you have to see this

http://letsbefriends.blogspot.com/

A Strange Happy Ending

Last Saturday Tinkerbell, a 6-pound chihuahua, went missing in a rather unusual way...she blew away. It took two days and the help of a "dog psychic", but her worried owners reunited with her on Monday nearly a mile from the original site.

Blown-Away Dog Reunited With Owners

Turns Out I Know a Happy Dance...

So, listen: I'm getting a dog.

I know, I know...when the best dog in the world died two and a half years ago, I was sure that I'd never want another dog. It took a long time, but about six months ago I started to think about puppies. Only in the most abstract of ways, though, because I live in a rented townhouse and they don't allow dogs. My lease is up soon, and I started thinking about moving to a place where I could have a dog...and then a miracle happened: my landlord came by this morning to ask whether I was going to renew my lease and I told him I really wanted to get a little dog and he kind of shrugged and said, "you can do that".

So that was it--after 28 dogless months, I don't even have to move--all I have to do is get organized, buy some supplies, and pick a dog.

I'm hoping for someone sort of like this:















Meanwhile, although I feel a little silly admitting it, I can hardly think about anything else.

Should We Keep Pets?

Of all of my blogs, this is the one I never expected to generate controversy. My Catholic blog, obviously, doesn't sit well with some people. What's Wrong Around Us? is full of socio-political viewpoints that might draw disagreement. And my webzine, Rational Outrage, often inspires...well...outrage. But this blog? Well, dogs are dogs. You like them, you love them, or you aren't here reading, right? While some people (yes, I know it's hard to imagine, but it happens) don't care much for dogs--or even outright dislike them--they aren't the sort of dislike that inspires people to go out searching for opposing viewpoints to shoot down. I've never had a comment on this blog that said, "Dogs are NOT great! They're the spawn of the devil!" or "EWWWW....you think those mice of your daughter's are CUTE???"

However, last week I got an email about an interesting website I hadn't seen before: http://opposingviews.com

And, although the site covers a variety of topics related to my more political and legal blogs, the email was in response to THIS (warm, cuddly, non-controversial) blog, and directed me to this question: Should We Keep Pets?

I suspect that most readers of this blog are in favor of pets on a personal level, but once the question is raised, it does bring to light some uncomfortable issues. And this site does an excellent job (on this topic and others) of covering both "sides" of the issue with analyses by intelligent, credentialed writers. I still come down in favor of dogs...but that might be pure selfishness on my part. The discussion has already generated well over 100 comments, and appears to be going strong.

This one, though, is just getting rolling: Should Animals be Kept in Zoos?

So much for this being a quiet, non-controversial subject...

Aren't Dogs Great?

That's a phrase that comes up a lot in my family. Someone tells a story about a dog--which happens fairly often since I'm surrounded by dog lovers--and someone else says "Aren't dogs great?" They do just keep doing things that impress us and touch us--things that would be rare human behavior seem to come quite naturally to dogs.

That's why I wanted to share this story, about a dog so great he's been honored with a statue...after standing guard over his dead master in snow and rain for eleven weeks. That's right--eleven weeks. When help finally arrived, the 14-year-old border collie was so weak that he had to be carried off the mountain.

Teacup Poodle Murdered by Police

It's not often that this blog intersects with my social commentary blog or my webzine, Rational Outragee, but here's a story that fits all three: In short, a Texas police officer pulled over a couple for speeding. They WERE driving much too fast and he was right to pull them over. But when he learned that the couple was racing a teacup poodle to the vet in response to a life-threatening emergency, he told the woman to "chill out". It was only a dog, he told her, and she could buy another one. And then he detained the couple by the side of the road until the dog died.

Read the full story here: San Marcos Officer Paul Stephens Watches a Teacup Poodle Die in Owner’s Arm And please pass it on.

Okay, I Know This Isn't a Dog...