Has one animal led you to another animal in distress?

First published by Angel Animals Story of the Week, January 23, 2010. Reprinted with permission. To subscribe to the Angel Animals Story of the Week Newsletter, send a blank message to AngelAnimals-on@mail-list.com

THE DOG WHO SAVES PUPPIES
By Michele Bonilla

Many years ago when we first moved to Florida, I could not believe all the stray dogs who were wondering around. We lived in the woods on a sparsely traveled dirt road.

One day, I was driving down a nearby street and saw a lot of puppies in the road. I had to see if I could help. As I got closer, the puppies all ran into the woods, including the mom.

I went home to get some food and water for them. As the days went on, I continued to leave food for them. Then one day I could not find them, and they were not eating the food. After looking around, I found six or seven of them under an old broken down mobile home.

Once again, I put out food and water. Still, when they saw me, they ran into the woods. Again, they disappeared. As the days dragged on, I tried to find them but with no luck. It broke my heart. How would they eat? Were they okay?

About a month later, I was out in my yard when this sweet looking dog approached me, wagging his tail. I thought, "You sure don't like a stray. You're so beautiful, clean, and happy." He was a black and white spaniel and did not at all look like the other strays I had seen.

"Where on earth did you come from?" I asked him. He just wagged his tail and looked at me as if he had known me all his life. So out came the dog food and water. He ate and sat down. "Okay," I said with a smile, "you can stay."

At that time, I was taking daily walks to the end of the road. Everyday this dog would walk with me. I recently had open-heart surgery. Having him walk with me felt wonderful. He seemed so happy and smiling, staying by my side. It was such a comfort.

One night, when I went out to feed him, he wouldn't eat. He kept running into the woods and then coming back to his food. "What on earth are you doing?" I thought.

I was very curious and crossed to where he ran into the woods. I could see three little faces looking at me. I recognized them as three of the puppies I had been feeding. They would not come out of the woods to eat.

This sweet dog kept going back in the woods to coax the puppies out so that they could eat. I moved back and again, my new friend returned to the woods. Suddenly the puppies came out of their hiding place. My new friend stood there and let them eat his food. What a great dog he was.

We did this routine every night for about a week or more. Every day I could get a little closer to the puppies. They soon came out on their own to eat.

Then one night, I went to feed them and saw no sign of my smiling friend. I looked all over for him. I called and called. I went down every street and searched for him for days and then weeks. My walks were not the same without him.

Through the years I have thought of him often. He came into my life during a very scary and lonely time. I was staying home after surgery. No one was around to offer companionship, and I didn't have much to do. This dog brought me the puppies I had worried about.

I am certain he was not a stray. I can only think of one thing -- he was an angel. An angel sent to those puppies and to me when we needed him most. I will never forget that beautiful angel dog. To this day I smile, driving down the road we walked together.

As for the three puppies, I named them Boomer, Princess, and Shylow. They stayed with me for a long time. They would never let anyone too close, only me, and only when they wanted me to be near.

Boomer and Princess left, but Shylow stayed with me for almost three years, on her terms. Over the years we built fences to keep our other dogs at home, but Shylow would always jump the fence and roam. One sad day a car hit her.

We tried very hard to get her to the veterinarian, but she ran into the woods. The next morning we found her in the doghouse we had built for her. She had jumped one final fence over to the Rainbow Bridge, where I am sure my angel dog awaited to guide her home.


BIO:

Michele Bonilla is a 61-year-old young lady. She is married and has two great daughters and seven grandchildren that she loves very much. Michele has six rescue dogs and five rescue cats. One of her dogs was born blind as was one of her cats. She does kitten rescues for kittens who have no moms and takes care of feral cats. She asks that everyone would have their animals neutered or spayed so there would be no more feral cats and stray dogs who have to suffer.

SOMETHING TO THING ABOUT:

Has one animal led you to another animal in distress?

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

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

What does your choice of pets reveal about you?

With the start of 2010 we wanted to once again ask the basic question "What does your love of animals reveal about you?"

The following are a few highlights of a study done at the University of Oregon.

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 pet supply industry is vitally interested in what will make you buy that designer dog dish or French day bed.

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 says 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 people 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 non-pet 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.

Have a little fun with two surveys we wrote that will help you gauge which type of pet most mirrors your personality.

Visit www.angelanimals.net/quiz.html for "Pet Personality Quiz".

