Calling all cat lovers I'm at my wit's end

Calling all you animal lovers - live and let live or intervene? - sm [2008-11-25]
I have a dilemma. I am an animal lover and have something I cannot come to a conclusion about. At a restaurant where I eat lunch every Friday with a friend of mine, I have noticed a young male kitty hanging around outside looking for food. This past week he ran up to my friend and rubbed her legs and quietly meowed. I purposely did not try to pet him because I knew I would get attached and ignored him. Well, ever since then I find myself thinking about him and wanting to rescue him. Meanwhile, I already have 4 inside cats (2 rescues, 2 Maine Coons) and hubby really does not want another cat in the house because a few years ago I promised we would never have more than 4 (had up to 5 at one point previously). I actually have a huge screened deck he could stay on indefinitely because I do not believe in letting cats run loose for their own safety. I could provide plenty of food, a warm place to sleep, and veterinary care. At some point I would even probably work him into our household, but I just cannot do it at the moment. Just not sure I would be doing right by that kitty because I am sure he would be upset and confused for a good while as to where he was and what was going on, but is that better than being hungry and cold? I know there are lots of animal lovers out there. What does everyone think??

hubby name-calling [2008-10-29]
Too bad the child in question didnto you I wonder if his parents talked to him that way when he was a child...makes one wonder... Hubby should apologize to that baby. Mom, just explain to your baby that people should and always let your baby know that hecome to you at ANYTIME...perhals this sounds simplistic but it's sad that adults (OR ALLEDGED adults) think its okay to tear down a child's self-confidence this way!!

Name calling is never, ever acceptable [2008-10-28]
especially to a child. That is the kind of thing that will stay with him forever unless his father apologizes and has a little talk with him about how daddy was wrong.

I think I would be calling the school board [2008-09-11]
x

I think i will. I'm going to keep calling the [2008-09-01]
x

All you CAT/animal lovers have to see this one. SM [2008-08-09]
it is short butso sweet. http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2008/cat-adopts-bunny-p1.php

Animal lovers... another great video for you! [2008-08-01]
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=yNy9jTeolUk The lazy days of summer :)

I know there are a lot of animal lovers here, so I thought I would share... [2008-08-01]
Back in March I posted on this board about my lab puppy that died from parvo. After that happened, we bleached our house from ceiling to floor and poured buckets and buckets of dilute bleach on our yard. About a month later, I was approached by a neighbor who's boxer had had puppies and since the neither of the parent boxers were registered, she was selling them of $100 a piece. I've always wanted a boxer, but refused to pay $400 for a dog. So I jumped at the chance to get a boxer, but I was a little leery because of the parvo incident. So my hubbie and I again bleached our house from top to bottom and bleached our yard, pretty much killing the grass. We made sure the puppy had her first set of shots including a parvo vaccination and even made a point three months ahead for her second parvo booster. We brought her home and she did great. We thought we were successful at decontaminating our house. She was healthy and happy until about three weeks ago. She had gotten into the trash and got a hold of some raw chicken bones and then the next was lethargic and heaving like she wanted to throw up but couldn't. As luck would have it, it was time for her appointment for her shots and booster. So I get to the vet and tell her what was going on with her and even the vet agreed it was probably the chicken. So they checked her out and she had a temperature. So the vet said she couldn't give her shots, but they could do the flea treatment. Then vet asked me about doing a parvo test. At first I was like no way could she have parvo. She's been living in our house for four months now and is just now getting sick? But then I said just to rule out, let's do it. Well, she had parvo! I was just sick and crying. I didn't want my kids to watch another dog die, but I didn't want to euthanize her either. She wasn't as sick as the other dog had been. She hadn't had diarrhea, just a little vomiting. I just didn't know what to do. I couldn't afford the $600 my vet was telling me would be the cost to hospitalize her and give her IV fluids and antibiotics. So I took her home and gave the sad news to my husband. Then I got mad and said there has got to be something else we can try. So the MT in me took over and I got online and started researching. I found a couple of articles where vets had tried Tamiflu in dogs with parvo and that the Tamiflu had actually helped. It had shortened the length of the illness, hindered the spread of the virus throughout the dog's intestinal tract, and made the symptoms less severe. Basically, given a dog a better chance for survival. Luckily (LOL) my entire family had had the flu back in February and I happened to have some Tamiflu on hand that my husband hadn't taken. I found that the vets had given the parvo dogs 1 mg per pound to the sick dogs twice a day for five days which in my dog averaged to about 30 mg twice a day. My Tamiflu was 75 mg capsules. So I figured I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. So I did it. She wouldn't eat at first, so putting the pill in a hotdog wasn't an option. So my husband held her mouth open and I dropped a pill in and used a baby medicine dropper to squirt water into her mouth. Then we held her mouth closed and made her swallow. Day two, she seemed a little perky and actually got up to drink water on her own. By day three, she was eating tiny pieces of poached chicken and taking her pill on her own. Long story short, we are now two weeks out from Sugar I also wanted to share how my career as an MT probably saved my dog! Had I not had honed all those researching and investigative skills we need as MTs, I would have never found the information that ultimately saved my dog.

