stretched a wing and a leg, soaking up the warm sunshine rays. Every so often, she reached up to take a sip of water and a few pecks of food.

After a time, she dug a little hole, which took a while with those two remaining toes, and rolled around in the dirt. A look of complete bliss came over her face. I remember thinking, "Well, if she doesn't make it, at least she'll have one perfect day in the sun."

After dozens of phone calls, I finally found a veterinarian who would look at her. He said she had pneumonia. He gave me antibiotics and showed me how to treat and bandage her feet. He said if the infection in her feet got into the bones, she couldn't be saved.

I took her home. For weeks, I gave her medicine and changed her bandages, clipped her nails, and fed her treats. Slowly, she began to recover.

One morning I was awakened at six in the morning by an unbelievably loud squawking. I raced downstairs to find little Boots (named so for her bulky, bandaged feet) standing at the front of her cage and hollering her head off.

Nothing appeared to be wrong, so I went to the cabinet that contained the container of oatmeal, figuring I'd give her a treat to quiet her down. As I walked toward her with the container, she began jumping up and down excitedly.

I put a handful of oatmeal in her dish, and she immediately stopped yelling and began to eat, making little contented cooing noises. This ritual continued every morning for months until she was able to move out to the coop with the rest of the flock.

In the meantime she slowly came to rule the household. I bought her a little chicken diaper. During the day she would sit on my desk while I worked, sauntering across the keyboard, pecking at all my papers.

She began sneaking upstairs to lay eggs under my bed. She loved to fly up on top of the refrigerator and stare down at the silly mortals below. She would steal and hide shiny things and swipe food if I made the mistake of leaving anything lying around. It was time for her to be an outdoor chicken.

I put Boots with the other chickens. She rapidly moved to the top of the pecking order, attacking anyone who messed with her, even though she was the tiniest.

She seemed a little lonely. I got her a boyfriend of the same breed, a cute little guy I named Bill. She ignored him pointedly at first, rejecting his advances. Eventually, she relented.

Today Boots is the proud mom of three daughters -- Shoes, Sandals, and Slippers, all carbon copies of her but with more toes. She is a fiercely protective mother. Even my huge Orpington rooster lives in terror of her.

In the winter Boots lives inside. The nerve damage to her feet makes her unable to keep them warm enough. She is one tough little girl, and I'm proud of her.

I now have forty chickens, six turkeys, and ten quail. Most are rescues; a few have disabilities. Bringing them back to health and watching their antics is one of the most rewarding things I've ever done.

Living on a farm in the middle of nowhere is hard work, but one look at Boots, and I know it was the best decision I've ever made. I wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world.

See photos of Boots at www.angelanimals.net/nlimage20.html

BIO:
Sam Griffin lives near South Boston, Virginia. She has turkeys, quails, and chickens. A story about Boots was published on September 28, 2009 in PeoplePets.com. Prior to the story's publication one of the writers for PeoplePets was on a poultry site looking for people who owned chickens in the city. She planned to do a story about urban chickens. Before Sam moved to the country, she had kept chickens in the backyard and garage of her city row home. After Sam called the writer, the woman used other people's stories for that article, but loved Boots and ran Sam's story in PeoplePets later. Sam does not have a website or an organization, however she seems to be gaining a reputation in the area for taking in all unwanted/broken/special needs/abandoned animals. Her friends tease her that it takes five of her chickens to make one complete bird with all functioning parts. Sam says that she writes about Boots the way some people go on about their kids.


SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:
Have you had a special relationship with a chicken or other animal most people only think of as edible?


Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net

To subscribe to the Angel Animals Story of the Week newsletter send a blank e-mail message to angelanimals-on@mail-list.com.

Visit http://archive.mail-list.com/angelanimals to read past Angel Animals newsletters.

When have you noticed animals in nature or your pets displaying a sixth sense?

Animal Sniffers and Sixth Senses

We live in a houseful of sniffers. Anything new, in a different place, or that could possibly be food gets sniffed by our two cats and dog. The bird checks out the new and unusual with his calls and screeches.

As we observe how the animals who share our home carefully inspect and analyze objects with their noses, it's a reminder that we're living with a different life form -- one that doesn't approach the world as humans do.

Animals have their own ways of viewing the planet. No matter how hard we might try, we'll never experience the world as they do. We can't imagine what we'd understand if we explored life with the noses and licking tongues of dogs and cats, the ultrasound of dolphins, or the pecking of birds.

And then there is the animals' sixth sense. The mystical, spiritual, extrasensory sense that many of them seem to have in abundance. Anyone who lives with an animal and has an open mind and heart has to admit that there are just some things animals seem to know.

Early on, after we started Angel Animals Network, a reporter from our local newspaper, the MINNEAPOLIS STAR-TRIBUNE, came to our house. She was doing a story about this strange couple who were collecting, writing, and publishing stories about the spiritual nature of animals.

The reporter got out her tape recorder and placed it on the table in front of us. Then she proceeded to ask questions. We answered them as honestly and carefully as we could.

