Friday, February 12, 2010

ALR Says Farwell to Trevor

by Fern Garber


"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." Will Rogers

Although it’s never easy, and despite our best efforts, sometimes we at Atlanta Lab Rescue must say good-bye to one of our charges. It is with sadness that earlier this month we helped Trevor cross the Rainbow Bridge.

Trevor arrived at Atlanta Lab Rescue in June of 2009. At that time, he was taken to the vet to be neutered where it was discovered he had a grade 5 heart murmur (grade 6 is the max). Yet, even with this condition and although he was an older rescue (his age was ‘guesstimated’ at about 14), Atlanta Lab Rescue Board Member and volunteer extraordinaire, Frank Conn, agreed to foster Trevor to make whatever time he had left comfortable and dignified. For almost eight months, Trevor played and ran with Frank’s other dogs. He loved everyone, made people laugh and never created problems in the home. When Frank traveled, Becky took on the fostering care.

Frank was planning to bring Trevor to the January 31st Adoption Day at the Buckhead Petsmart, but on Saturday, Trevor’s health took a turn for the worse. His systems were failing and he was losing the battle. So, in the afternoon on February 4, Frank took the gentle soul to the vet and bid him farewell.
 
Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. 
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
 
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

1 in 5 prefers pet to partner for Valentine’s Day

Reuters  Mon., Feb. 8, 2010


NEW YORK - Rather than spending Valentine's Day with their partner, one-fifth of adults would prefer to be with their pet, according to a joint global poll by Reuters/Ipsos.

The survey of 24,000 people in 23 countries found 21 percent of adults would rather spend February 14 with their pet than their spouse, although the French were least likely to choose a furry friend over a human, with only 10 percent taking that option.

But the survey found that age and income were more of a determining factor than nationality when it came to romance, with younger, less affluent people more likely to choose their pet as their Valentine's Day companion.

John Wright, senior vice president of Ipsos, said 25 percent of people aged under 35 opted for their pet over their partner compared to 18 percent of those aged 35-54 and 14 percent of people aged 55 plus.
Men and women were evenly split over the question.

Those choosing pets over people were also more likely to be those who have a lower income (24 percent) compared to those who were middle or higher income earners (20 percent).

"Likely defying stereotype, the desire to spurn a partner for a pet is not rooted in gender but rather age and even there it seems the older you are, the least likely it is you'd choose pet over partner," said Wright.
"While there are country differences, it's more of a personal choice made by younger and less affluent individuals."

On a country-by-country basis, residents of Turkey were the most likely, at 49 percent, to choose their pet over their spouse or partner.

Next came India with 41 percent, then Japan with 30 percent, China with 29 percent, the United States with 27 percent and Australia with 25 percent.

On the other hand, the nations where residents were the least likely to want to spend the day with a pet instead of their spouse or partner were France at 10 percent, Mexico 11 percent, the Netherlands 12 percent and Hungary at 12 percent.

About 1,000 individuals participated on a country by country basis via an Ipsos (http://www.ipsos.com) online panel with weighting employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflected that of the adult population according to the most recent country census data.


 

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