Animal lovers . . If you have not had a good cry yet today SM [2008-07-10]
watch this very touching video. http://videos.komando.com/2008/06/26/christian-the-lion/

One more thing - about calling (sm) [2008-07-03]
Their leader will not allow them to use the phone to call - period. they are not allowed to call their parents, even though there are payphones right there at the trading post.

OK all you animal lovers... [2008-06-19]
We have a Basset hound puppy, around 7-8 weeks old; we We are trying to crate train her, but she just can We take her out on a regular schedule, feed her on a regular schedule, and make sure she poopies and pees before she comes back in, but it never fails that she will, at least once a day, poopie in her crate...SO DISGUSTING! I'm at my wit's end and ready to give her up, but she's sooo adorable, I really don't want to. Of note, I am not a huge animal person, can take them or leave them, but she stole my heart and I love her! I seriously am looking for some answers here.

Calling all cat lovers - I'm at my wit's end [2008-05-28]
To make a long story short I need some expertise. My male cat was a sprayer before we got him fixed way back when. Then he decided to pee in our dining room and we took up the rug and put in a wood floor (this was quite a few years ago - cat is 11). Then he proceeded to pee in all the corners of the family room. We just had wood floor put on there and all has been well. Until about a week ago, he decided to pee again on the dining room wood floor, no where else, but he still uses his litter box. I had cleaned it with vinegar and it seemed like the smell went away and I thought all was well until I again caught him peeing on the wood floor in the same area more than once. My husbandhas had it(hedestroyed a lot of things already from when we first got him). He is ready to take himaway somewhere. I donMy husband doused the area with vinegar again. Anyone have any ideas? Anything that will keep him away, or any other tricks to get he smell out. Any help would be appreciated. Tonight will not be a very happy night.

Animal lovers, be sure to watch/record Oprah today. sm [2008-04-04]
Lisa Ling is reporting on puppy mills. It looks like it will be a very powerful show. I know that I desperately hope it will make a difference. The dogs in the mills have been suffering far too long. We need to put an end topuppy mills. Please,passthe word.

Need reassurance from animal lovers [2008-03-27]
Tell me I Since MQ took everything away, I just skim by with bills now. I had to say yes as my cat is 14 and is blind but in good health. He went blind in this apt and at 14, I would hate to stress him so much as he knows this place so well. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to keep up with it. Would anybody else do this for an animal?

I am really the only one calling it a booty call [2008-02-25]
That is just what I make of it. She met this man on second life and he was her boyfriend on that site/game (whatever you call it). I took it that they bonded so much that she is willing to run up a bunch of charge cards, leave her H and 2 boys and fly overseas to be with him. She did call my bother and tell him she made it okay. She went to a museum already but wasn He got to talk to the fella online. I don

perhaps I may have a new calling...sm [2008-02-16]
old timey comfort food....Been doin He(Before you ask,that would be Ellie How about lamb shanks and barley with carrots and onions, a little salt and peppercooked on the back burner onlow for hours? You canlamb ankles anywhere these days. Is there a chance that you can just make the liver orstuffed peppers for yourself and air out the house so hubby doesnHe doesn Cat

I'm not sure who you're calling insensitve, [2008-01-06]
but I haven't even crated Bear yet. I'm trying other things because I'd prefer not to crate him. But some dogs DO have to be crated for their own protection, and you are wrong to call people names if they need to crate their dogs. It is often something a dog will outgrow, and as long as you don't do it more than 8 hours, either day or night, it is a perfectly acceptable way to protect a dog from injury. Personally I would prefer to avoid it because he is 11 months old and I think he can outgrow it soon. After all, we've only had him about 5 or 6 weeks and everything is kind of new to him. I did try about 1/3 of a clonazepam, and that did help. On Monday I'm going to see if Benadryl works. But if it doesn't and I come home to a dog that has found something to chew and choked, then I will certainly regret my decision not to crate him. Therefore, crating is not wrong.

