SPREAD THE WORD

PASSING IT ON

We are still praying for poor little blind Radio, but we wanted to get our mind on other stuff for a short while. So what better way than to go out and meet some new dog bloggers?

Travis is a new friend of ours who lives in Perth, WA. WA is not Washington State like where Seattle is. Well WA actually is Washington State but not in this case. In this case WA stands for Western Australia. Perth is in Australlia, on the southwest coast of the continent by the shore of the Indian Ocean and it's a great place. We know cuz our dad has been there and the mere mention of Perth puts him into a trance and brings smiles to his face. When ever he is mad at us all we need to do is back "Perth" a few times and he mellows out right away. Perth is definitely a magic word. Well, the other day our new friend Travis gave us an Our Lovely Blog Award!!! Here are the terms:

1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the dog who has granted the award (Travis) , and his or her blog link. (http://snowballiii.blogspot.com/)

2) Pass the award to up to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.



We give this award to:

Our New Irish Buddy Clive

Our New FooFoo Friennd Fred

Our New Friends from Manhatten: Ammy, Zim, Dave and Stormy (Toto?) THE ARMY OF FOUR

Another new Aussie friend from WA: Suzuki

Our new buddies from Hollywood; Joey and Zeke

Our friends from the RS Nation, the land of the Celtics where Bruins play and everyone likes Patriots: Tucker, Daisy and Leo

Our other new friends from Toto land: Deetz and Sharkie

Our two new food hound friends: Maggie and Mitch

We hope that you guys like the award, even if you already have it; now you've got it twice.

Don't forget to check out the ebay auction to benefit Radio. 100% of the proceeds will go towards Radio's medical bill. Just CLICK HERE. That's it for this post.
- The Bumpass Hounds and Kitties

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If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free! - PJ. O'Rourke

RADIO UPDATE FROM AHGRR #2

EBAY AUCTION TO BENEFIT RADIO
Heya Hounder, We got this update on Radio condition.that Ms. Carol sent out late Tuesday afternoon, May 6th. We ask our blogging buddies to spread the word through their blogs if they can. Thanks.
- The Bumpass Hounds

Hi Everyone:
Radio's condition is unchanged as of this evening, but that may be a good thing. He's still fighting - - - - - - -
I want to thank everyone of you who has sent notes, donations, promises of help - - - - - - the support has been so heartwarming. This has been a very difficult time for me and you have helped me get through it.
So, here's something that's fun, from an artist I have long admired - David Coalburn. David is not only an extremely talented artist, but he is very generous and has up for auction, one of his original paintings of - what else - a golden retriever. David is going to donate 100% of the proceeds of this auction to Almost Heaven to help with Radio's medical bills.

Here's the link: (CLICK HERE)

And, a little preview of David's painting:


Thank you, David - - - - - - - - - - - - and everyone. We will be featuring some of David's wonderful signed and numbered prints at our fundraiser that is being held June 20th - - - - - you will not want to miss it.

You are all INCREDIBLE. Thank you - for always being there.

Carol

Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue

ahgrr@frontiernet.netcarefreesv@frontiernet.net

www.almostheaven-golden-retriever-rescue.org

RADIO UPDATE FROM AHGRR #1

PRAY FOR RADIO

Heya Hounder, We got this update on Radio condition.that Ms. Carol sent out early Tuesday morning, May 6th. We ask our blogging buddies to spread the word through their blogs if they can. Thanks.

- The Bumpass Hounds

Hi Everyone:
This is a very special update - because it involves a very special puppy, Radio. Radio was born blind, and with a stubby little crooked tail. His owner held him until he was 13 weeks old, then sent him to us. He is one of the sweetest puppies on this earth - - - - - - - -
Within 2 days, it was obvious that something was wrong with Radio. He was still a boundless ball of energy, but he was slow to eat and his stools were not "normal". Last Sunday night, he refused his dinner until very late. Monday, I was on the road to our veterinarian's hospital with him - at 6 am - and I left him there for the doctor's to observe and treat his loss of appetite.
Monday evening, he took a downward turn, that has not stopped. He has lapsed into what the doctor's think is now severe parvovirus - and he is fighting for his life. We have no idea how or where he contracted it - - - or if it is secondary to an unknown medical condition. We do know, he was exposed and came to us after exposure - - -
Everyone, please take a few minutes today to send prayers for Radio. I'm not usually an outwardly religious person, but this poor puppy needs your good thoughts and prayers - - - - - - - I plan to ask the doctor's to continue treatment until he either improves - or his chances of recovery become hopeless.
I don't even want to think what his hospital bill will be - either way. If you have a few dollars to spare, we sure could use them now. I will not stop fighting for this puppy's life - - - - - - - I can't. Please help us to help him - - - - - - -

Radio

Carol

Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue

ahgrr@frontiernet.netcarefreesv@frontiernet.netwww.almostheaven-golden-retriever-rescue.org

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

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PLEASE HELP TURN ON THE RADIO

(CLICK HERE)

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Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.