Our cockatiel, the yellow, orange-cheeked Sunshine, sat on his perch in the living room where the interview took place. Mostly he remained silent. Occasionally he would join in the conversation with a chirp, a song, or a string of words that were unintelligible to the reporter.

Later, in the article that appeared accompanied by a half-page photo of us walking around Lake Harriet with our yellow Lab Taylor, the reporter commented on an unusual thing she had observed in our home. Listening the tape recording of the interview had been quite a revelation for her.

Every time the reporter asked a question of a spiritual nature, Sunshine seemed to chime in with a comment. Only questions about Spirit, God, or miracles caused him to express an opinion. She was amused but also mystified by Sunshine's ability to sense when the subject matter had turned to a less mundane or more unearthly topic.

When have you noticed animals in nature or your pets displaying a sixth sense?

Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net

What Do Animal Shelters Say about Quality of Life Your Community?

While researching our book about animal rescue, RESCUED: Saving Animals from Disaster, we gave a lot of thought to animal shelters. In the past we have volunteered at local shelters and had mixed emotions about what went on in them.

Now, after discovering so many possibilities for what primo shelters can do for a community, we are still wondering what is best for the animals. On what programs and facilities are charitable donation dollars best spent?

In a world that hopefully is moving toward more enlightenment and viewing animals as spiritual beings, how do our animal shelters reflect changing attitudes and deeper understandings?

If you took an informal survey around your place of work, you would find that most people have never been to an animal shelter. They know shelters exist and that if a person wanted to adopt a mutt, an animal shelter would be a good place to start looking for one.

But there's all those sad eyes peering out of cages, pleading for a stroke of kindness, hoping to be liberated. And how do people feel coming into a place, not finding a pet they want to take home, and leaving? Do they feel guilty, thinking that the ones they didn't choose might die? It's just too off-putting.

Fifty years ago, dogcatchers ruled the animals in cities, striking terror in the hearts of pet guardians and animals who roamed much more freely than they do today. If a dogcatcher saw an animal on the streets, he would swoop up the hapless creature, throw him into the caged rear of a truck that looked like a paddy wagon, and take him off to the pound.

If the animal's guardian didn't realize that Fido or Felix hadn't come home that night, he would call the pound to inquire. If no one claimed an animal within twenty-four hours, the animal would be gassed. It was called "catch and kill."

In the bad old days, in the '70s and '80s, Jan Herzog and her friend, both animal lovers in their early 20s, decided to start a humane society in their small rural Texas town. They got a contract with the city to do animal control.

Jan told us, "It's a stressful thing to take a case to court. You testify and have your word questioned. The other side tries to make like you don't have the facts and aren't telling the truth. If you lose, an animal's life is at stake.

"We got a report of a farmer who was letting his cattle starve. The farm was twenty miles from town. My friend and I drove out there to check on the situation. I had my baby daughter with me.

"The owner of the cattle and his friend saw us and figured out what we were probably doing," Jan recalls. "They got in their vehicles. One was in an 18-wheeler truck and the other was in a semi-truck. They ran us off the road. I thought they would smash and kill us. We were terrified. They intended to intimidate us because we went out to look at their skinny cows.

"For my own emotional and mental health, I had to get out of the shelter business. I even left that town and with my husband, moved away to start a new life doing something else."

Thanks to sworn police officers, known as "the animal cops," city and small town shelter personnel have fewer of those kinds of experiences today. The bad old days are not behind us, but they are getting better, even in the less affluent areas.

Niki Dawson is the shelter manager for the Liberty Humane Society in Jersey City in an inner city area. She has a program in her shelter called "Pet it, don't sweat it" that does free neutering for dogs and low-cost spay/neuter for cats.

The shelter works with human food banks and social service agencies to get pet supplies to people who need them and to counsel those who have problems with their pets. Niki says, "We don't only help animals. We help people with animals."

In addition to all Niki does locally, she spent over two weeks volunteering in New Orleans and bringing back Katrina dogs for fostering and adoption. She also did Internet work to help with reunions. Hers is a shelter that operates on a limited budget and does the best it can to serve the community while striving to change citizens' attitudes toward animals as being disposable.

The animal shelters of the future and the more progressive (and well-funded) ones today enhance quality of life of in their communities as well as rescue and re-home animals. They are educational hubs offering classes that teach people about animal behavior, show children compassionate animal care, and help bereaved owners through pet loss.

Thriving animal shelters provide positive exposure to animals. Their trained volunteers take animals to hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and schools. Their staff and selected volunteers are extensively trained to assist in evacuating animals safely after disasters.

These shelters work together with animal control to offer cruelty investigation services and intake. They use innovative programs to reduce animal overpopulation for domestic and feral animals.

What are the shelters in your town doing to improve quality of life for animals and people?

When have you seen one animal choosing to help another?

Animals Helping Animals

We were walking with Leaf next to the Mississippi River and Allen threw the ball for him to chase. It went into the water a little too deep. Leaf watched as a large fish jumped out of the water near where his ball had landed.