Visit www.beliefnet.com/Love-Family/Pets/index.aspx for "What's Your Pet's Personality?"

On another note, in consideration for animals who struggle to stay alive and be rescued in Haiti, remember the animal organizations that are going there to help.

To keep informed about the animal side of the situation, subscribe to the newsletter provided by www.kinshipcircle.org.

United Animal Nations and other animal welfare and rescue organizations are sending their rescue teams to Haiti. They have formed an umbrella organization called Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH). To learn more about this and donate, go to www.uan.org/index.cfm?navid=670


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

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

Have you been able to help a pet find a new, safe, and loving home?

Finding a New Home

When a person must separate from a pet who has been a member of the family, it can be heartbreaking. It eases the pain if the person helps the animal relocate to a new home.

We often get calls from people who must give up their pets. They are heartbroken, and the only solace they have is that someone responsible will love and care for their animal friend. Sending a beloved pet to an animal shelter, where his or her fate will be unknown, is unbearable.

This week, we received a call from a young woman who is being deployed to Kuwait in early February. She had made arrangements with someone to care for her Great Dane while she would be out of the country. The deal had fallen through. Now, she has only a few weeks to find a new home for the dog.

By now, she has enough leads to help her with this dilemma. But we wanted to share one with you in case you know someone else in her situation. Guardian Angels for Soldiers Pets, www.guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org is set up specifically to foster pets of soldiers who are leaving to serve their country.

As people age and have to move to assisted living or places that don't allow pets and with housing foreclosures that force people out of their homes, the displacement of pets has intensified.

We encourage you to look around in your communities, churches, and neighborhoods for those who could use a paw up in finding new homes for their animal companions. It may only take a few phone calls or a bit of internet research. You could save some lives and ease the burden of those whose hearts are aching.

On another note, in consideration for animals who struggle to stay alive and be rescued in Haiti, remember the animal organizations that are going there to help.

To keep informed about the animal side of the situation, subscribe to the newsletter provided by www.kinshipcircle.org.

United Animal Nations and other animal welfare and rescue organizations are sending their rescue teams to Haiti. They have formed an umbrella organization called Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH). To learn more about this and donate, go to www.uan.org/index.cfm?navid=670

Have you been able to help a pet find a new, safe, and loving home?

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

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

THE DOG WHO HELPS ME HEAR by Jennifer Warsing

"The Dog Who Helps Me Hear" was first published in the Angel Animals Story of the Week Newsletter on January 16 2010. Reprinted with permission. To subscribe send a blank message to AngelAnimals-on@mail-list.com.

STORY OF THE WEEK

THE DOG WHO HELPS ME HEAR
By Jennifer Warsing

Take a moment to sit down, close your eyes, and listen to your environment. What do you hear? The world is full of buzzing, beeps, rings, and whistles. Those sounds are not included in my world. Why is that, you wonder?

I am deaf and since the age of five, the "sounds" of my world consist of mere silence. In my home, the oven timer's joyous beep continues on ignored until I am aware of the smell of burning food.

The telephone's ring isn't heard. Calls from family and friends go by without a friendly greeting of hello. The doorbell's warm reminder that company awaits fails to be recognized; therefore, company comes and goes without greeting.

My nights are filled with sleeplessness and dread that the smoke detector's lifesaving blare will signal and go by unheard. I lay awake each night consumed with fear.

One could think of it as turning down the volume for my life to zero. That is, until I found the link to my environment and my world -- a chocolate Labrador retriever named Hattie. She is a hearing dog from Dogs for the Deaf, Inc.

Hattie was adopted from a shelter by Dogs for the Deaf and went through eight months of hearing dog training in order to become my ears. Hattie is trained to alert me to the oven timer, doorbell/door knock, microwave, alarm clock, telephone, smoke detector, and someone calling my name.

Hattie arrived on September 14, 2007 and has completely transformed my life. I often say, that is the day my life truly began; I have been re-born! She has created a life of many firsts for me in the two years we have been a team.

My nights are now filled with blissful sleep, because I know Hattie will alert me to the smoke detector and any impending sounds of danger. My home is no longer engulfed by the smells of burnt food, because I failed to hear the oven timer's beep.

Company is now greeted at the door with my friendly smile and a chocolate Lab full of love. The telephone is answered with an enthusiastic hello. I no longer walk alone with a nervous gait. My steps are filled with independence, and my head is held high, thanks to my faithful companion, my ears, my Hattie.