-Rockwell Frederic Bastiat, French Economist (1801-1850)

EMERGENCY SOS

THE BLIND GOLDEN RETRIEVER PUPPY, RADIO, NEEDS YOUR HELP - DESPERATELY!

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Hey Hounders,

We have a real bonafide life or death emergency and we desperately need your help; as much help ($$$) as you can possibly spare. Hopefully y'all remember our blog post about the special needs dog Radio. Radio is a 3 month old Golden Retriever puppy that is totally, and irreversibly, blind. Ms. Carol at Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary assures us that he gets along great for a blind guy and that he is very spirited. Well Radio is in the hospital. He showed signs of not eating and then developed diarrhea. He was taken to the vet hospital and tested low positive for the parvo virus. Parvo is highly contagious and very deadly when untreated. Fortunately, parvo puppies have an 80% recovery rate when the disease is caught and treated early and this appears to be the case here. The vet is very optimistic about Radio's recovery and he is on an IV for dehydration and meds to combat the parvo virus. Because there are a multitude of senior dogs at AHGRR, Radar will have to remain in the hospital for a lengthy period during his treatment regiment and then he will have to be in isolation for 3-4 weeks at some place other than AHGRR in order to preclude infection of the other dogs at AHGRR. Ms. Carol is at her wits end on what to do about this. She does not want to have Radio put down because of his double whammy of blindness and parvo. If Radio can recover from the parvo virus he can live with his blindness; Gordon did it and so can Radio. We know that we can find a place for Radio to do his isolation period if he makes it through his vet treatment OK. But AHGRR is faced with mounting vet bills for Radio's treatment. That's where y'all can help out Radio. We know the economy suxs and we know everyone is doing collar tightening but we don't want to lose Radio. If you can possibly spare anything to help out, please donate it to Radio's treatment fund. Just use the AHGRR PayPal button below and make a note to Ms. Carol that the donation is to help Radio get better. Anything you give is tax deductible, at least for now. If y'all can get him through this then we can for sure find him a furever home. Please, please, pretty please, help us if you can. This is an EMERGENCY plea. We don't want to send Radio to The Rainbow Bridge if it isn't his time yet. Thank you very much for reading this far. If any of our blog buddies can, we'd like you to spread the word about Radio on your blogs; we don't have as many readers and followeers as most of youse other famous blog dogs and cats. We apologize for begging and hope we haven't bothered you. If you have any questions please contact us at: bumpasshounds@hughes.net

- The Bumpass Hounds and Kitties and People.

SWEET JASMINE

JASMINE'S STORY

Heya Hounders,

It's just me, Jack, with an interesting post that we picked off of the Internet. It's about a Greyhound in the U.K. named Jasmine. Our mom and dad are always telling us that the rescue dogs seem more appreciative of having a home because they have probably done without at some time in their lives. We guess that's the case with Jasmine. In 2003, police in Warwickshire, England, opened a garden shed and found a whimpering, cowering dog. It had been locked in the shed and abandoned. It was dirty and malnourished, and had clearly been abused. In an act of kindness, the police took the dog, which was a Greyhound female, to the nearby Nuneaton Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, run by a man named Geoff Grewcock and known as a willing 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 had other ideas. No-one remembers now how it began, but she started welcoming all Animal arrivals at the sanctuary. It wouldn't matter if it was a puppy, a fox cub, a rabbit or, any other lost or hurting Animal, Jasmine would peer into the box or cage 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, 15 chicks, eight guinea pigs, two stray puppies and 15 rabbits. And one roe deer fawn. Tiny Bramble, 11 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.

From left, 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 Mothers heart doing best what a caring Mother would do... Such is the order of God's Creation. Well, what do you think about Jasmine? She obviously is grateful for having been rescued herself. See what love can do to heal the wounded soul.