Being a rescued dog Leaf had to learn how to take care of himself. He was not about to swim into the river where there may be creatures underneath trying to nibble at his feet or worse. So he stared at the ball and barked.

Then he moved toward the ball. He backed away. He barked some more. Because he knew how to swim and had often gone after his precious ball, he seemed frustrated at not being able to retrieve it this time.

As we watched, Allen was about to take his shoes off and wade out to get Leaf's ball. Just then a family walked by with its dog who also had short legs. Their dog looked at the situation, jumped into the water, swam, got the ball, brought it back to shore, and dropped it at Leaf's paws.

A happy Leaf grabbed his favorite ball and wagged his tail with gusto. We thanked the dog whose name was Lizzy.

It was nice to experience this. One dog made a choice to help another dog. And Allen was grateful that Leaf's hero had kept him from having to get his feet wet.

There is a wonderful book by Allen M. Schoen, D.V.M., M.S., KINDRED SPIRITS (Broadway Books, 2001). Dr. Schoen wrote about how his dog Megan took care of an injured one-week old goat by licking the animal and lying by her side, breathing against the goat's chest.

Dr. Schoen had to hurry away to save the life of a wounded kitten and wondered if it would be all right to leave the goat in Megan's care. Megan looked into the vet's eyes and seemed to assure him that she'd take care of the kid while he was gone.

He writes, "Megan had intuited and understood my role in life and now she had adopted that responsibility for herself. She was becoming a healer -- just as much as I was. Although I had been very close to many animals before, this connection moved beyond any I had ever made. In a moment's time, my sense of the human-animal bond had changed forever."

Over the years we have received thousands of stories from around the world about all kinds of animals helping, healing, and working with other animals in ways that sometimes are amazing. And we have many personal experiences with our beloved pets assisting each other over the years.

When have you seen one animal choosing to help another?

We welcome you to answer this question and the "Something to Think About" question at our blogs and forums, so everyone can see your comments.

***

DON'T MISS!!!
The launch for our new book, HORSES WITH A MISSION is on Saturday, October 10th, 2:00 p.m. at Borders Books & Music in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Hope to see you there!

Go to www.horseswithamission.com to read excerpts of the book, see video clips of stories, and join in the fun of launching this exciting new book.


Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net

Feast of Saint Francis

Sunday, October 4th, is the celebration of the Feast of Saint Francis, patron saint of animals and ecology. Around the world churches hold a special ceremony called The Blessing of the Animals on or near this day as a way of remembering Saint Francis's love for all creatures.

To find out where this blessing is being held in your state, if you are in the US, go to www.americancatholic.org/Features/francis/us.asp

The actual blessing below is a lovely celebration of the sacredness in life.

"Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen."

About ten years ago we went to a local cathedral for the Blessing of the Animals. We wanted to experience it for ourselves. We've reprinted an excerpt of how we described the event in our book, ANGEL ANIMALS: Divine Messengers of Miracles.

"Hundreds of dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, iguanas, and ferrets waited inside boxes, sat next to their cherished people, or were draped over human shoulders as the sermons, songs, and barking resonated throughout the massive cathedral.

"To close the church service, a zebra, a falcon, and a camel led the procession down the middle aisle to the front where a minister intoned the liturgy for the Blessing of the Animals.

"After singing hymns and reading the liturgy in the cathedral, all the people and animals walked across the street to Loring Park, where we followed white-robed priests and joined two other churches that had had similar services.

"We walked with our yellow Lab Taylor close behind the priests with hundreds of animals and humans behind us. Smiles on the priests' faces conveyed their obvious joy and the love they felt at giving a service to the animals in this way. When we arrived in the park, a musical group from Ecuador played wind instruments accompanied by an occasional howling dog.

"The ministers and priests each dispersed to tents with people and animals lining up to receive their blessings. As the priest blessed the dog in front, Taylor scooted out of her collar and ran to where Allen stood, preparing to take her picture.

"He explained to her that the blessing is a special event to honor her and that she might enjoy it. She settled down and returned to where Linda stood in line.

"When it was her turn, Taylor stepped up to the priest, who looked amused. He leaned over and gently touched Taylor's forehead while offering a blessing that brought tears to Linda's eyes.

"He said, 'May the God who made you bless and keep you.' Taylor solemnly accepted the gift with her eyes wide open and her tongue hanging out.

"As Linda and Taylor left the line, a woman with a thick European accent said, 'She will always be with you now.' And so she will. Our love for each other is the forever kind."

Have you participated in the Blessing of the Animals? What was it like for you and your animal companion?

We welcome you to answer this question and the "Something to Think About" question at our blogs and forums, so everyone can see your comments.

***
HORSES WITH A MISSION was a top 100 bestseller horse book on Amazon.com this week!

LAST DAYS FOR SALE AT ONLINE BOOKSTORE Go to shop.angelanimals.net for a great sale. Both HORSES WITH A MISSION and ANGEL DOGS WITH A MISSION are being offered for 40 percent off this week. The sale ends at midnight Central Time zone, Monday, October 5th. The books will be autographed for you. It's a great chance to buy gifts for you and your animal loving friends.

