Volunteer Time

In July, after the frenzy of moving, marrying, and honeymooning was over, I needed to get out and meet people.  This, in addition to my 'bleeding heart syndrome' prompted me to volunteer my time with Pinellas County Animal Services.  They have a great Facebook website that you can 'like' and see all the dogs and cats that are in our county and are searching for their forever home.

I've met so many cuties while there:

All of these dogs are ready to be your new pet.  I can't tell you enough how loving they are.  They are ready to have some love, consistency, and training in their lives.  If you have room in your family, please consider adopting from Pinellas County Animal Services.  You won't regret it!

I've been a cat person most of my life, but my husband is a through-and-through dog lover.  Having his dogs around made me into a dog person as well.  Now, they are my dogs too ;)

 This is Sully and Sable

This is Bella.  She's pretty and she knows it.  She is the MOST vocal cat I have EVER known.  Please don't underestimate it as an exaggeration when I say she talks to us ALL the time.

Bella had a life partner.  His name was Milano.

The week we moved to Florida, he decided he had no need for us anymore and found another home with another family.  At least that is what I tell myself happened.  In reality, he became and outdoor cat and ran away.  He is microchipped, so we're hopeful that if his new forever home doesn't want him anymore they'll be able to find us.  He was our little man and is surely missed.

Before we left San Antonio, Texas, Sable began to develop mass cell tumors and we had the masses removed 2 times within 2 months before we ultimately decided to euthanize her, rather than continuing to operate.  The cancer had begun to spread to other parts of her body, she was almost immobile, and her quality of life was deteriorating.  Here are a few pictures of her before she was ill.

Playing in the Grass

Playing with her Daddy

  

Pretty Girl

So it was with a heavy heart that I Until one day, about a month after Sable passed, I met this little cutie.

This dog's name was Valentina.  She is so loving and just wanted to sit in my lap and give kisses.  To this day, I still get Facebook posts from other volunteers who remember her affectionate personality and are heart-warmed by her progress.

But to adopt her, I had to convince my husband that we were ready for another dog.  This would be no easy feat since he was very attached to Sable.

So I had to make a compromise.....

This little beauty was another adoption.  She has a 'gimpy' front left paw.  It didn't grow properly in the womb and she was born with only half of her paw.  But she still has one good claw and a pretty strong serve (as the dogs have found out if they get close enough to her to be in smacking distance).  We named her Nemi.  As in nemi-sis.  I figured Bella would not appreciate another cat and I was right.  But they've learned to get along.