All of us Bumpass hounds and Kitties want to say Happy Birthday Dad. Still on the right side of the dirt after 441 years. No matter what you think, we really do love you and we really are appreciative of you taking care of us. Will we be having cake and ice cream tonight? Perhaps double rations of kibble are in order on such an occasion.

- Jack and The Bumpass Hounds and Kitties

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I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report thefacts. - Will Rogers

WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE PIG FLU

ARE WE GOING TO GET THE PIG FLU?

Heya Hounders,

It's me, little Jenny. I'm worried. We're all pretty worried. The radio, TV and newspapers are always telling us that we're all gonna get pig flu if we don't wear nose masks and wash our paws/hands 72 times a day and use that stinky "germ free" stuff up by the kitchen sink. Even the Vice President said to stay out of confined spaces so we're refusing to go into our crates or go for rides in the car, like to the vet's. Boru sneezed this morning so we're not letting him out of the basement. We asked dad when we we're gonna die of the pig flu and told us not to be silly. He went on the Internet and the ASPCA says this about the "Swine Flu:"

Can My Pet Catch Swine Flu? (That's the same as pig flu. - TBH)
Don't worry, pet parents! The recent, rapid outbreak of the H1N1 virus, previously known as swine flu, appears to present little risk of infecting our furry friends. In the past few weeks, only humans have been affected by the new virus, and it's still unknown how the virus will impact other species.
"Currently there's no data demonstrating any risk of dogs and cats contracting this strain of the virus," says Dr. Louise Murray, Director of Medicine at the ASPCA's Bergh Memorial Hospital in New York City. "However, owners of pet pigs, as well as farmers, should monitor their animals' health more closely and take steps to limit transmission from humans to pigs and vice versa."
If you do count a pet pig as your animal companion, please consult with your veterinarian about a Type A influenza vaccine, which is available and recommended for all healthy swine.
Dr. Miranda Spindel, Director of ASPCA Veterinary Outreach, adds: "Swine influenza or swine flu is one of the leading causes of respiratory disease in swine throughout the world. Like most influenza A viruses, swine flu generally causes high levels of illness in pigs, but fatalities are uncommon."
For the latest information about the outbreak and your pet's health, please visit the Center for Disease Control (http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu). If you suspect your pet is ill or if he exhibits any sudden changes in behavior, please contact your veterinarian immediately.
Read the ASPCA's official statement on swine flu.

That makes us feel a bit better. It's funny but if you think about being sick too much you seem to be able to make yourself feel like you are really sick. Oh, we're no dismissing the pig flu; we'll take precautions but we're not gonna lock ourselves in basement (Did anyone let Boru out yet?) If we start to feel sick we'll stay home and cover our snoots when we sneeze, get plenty of rest (that's a no brainer) and wash our paws and stuff, but we aren't going to make ourselves sick with worry trying not to make ourselves sick with pig flu. Everyone stay healthy. What are you and your family doing about the Swine Flu?

- Jenny and The Bumpass Hounds

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Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases:

If it moves, tax it.

If it keeps moving, regulate it.

And, if it stops moving, subsidize it.

- Ronald Reagan (1986)

ALMOST HEAVENLY SUNDAY SAINTS

ALMOST HEAVEN VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Heya Hounders,

Well today's is Sunday when we should all be reflective of our world and the meaning of life and all those other guilt ridden feelings that often overcome us on Sunday. Do you feel as though you're not pulling your weight in the world? Could you be doing more for humanity than recycling your trash? Have you been purposely bad or naughty and need to do pennance for your sin? Well we know just the thing to even the score and help you earn brownie points with the big guy. You need to do something other than 5 days of community service. You need to have a charitable commitment and we think we've got just the ticket for an eternal trip to Polynesia instead of the Sahara. All of the dogs pictured on today's post are homeless animals. many were saved from scheduled "termination." Look at their faces. Do they deserve to die for the sins of the people responsible for their plight? Can you do anything at all to help ease their pain? Would you give up just one white chocolate mocha grande latte this week to help out the little homeless doggie that is starving to death? Don't y'all feel just a twinge of guilt right now, just a teeny tiny little bit. Could you possibly do even one little thing to alleviate just one the injustices burdened on these helpless canines? Well we can help y'all out with that.

