Kerfuffle

Michael Vick new spokesman for PETA? What's next... Octomom for Planned Parenthood?

The thing about "celebrity" endorsements is that they should be (a) credible, (b) make you think better of whatever is endorsed by association,  and (c) not make you laugh out loud.

Triple FAIL.

From Advertising Age...

NEW YORK -- Michael Vick is in talks to become the new spokesman for PETA.

Yes, you read that correctly. The disgraced one-time NFL superstar serving prison time for funding an illegal dog-fighting ring is primed to do public-service ads for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals upon his release later this month. According to three people with knowledge of the matter, the proposed endorsement is part of a comprehensive PR scheme aimed at rehabilitating the quarterback's image and gaining him readmission to the league that banned him from playing.

A comprehensive PR scheme.  Good luck with that.  I'm not altogether surprised in the choice of a Michale Vick/PETA partnership.  While I am all for the ethical treatment of animals, I don't exactly see PETA as having all that great of a favorable image themselves.  I mean, their hearts are probably in the right place, but something about those folks just ain't right.  I have a feeling that The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and humane societies across the country all took a pass on Mr. Vick's kind offer to exploit them in an effort (hopefully futile) to make him look like he wants to cuddle a puppy rather than to eat it.

Should Vick return to professional football, the team that signs him will instantly replace the Packers as my least favorite team.

True to the breed, this St. Bernard lives up to the standard; saves woman

From Karen Hollish of the Ashland, Wisconsin Daily Press comes the story of a Saint Bernard dog that heard and responded to a call of distress. 

"All of a sudden she headed right toward the bank and I couldn't hold her," he said. "I just let her go."

[Dog owner John] D'Angelo caught up with her several blocks away, in the parking lot of Drummond State Bank. There, on the hard icy ground, 66-year-old Janet Bletsch had fallen face-first and had been screaming for help.

"She brought her owner to me," Bletsch said. "And the owner saw me lying there, and he went to pull the dog back. And I said, 'No, it's OK,' so the dog came over and laid down beside me."

The dog's name:  why, Brandy, of course.

"All of a sudden she just broke free, and she took off on me. She never does that," D'Angelo, 65, said Thursday. "I fell on my behind and I yelled at her, 'Stop! Stay!' And she stopped right in the middle of the street."  "She was very attentive," he continued. "She was looking around, looking around, looking around, and I thought: What's going on with her?"

D'Angelo picked himself up, dashed over to Brandy and grabbed hold of her leash. All he could hear was the sounds of children playing outside the nearby school, but it was obvious that Brandy — with her head cocked and a look of concern crossing her face — was concentrating on something else.
...
D'Angelo watched the scene unfold with awe.

"Brandy just laid right down by that lady, and she just gave her a kiss on the face, and she just put her head on top of that woman — God bless the lady; thank God she's all right! — and Jan said, 'Oh my angel!' And she started crying," D'Angelo said.

"I don't know how she did it," D'Angelo added of his pup, who has had no special training outside of basic obedience. "I guess she's bred to do that."

Indeed she is, said fancier Cheryl Emery of Cement City, Mich., who serves as an adviser to the Saint Bernard Club of America. The breed was developed around 1700 to help rescue people who'd become lost in treacherous mountain locations, she said.

"They lived with monks in the Swiss Alps, and they went out to rescue lost travelers in the snow," Emery said. "That's just what (Brandy) did."

I'm partial to Newfoundlands myself, but this makes me want to hug the next St. Bernard I see.  (Best to ask the owner, and the dog, first, I suppose.)  A lot of people who are fearful of dogs are especially so of the large and giant breeds.  But to know one of these gentle giants is to know true canine nobility.  Saints, Newfies, Burmese Mountain dogs and others of similar heft and temperament are, in my not-so-humble opinion, wonderful beings that are very worth knowing.

Humane Societies GOOD; Idiotic and Cruel Dog Owners BAD

Not every story has a reasonably happy ending like this one.

