Saturday, February 14, 2009

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

How you can do something GOOD.

My friend Finn has spent a lot of time in the animal welfare trenches. She has rescued 'em, transported 'em, bathed 'em, groomed 'em, found 'em homes and laid 'em to rest when it was too late. When Katrina hit, Finn went to New Orleans to help clean up. When no natural disaster was present, you'd have found her working in a shelter somewhere.

Finn is to animals as fat is to Woo - an integral part of life!

Last year lots of you followed, via her blog, Finn's adventures working with the street dogs and cats in Granada, Nicaragua at the non profit clinic Casa Lupita. There Finn and other volunteers made a huge difference in the lives of the many stray dogs and cats of Granada, who endure misery, disease, hunger, abuse and death in this impoverished place.

Thanks to the work of Casa Lupita and volunteers like Finn, dogs like the Potato:

had their lives literally transformed.

But there are still lots of dogs out there who need help.

So for the third time in as many years, Finn is joining Casa Lupita on a quest to neuter some several hundred dogs and cats in the Corn Islands and provide them with the health care and nutrition that they so desperately need.

What you don't know is that in the past Finn has paid for her trips to Grenada out of her own pocket, because her dedication to the cause is that strong. The last time Finn went to Nica, she sold her car to fund the trip. This time, Finn's out of things to sell. The spay/neuter clinic group of volunteers is a small, handpicked collective and it's a huge honour for Finn to be invited.

But Finn just feels like it's her duty.

So if you want to do something GOOD this year, send a donation to Finn's Travel Fund via PAYPAL (to houlihanoriley@gmail.com) .

Finn needs to raise just over $500.00 USD to take care of her airfare and incidentals. She will not be paid for her time off work. Her accommodations and meals will be donated by locals in the area. A similar two day clinic neutered over 100 dogs and cats in 48 hours - imagine what they can do in 7 days?

So if you can help my buddy Finn, throw down a little, would ya? I'll vouch for her - she is 100% on the up and up, and should we happen to raise more cash than she needs for her trip, she'll be proud to hand it over to Casa Lupita herself, on your behalf.

To help save dogs like Portia

Who today might dead if it weren't for volunteers like Finn.

And if we're lucky, she'll blog about her adventures while she's there.

------------------

So BAD it's actually good

On today's trip to the dogpark, I was bullied and intimidated.

By a border collie.

You WILL give me your frisbee, beeotch.
He even had a nefarious little arched white eyebrow!


Told ya so.


He was very stare-y.

And when he was busy, like taking a leak or something, he brought a stand-in stare-er!

However this stand-in was no match for FLYING FISTS OF WOOTIE!


KARATE-CHOP!!!

This move is called Dance Of The Spring Lambs

Flying One Legged Impala-Bunny of DOOOOOOOOOOM


Okay seriously - am I the only person with a dog that *levitates*? Normal dogs don't play like this! I took about 15 photos of Wootie and this border collie wrasslin', and in a whole two of them he has his feet on the ground.

Actually ... make that one photo. I just noticed his feet are not on the ground in this one either. He can't even hug his new friend whilst standing on the ground. What's WRONG with this dog?!

Picachu!

Bless you?

No, no, this is Picachu, a Cairn terrier.

She's just cute.

Unlike Piper.

This move is called Bringing Madness On my Enemies
Looks like it works.

WOOHOO!


-------------------

The UGLY.

In this space here is supposed to be video of me and Tweed doing a Master's Snookers run from this afternoon at the L&B trial in Cloverdale. Unfortunately, the video camera was so repulsed by our performance that it corrupted the video.

Admittedly, it was not the prettiest of runs. I do not think on my feet super well at the best of times, and when Tweed bailed off the 6 point teeter in the opening I kinda mad-panicked and threw myself on the mercy of some nearby weave poles. It was a mess.

Messy or not, it didn't stop us from getting TWEED'S AGILITY TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ZOMG!

Five years of hard work and money down the toilet, but today we did it! Tweed is now, proudly, the first ATChed dog of Food Lady.

Good dog Tweed!!!


28 comments:

Colleen said...

Congratulations on the agility title!! I know how much hard work that is! I used to do it with my dog, when we were both younger... Not as competitive as you, though. We just did it as a fun hobby. :)

Anonymous said...

Way to go, Tweed and Food Lady!

