All Creatures September - October 2018

HI! GRACIE HERE, aka Grace and/or Googoo, depending. Edward and Julee’s golden. Three years old. You remember me. I’ve enjoyed talking to you before, with the help of Edward. Exciting news! There is a new feature this month: How I Met My Pet (page 32). It’s great. You should definitely check it out. But why not How I Met My Humans? I have a story! At the time, my life was a mess. I was six months old and belonged to a lady breeder who was very nice—I mean really a good person at heart—but who couldn’t figure out what to do with me, among other things. She’d held two puppies back from the litter, me and my brother, who was being trained to be an agility champ. Weird! I…

When Kristy Gamayo adopted Moki, a five-month-old brindle pit bull, the adoption officer at the shelter warned her to keep her guinea pigs’ cage secured at all times. But the pup approached Frida and Pandora’s enclosure gently, curious about her new housemates. Gamayo decided to give them a chance to get to know one another and realized she had nothing to be nervous about. Moki turned out to be a sweet-natured girl, showing no signs of aggression—only affection—when the guinea pigs were let out for floor time. Three years later, Moki is Frida and Pandora’s favorite pillow. “They love to take naps together,” Gamayo says. “Moki likes to follow the guinea pigs around.” She even offers them her dog toys. They exchange kisses and play daily. Three’s not a crowd…

One summer morning, I heard an unusual chirp from outside. I couldn’t figure out where the noise was coming from—until I glanced at the meter box. The plaster had chipped away, and there, inside a gap, sat a small toad. I prayed he would find his way safely to the ground, but after two days he was still there. Determined to free my captive friend, I held a grass-filled shoebox beneath the gap. The toad crept forward and fell gently onto the grass in the box. What a joyful moment! I set the box down. Before he hopped away, the toad paused and looked at me. You’re welcome, I thought. Share a moment of connection you’ve had with one of God’s creatures (poems and prayers welcome). Send it…

Ian Somerhalder Foundation isfoundation.com,  @isfofficial Living with six dogs, two cats and a horse isn’t enough animal love for actor Ian Somerhalder and his wife, Nikki Reed. In 2010, he started his foundation “to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures.” Through a variety of programs, including spay and neuter clinics, a clean-water campaign and emergency animal medical care grants, Somerhalder, who grew up in Louisiana rescuing pelicans and otters, is encouraging sustainable living and animal rescue. In a post on Instagram, he detailed the rescue of three donkeys, describing them as “beautiful, smart and sentient beings [saved] from certain death somewhere in a cold Colorado feedlot.” The Roar Foundation shambala.org @roarfoundation In Sanskrit, shambala means “a meeting place of…

SHELTERS CAN BE NOISY and stressful places for animals. But something special happens when Kitty Snyder, an Atlanta-based musician, walks into DeKalb County Animal Services in Chamblee, Georgia, playing her guitar and singing for the dogs and cats. Snyder, who’s always had a strong bond with animals, began volunteering at the shelter in 2014. “I rescued my dog 12 years ago,” she says. “Since then, I have been fostering and walking dogs in need of permanent homes and finally found a great local place to volunteer.” Earlier this year, Tracy Hunton Thompson, the director of LifeLine Animal Project (the shelter’s managing organization), had an idea for Snyder, based on a viral video she’d seen of Chad Olds, an animal service officer and musician in North Carolina who plays at the…

ERNEST, my older, experienced golden retriever, lines up at a therapy-dog event next to a Shetland sheepdog, a beagle mix and a labradoodle. They all have something important in common. Does our golden puppy, Petey, have it too? Eleven-month-old Petey has learned most of the skills needed to pass a therapy-dog certification test. He can sit, stay and come. He walks nicely on a leash. He passed his Canine Good Citizen test, meaning he can behave politely in public. But none of these skills are the special characteristic I’m talking about. The one important trait all therapy dogs have in common is a good temperament. Fortunately, I feel Petey has this going for him. Golden retrievers tend to be happy, gentle and eager to please. But just as with people,…