Calling AA will do you no good. You need to call Al-Anon. [2007-12-31]
nm

I know, my sister, who spends half the year calling (sm) [2007-12-27]
family members for food money, spent $600 on a PS3 and accessories/games. Less than a week later....no food. My husband has a good job and I work as an MT full-time, so we are not poor, but we can't afford something like that!

I would not encourage him to resort to name calling. [2007-12-27]
That just brings him down to their level. My son loved tennis and was not very athletic in team sports. His friends were really cool about this. They come to all his matches and cheer him on and he in turn goes to their soccer matches. Just depends on how they are raised I guess.

Of interest to Pet Lovers [2007-11-26]
Wanted to share a link for an email from my friend in Australia.... http://www.indigo.org/rainbowbridge_ver2.html

Oh, I'm so sorry. I remember my aunt calling (sm) [2007-11-23]
to tell my mother that her boss had died. He was like a member of the extended family and the first person whom I knew well to die. I was maybe 11 or 12 and I can remember it like it was yesterday. I can only imagine your pain.

People who go around calling other people "low class" [2007-11-08]
have their own issues in life. Ignore them. Nothing like a misplaced superiority complex to make a person feel good about themselves. Like they've never done anything gauche or made a faux pas. It must be nice for them to be so perfect and live in a glass house. For that matter, you probably saved your piggy's life by popping that mondo zit! It could have gotten infected or something.... (yes, I have a zit popping fixation myself, but you were really descriptive on that pig zit. gag LOL) Man, you would have appreciated the time one of my relative's popped a HUGE cyst on her face. I was standing right next to her at the time and leaned back because I knew it was going to blow. It did! Big time! All over the wall, mirror and light fixture. I'm still disgusted by the thought of it 10 years later. LOL In a revering kind of way...

Did you try calling around locally? [2007-11-01]
df

I think you missed your calling, Cat . . SM [2007-10-25]
should have been a CHEF!

Funny, my HS had a smoking area too- sm [2008-12-03]
though they got rid of it when I was a senior, not that I cared, and only seniors were allowed to use it....one of the senior perks like driving and we also had a senior lounge. I don't remember calling the smokers anything except stupid for smoking, though one of my BFs smoked. There were the burnouts though....the ones who smoked pot, were stoned all the time, etc.