Gotta love Woo's Big Air. Or little air, or ain't touchin' the ground air. Very cool photos of the dance.

b13 said...

Congrats to you and Tweed!

So sad what happens to dogs that need our help. I just read about strays in Iraq being poisoned with meat and shot with a shotgun when they don't die quick enough for the general in charge. HORRENDOUS!

Finn is a saint!

Black Jack's Carol said...

Aw.. well done, Tweed! And NO amount of protesting will convince me your food lady thinks slowly on her feet! You guys did this together!

Anonymous said...

Wahoo for Tweed and his Food Lady! What a terrific accomplishment. And how nice of "them" to make Tweed's ribbon in a shade that really sets off his luscious coat color. Congratulations all around.

Unknown said...

YAY! Congrats to Food Lady for holding out long enough to let Tweed make you look good :)

citydog said...

Casa Lupita *rocks*. Open those wallets, Three Woofs and a Woo-ers!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Tweed!

Molly said...

CONGRATS to you and Tweed, that's fantastic! Now---can't ATChes be numbered up? This is just your first. ;)

Seriously, though, that's extremely impressive, and you should be very proud.

dp said...

Congrats Tweed and Food Lady! And congrats to Finn as well for the honour of being invited. It's a very special person who wants to spend her vacation sterilizing dogs.

Michelle said...

Either fat floats in the air or Wootie is not as obese as you always accuse him of being. And a huge congrats to you and Tweed!

Anonymous said...

WOO HOO on the ATCH!!!!!!!!

Congrats Food Lady and Tweed-o-licious!

And yes, Woo is the only one who levitates that way. He is quite special :-)

manymuddypaws said...

congrats on your atch!!!! go tweed!

EvenSong said...

Maybe they should have a championship for levitating! Then you'd have TWO in the house!

Congrats to the Tweedster and FL.

And good for you to publicize Finn's work--no doubt her clinic activities need all the help they can get!

3aussiemom said...

Wahoo Tweed & Food Lady!!!!!

Also, will be sending $ to help Finn. What a gal!

Anonymous said...

Huge big congratulations to you Food Lady and to Tweed on your ATCh!!!

I'm so happy for you both :)!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting about sending donations - I have done so. :)

Andrea said...

Congratulations Tweed!! A very moving and heartfelt post.

Blue said...

Congrats Tweed and the Food Lady! ATCh is quite an accomplishment.

Unknown said...

Wow, Casa Lupita is doing some wonderful work. Those before and after pictures are unbelievable.

Ok, the Woo pics are awesome. He is a magician I believe- that is the only explanation for his levitating. His pictures always make me laugh.

Wooooo Hooooooo Tweed! Congratulations on the ATCH! Woot!

angie said...

omfg... donated!

love the flying woo!

and a woo for tweed too!

um..my word verification is "gnadme" ???

Companion Animal Solutions said...

Congratulations to Food Lady and Tweed for a grat team accomplishment!! Props to the levitating Mr. Woo, we love him even if Tweed thinks he's evil. I just finished making a donation for Finn's wonderful work.

Anonymous said...

Hahaha. Bwahahaha. LOL. Bwahahaha. Seriously now. Haven't laughed this hard in I don't know how long :) Levitation Woo and his amazing karate moves made me shed tears. And I am not usually one that does that :)

He is amazing, but your photographic talents and skills are unrivaled. Viewd large, your shots are deliriously good!

Congrats Tweed and Food Lady for the agility title!!!! Well deserved, good boy, Tweed! Good girl, FL!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to Tweird and Food Lady. The ribbon looks good on him!

Barbara said...

Congratz on the BFR!

And love the pictures as always!

Barbara & the Bedlams Pack

Loretta Mueller said...

OH my gosh I LOVE your pics!! I am laughing to hard I am crying!

Congrats on the ATCh!

Unknown said...

Way to Go TWEED!!! Oh you too Sheena...
Seriously Sheena a job well done. Still not sure I should have given the ribbon to you so quietly though... Should have made you come back the next day to get it when everyone was there...
BTW the run wasn't too bad..

Unknown said...

Way to Go TWEED!!! Oh you too Sheena. Job well done and well deserved. Although I really feel I should have made you come the next day to get your ribbon when more people were there. It sucks giving the big ones away at the end of the day when everyone has gone home already.
Actually the run wasn't as bad as you said.... I've seen a lot worse. LOL>.

Luv ya all
BEV