From the AP via the Capital Times...

SHEBOYGAN — An animal neglect charge could be filed against a Sheboygan woman whose "morbidly obese" border collie survived freezing to a sidewalk last week.
Humane Society officials say 120-pound Jiffy was left outdoors overnight in single-digit temperatures but survived because it was insulated by layers of fat.
Police issued 59-year-old Alice Bigler an ordinance violation for animal neglect. The Sheboygan County district attorney's office says she is scheduled for a Dec. 22 court appearance, when a criminal charge of misdemeanor animal neglect could be filed.

OK, maybe this owner wasn't cruel.  But she sure was idiotic.  The dog didn't get morbidly obese by hitting the Burger King drive-thru.  And I doubt it was ordering pizzas.  She was feeding this poor thing to death.  Not being able to get it to come in isn't reason to leave it out in single-digit temperatures, ma'am.

Jiffy is in the good hands of the local humane society.  This is a great reminder to donate to your local humane society or other animal welfare agency.  When the economy tanks like it is doing now, pets often are abandoned or otherwise mistreated.  Sometimes the owners just can't help it.  But just as often, ignorance and cruelty are at the core of the problem.

If you made it to this post, you can certainly Google "humane society + [your town here]" and make a small donation.  Or you can go to my personal favorite, the Dane County Humane Society, right here.  Thanks!

Happy Lucky 13th Birthday to Myra

A big Newfie birthday shout-out all the way to Melbourne, Australia.  Doesn't she look great?  Of course, this is before she hit the open bar, but still...

Hotel WiFi and picture uploads don't mix

[Ketchum ID]  Tom and I drove from Boise to Ketchum today, and much of the drive was through the Sawtooth National Forest.  In a word, the scenery was breathtaking.  For the moment, you'll have to take my word for it, since the internet service at the Ketchum Lodge doesn't take kindly to big file uploads.  After I uploaded the fifth photo on the Typepad composer, I got thrown off my connection and had to cajole the provider to unblock me.  But, believe me, the pictures are really cool.  When I'm back in Boise, or can sop up some bandwidth somewhere in Ketchum tomorrow (my birthday!), I'll toss up a bunch of nice shots.

I'll take the chance of uploading one here, because it is my favortite photo of the day, and it isn't a scenic shot.  Just a happy dog shot.

Postcards from Boise: Who Knew?

[Boise ID]  Up until Friday, Idaho remained the only state of the lower 48 west of the Mississippi I had yet to visit.  Tom and I are in Boise to visit our good friends Todd and Meg, who moved out here last year.  All I knew of Idaho was that they grow potatoes and Republicans here, and that it is the state that gave us Senator Larry Craig.

So far, I have to say that Boise rocks.  This part of Idaho has offered up all kinds of pleasant surprises so far.  We've been to a great farmers market that, while totally different from the excellent on in Madison, is every bit as good. 

Yesterday afternoon we visited four area wineries. 

This morning we walked along the greenbelt that winds along the Boise River.

Finney likes Boise a lot.  I have to agree.

Today we're off to navigate the scenic drive to Ketchum and Sun Valley.  Way cool.

Gigger is such a jack-ass!

Sometimes one does things for no real reason other than because one can. And that's how we came to purchase a miniature donkey. Why? WTF? Why not?

Enter Zeke, an 8-month-old black male who has been renamed "Gigger." Gigger is Tom's mom's childhood nickname. Getting the donkey was originally her idea, so why not give her the naming honors?
Trinket, our three-legged Newfoundland is completely smitten with Gigger. I'm not sure if she thinks he is a very homely dog, a giant animatronic plush toy, or a small buffalo. But she just loves him and probably would move in with him if he asked. So far, he hasn't.