I just need to VENT and see what you all think...Beware...this is long...sm [2008-11-30]
I have tried twice to tell this story but deleted it both times because the story is just too long so I will be as short as I can. I have a bunch of ROTTEN TO THE CORE sisters.My sisters are just about the worst people I have ever met in my whole 43 years on this planet. There is one who is especially bad and I just told my other sister that if she ever dies, to please not call me as I won I come from a very large family with 5 sisters and 1 brother with my brother being the oldest. He is not involved. He sort ofleft the family years ago because he couldn They did terrible things to him after his divorce. We rarely see him now.I am considered a scumbag and a loser because my husband and I don We don We don We can We love our children with everything in our souls. They have made fun of me and my husband and insulted us to our faces.My husband and I have a difficult marriage as he is tough to get along with so they hate my husband My sistershave all gone out to dinner without inviting me. I have found out because of someone They have made threats and sent rumors flying throughout the family, without me knowing, about calling DCYF on me. I heard that one too from a slip of the tongue. I cried for 2 hours in the shower that day. They talk about everyone and I mean everyone badly. They have awell known reputation ina couple of our towns here for being mean horrible girls. They are about as fake and phony as a person can get. Sweet and all smiles to your face and when you turn around, they stick that knife in as far as they can get it in. They have what they have in their lives because of what someone has given them. My sister had her property given to her by her in-laws. It is worth about $1,000,000. My other sister had land given to her by her husbandto lessen their mortage burden so now they owe almost nothing on their $500,000 house. They think they are fabulous people. They think they are the cat In the past years when we were all talking and I would be invited to a holiday, I was not spoken to at all the whole time I was there. I am a venter and I always have been so if my husband and I are fighting, I will always go to my older sister (one up from me) and vent and vent until I can She gets on the phone the second I leave and tells every person in my family what is going on. They in turn judge me and my husband, make their threats, and so on. This is also happening to my oldest sister and her partner (she is in a gay relationship but was always dating a man and was married twice) and my sister The three of us, me, my sister and her partner, and my sister We get along well. We are happy with each other. We don Whatever happens in each other lives, we just accept it and don I now attend holidays at my sister I don I don The sisters (I like to call them the Witches of Eastwick) all attend holidays with each other up at my sister The three of us are not invited. My older sister has a son. Several yeas ago, my sister and her partner had a terrible fight with him. He went to the witches and told them a bunch of lies and now they have pretty much shunned her and her daughter and me too because we still talk to her.I have a sister, who is involved in all of this, that I speak to on a regular basis. She is close to my kids or at least my oldest son. She pretty much ignores my other two children and they tell me, It She is the one who has spread rumors about me in the family trying to get everyone to call DCYF on me. I heard this too by a slip of the tongue from another sister a few years back. I tend to be a forgiving person so I quietly forgave her for this without her ever knowing that I knew what she was trying to do. Now that they are all inviited to the holidays up to my sister They are extremely fat just like her. These holiday trips up north are usually kept quiet and I only know about it the day before they are leaving to go, which is when she inevitably asks me to come feed her f******g cats. This is how Iknow that a big party is going on up at the cabin and once again only the chosen selected few are going. This is usually for 3 or 4 days and they get fed twice a day so I have to goto her house twice a day. Sometimes I have to give them medication and the last time she asked me, I even had to soak her sick cat She lives about 20 minutes away from me. This girl would NEVER, NEVER, EVER do this for me. My husband and I took our children on a cruise 3 years ago and we have a cat and I never asked her to do this for me as I know she would have laughed in my face. I have been feeding her cats for years now when she goes away. Keep in mind though that she was in the select chosen few to be invited up to the cabin. I was not as I am considered trash in the family. I am SICK AND TIRED of feeding this girl My sister who invites everyone to go is a mean, horrible, sadistic, vicious, backstabbing wretched b***h. No one will say anything to her like, Gee Pat, where is everyone else? Didn They could care less. All they know is that THEY were invited. Anyway, I am sorry this is so long. I cananymore. I have been thinking of this all day all weekend long. I am really to the point where I just don I am goingto tell my fat a** b***h sister to fnd another way to get her cats fed because I She is just using me and believe me when I tell you, she enjoys it. She is verydiabolical. She loves it that I am not invited and she and her husband are.She even questions me and counts the cat food cans to make sure that I came on all of the days they were gone. These people have balls of brass and I have had ENOUGH.I am just sitting and waiting patiently for the next time she says, Oh, we Can you come and feed the cats? I just canNo. I can I will never feed your cats again! Find some other sucker to do it! I believe that they are severely narcissistic people and this is nothing to take lightly.These types of people are very destructive. Do any of you have family members like this and what do you do about them? How do you stop them from making you feelsad, lonely, excluded andless than you are or deserve? I think it is time for me to cut all ties with them. I just can

Calling all you animal lovers - live and let live or intervene? - sm [2008-11-25]
I have a dilemma. I am an animal lover and have something I cannot come to a conclusion about. At a restaurant where I eat lunch every Friday with a friend of mine, I have noticed a young male kitty hanging around outside looking for food. This past week he ran up to my friend and rubbed her legs and quietly meowed. I purposely did not try to pet him because I knew I would get attached and ignored him. Well, ever since then I find myself thinking about him and wanting to rescue him. Meanwhile, I already have 4 inside cats (2 rescues, 2 Maine Coons) and hubby really does not want another cat in the house because a few years ago I promised we would never have more than 4 (had up to 5 at one point previously). I actually have a huge screened deck he could stay on indefinitely because I do not believe in letting cats run loose for their own safety. I could provide plenty of food, a warm place to sleep, and veterinary care. At some point I would even probably work him into our household, but I just cannot do it at the moment. Just not sure I would be doing right by that kitty because I am sure he would be upset and confused for a good while as to where he was and what was going on, but is that better than being hungry and cold? I know there are lots of animal lovers out there. What does everyone think??