Hattie has enabled me to transform my hearing disability into one of infinite possibilities. My home life is no longer one of fear and dread. Every crevice of my home bustles with sound, peace, love, and joy. I am fully aware of the sounds in my world. Silence no longer pervades my soul.

When I am outside, my faithful companion, my hearing dog taps me and alerts me to look up. I see a flock of geese flying overhead or a squirrel scurrying across the fence. I have "heard" birds territorially fighting over a newly built nest. A fire truck or ambulance dutifully drives by, and Hattie makes me aware of the sounds in my environment.

If ever God intended for an angel to be sent my way, he did so in tenfold. When he sent Hattie to me, he truly answered my prayers. Hattie may not have a halo or wings but she is my divine intervention. My life, my world is now full of sound, and my ears have chocolate fur, a tail, and a heart of gold!

Visit www.angelanimals.net/nlimage26.html to view an image of Jennifer and Hattie.

BIO:
Jennifer Warsing has been deaf since the age of five due to Meniere's Disease. Hattie is a hearing dog who was trained by Dogs for the Deaf, located in Central Point, Oregon. Since Hattie's arrival, Jennifer's life and home are forever filled with sound and she hasn't looked back since. Jennifer says, "Hattie is my life, my ears and my best friend! She is truly and angel in disguise."

SOMETHING TO THING ABOUT:

What do the animals in your life help you see and hear that you would miss without them?


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

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

Who has believed in your potential when no one else could see it?

First published by Angel Animals Story of the Week, January 9, 2010. Reprinted with permission. To subscribe to the Angel Animals Story of the Week Newsletter, send a blank message to AngelAnimals-on@mail-list.com

A HORSE NAMED FREEDOM
By Kathe Campbell

A horse's shocking year, as told to me by loving animal sanctuary folks in Montana -- his ominous days before mending at my mountain ranch.

The young Mustang's life was unruffled, his fodder and spring graze lush, while he contemplated his prime and lived near kin. The fields and pastures were seasonally green, and the rancher forked up two squares a day, lending belly comfort and warmth to the horse's life even through winter's chill. Then some folks arrived on the scene to take the youngster away. He left his ma and sidekicks while being prodded into a tiny horse trailer.

Life was now simpler for the gelding, no long green valleys, nobody to run the rivers with. The hard case that bought the horse was unkind, jerking the youngin' around while breaking him to saddle, and forcing that cussed bit.

Horse, as the new person called the Mustang, had never known about newfangled shouts, curses, and whippings that he was getting from the man's leather quirt. The youngster's fare dissipated into mostly weeds and dandelions, stale ditch water, and nary one sweet handful of oats. Worse, he stood afire under summer's fierce rays while ogling grazing cattle across the fence.

The lady crawled upon Horse's back for a spell, seemingly content with her new pony as they walked along the dirt road on fair afternoons. But for an occasional cake of grass hay tossed over his rails by a kind neighbor, Horse was left to languish in the bare and dusty pen. By summer's end, his once sleek sorrel coat became pocked and dull, and his raw-boned hips and neck were bit through by a range of pesky chiggers.

Come evening, the man and lady screeched and hollered so loud as to make Horse's ears twitch. Sometimes the lady came flying off the back porch, only to lay bellerin' in the dirt. Often, the man became so angry, he swore and threw his fist through the window of their unholy little weather-beaten shack.

Autumn came, and the man left the place in his old rusty pickup. The weeds in Horse's pen were done for, and yet seldom did a soul come with a cake of fodder. Now and then the offish lady fetched a few handfuls of bunch grass from the yard, always carrying that rank bottle of lightening. If she'd only offer to take Horse for a ride, he could easily harvest a meal from the dusty grass alongside the road, but it wasn't to be.

The first snows saw the woman leaving early in the mornings, never seen till after dark throughout blizzards and hard freeze. She emerged nightly from her little car plumb full as a tick, mumbling nonsense as she weaved her way to the house. Horse whinnied, cribbed on the rails, and kicked the boards, but the lady never turned the lights on or gave him a thought. Crowbait now, and a layer of snow covering his back, icicles hung long and heavy from the Mustang's mane.

