Dear Animal Lovers,

It will be almost a year since I have emailed you about the Longview Shelter
and the 13 healthy, adoptable dogs that were all put down in one day.

The shelter director Scott Chamberlain is no longer the director & now
the board is seeking a new solid replacement.

We would very much like to see them hire someone who can run the
shelter's administrative and business end, yet has a solid heart and
mind for the most effective way to rescue and rehome the many wonderful
animals that enter that shelter day in and day out.

Our rescue team have been very involved with the Humane Society of
Cowlitz County since the incident and and have saved well over 100
animals out of that shelter since last summer, and we continue our assistance daily.

We need a good shelter director that really cares about the animals,
believes in spaying and neutering, supports strong adoption and rescue programs, and more.

They are taking applications below.

If you know anyone who would qualify and would like to apply please let
them know. We want what is best for the animals welfare as every dog or
cat that enters there deserves that second chance.

Thanks, Ginger
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There is an ad in today's Longview Daily News for opening as ED at HSCC. Contact person is Wayne Lunday @ wlunday@comcast.net . Closes 326/2007

Just in case any of you is interested or knows someone that is interested. Now is the time.

My Foster Dog

My foster dog stinks to high heaven.
I don't know for sure what breed he is.
His eyes are blank and hard.
He won't let me pet him and growls when I reach for him.

He has ragged scars and crusty sores on his skin.
His nails are long and his teeth, which he showed me, are stained.
I sigh. I drove two hours for this.

I carefully maneuver him so that I can stuff him in the crate.
Then I heft the crate and put it in the car.
I am going home with my new foster dog.

At home I leave him in the crate till all the other dogs are in the yard.
I get him out of the crate and ask him if he wants "outside."
As I lead him to the door he hikes his leg on the wall
and shows me his stained teeth again.

When we come in, he goes to the crate because that's
the only safe place he sees.
I offer him food but he won't eat it if I look at him, so I turn my back.
When I come back, the food is gone.

I ask again about "outside."
When we come back, I pat him before I let him in the crate,
he jerks away and runs into the crate to show me his teeth.

The next day I decide I can't stand the stink any longer.
I lead him into the bath with cheese in my hands.
His fear of me is not quite overcome by his longing for the cheese.
And well he should fear me, for I will give him a bath.

After an attempt or two to bail out he is defeated and stands there.
I have bathed four legged bath squirters for more years than he has been alive.
His only defense was a show of his stained teeth,
that did not hold up to a face full of water.

As I wash him, it is almost as if I wash not only the stink and dirt away
but also some of the hardness.
His eyes look full of sadness now.
And he looks completely pitiful as only a soap covered dog can.

I tell him that he will feel better when he is cleaned.
After the soap, the towels are not too bad, so he lets me rub him dry.

I take him outside. He runs for joy.
The joy of not being in the tub and the joy of being clean.

I, the bath giver, am allowed to share the joy.
He comes to me and lets me pet him.

One week later I have a vet bill.
His skin is healing. He likes for me to pet him. I think.
I know what color he will be when his hair grows in.

I have found out he is terrified of other dogs.
So I carefully introduce him to my mildest four legged brat.
It doesn't go well.

Two weeks later a new vet bill for an infection, that
was missed on the first visit.
He plays with the other dogs.

Three weeks later his coat shines, he has gained weight.
He shows his clean teeth when his tongue lolls out
after he plays chase in the yard with the gang.

His eyes are soft and filled with life.
He loves hugs and likes to show off his tricks, if you
have the cheese.

Someone called today and asked about him,
they saw the picture I took the first week.
They asked about his personality, his history, his breed.
They asked if he was pretty. I asked them lots of questions.

I checked up on them.
I prayed.
I said yes.


When they saw him the first time they said
he was the most beautiful dog they had ever seen.

Six months later, I got a call from his new family.
He is wonderful, smart, well behaved, and very loving.

How could someone not want him?
I told them I didn't know.
He is beautiful.
Aren't they all?

Arthur Unknown ~

Canadian Seal Slaughter

Stop the Seal Hunt!

Need a Companion?

Look HERE

Portland Barbie

For those of you familiar with Portland, this is funny.



ANNOUNCEMENT: Mattel recently announced the release of limited-edition Barbie Dolls for the Portland and surrounding areas market:

....
...."Vancouver Barbie"
This Barbie now comes with a stroller and infant doll. Optional accessories include a GED and bus pass. Gangsta Ken and his 1979 Caddy were available, but are now very difficult to find since the addition of the infant.

....
...."Hawthorne Barbie"
This doll is made of actual tofu. She has long straight brown hair, arch-less feet, hairy armpits, no makeup and Birkenstocks with white socks. She prefers that you call her Willow . She does not want or need a Ken doll, but if you purchase two Midtown Barbies and the optional Subaru wagon, you get a rainbow flag bumper sticker for free.

....
...."Lake Oswego Barbie"
This yuppie Barbie comes with your choice of Rolls Royce convertible or Hummer H2. Included are her own Starbucks cup, credit card and country club membership. Also available for this set are Shallow Ken and Private School Skipper. You won't be able to afford any of them.

....
...."Beaverton Barbie"
The modern day homemaker Barbie is available with Ford Windstar Minivan and matching gym outfit. She gets lost easily and has no full-time occupation. Traffic jamming cell phone sold separately.

....
...."Stark St. Barbie"
This versatile doll can be easily converted from Barbie to Ken by simply adding or subtracting the multiple snap-on parts.

....
...."Clackamas Barbie"
This recently paroled Barbie comes with a 9mm handgun, a Ray Lewis knife, a Chevy with dark tinted windows, and a Meth Lab Kit. This model is only available after dark and must be paid for in cash (preferably small, untraceable bills) ..unless you are a cop, then we don't know what you are talking about.

....
...."West Hills Barbie"
She's perfect in every way. We don't know where Ken is because he's always out a-'huntin'.

....
...."Pearl District Barbie"
This collagen injected, rhino plastic Barbie wears a leopard print outfit and drinks cosmopolitans while entertaining friends. Percocet prescription available as well as warehouse conversion condo.

....
...."Forest Heights Barbie"
This princess Barbie is sold only at The Galleria. She comes with an assortment of Kate Spade, Prada and LV Handbags, Rolex watch a Lexus SUV, a long-haired foreign dog named Honey and a 25,000 sq ft. patio home. Available with or without tummy tuck and face lift. Workaholic Ken sold only in conjunction with the augmented version.

....
...."Estacada Barbie"
This pale model comes dressed in her own Wrangler jeans two sizes too small, a NASCAR t-shirt and tweety bird tattoo on her shoulder. She has a six-pack of Bud light and a Hank Williams Jr. CD set. She can spit over 5 feet and kick mullet-haired Ken's butt when she is drunk. Purchase her pickup truck separately and get a confederate flag bumper sticker absolutely free.

....
...."Gresham, Hillsboro, and other outlying suburbs Barbie"
This tobacco-chewing, brassy-haired Barbie has a pair of her own high-heeled sandals with one broken heel from the time she chased beer-gutted Ken out of Butler Barbie's house. Her ensemble includes low-rise acid-washed jeans, fake fingernails, and a see-through halter-top. Also available with a mobile home.

..
.. ..