Pitbull Hero [2008-11-17]
Stray Pit Bull Saves Woman, Child from AttackerPet Pulse Staff Reports Browse NewsFront Page BY CATEGORY:Alerts Notices Animal Attacks Care Safety Crime Law Cruelty Abuse Deaths Accidents Entertainment Health Science Heroes International Lost Found New Trends Petlanthropy Strange But True Survival BY PET:Dogs Cats Fish Birds Horses Reptiles Small Pets Other Pets November 5, 2008 A dog came out of nowhere and stopped a knife-wielding robber from accosting a mother and her young son on Monday afternoon. (Pet Pulse Illustration by Tim Mattson) PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- The wandering 65-pound Pit Bull mix might have seemed menacing to some passerby, but one woman will always remember him as her guardian angel. The dog, which authorities think is lost and not a stray, successfully thwarted a robbery attack on a mother and her 2-year-old son, who were held at knifepoint Monday afternoon. The Florida woman, who has been identified by authorities simply as Angela, was leaving a playground with her toddler son in Port Charlotte when a man approached her in the parking lot with a knife and told her not to make any noise or sudden movements. Angela didn't have to do either to protect herself and her child -- a dog mysteriously ran to the scene and charged the man, who quickly fled. I don Animal Control Lt. Brian Jones told Pet Pulse. I don The exceptional part of the story, Jones said, is that the dog had never met or even seen the people it quickly jumped to defend. You hear about family dogs protecting their owners, but this dog had nothing to do with this woman or her kid, Jones said. He was like her guardian angel. After the alleged thief ran away, Angela quickly placed her son, Jordan, in the car and tried to drive off. Before she could, though, the dog jumped into her backseat, waiting with her for the police and animal control officers to arrive at the scene. The dog was transported to a local shelter and if his owners donAngel. Animal control officers and shelter workers believe Angel is lost, and not a stray, because of his good health, sturdy weight and mild temperament. It Jones said of Angel's possible owners. For Angela, it doesn't matter where the dog came from, just that he was there when she needed him most. I don Angela told NBC2 News. For a small town with a population of 46,452, animal control officers were kept busy Monday afternoon. Jones says they department also responded to a report about a boa constrictor in a church parking lot. The snake found its way into a car engine and was able to be removed without being harmed. It took three people to move the massive, seemingly random placed snake. It he said of the Gulf Coast town. And we can go for four or five months without the media contacting us about a story. It Officers from the responding county sheriff's office canvased the area and were unable to locate the suspect described as being in his 20s, tall and dark haired. Tell us what you think about Stray Dog Saves Woman, Child Held at Knifepoint below. Share your favorite videos by clicking on the ZootooTV tab. Send us your story ideas by e-mailing us at news@zootoo.com or by calling us at 877-777-4204. Pet Pulse reporter Amy Lieberman and NBC-2.com contributed to this article.

A little off topic, but [2008-11-13]
I was out to lunch one day with my DH and on my way home I came upon a crash that had just happened at an intersection...one of the drivers was a young girl (she happened to go to the same HS as my DD). The other driver was a 30-something mother of 2 or 3. The young girl had run a red light and T-boned the other car. The mother was instantly killed in the crash, with 2 of her children in the car with her. When the teen girl got out of her car...yep, she was on the phone...! And obviously she was not calling 911! So sad...my DD said this girl went off the wall after this accident.

Always, always call the cops sm [2008-11-13]
My husband was nearly killed by a tractor trailer driver who changed his story a dozen times, themedics were called but unfortunately, the other driver went his merry way and was not cited until days later for following too close, reckless endangerment, speeding, mistake in log book, and a laundry list, first he said my husband going too slow. Reconstruction said no way, but while my husband was in hospital having his scalp sewn back on, this guy ran away. Had to hire a detective to find him, went on for years before we got our bills paid, he got off with heavy fines and warnings he would go to jail if it happened again. It had happened in another state previously but could not bring that up in court. My sorrow - I should have had him arrested right that moment but I was not there. He should have been tested for drugs, etc. He went from saying husband's fault to that he dropped his coffee and was picking it up off the floor and then changed it again to something else. He still drives and my husband is totally disabled. Please get the cops involved the minute something happens - don't wait. I had no choice, I had to travel to another state to the hospital. I wish my husband were conscious enough to have him arrested right there. You did the right thing calling the cops, everyone should do that. Believe me, she could have killed you or someone else later. I hope you scared the pants off her.

Hang in there and talk to others. [2008-11-13]
Donalcoholic, IGee, Dad I wish you wouldn Confronting sometimes depresses them into drinking. I was fortunate, my dad went to some retreats and quit cold turkey and my kids never knew it, in fact, they hate me to ever mention it, as they idolize him. So he died in my arms at 81, told him he was a good man and I am not sorry. My bros. hated him and I feel sorry for them. I feel peace. He has to think about it but dongot it, I think itGee, gotta go, Dad, gotta get these kiddos home. Perhaps he'll get the message, I hope so! Only he can save himself, not you.