Looking as though the half dead animal was ready for the bone orchard, a lady from the local animal sanctuary appeared. She opened Horse's pen and ran gentle hands over his sorry body, murmuring soft sounds of love and reassurance.

Soon a horse trailer arrived, and Horse threaded his thin and weary legs up the ramp. But his knees collapsed, leaving him a crippled heap of filthy flesh and bone. Kind folks helped him walk into a warm stall where he bedded for days with hay, oats, and fresh water. At only three years old, his way of going seemed lost, and unless salvaged, he'd be put out of his misery.

Weeks passed, and another horse trailer pulled alongside Horse's stall. Other folks blanketed his emaciated carcass before escorting him inside. After a long journey the doors opened to the scent of green sprouts in a field and the loping hooves of donkeys rushing to greet the pitiful wretch. He was turned loose to the glory of it all -- a barn, alfalfa hay, and clean running water when he thirsted. Horse was free.

Shivering and gasping at the sight, I saw Horse's scrawny neck schmoozing my donkeys across the fence one early morn. "So you're our rescue baby, you sorrowful thing," I tearfully whispered, caressing his head against my chest. "We'll bring you about."

Horse was made welcome in a clean, straw-filled stall when he needed comfort and seclusion. I brushed his coat daily, clipped and filed his split hooves, shared carrots, and assured him he had a home if he was a mind to stay.

He was high maintenance in the beginning and stayed for a goodly time at our ranch, high in the Montana mountains. When we saddled up and rode the hills and forests on our big champion donkeys, Horse trailed along until he amassed the sleek coat, bulk, and muscle he was born with.

The day came when we shook hands and hugged a dear old friend as he and his small Indian grandson emerged from their truck. Horse had never seen a shave tail before and seemed taken with the boy's tawny skin, shiny black hair, and winning smile.

The lad crawled up on Horse bareback, pulled gently on the reins, and spoke kind words as they rode the acres. This was surely the best birthday present the youngster ever had, as the Mustang walked easily into their trailer to go home. They called him "Freedom."

BIO:
Kathe lives on a Montana mountain with her mammoth donkeys, a Keeshond, and a few kitties. She is a prolific writer on Alzheimer's, and her stories are found on many ezines. Kathe is a contributing author to the Chicken Soup For The Soul and Cup of Comfort series, numerous anthologies, RX for Writers, and medical journals. Email her at

SOMETHING TO THING ABOUT:

Who has believed in your potential when no one else could see it?

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

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

New -- Inspirational Writing and Publishing Today Class

You are invited to have a memorable experience in bringing your writing to a new level and meeting others who want to share insights from their lives. Linda is teaching the following class in Minneapolis. Register soon as these classes tend to fill up fast!

Inspirational Writing and Publishing Today
Instructor: Linda Anderson
Class: A668, 6 Week Class, Winter/Spring 2010
Location: Open Book (The Loft Literary Center,
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date(s): Tuesdays, March 9 - April 13
Time(s): 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Enrollment: Open
In this spiritually hungry world, people long to be comforted and inspired. Self-help, New Thought, religious books, daily meditations, memoirs, and personal true story anthologies top the bestseller lists. In this class, you'll learn the forms, elements, and markets for inspirational writing and read samples from masterful writers. You'll get tips for moving from self-expression to service by writing about your life's experiences in ways that help others. We'll also talk about a system for framing chapters in a book-length work, or for organizing an article. This class offers nurturing feedback and suggestions for rewriting, polishing, and getting published. It includes individual review of your assignments or book in progress. For intermediate and advanced writers. 30% presentation/lecture 25% writing exercises 25% discussion and sharing of writing 20% review of master writers Instructor Information:

Linda Anderson
www.loft.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=2496

Announcement -- New Online Pet Products Store

For a long time now, we have been looking for an easy way to raise money for animal organization. They need so much help, especially in these difficult economic times. Now, we are trying out a new project and we need your help to see if it will work.

We would like to announce our new pet products and supply store that features an array of pet products. It is called ANGEL ANIMALS PETOPIA STORE. We invite you to visit it at http://petopia.ihostmall.com/angelanimals/.

As with all that we do, we will donate a portion of our proceeds from products sold through this store to animal shelters and organizations.

Although we did not personally select items for the PETOPIA store, many of them would make wonderful pet products and great gifts for animals lovers!