Like almost all rescue organizations, Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Santuary is staffed strictly by volunteers. Without their dedicated volunteers, Almost Heaven would not exist and could not help those Goldens that need them so desperately.
There is so much that a volunteer can do besides foster and transport a dog. AHGRR needs clerical help, newsletter help, fundraising help, donations of supplies, medical services, toys, food, leashes, collars (take a look at our 100 Ways to Help a Rescue list for even more ideas), and you may even have some other ideas.
Become a Golden's Angel
All Angels go to Heaven so Why Not Sponsor A Senior/Resident or an Available Golden awaiting a new home and become an Angel? For As Little As $10/Month, You Can Make A Huge Difference In The Life Of One Of Our Permanent Residents. So many Senior and Special Needs Goldens do not find "forever homes". Many of these dogs have above average medical needs and costs, are maintained on "special" diets, or have other extraordinary needs. Your donations can be targeted towards one particular Golden. As a sponsor, you will receive updates about your "special" Golden, and will be mentioned in the AHGRR quarterly newsletter as the dog's sponsor. Please just write the Golden's name in the memo line of your check or PayPal payment when sponsoring a Golden.
AHGRR can assure you that any and all offers of help will be gratefully accepted and appreciated.
Note: Multiple sponsorship of a particular Golden is permitted, as some of our Goldens can never have too many Angels. AHGRR is a registered 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization and operates solely on Donations. All donations are 100% tax deductible.
If you would like to volunteer or Sponsor a Golden, fill out and mail a Almost Heaven Volunteer Application or or send an e-mail to Carol Free. If you would like to make donations, they are greatly appreciated, and can be sent through Paylpal. Please use the PayPal button in the blog's right margin.

Looking for other ways to help Almost Heaven?
Here are 100 Ways to Help a Rescue

AHGRR uses Patented Kuranda Dog Beds because they are durable, chew proof and easy to clean. If you would like to donate a bed to AHGRR, click here. We only need you to answer one simply little question. Will you help save just one of these faces?

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Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. - P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Liberarian

TRULY MAN, AND BOY'S, BEST FRIEND

A LITTLE BOY

AND HIS DOG

Heya Hounders, Sometimes we wish that we had a little boy instead of an old man that acts like one. Oh well, you gotta take what you got. If life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. This video is currently floating around the internet and we think it say a lot about us dogs. We hope you like the video and send it to your dog friends and dog people friends. - The Bumpass Hounds

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Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries. - Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University

REMEMBERING GORDON

FRIDAY FLASHBACKS

Heya Hounders,

We were all talking with mom and dad last night about fostering the new blind puppy that is at AHGRR. That got us thinking about our brother Gordon who went to The Rainbow Bridge in January of 2008. Gordon was also blind. Gordon had been abandoned to a shelter in the Atlanta, GA area when he was about 7 years old because he was going blind and his lifelong "owner" didn't want to, or couldn't, deal with that. Gordon found his way into rescue and eventually was taken to AHGRR where Ms. Carol and Mr. Skip took special good care of him. Then one day mom and dad found his picture at Petfinders and then went to the AHGRR website and then they emailed Ms. Carol and then they did some studying about blind dogs and then they emailed Ms. Carol and then mom and dad went to AHGRR in Delray, WV and then Gordon came home to live with us. And that's how we all became involved in trying to help out AHGRR whenever we can. Gordon came to us when we lived in our other house and he made the move to the lake which makes him a Bumpass Hound plankowner. Gordon never required a lot a special treatment. Mostly it was just common courtesy stuff like not moving the furniture around after he had "imprinted" the layout. Gordon fit right in from the gitgo. He followed the pack around the yard and in no time he had imprinted the yard layout. He had very keen hearing and sense of smell. He seldom if ever bumped into anything, tree, shed, or fence. He walked slowly, more of a shuffle, but he could get up a head of steam if he was comfortable with his environment. All of us dogs, and even the 3 cats, loved Gordon; he was a gentle boy. Gordon "escaped" from the paddock and the yard once, went down th 200' driveway, crossed the street to a neighbors house and ended up as the guest of a children's birthday party. Anyway, Gordon lived with us until he was well over 15 years old. We really miss him a lot, especially Abby and Shelby Belle because he was like their Grandpa and they took very good care of him. Here's some Gordon photographs for you to look at. So, what do y'all think about our brother, Gordon?

- The Bumpass Hounds and Kitties.

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Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. - James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)