I agree with that [2008-11-11]
They So I guess you need to decide, is it worth it? Or maybe they just wanted to be mean. I know where you However, she managed to visit my CITY and do touristy stuff with other people. I never would have known, but she felt the need to tell me she did it! I said why didn. She said I thought about calling you the whole time, and I guess I should have. She also likes to call occasionally and tell me about all the other people she II can do without her snotty games.

That stinks. [2008-11-10]
I'd be mad too. I know my friend's who text and those who don't. I also know some of my friends use their cell for everything and others only for emergency. I would call them according to their preference. If we were all in the same hotel, I wouldn't think of a cell phone but would think of the room phones and/or knocking on the door if you were in the same hallway. Personally, I think its rude to be tied to a cell phone when you are with other people. Everyone knows that if I am busy (that means even just eating dinner at home with my family) I do not answer a cell phone. If its important they will leave a message or call back. If I get 2 calls back to back, I will answer. I think it's disrespectful. Unless of course you have kids but even so my kids would know not to call me to ask where the peanut butter is while I'm out with a friend or at work. It better be a real emergency. With all that said, I think this is becoming a problem in society in general, not just your group of friends. I went to dinner with several friends recently and they all had their cell phones out. One was taking calls and/or calling those who were missing to see where they were. I was the only one who apparently turned their ringer completely off and left it in my pocket. When I excused myself to the bathroom I checked to see if I had any messages, otherwise things can certainly wait 30 minutes to an hour.

That's ridiculous [2008-11-10]
What do they expect, for you to call every 5 minutes just in case they come up with something else? This is me calling to see if you have made any plans in the last 5 minutes. Totally stupid. I would have to wonder if they wanted me there.

PitBull's are misunderstood... [2008-11-09]
Instead offocusing narrowly on only your dislike of PitBulls, why don't you look at the bigger picture as a whole... First of all, the statistics on fatal attacks...well it doesn But that still doesn't mean PitBulls are more likely to bite... The statistics that I have read regarding breed specific likelyhood of biting have shown that small dogs (and mixbreeds) are way more likely to be aggressive towards humans and other dogs. Specifically Dachshunds, Chihuahuas, and Jack Russell Terriers to name a few. PitBulls were more likely to show aggression to unfamiliar dogs. I_udi=B6T48-4SNGRDR-2_user=10_coverDate=06%2F03%2F2008_alid=765300851_rdoc=2_fmt=high_orig=search_cdi=4968_sort=d_docanchor=view=c_ct=27_acct=C000050221_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=10md5=a9e7d67a2a45dc01019b232cbbfa3bf5 Here are some other good points from websites that are unbiased: To reduce the number of dog bite-related injuries, adults and children should be educated about bite prevention, and persons with canine pets should practice responsible pet ownership. (CDC website) �While at times informative, statistics on fatal dog attacks can also be misleading. For example, a number of cases where a Pit Bull, Rottweiler or German Shepherd Dog were counted as causing a human fatality, in reality the direct result was from gross human negligence or criminal intent�. (http://www.thedogpress.com/Columns/Jade/07_Dog.Bite.Stats_09.htm) A fatal dog attack is not just a dog bite by a big or aggressive dog. It is usually a perfect storm of bad human-canine interactions -- the wrong dog, the wrong background, the wrong history in the hands of the wrong person in the wrong environmental situation. (Malcolm Gladwell, Troublemakers - What pit bulls can teach us about profiling, The New Yorker, Feb. 6, 2006.) www.dogbitelaw.com/PAGES/breedlaws.html Our Country was not founded on the restriction and punishment of the masses based on the actions of a few. Focusing legislation on dogs that are vicious distracts attention from the real problem, which is irresponsible owners. These very breeds as a whole have proven their stability and good canine citizenry by becoming Rescue' dogs, Therapy dogs working inside hospitals, professional Herding dogs and family companions for years. Banning the so-called dangerous breed will merely hasten the upswing in popularity of some other breed that will be used for vicious attacks on people and other animals. There is no valid reason to deprive animal lovers of their well behaved pets. The reports and statistics are flawed. Among other things, a dog bite victim is usually unable to identify the breed of dog that bit him or her. Therefore, victims will name the type of dog that currently is on people's minds as being the dangerous dog. (From the Animal Farm Foundation.) One more thing, the best K-9 drug searching dog in America is a PitBull...his name is Popsicle because he was rescued from a man who tried to kill him by putting him in a freezer. -Cindy, owner of 1 PitBull (Zeus) and 2 Beagles (Max Osiris)...and yes they do get along!