Please visit the store this week. If you are buying these types of pet products anyway, know that by buying them at the ANGEL ANIMALS PETOPIA STORE, you will also be helping animals and nonprofit animal organizations. Enjoy your visit.

Each quarter, we will select an animal organization to receive donations from every item sold at the store and will announce the featured organization at www.angelanimals.net.

The first organization we are selecting for donations is called Basic Animal Rescue Training (BART). This is an organization that we know personally because the founder spoke at a bookstore event we did about our animal rescue book, and we got to know and admire her work.

BART trains EMTs and fire department personnel on how to save the lives of animals in fires and emergencies. The organization donates oxygen masks that are specially designed to help animal breathe and trains the first responders on how to use the masks. They do a great job and are working all over the country now. The more they train, the safer YOUR pets will be.

Read more about BART at (www.basicanimalrescuetraining.org).

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

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

The Crazy Dogs of Winter

We wrote in a Twitter/Facebook post last week that our cocker spaniel Leaf is going bonkers with all this cold weather. He likes snow but below-zero temperatures make it too frigid for us to walk him for a long time. So he's not getting enough exercise.

We take him for a couple hours to doggie daycare, but that can be expensive if we do it too often. So we asked people what they do. Here are some of their responses. They may help those of you who are coping with the winter crazies.

Mary T.: I have just trained my dear darling beagle on the treadmill. She happily sits and waits for me to put her collar on and then trots for 20-30 minutes. Has made ALL the difference this winter!!!

Richard O: Live in Vermont with 3+ feet of snow on the ground right now. In 2004, I put in a big doggy door leading to a covered porch, leading down 3 steps into a BIG fenced yard. Even when I'm off at work, the dogs can come and go as they please. I keep a wide path shoveled in their yard. They both love to bound around in the snow.

Bob D: We're taking Mabel (rat terrier; no fat, little fur) to Petco and PetSmart for walks around the store and a little socialization. The staffs are very friendly and accommodating. Doesn't replace chasing squirrels outside, but better than nothing.

Judy M: If I get desperate, I'll do some "living room rally" and set up a few cones. Or figure 8's using one dog as a post, and a cone as the other.

Jennifer W: My Hearing Dog, Hattie has numerous interactive toys, which I give her to play with. Sometimes I give these to her or a special chew bone, perhaps a stuffed kong. Other times we do training work indoors to keep her busy. We work on obedience and other commands. I also work on teaching her new things, so the usual commands don't become boring. It's a win-win situation for both of us and helps pass the time on these cold winter dreary days.

How do you help your pets keep exercised and stop boredom in beyond-cold temperatures?

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

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

When have you upset the natural order established by the pets in your home?

Creating Cat-astrophe

On New Years Day morning, we were relaxing in our living room when Allen noticed that Speedy was not at the top of the cat tree. Our carpeted cat tree is situated so that both Cuddles and Speedy can look out the window at the front yard to see all the birds, squirrels, and people.


Allen did not realize that the cats have a routine in regard to their cat tree. So he went to find Speedy, carried him to the living room, and placed him on the top seat. Speedy settled in, looking a little confused.

Cuddles and Linda watched as Allen did what he thought was a nice thing for Speedy. After Speedy was in place, Cuddles immediately jumped up and tried to get onto the top perch. Speedy wouldn't let her.

Cuddles sat, alert and in problem-solving mode, on the second perch. Allen began to understand that he must have interfered with the natural order of things: Cuddles has the top perch in the morning, and Speedy occupies it later in the day. Linda said, "They have their routines and agreements between themselves."

After about five minutes, Cuddles was still thinking about this situation as she sat on the second highest perch. Meanwhile, Speedy tried to jump down from the top by using the second perch as a stepladder to the floor. Cuddles would not budge, making it impossible for Speedy to get off the cat tree.

Allen decided to fix the cat chaos that he had inadvertently created. He placed Speedy carefully on the floor and then returned Cuddles to her usual morning place on the top perch. The natural order had once again been changed, not by request, but by an outside busy body.

As if to make their point that Allen's human interference had not been welcomed, Speedy quickly left the room. Cuddles jumped down from the cat tree and followed him out, leaving both perches unoccupied.

There is a spiritual principle known as the Law of Noninterference. Essentially it means that sometimes, things need to happen the way they are set into motion and with silent agreements in place between the people or animals who are directly involved.

When have you upset the natural order established by the pets in your home?

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

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

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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