DON'T MISS!!!
The launches for our new book, HORSES WITH A MISSION are on Tuesday, October 6th, 7:30 pm, CDT, at Garrison Keillor's Common Good Books in Saint Paul, Minnesota and Saturday, October 10th, 2:00 p.m. at Borders Books & Music in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Hope to see you there!

Go to www.horseswithamission.com to read excerpts of the book, see video clips of stories, and join in the fun of launching this exciting new book.

***

Watch and listen to Linda and Allen this week as they talk about HORSES WITH A MISSION and the book launches.

***Animal Wise Radio, Sunday, October 4, 1:20 p.m. Central Time. To listen live in Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, tune to KYCR (AM 1570) or KDWA (AM 1460. Listen streaming or later at www.KDWA.com. Podcast available at www.allpetsradio.com and www.animalwiseradio.com

***KARE 11 (NBC), Showcase Minnesota, Monday, October 5, 10:20 a.m. Central Time. If you miss the show live, you can see it online at www.showcaseminnesota.com/

Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net
www.horseswithamission.com

Whose Happy Birthday Is It, Anyway?

We wanted to know how pet lovers celebrated their pet's birthdays so we asked that question in our blogs. The responses were delightful!

QUESTION:

How do you celebrate your pet's birthday? If you adopted a rescued animal, when do you celebrate his/her birthday?

Scooby Doo-Kennedy: "I have two birthdays. Since I was rescued, my mum celebrates my rescue day, and we share the same birthday, which is handy. This year, we went camping for four days, and I got to get her up at five o'clock each morning for her exercise. Its always a real doggy day."

Patrick: "I made Cpl. J.R.'s birthday the same day as mine. He literally came into my life when I needed help the most and rescued me. Our lives are intertwined on all levels, and I am proud to share my birthday with him!"

Flo: "Well, presents, cakes, candles, friends. All is there. And of course, my dog is sitting with us on the chair (he loves it) at the table. A king! My king!"

Pamela: "I only know the true birthday of one of my terriers. For the other two, we just celebrate their Happy Gotcha days. We go for a car ride (they LOVE it), and then they each get a new toy and a treat."

Sue Ellen: "One of my cats is terminal, so every day is celebrated as his birthday."

Tatumn: "New toys for all three of them! However, I tell them everyday I'm going to give them a reason to wag their tails and smile. It's my job!"

Shari: "My rescued pets' birthdays are the day I adopted them. We go to PetSmart followed by a few hours at the park. Luckily all my rescues have been in early spring or fall."

Tom: "I get them toys and a special dinner and I treat them EXTRA special. Plus one of the two shares their birthday with me. It's great, because he doesn't like people other than me and my fiance who is brand new to him."

Johanna: "We buy her doggie ice cream and sing happy birthday. We tell her all day that is her birthday and how happy we are to have her in our lives. She is a true gift from Spirit."

Edith: "We sing happy birthday on the estimated birth date, basically singing all day long, and we eat vanilla ice cream."

Andrea: "The horses get baked carrot cake, muffins or cookies, carrots, and apples. The cats get catnip, gourmet food, and toys. The dogs get huge chews, squeaky toys, collars, and pampering at the parlor. They get these at Christmas too. All spoiled!"

Persis: "I celebrate my Blessy's birthday with a cake and a candle, make her wear a birthday cap and also garlands. In Indian tradition we put vermilion on the forehead (red color powder) on people, on good days, so I do the same for my Blessy. . . She gets loads of treats, and a good walk to the park, and also distributes her cake to her doggie friends in the neighborhood."

And our favorite - drum roll, please:

Pat: "I always sit them down and tell them the story of how I found them and brought them into my life."

What do you do to celebrate your pet(s)' birthdays?

We welcome you to answer this question and the "Something to Think About" question at our blogs and forums, so everyone can see your comments.

***

If you'd like to hear the interesting (and funny) interview of Sage Lewis talking to Jenny Pavlovic and us on her radio show, "The Pet Playground" at the Minnesota State Fair, click on the link below. Stay tuned through it for when the horse walks through our interview while we're talking about our new horse book. And don't miss the teenage tap dancers!

http://thepetplayground.mypodcast.com/

* * *

The launches for our new book, HORSES WITH A MISSION are on Tuesday, October 6th, 7:30 p.m, CDT, at Garrison Keillor's Common Good Books in Saint Paul, Minnesota and Saturday, October 10th at Borders Books & Music in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Hope to see you there!

Go to www.horseswithamission.com to read excerpts of the book, see video clips of stories, and join in the fun of launching this exciting new book.

***

Consider HORSES WITH A MISSION: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service (New World Library, September 1, 2009). It's available, autographed, at Angel Animals Online Bookstore, www.shop.angelanimals.net, Amazon.com (http://is.gd/2idLM), Barnes & Noble (http://is.gd/2iHQy), Borders Books & Music (http://is.gd/2iHWO), New World Library (http://is.gd/2iI1P) and other online and independent bookstores.