I get that as well... [2008-11-03]
Usually I get someone chopping up a medical term and I tell them well was it blankety blank? and they seem impressed. I sometimes laugh and say i know how to spell it but don just like you. The majority is asking me about doctors in the area and whether they are a good doctor or a bad doctor. How should I know? This comes from working on-site for 17 years in the community though. OP: Just remember that nurses get that same flack from doctors, so she may have wanted to pass that attitude on to you. I worked with a vascular tech that woudl refer to himself as Dr. such and such, and he got written up for it. He was calling nursing homes and calling patient transport companies and acting like he was a doctor. Too weird in my opinion...

trick or treat? [2008-10-30]
Isit in the basement and eat 2 bags of Snickers instead of handing it out tonight. I hear those little candy bars up in the pantry calling my name. I figure I am saving the neighborhood kids from cavities, weight gain, stomachaches and a night of bouncing off the walls. I know they

hubby name-calling [2008-10-29]
Too bad the child in question didnto you I wonder if his parents talked to him that way when he was a child...makes one wonder... Hubby should apologize to that baby. Mom, just explain to your baby that people should and always let your baby know that hecome to you at ANYTIME...perhals this sounds simplistic but it's sad that adults (OR ALLEDGED adults) think its okay to tear down a child's self-confidence this way!!

Snow, Oh, NO! [2008-10-28]
Nothing here yet in Upstate NY, but they are calling for 1-3 inches overnight. I'm not looking forward to this at all. My friends all laugh at me, once the snow falls, you'll never catch me outside unless it's absolutely necessary. On the upside, they're saying that for Halloween it's going to be 62. Very strange weather here.

Nucular for nuclear [2008-10-25]
and calling one soldier a troop

Help! I live next to parents and they ...sm [2008-10-15]
are driving me mad, well my dad is anyways. I have always lived on my parents land next door to them. I live in a mobile home. Well my mom and dad divorced this year because my dad was cheating. He was calling another woman up to 10 times a day, going to her house, has give her everything he has. He owned cattle and sold them and got $32,000 for them. Well the money disappeared and he was broke before long. This woman he is cheating with is on disability and lives in a house and has a SUV. Her daughter has a car and son a truck and none of them work. Mama has looked on his bank statements and seen where he is making their payments. Well of course mom put him out. Like to never got him out. He got a mobile home and parked it on the land. She got 3 acres and the house in divorce. He has the remaining 7 acres. Well he puts his mobile home on his part and refuses to hook it up. He is staying in this trailer with no power, no sewage, nothing. There is only a bed. He has had the money to hook it up right. My mother has offered him part of the furniture and a TV. He doesn He refuses to live like a normal human being. Then he comes to my moms house every day when she gets off of work and wants to come in and take a shower. She is like no we aren You have a trailer and you go hook it up and take a shower over there. Well it has water to it he just doesn Well that is his own problem. He chooses not to have it hooked up because I guess he wants an excuse to come over to moms. Well she tells him no. Then he comes to my house and sits and sits. He comes over because he has no furniture and no TV or nothing. He comes and rumages through my cabinets and bums food. If me and my mom are at my house and decide to cook something he invites himself over there and helps himself. I have never seen anyone who was so annoying. I can He refuses to get a washer or dryer which without electricity it wouldn So he comes to my house and says can I wash my laundry? Well gues what? I end up doing it cause he doesn Then he leaves it there and expects me to finish it. I can not hardly do my work because he comes over and says are you busy? I just wanted to talk. I won Then he just sits there. I am at my wits end. I just want to move. He came over and said can I borrow a duffle bag? I said ok. I give it to him. He says I am gonna go buy one and I will bring it back. I never have got it back. Then he comes over and says can I borrow an ice chest. I let him borrow it and never get it back. He bums off of everyone here but this other woman and her children he gives whatever they want. He has taken money from me and my sister. He has borrowed money against my sisters extra vehicle she had paid for. He asked and she let him. he didn THis is his own daughter he did this to now. My husband had a pickup in my dads name because his credit wasn Big mistake. When the truck was almost paid formy dadborrowed money against the truck behind our backs. THen the truck is stolen and insurance has to pay it off. Well it was worth more than what was owing so we got the differnece. Well he had borrowed $1600 against it and said he didn So it came out of our insurance money from the truck. Finally when we knew he had some money we had to bug him and bug him for the money and he said $1000 is all he owed. He borrowed $1600 and paid one note on it before the truck was stolen. So we were out about $500. He takes from his children. I am at wits end. I want to get far far away from him. My sister lives an hour an a half away and she seems pretty lucky right now. What the heck to do?