Here's a fun fact: a male donkey is called a "jack." Another word for donkey is "ass." Thus, a jackass is a male donkey. It is also an alternative name for Tom's soon-to-be-ex-brother-in-law. Believe it or not, there is actually a national miniature donkey association, and naturally, they have a web site. They can give you more information that you'd ever wanty about these little guys. Here's a sample:

Donkeys require a small amount of grain, good quality hay, a mineral salt block, and fresh, clean water. Access to pasture for grazing and exercise is preferable and should be a consideration. They should always have shelter from rain, snow, wind, hot sun, and flies! It should be dry and draft-free. Fencing need only be four feet high, woven wire is considered a safe and popular choice. Donkeys can withstand cold temperatures as long as they have shelter and are fed properly. Miniature donkeys are "herd" animals. To avoid undue stress and loneliness, it is strongly recommended they not be kept singly but with another Miniature Donkey or other animal as a life-long friend.

Facts & Figures
Life Span: 25 - 35+ years

Weight: 200 - 350 pounds at maturity

Height: Average 32" - 34" at the withers, maximum 36"

Gestation: 11-1/2 - 13 months

Birth: Single baby, averages 20-30 pounds at birth. Foals are up and nursing within 30 minutes and are weaned between 5-6 months of age.

Reproduction: Male donkeys are referred to as "jacks," female donkeys are "jennets," and baby donkeys are called "foals".
Jennets should not be bred until they are physically mature at approximately 3 years of age. They have heat cycles every 18-21 days throughout most of the year.

Health:
Miniature Donkeys are remarkably hardy and healthy. They do require preventative vaccinations, should be wormed regularly, and have their hooves trimmed every 2-3 months.

Color:
Miniature Donkeys are predominantly grey-dun with the characteristic "cross." They also come in darker shades of grey, brown, black, sorrel, white and spotted. Usually they have light tan markings around their muzzle and eyes, known as "points". However, some have dark points.

Gigger definitely looks tiny when compared to our Friesian mare, Salvana, who so far has chosen not to even acknowledge the little guy.
We're letting him wander around the barn and surrounding barnyard more or less at will. Aside from the tendency to poop indiscriminately, he seems pretty well behaved. He spends most of his time eating hay one piece at a time or trying to get into Sam's stall to roll in the sawdust. It's a simple life, but he seems to be up for it. You just can't help but smile when you look at him.

That's 161 months in Dog Years

From CNN.com:

RICHMOND, Virginia (CNN) -- Michael Vick, once one of the highest paid players in the Football League, was sentenced to 23 months in prison for financing a dogfighting ring and helping to kill pit bulls that did not fight aggressively.

Vick's stunning downfall from NFL superstar to disgraced dogfighting defendant culminated Monday in a 90-minute sentencing hearing in federal court in Richmond, Virginia.

Vick was dressed in a black-and-white striped prison suit and apologized to the court and his family, The Associated Press reported.

"You need to apologize to the millions of young people who looked up to you," responded U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson, according to the AP.

Seems a little light, and I'd bet this dog would agree. Vick is a heinous asshole who should be barred from the NFL.

Breaking News: Talking Dog proves smarter than all Fox News anchors combined. More articulate too!

If our dog Shadow was still alive, she could have done this. Trinket isn't much into current affairs, and frankly little Boscobel is not that bright.

But this guy... he gets it.

There's a risk in volunteering time at the humane society

And the result of my risky behavior* is Bosco.

Bosco is about seven months old, and pretty much started his life as a shelter dog. Someone adopted him here in Dane County, but brought him back last week because they couldn't give him any time. I'm glad for him and for us that they made a tough choice and returned him. Timing is everything, and I happened to remember him from when I first saw him in May. I followed the "better to ask forgiveness than permission" plan, but technically Tom did say I could bring home a dog if I found the right one, and I did call him... from the humane society after I had signed all the papers.

Anyway, he's a cool dude and we're glad he's here. At least Tom and Trinket and I are; the cats, not so much.

For some dumb Typepad reason, photos are loading really sloooooooooooooooow tonight. So take this link to a mac.com photo page for more Boscovision.

* Get your mind out of the gutter!