"HORSES WITH A MISSION allows up to travel into the world of the horse from so many unique perspectives and introduces horses that have touched and changed the lives of many people. To have our own writer, Cooky McClung, featured in this wonderful work makes it all the more fun. It's a fabulous read."
--Mason Phelps, Jr., president, PhelpsSports.com

* * *

Don't forget to enter the Dogs and the Women Who Love Them True Story Contest described in the announcement below. We're looking forward to reading your stories. CONTEST DEADLINE -- SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 -- IS FAST APPROACHING.


Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net

Having Things Your Way

One day, our cat, Speedy, took a liking to a large brown paper bag from Menards, a hardware store that sells home repair and remodeling items. After we took items out of the bag and it fell onto the floor, Speedy rushed from downstairs where he'd been sleeping. He ran into the dining room and curled inside the bag.

Thus began a ritual.

We're not sure why. We thought we knew our unflappable, immutable, household Lion King from all the years we have shared our home with him. He has the couch, soft chairs, and the bed to rest and sleep on. But from the moment when he first discovered the bag on the floor, Speedy slept either inside or on top of it.

He even tried to carry the bag with him to pull up onto his favorite chair. When that didn't work, he gave up the chair and returned to sleeping on top of the bag every chance he had. He made it clear that this bag belongs to him. Everyone, including our other pets, and the human family members, had to learn to live with Speedy's new best friend.

For about three weeks, Speedy continued his love affair with the hardware bag. Then one day, we found him sleeping again in his previous favorite spots. The hardware bag lay crumpled and abandoned on the floor. Finally he had given his imperial permission for us to discard this unsightly treasure. Go figure!

We believe that everything is connected and animals are often spiritual messengers, so we decided to see if we could find a bigger picture to Speedy's love for a Menard's bag. Was Spirit showing us something about ourselves? Animals have a way of letting people know things they would not normally figure out on our own.

Since Speedy seems to have turned into a case study in attachment, we asked ourselves what we might be excessively attached to. Where were we rigid in our thoughts, opinions, and comfort zones?

Contemplating on the subject revealed aspects in our lives where we were acting as attached as Speedy to the paper bag. In other words, we had fixed ideas about the way certain projects should turn out. Speedy became a great reminder to stop and whisper to Spirit: "Thy will be done."

What might the animals in your home or in nature be reminding you about yourself or about life?

We welcome you to answer this question and the "Something to Think About" question at our blogs and forums, so everyone can see your comments.

* * *

NEW, ONE-WEEK SALE AT ONLINE BOOKSTORE Go to shop.angelanimals.net for a great sale. Both HORSES WITH A MISSION and ANGEL DOGS WITH A MISSION are being offered for 40 percent off this week. The sale ends on Monday, October 5th. The books will be autographed for you. It's a great chance to buy gifts for you and your animal loving friends.

DON'T MISS!!!
The launches for our new book, HORSES WITH A MISSION are on Tuesday, October 6th, 7:30 p.m, CDT, at Garrison Keillor's Common Good Books in Saint Paul, Minnesota and Saturday, October 10th, 2:00 p.m. at Borders Books & Music in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Hope to see you there!

Go to www.horseswithamission.com to read excerpts of the book, see video clips of stories, and join in the fun of launching this exciting new book.

* * *

Consider HORSES WITH A MISSION: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service (New World Library, September 1, 2009). It's available, autographed, at Angel Animals Online Bookstore, www.shop.angelanimals.net, Amazon.com (http://is.gd/2idLM), Barnes & Noble (http://is.gd/2iHQy), Borders Books & Music (http://is.gd/2iHWO), New World Library (http://is.gd/2iI1P) and other online and independent bookstores.

"Many pets are here on this earth to help humans in the journey of life. Horses, with their primal nature as prey animals, daily make choices to override their fears, get past traumas, and put themselves in danger to be one with the humans who love them. The stories in this book are great examples of the power of unconditional love, which I am reminded of every day in my work helping clients."
--Lydia Hiby, animal communicator

* * *

LAST CHANCE!!!
Don't forget to enter the Dogs and the Women Who Love Them True Story Contest described in the announcement below. We're looking forward to reading your stories. CONTEST DEADLINE -- SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 -- IS FAST APPROACHING.

Meet the judges for this contest by going to www.angelanimals.net/contestdatwwltjudges.html

Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net

What Does Your Choice of Pet Say about You?

Question: Why would the University of Oregon College of Business Administration be profiling 667 pet owners?

Answer: People with pets are major players in the world of business.

