Happy Tabbies Remind Us that There are Real Life Happy Endings!

Nigel and I were visiting a fourth grade class this morning and met the guardian of two WARL adoptees.   Our terrific visit was made even better when I learned from the students' teacher that two of our former wards were happy and healthy in their forever home!  I asked for pictures of the content tabbies,  and no sooner had I gotten back to my desk, there they were -- Fannie and JoJ looking like extremely comfortable and content Siamese twins!

Here is a picture of our two cats from WARL. Fannie is older and as a kitten lived with the WARL cat director (I forget his name) and she loved to sleep under the ear of his dachshund; she has grown up to be very vocal and is the alpha kitty. Jojo is younger and came from New Orleans after Katrina (actually the group that was displaced from the FEMA trailers. She is pure New ‘Awlins and loves to eat and is very relaxed. I used to live in New Orleans, so she is special to us. They are great companions to each other and to us.

JoJo is a reminder of how an incredible tragedy can turn into nothing short of a miracle.  It was a miracle that so many animals survived Katrina, and it is truly a miracle that so many of the dogs and cats living in flood areas and communities recently destroyed by tornadoes are alive and well, albeit scared.  Several League staff members spent time in Missouri after the floods, then worked around the clock in Tuscaloosa setting up  a temporary shelter just days after the tornado devestation.  And, now, our dedicated staff are preparing to travel to Joplin, Missouri where they will help care for the animal survivors of the largest tornado ever recorded, attempt to reunite those animals with their guardians, and if need be bring them back to the League where they will find new forever homes.  

We have the most INCREDIBLE, WONDERFUL AND THOUGHTFUL STAFF.   And, we have some pretty special adopters too!

Horrors in Haiti

The destruction caused by the earthquake that slammed Haiti earlier in the week is beyond belief. Even as the pictures flash on television and computer screens, it is hard to imagine living through such a nightmare -- yet, among the death and ruins there are survivors. Sgt. Christopher Holmes and his K-9 partner, Cazo -- a German shepherd, are two of the rescue workers searching for people trapped inside the rubble. Chris and Cazo are part of the DC Fire/EMS Department's Urban Search and Rescue K-9 Unit. The day before the earthquake, the pair, along with Fire/Arson Investigator Rodney Taylor and his K-9 partner, Dozen -- a black Labrador retriever, were visiting students at Takoma Education Center talking about their jobs. Chris told the students how much he loves his job, and how he never knows when he and Cazo will be called to help. Little did he know that just 24 hours later disaster would strike and they would be on their way to Haiti.

Chris and Cazo are looking for people among the devestation. Cazo is trained to find survivors. He understands more than 40 words in German. Chris uses those words to instruct Cazo when they are working. When they aren't working it's play time, family time and just everyday down time. Neither of them will get any down time in the immediate future.