2010 in Review: Yaps, Howls, Barks and Growls

With 2011 fast approaching, I've been trying to remember all the stuff that happened in 2010 and it hasn't been easy. So much has happened...

I started this blog and joined Twitter where I met lots of new and absolutely wonderful friends (you know who you are) from all over the world! There was a Twitter Mini Challenge (see Martha the Westie's blog here) which ended up with some of us visiting Da'Griff and Ollie in Canada. That trip sparked us boys to form a band - Da Pet Shoppe Boies - and we sung about our Westie Girls.

I was invited to Ollie's stag pawty, where I invited some not so good girls to join us, and thankfully Annie Bella still invited me to their Twitter wedding.  



Scenes from Ollie's Stag Pawty (the 'not-so-good' girl)

I, along with many anipals and animal lovers, joined in the fight to free Tony, the tiger being held captive at a Tiger Truck Stop in Louisiana. Unfortunately, the State of Louisiana renewed Tony's owner's permit to keep Tony locked in his concrete-and-wire fencing cell at the gas station, despite the out-pouring of support to free him and an offer from Big Cat Rescue in Tampa to provide him with proper care and living quarters. I am sure the fight will not end here.

Who could forget Mary Bale, the lady caught on a surveillance camera putting a cat in a garbage bin? I am still waiting to leave peemail on her leg! What about you?!?



And while we are on the subject of complete idiots, there is the ongoing absurdity of Michael Vick.  The dog fighting investigation discovered many dogs on his property showing signs of injuries (due to fighting) and local, state and federal authorities seized the dogs (who are now being cared for by Bad Rap Rescue).


Michael Prick...oooops, I mean Vick

Vick and three others were convicted of federal offense conspiracy charges and imprisoned. The quarterback is now out and back to playing football and talking about getting a dog to "help in his rehabilitation". Really?!? How many online polls did you participate in to let your voice be heard on this insanity?! One...five...ten? There were so many and I hope 'someone' gets the message that he doesn't deserve to own another dog, cat...any animal!

Many wild anipals lives were turned upside down (or destroyed) when an oil spill from the Deepwater Horizon flowed for three months in the Gulf of Mexico. Terns, Reddish Egrets, Kemp Ridley Turtles, Loggerhead Turtles, Bottlenose Dolphins, Sperm Whales, Blue Crabs, Brown Pelicans and other marine life (including coral reefs) were, and continue to be, affected despite the well being capped.

See the NASA Satellite View of Oil Spill



There was the great story of Target, a stray dog in Afghanistan that made friends with U.S. soldiers and subsequently became their hero when he attacked a suicide bomber attempting to enter the soldiers' tent. The bomber blew himself up before he could get into the tent, saving the 50 soldiers inside! One soldier, upon returning home, started a petition to bring Target and another dog back to the U.S. and eventually both made it and received a 'hero's welcome'. Target went to live in Arizona in a forever home and we all thought 'what a great ending to this story'! But unfortunately the heartwarming story ended tragically when Target escaped from his owner’s yard and was euthanized by local animal control. What happened with the three day holding rule here?

There were many other courageous and heroic animals this year and The Daily Beast has collected the Top 10 Most Heroic Animals of 2010 here  on their site. Do you know of any other heroic anipals from this year?

Dogs, cats and other animals were stars on the big screens this year, making us laugh and cry in movies like Marmaduke, Secretariat and Cats and Dogs: Revenge of Kitty Galore. Pets were also unwitting stars of the new Animal Planet series, Confessions: Animal Hoarding. A show that many find hard to watch, believe me...animals in crowded and unsanitary conditions, animals sick, dying or dead...but it is shining a huge spotlight on some people's compulsive need to possess and control animals. The show's main stated goal is "to help improve the lives of everyone involved - human and animal". Many pets have been rescued from horrible conditions, cleaned and brought back to health and adopted into new homes. Thank you, Animal Planet!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot some stuff...I was a foster brofur for the first time this year.  I was so good at teaching puppy Dora (now Lexie) how to be a good dog that Ma's friend KP adopted her after only one week.  I learned new turns-of-phrases, like being 'knackered' or 'cream crackered' (that was only yesterday so I remember it - BOL) and I finally figured out that my friends in Australia and New Zealand are a day ahead of me here in Florida!  I got to see wonderful pictures of snow, from all over, and how friends decorate for the holidays at their houses.

Phew! (wipes paw across forehead) That's a lot to remember and I am sure I missed something! What do you remember? Good or bad, happy or sad - let us know! One dog cannot remember everything...BOL!

Thank you Twitter-world and Blogosphere for letting me in and helping me meet new friends!  Here's wishing you and your family a very happy and healthy 2011!