The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association reports in its National Pet Owners Survey that 62 percent of U.S. households now welcome at least one pet into their homes. These humans are fueling $31 billion in pet products, more than people spend annually on human toys or candy. Add to products the popular pet services -- massages, chiropractic, acupuncture, liposuction, gourmet dinners, and hotel accommodations -- and you get an industry that is vitally interested in what will make you buy that designer dog dish or French day bed. ("New Survey Shows America's Love Affair with Their Pets Stronger than Ever" by Tierra Griffiths and Julie Rowe)

So Oregon's College of Business Administration graduate students, under the leadership of Lynn Kahle, head of the marketing department, tried to figure out what your choice of a pet tells about you. With that essential information, marketers can appeal to your sensibilities and convince you that Precious really does need a plastic bowl with a lid that doubles as a Frisbee.

Here's what they found with their questionnaire:

--Dog owners tend to be more honest and forthright than most other people. They are loyal and religious;
--If you consider yourself to be a cat person, you probably are a bit of a loner yet have fairly high job satisfaction. You tend not to toe the line when it comes to the rules and rituals of an organized religion;
--People who are primarily attracted to fish as pets are more optimistic than most and not as materialistic or concerned about social status.

Kahle concludes, "A more thorough understanding of the motivations, values, and lifestyles of pet owners can help marketers design more effective advertising approaches, both for pet products and in advertisements for nonpet products." ("We Lavish Love, Money on Our Pets Study Reveals Psyches of Animal Owners" by Ranny Green, Seattle Times, 1993)

So the gathering of this kind of data is how pet commercials are targeted directly at what excites and interests you -- not your animal companion.

Well, we have a slightly different take on the subject. We think that not only do animals often reflect a person's psyche, they also mirror their souls, or the amount of love in their hearts. It's our opinion that a person who says, "I don't like animals," is experiencing a disconnect between the heart and the mind. Ask any animal lover and they will tell you: Animals are our hearts.

To take the Angel Animals "Pet Personality Quiz" and have a little fun, go to http://angelanimals.net/quiz.html

How do your pets reflect your personality?

We welcome you to answer this question and the "Something to Think About" question at our blogs and forums, so everyone can see your comments.

***

The launches for our new book, HORSES WITH A MISSION are on Tuesday, October 6th, 7:30 p.m, CDT, at Garrison Keillor's Common Good Books in Saint Paul, Minnesota and Saturday, October 10th at Borders Books & Music in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Hope to see you there!

Go to www.horseswithamission.com to read excerpts of the book, see video clips of stories, and join in the fun of launching this exciting new book.

***

Consider HORSES WITH A MISSION: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service (New World Library, September 1, 2009). It's available, autographed, at Angel Animals Online Bookstore, www.shop.angelanimals.net, Amazon.com (http://is.gd/2idLM), Barnes & Noble (http://is.gd/2iHQy), Borders Books & Music (http://is.gd/2iHWO), New World Library (http://is.gd/2iI1P) and other online and independent bookstores.

"HORSES WITH A MISSION allows up to travel into the world of the horse from so many unique perspectives and introduces horses that have touched and changed the lives of many people. To have our own writer, Cooky McClung, featured in this wonderful work makes it all the more fun. It's a fabulous read."
--Mason Phelps, Jr., president, PhelpsSports.com

* * *

Don't forget to enter the Dogs and the Women Who Love Them True Story Contest described in the announcement below. We're looking forward to reading your stories. CONTEST DEADLINE -- SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 -- IS FAST APPROACHING.

Meet the judges for this contest by going to http://www.angelanimals.net/contestdatwwltjudges.html


Allen and Linda Anderson
ANGEL ANIMALS NETWORK
www.angelanimals.net

Visiting Viola, a Horse with a Mission

We recently visited Tanya K. Welsch and her horse Viola at the MN LINC (Minnesota Linking Individuals, Nature, and Critters) nonprofit organization in Hamel, Minnesota. Tanya is the cofounder of MN LINC (www.mnlinc.org), an amazing charity that pairs at-risk youth and other people with animals to give them a nature-based experience that enhances and enriches their psychotherapy, counseling, or educational programs.

Tanya's heart-opening story "Viola, Wise Mother Mare" is featured in our new book HORSES WITH A MISSION. The book launch on Tuesday, October 6th, 7:30 p.m. CDT at Garrison Keillor's Common Good Books will also serve as a fundraiser for MN LINC. The bookstore is generously donating 10 percent of all sales to MN LINC the night of the launch.

Viola, a Norwegian Fjord, was imported from Norway to become a broodmare in upstate New York. Eventually Viola made her way to Tanya and MN LINC. Viola put her mothering skills to excellent use as a co-therapist in MN LINC's animal-and-nature-facilitated psychotherapy, learning, and wellness program for youth and families. With her innate maternal wisdom, Viola is incredibly intuitive and nurturing, especially with at-risk youth.

It was delightful for us to talk with Tanya and find out firsthand how MN LINC positively affects children who have had a rough start in life. Tanya explained that often with children traditional therapy isn't as effective because it requires sitting in a chair and communicating thoughts and feelings.

We could relate. We remembered asking our kids when they were little, "How was your day?" Answer: "Fine." Or "How are you feeling?" Answer: "Okay."