I should also add [2008-10-10]
that we deal with a difficult bio-mom too. From the age of about 3-6 SS told us many terrible things that she said about me and my relationship with his father. During the last 2 years he has started calling me mom on occasion (his own doing) but coincidentally he goes back to her house and comes back not saying it for a few months so I can only assume its her influence. He's getting old enough to know when to keep his mouth shut and not tell either side certain things but I'm sure he slips up on that one. Anyway, just wanted to say that will never get better. She will continue that way forever. I've had many tears over it but feel like it is something that I can deal with and 1 day SS will see that I was the better person for not putting him in those situations. TO me it is almost a testament to how good of a person she thinks I am that she needs to protect her turf and try so hard to turn him against me. Don't know if you could feel the same about his ex or not.

Just wondering with the dinner post below [2008-10-04]
and some others that istopping by and dropping off, has anyone on this board actually met? Between the animal lovers and wonderful food mentioned, wouldn't that be a great vacation to pick someone's hometown once a year and everyone gather?

This kind of stuff happens every day in school... [2008-10-01]
You people overreact to everything... I understand the mother is upset over the puncture wound, but this will be the first of many hurts. Yes, the child that did the poking needs to be told she did wrong, but expelsion and calling her special needs is just plain overreacting. Of course that girl Are you all that paranoid?

This happened to MY GIRL in 2nd grade . . . sm [2008-10-01]
actually, the girl threatened to stab her with her pencil. My daughter went to the teacher who was an old burned out substitute that day and the teacher told her to sit down and get to work, would not even listen to her. Needless to say I went ballistic. Of course, the girl who was threatening to stab my daugther was a problem child (they always are, who else would do this?). My daughter was moved away from this child and never sat next to her again, because I saw to it that it happened that way. And btw, I personally believe calling the mother would only frustrate you more. Why do you think this child acts this way? You would be only arguring against ignorance and there is no point to frutstrate yourself further. Tell your child to stay away from this child and insist upon their separation in the classroom.

Says he was promised a job but I haven't [2008-09-30]
seen or heard from anyone calling here for him about a job. The least he could do is maybe wash a dish or two during this time but oh no. That's asking way too much.

Advice needed - school incident [2008-09-30]
Okay,I will try to make this short. We send our son to Catholic school. We are Catholic but we also love the atmosphere, i.e. safe and a good community environment. He is in second grade. When I pick him up today, he tells me this classmate girl has stabbed him in the arm with her pencil! He had to have an ice pack on it for an hour and it still hurts him. She poked thru his shirt and now it She has a short fuse and apparently was mad that he was invading her space. They have 4 stations at one table, soitcould be difficult for achild to discernwhere onespace ends and another begins. I am pi**ed off about this. 1. The school didnthey did the other mother. 2. The girl's mother (whom I know) hasn't called me about it. 3. I spoke with the principal briefly because his teacher had left by the time I got there, but he is going to talk to the girl and my son about it tomorrow and about personal space. She was in his office for an hour until dismissal today. I know if it was my kid, I would be calling that mother right up and apologizing. I amso ticked off right now about it thatIam worried if I do call, I will lose mycool. The other thing is this:We have always taught our son to respect others and treat others how you would want to be treated. He has a good moral compass. He is also a big and tough kid.We have always taught himto neverhurt others unless itdefense. I feel as if they are brushing this off because he is a boy. I think if the shoe was on the other foot and he did it to her, it would be bad news. All hubby and I know is that we don How do we get our point across? SHould I call the mom and tell her that? My son told me this is not the first time she has done this (poking with the pencil) but it is the first time it hurt like this. She could have gotten him in the eye or hurt someone else altogether! I don The school doesn I am so mad right now I could spit.

Tell 'em siser... [2008-09-27]
So when they get tired of being fluffy, they come here, rouse things up, and then go back and report that this board is childish, but of course that I actually would rather be here as there are a lot of different topics and you don Go moderators!! Keep up the good work here on Stars... Sometimes ya The funny part is instead of them calling themselves miserable, they come over, copy paste and then make a thread out of a borrowed post from here...

You don't pay for the other board.... [2008-09-26]
the best thing about it is nobody is nasty towards each other, no name calling if you have a different opinion about something, not much whining and complaining about how horrible someonea bit.