Why Share Your Animal Stories?

Last week, we got a call from a man who had been to the Angel Animals website and read stories there. Some of the stories might have come from you. We wanted to let you know one example of how sharing your uplifting animal stories helps people.

The man had recently endured a terrible loss. He'd found his son dead in the young man's home. The son's dog had remained by his side for three days. He wouldn't even leave for food or water. The dog howled when the son's body was taken away, grieving over his dear friend.

The dog's display of emotions and loyalty had moved the father so much that he went on the Internet to search for information about dogs. When he found our website, he read through stories. He said, "I never knew what dogs are capable of till now."

He had called us because the stories inspired him to donate to organizations that train service dogs. Linda gave him a couple of suggestions and told him what keywords to use for finding such charities.

So there you have it -- one more reason for sharing your stories in the Angel Animals Story of the Week and for our books. One more reason for telling your stories about the incredible benefits of human-animal companionship to family, friends, and anyone else who will listen.

When you make your stories public, you affect people and animals in ways you will probably never know about. But someday, when you have the opportunity to look back on your life, a Divine hand may show you all the connecting threads that came about through an animal who gave love and a human who shared that love with others.

What stories would you like to share?

--Allen and Linda Anderson
www.angelanimals.net

Angel Animals Story of the Week Newsletter

Dear Friends of Angel Animals,

Are you tired of bad news?

Have you ever wished for something that would consistently bring a smile to your face and make you forget your problems or anxieties?

How about accepting our gift to you of an absolutely FREE, QUICK-TO-READ newsletter? One that is chock full of love, joy, and comfort. A day-brightener that will become a special present you’ll look forward to opening every Saturday.

We are Allen and Linda Anderson, authors and founders of the Angel Animals Network. We are working to help people discover and benefit from the miraculous powers of animals. We're inviting you to subscribe to the Angel Animals Story of the Week Newsletter and join a worldwide community of animal lovers.

The powerful stories in this unique publication warm the heart and offer a timely vision of spiritual wonders for a world sorely in need of them. Each week, thousands of people from over 40 countries look forward to reading the fascinating stories contributed by our readers about the human/animal spiritual bond. They join together in celebration of the gifts animals, as spiritual partners, bring to all our lives.

Click here to be on our mailing list or send a blank e-mail to AngelAnimals-on@mail-list.com to automatically receive your free Angel Animals Story of the Week Newsletter. Visit http://archive.mail-list.com/angelanimals to read past editions of the Angel Animals newsletter.

And please pass this invitation along to your animal-loving friends. They’ll thank you for it.

Animal blessings,
Allen & Linda Anderson

ANGEL ANIMALS NETWORK
www.angelanimals.net


***Click here to be on our mailing list or send a blank e-mail to AngelAnimals-on@mail-list.com to automatically receive your free Angel Animals Story of the Week.

The Illusion of Natural Differences

Dogs and cats are supposed to be natural enemies. Certain groups of people are expected to be at odds with each other, too. Race, politics, religion, or any number of differences seem to be insurmountable barriers that separate us from one another.

Prana, our gentle golden retriever, whose name means "breath of life," is no longer with us. But in her short life, she taught our family about how to transcend differences in ways that constantly amazed us.

Prana befriended the kitten Feisty we adopted from a local animal shelter. Their relationship demonstrated the power of love to crumble illusory walls that keep us from experiencing our deeper connections with each other. Prana and Feisty shared our home and inspired us with their selfless love and unstinting devotion. We'd look at each other and say, "Why can't everyone be more like them?"

Gently playing with and mothering Feisty, Prana raised him with unwavering patience, kindness, and consideration. Prana cherished the chew bones we'd give her in the evening. She'd sit by the television set chewing them in a state of pure ecstasy. When Feisty came over, without hesitation, Prana would readily share her precious bone by holding it between her front paws for the kitten to lick.

As the kitten grew into a cat, these two friends became inseparable, even sleeping next to each other. Prana often slept on her back with her mouth open. Feisty would stick his head into her mouth, waking up his playmate.

When have you observed animals transcending the illusion of difference? What has it taught you about unconditional love?