When Tanya and her specially trained staff and volunteers match the children with a horse, or goat, or chicken, or rabbit, the children begin to express their emotions naturally. Adults also come to MN LINC for the kind of nature and animal-based experience that they couldn't find anywhere else. Social services, the court system, schools, and therapists refer children to this organization for its innovative and highly effective approaches.

It was a thrill to visit with the gorgeous mare Viola and other animals at the MN LINC facility. Viola was all we expected and more. She displayed a deep calm with an intuitive, almost magical touch.

We also got to meet and spend time with Carolyn Hauck and her rescued horse Dillon. Carolyn helps to get the word out about MN LINC and how much good the organization does for those who would benefit from animal assisted therapy. If you would like to meet Tanya and hear her story about Viola, come to the HORSES WITH A MISSION book launch and MN LINC fundraiser at Garrison Keillor's Common Good Books in St. Paul.

You can also meet Tanya and another Minnesota contributing author, Pauline Peterson, at Minnetonka BORDERS Books and Music. Visit www.horseswithamission.com for details about the book events in St. Paul and Minnetonka.

So mark you calendars! We want a big crowd and lots of bookstore donations for MN LINC.

Visit www.angelanimals.net/recentevents.html to see photos of our visit to MN LINC.

What are the charitable organizations you support that help both people and animals?

We welcome you to answer this question and the "Something to Think About" question at our blogs and forums, so everyone can see your comments.

* * *
We hope you'll consider HORSES WITH A MISSION: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service (New World Library, September 1, 2009). It's available, autographed, at Angel Animals Online Bookstore, www.shop.angelanimals.net, Amazon.com (http://is.gd/2idLM), Barnes & Noble (http://is.gd/2iHQy), Borders Books & Music (http://is.gd/2iHWO), New World Library (http://is.gd/2iI1P) and other online and independent bookstores.

"This important book will spark your imagination and inspire you to embrace the magical moments in life that happen every single day. This book is a joy to read."
--Melanie Sue Bowles, author of HOOF PRINTS and founder of Proud Spirit Horse Sanctuary

Go to www.horseswithamission.com to read excerpts of the book, see video clips of stories, and join in the fun of launching this exciting new book.

* * *
Don't forget to enter the Dogs and the Women Who Love Them True Story Contest described in the announcement below. We're looking forward to reading your stories. CONTEST DEADLINE -- SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 -- IS FAST-APPROACHING.

Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net
www.horseswithamission.com
angelanimals@aol.com

Division of Labor - The Way of the Pet

One of the issues that often irk today's ultra-busy woman is the need for an equitable division of labor. She longs for her husband and children to do their fair share in keeping the household operating efficiently. She wants coworkers to pitch in at the workplace. Complaints abound when the major part of the responsibility falls on female shoulders.

Our animal family members have wrapped their paws around this prickly issue and come up with their own creative solutions.

We have no idea how the animals, who share our home, have decided what chores they should do or how they've figured out which of them should have certain responsibilities. We just know that they do.

The division of labor goes something like this.

Leaf sleeps near the bedroom hallway door if Linda or Allen are out of town, as if he is waiting for them to return. This isn't where he sleeps at night when his two humans are both home. He is normally on his doggy bed. He also has ultimate responsibility of keeping watch if Allen is out of town because he becomes the man of the house.

Cuddles, our black kitten with white-mitten paws, is Linda's guardian angel. Cuddles follows her charge everywhere and won't even take a nap until she knows exactly where her female human is. Whenever Cuddles sleeps on the bed with Linda she takes on the task of waking her a minute before the alarm rings. She licks her human's fingers or bites them, if Linda won't get up right away.

Food preparation comes under the watchful eye of our pudgy, food-loving cat, Speedy and our eager dog, Leaf. What meal would be complete without Speedy rubbing against the chef's legs and purring his satisfaction and Leaf alert for any escaping pieces of food that might hit the floor?

Sunshine is the household's watch-bird. If anyone approaches our home, he screeches at the top of his lungs. No one could ever sneak past his watchful vigilance.

There is some silent communication about who is supposed to handle each task, although no visible signs of a household manager. Just a smooth animal operation at the Andersons' home.

Are pets demonstrating in your home divisions of labor for vital chores, jobs, and power positions?

We welcome you to answer this question and the "Something to Think About" question at our blogs and forums, so everyone can see your comments.

* * *
Join Allen & Linda at the Minnesota State Fair

Interview with Sage Lewis, The Creature Teacher! on her radio show The Pet Playground on Sunday, August 30, 2009, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time at the AM950 KTNF Booth, Minnesota State Fair. Allen and Linda will discuss their new book, HORSES WITH A MISSION: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service. Stop by the booth. Sage will give away a free book. Call in the listener line at 952-946-6205.

* * *

We hope you'll consider pre-ordering HORSES WITH A MISSION: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service (New World Library, September 1, 2009). It's available, autographed, at Angel Animals Online Bookstore, www.shop.angelanimals.net, Amazon.com (http://is.gd/2idLM), Barnes & Noble (http://is.gd/2iHQy), Borders Books & Music (http://is.gd/2iHWO), New World Library (http://is.gd/2iI1P) and other online and independent bookstores.

