Just be kind, patient and trusting, and we can all be friends!

Visit STAMPSTOTHERESCUE.COM to see how Ellen DeGeneres, Animal Advocate and Co-owner of Halo is helping.

 A True Story. “Jasmine”, with a mother’s heart♥

 
In 2003, police in Warwickshire, England, opened a garden shed and found a whimpering, cowering dog.  The dog had been locked in the shed and abandoned.  It was dirty and malnourished, and had quite clearly been abused.
 
In an act of kindness, the police took the dog, which was a female greyhound, to the Nuneaton Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, which is run by a man named Geoff Grewcock, and known as a haven for animals abandoned, orphaned, or otherwise in need.  Geoff and the other sanctuary staff went to work with two aims: to restore the dog to full health, and to win her trust. It took several weeks, but eventually both goals were achieved.  They named her Jasmine, and they started to think about finding her an adoptive home.
 
Jasmine, however, had other ideas.  No one quite remembers how it came about, but Jasmine started welcoming all animal arrivals at the sanctuary.  It would not matter if it were a puppy, a fox cub, a rabbit or any other lost or hurting animal.  Jasmine would just peer into the box or cage, and when and where possible, deliver a welcoming lick.

Geoff relates one of the early incidents.  ”We had two puppies that had been abandoned by a nearby railway line.  One was a Lakeland Terrier cross and another was a Jack Russell Doberman cross.  They were tiny when they arrived at the centre, and Jasmine approached them and grabbed one by the scruff of the neck in her mouth and put him on the settee.  Then she fetched the other one and sat down with them, cuddling them.”

“But she is like that with all of our animals, even the rabbits.  She takes all the stress out of them, and it helps them to not only feel close to her, but to settle into their new surroundings.  She has done the same with the fox and badger cubs, she licks the rabbits and guinea pigs, and even lets the birds perch on the bridge of her nose.”

Jasmine, the timid, abused, deserted waif, became the animal sanctuary’s resident surrogate mother, a role for which she might have been born.  The list of orphaned and abandoned youngsters she has cared for comprises five fox cubs, four badger cubs, fifteen chicks, eight guinea pigs, two stray puppies and fifteen rabbits – and one roe deer fawn.  Tiny Bramble, eleven weeks old, was found semi-conscious in a field.  Upon arrival at the sanctuary, Jasmine cuddled up to her to keep her warm, and then went into the full foster-mum role.  Jasmine the greyhound showers Bramble the roe deer with affection, and makes sure nothing is matted.

“They are inseparable,” says Geoff.  ”Bramble walks between her legs, and they keep kissing each other.  They walk together round the sanctuary.  It’s a real treat to see them.”

Jasmine will continue to care for Bramble until she is old enough to be returned to woodland life.  When that happens, Jasmine will not be lonely.  She will be too busy showering love and affection on the next orphan or victim of abuse.

Pictured from the left are: “Toby”, a stray Lakeland dog; “Bramble”, orphaned roe deer; “Buster”, a stray Jack Russell; a dumped rabbit; “Sky”, an injured barn owl; and “Jasmine”, with a mother’s heart, doing best what a caring mother would do….and such is the order of God’s Creation.

You know this is exactly what they do!

This is some amazing video of Dolphins at Orlando Seaworld Dolphin Cove.  These females have learned how to blow bubble rings and actually play with them.

I was shocked!  I had never seen such a small dog as a Service Dog.  I have since spent some time searching the net and found that it is really not that uncommon.   Here are a few of the services that I have found that a Pug performs:

“I’m a brittle diabetic, and he alerts me when my glucose levels are in the extreme levels. He has prevented many hospital trips.”

“…my sister is 10 years old with Asperger’s Syndrome (high functioning autism) and she has a pug as a service dog.”

“Our much loved pug of 15 1/2 years was a therapy dog and brought smiles and laughter to the elderly in retirement homes for many years.”

“Pugs are being used as hearing dogs with “Paws with a Cause” service dogs headquartered in southwestern Michigan.”

“I have a pug that I trained as a service dog myself. Mine retrieves dropped objects and provides emotional support, as I have social anxiety disorder and lupus.”

I found all of the above quotes on the following site:

http://www.unretouchedphoto.com/2007/05/16/the-puzzling-appearance-of-tina-the-pug/

There are more breeds of smaller dogs becoming service dogs. So remember, it’s not the size of your furry friend, he or she can be trained to do the big jobs.  Way to go little ones!

Just a little handful!

   (Photo by Andrea Grum CSI CDT)

TRANSPARENT (GLASSWING) BUTTERFLY

It comes from Central America and is found from Mexico to Panama . It is quite common in its zone, but it’s not easy to find because of its transparent wings, which is a natural camouflage mechanism…A butterfly with transparent wings is rare and beautiful.  As delicate as finely blown glass, the presence of this rare tropical gem is used by rain forest ecologists as an indication of high habitat quality and its demise alerts them of ecological change.  Rivaling the refined beauty of a stained glass window, the translucent wings of the Glasswing butterfly shimmer in the sunlight like polished panes of turquoise, orange, green, and red.All things beautiful do not have to be full of color to be noticed… In life that which is unnoticed has the most power.

(unknown author and photographer)

 Squeeky toys make a lot of noise, but this one was really loud!

Handsom Ransom!  He is one very lucky boy.

Our brother and sister-in-law found him wondering the streets of their neighborhood about 2 years ago.  His owners could not be found, so they don’t know if he was lost or if he was abandoned. 

They took this lovable boy in and named him Ransom.  He is happy, easy going, and has become “Daddy’s” boy.  Here he is chest high in the snow with dad and getting his belly rubbed in bed by dad.  We don’t seem to get any family pictures that Ransom is not in.

We’re glad you found your way into our family and we hope you’re with us for a long time!

♥ We Love You Ransom! ♥