Allen and Linda Anderson
www.angelanimals.net

The Llama Animal Rescuer

From time to time we want to share a story that we’ve published in the Angel Animals Story of the Week newsletter. “The Llama Animal Rescuer” is a special story written by Lisa Brown we hope you enjoy.


THE LLAMA ANIMAL RESCUER
By Lisa "Taz" Brown

All of the animals at Dakota Ridge Farm (DRF) are wonderful and amazing. They bring such fun and laughter to our lives and warm our hearts, even when we are having a bad day. It is such an honor to be part of their lives in helping Gary and Katrina Capasso with daily chores on the farm.

On one particular evening, when pulling into the DRF driveway, I noticed the animals looking in a particular direction. I looked to see if Katrina was there. They would all watch her if she was out walking around. No one was there except for me.

As I got closer, Tabby, one of Katrina's female llamas, ran to the fence toward me. She normally does this and then starts dancing her happy "I am going to get fed" dance. But instead of dancing, she looked at me with a serious expression, did a 180-degree turn, and ran to the other corner of her pasture toward the horse pasture.. There she stood in an alarm stance, looking back once to make sure I was coming.

I knew at that moment that something wrong, and Tabby wanted me to come back there right away. On arriving at the back pasture I found one of the horses down. I was able to get in touch with Gary and Katrina immediately, and luckily help was right around the corner. The horse got the attention she needed. All turned out well.

I was so amazed at how Tabby knew she needed to get one of her humans quickly and how she used her body language to communicate the need. Even though her pasture was next door, she was very concerned about her neighbor. I believe Tabby to be a hero, for when help was needed immediately, no time was wasted due to Tabby's help.

I just wanted to share with you this story. Animals are truly a blessing!

Thank you, Tabby!

NOTE: To view a picture of Tabby at Dakota Ridge Farm go
to www.angelanimals.net/nlimage10.html

To view Katrina & Gary Capasso's Dakota Ridge Farm website visit www.dakotaridgefarm.com

BIO:
Lisa Brown lives in Malta, New York with her husband and son. There share their home with loveable cats, dogs, a rabbit, and lizard. Their extended family also includes eight wonderful llamas they board at Dakota Ridge Farm. Lisa says, "Share your life with animals, for when they share theirs with you, that is when you truly start to live."

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

Have you seen one animal rescue another?

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

What Makes a Great Dog Park?

While watching our cocker spaniel Leaf run around the dog park, we started discussing how dogs would rate them? This one had a hollow log that the little dogs could run through. It had woodchips underneath the snow. Plenty of open spaces for a human to throw a ball and make it bounce.

We've heard of all kinds of dog park amenities. Benches for people to sit on and chat while their dogs play are crowd-pleasers. Another park we visit has an old mailbox where people can pick up bags for cleaning up after their dogs. This one also has aluminum pans to keep the animals supplied with plenty of water.

What features do you like or would wish to see in a dog park? If dogs could rate the parks, how would they judge them?

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

Furry, Flying, Flowing, and Feathered Friends

Then the host asked him if he thought he'd learned anything by sharing his home with this animal. The man said he was looking at the dog, resting comfortably on his couch, as she patiently waited for him to take her for a walk. He said as much as this dog loved her walks, no matter how busy he became doing graphics out of his home office, the dog never pestered him. He said he often wished he could be as patient as she is.

We smiled, listening to this man describe a spiritual quality--patience--while denying that an animal had anything of spiritual value to teach him. He was demonstrating something that we've seen in the hundreds of stories we've collected from around the world and which we share in our newsletter, book, presentations, and workshops. Repeatedly, people who are willing to put the human ego aside, tell us how animals show from their hearts--not through animal instinct, behavior or training--unconditional love, compassion, forgiveness, and joy.

If we want to understand how to appreciate Mother Earth, respecting all life and treasuring gifts from the Creator to creation, we have to look no further than our furry, flying, flowing, and feathered friends. Animals offer us some of the most enduring and endearing examples of gratitude. And if we're grateful, we'll do everything possible to preserve the beauty and abundance that nature offers us every day.