"Through their courage, sensitivity, and kindness, the horses in this book become our inspiration and guides."
--Michael Mountain, former president of Best Friends Animal Society

Go to www.horseswithamission.com to read excerpts of the book, see video clips of stories, and join in the fun of launching this exciting new book.

* * *
Don't forget to enter the Dogs and the Women Who Love Them True Story Contest described in the announcement below. We're looking forward to reading your stories. CONTEST DEADLINE -- SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 -- IS FAST-APPROACHING.

Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net

The Secrets of a Rescued Pet

One of the aspects of pet rescue that most people experience is getting to know something about the animal that you never even suspected. Our cocker spaniel Leaf has brought us surprises from time to time that reveal his secret past. This morning, Allen experienced one of the most touching ones. He tells his story below.

I took our cocker spaniel Leaf to one of our better city dog parks this morning. The park is over 4.7 acres with a small river, Minnehaha Creek, running through it. What a joy to see Leaf realize that he was free to run, search, and play to his heart's content.

The park is fenced but because of its size and the forest and underbrush, no barriers are visible. It was a thrill to watch Leaf's instincts take over. With nose to the ground he searched for any rabbit or squirrel who may have been on the trail moments ago.

I threw his ball into the river, expecting him to dive in after it with our usual game of retrieval. At home, Leaf has a toddler plastic swimming pool and he loves to play in it. He splashes in the bathtub for his baths. We walk along the lakeshore trails at other parks, and he enjoys watching the ducks. But he's always on his leash and never goes into the water on his own.

Today, I watched Leaf hesitate at chasing the ball bobbing in the river creek. From the expression on his face, I realized that until this point, he must have always had his four feet planted solidly on the ground. A piece of his history was coming to life before my eyes -- Leaf had never been swimming!

Not realizing that this would be Leaf's first time actually doing a doggie paddle, I had thrown his ball far out in the water. It would have been just above knee level for me if I had walked to where the ball landed. From Leaf's perspective this ball must have looked far away and unreachable.

I watched him walk from the shore until he sensed that it would be dangerous to go farther. He stopped. He looked at me. He looked back at the ball. This was his precious ball that meant fun and playtime. We brought this ball to all our outings, to other dog parks, and even threw it in the house occasionally.

I spoke softly to Leaf. "You are brave. Trust your instincts. Go get your ball." I knew I would rush in and get him if there was a problem.

Being adopted from the shelter when he was about a year old, I knew that Leaf had had to take care of himself and become a survivor. Now, he appeared to be considering the situation before him. I could tell he was questioning: Should I dive into the unknown? Should I retrieve my ball even if there might be danger? He seemed conflicted.

He watched the ball slowly move away from him, floating downstream on the river. He moved along with it, at shoulder level, in shallow water, where his feet continued to touch firm ground.

Then he made his decision. He moved forward. When his feet were no longer on the ground, he instinctively began doing the doggy paddle. He grabbed his ball and swam back to the sandy beach.

I was so proud of him and praised him with gusto. Leaf had trusted. He had taken a risk. He had found freedom. He had discovered a talent he didn't know he possessed. What could be better than this -- for dogs or for humans?

See photographs of Leaf watching the ball, making his decision, and swimming for the first time at www.angelanimals.net/nlimage17.html

Have you witnessed an animal discovering something new about himself or herself?

We welcome you to answer this question and the "Something to Think About" question at our blogs and forums, so everyone can see your comments. Look below for blog and forum URLs.


Join Allen & Linda at the Minnesota State Fair

What? Interview with Sage Lewis, The Creature Teacher! on her radio show The Pet Playground

When? Sunday, August 30, 2009, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time

Where? AM950 KTNF Booth at the Minnesota State Fair

Why? To discuss their new book, Horses with a Mission: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service

How can I participate? Stop by the booth. Sage will give away a free book. Call in the listener line at 952-946-6205.

***
We hope you'll consider pre-ordering HORSES WITH A MISSION: Extraordinary True Stories of Equine Service (New World Library, September 1, 2009). It's available, autographed, at Angel Animals Online Bookstore, www.shop.angelanimals.net, Amazon.com (http://is.gd/2idLM), Barnes & Noble (http://is.gd/2iHQy), Borders Books & Music (http://is.gd/2iHWO), New World Library (http://is.gd/2iI1P) and other online and independent bookstores.

"With hearts and minds open, we can learn from the wild and domesticated horses in this wonderful book."
--Joe Camp, author of THE SOUL OF A HORSE and creator of the films starring the canine superstar Benji

Go to www.horseswithamission.com to read excerpts of the book, see video clips of stories, and join in the fun of launching this exciting new book.

* * *
Don't forget to enter the Dogs and the Women Who Love Them True Story Contest described in the announcement below. We're looking forward to reading your stories. CONTEST DEADLINE - SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 - IS FAST-APPROACHING.

Allen and Linda Anderson
Angel Animals Network
www.angelanimals.net