OK folks, I’m comin’ clean. I’ve been holding out on you. Since Christmas weekend, I’ve had a new bud, a little rescue I’ve named Seamus. Yeah, I know you can see from his photo below he’s a Chihuahua mix, but I’ve always been partial to Gaelic cultures and names like Paco and Taco and Niko, etc. have been, to my thinking, overdone. So, I tell people he’s from Dublin, Mexico.

Hope Rescues got him from Missouri where he was used as a little studmuffin. After he’d outlived his usefulness, the breeder didn’t want him anymore. They were going to shoot him. Not only is that in and of itself horrific, but though I love him dearly, I would never have thought about using Seamus for stud. He just doesn’t represent his breed very well. His teeth came in at all angles. He has a snaggle tooth that his upper lip gets caught on periodically, which gives him a pouty look. More generally, he doesn’t have that apple-shaped head that is considered a “good” Chihuahua and he’s 13 pounds – too big if you’re breeding the teacup variety. Obviously, someone was just pumping out the puppies.

Whoever had him must have been very rough with him because he’s what I call “skittery.” He is very, very shy with women and downright scared of men. Maybe that’s why Hope had him for a year.

But once he found out that I wasn’t going to mistreat him, he became my little shadow. And he is absolutely no trouble. Give him some kibble, water, and the end of the bed or your lap and he’s in doggie heaven.

The moral of this story is the next time you go to a shelter to adopt, spend a little time with that dog (or cat) that you quickly rejected for whatever reason. You may be passing up a little jewel.

To The Telegraph via emailed press release:

We are the not for profit, Bi-State Wildlife Hotline, serving all Missouri counties and Western Illinois.
Our organization’s mission is to provide the public with live, certified Wildlife Specialists at no cost, 24 hours a day, to discuss conflicts with wildlife, injured or sick wildlife, and orphaned babies.

Many public offices, city halls, animal control officers, animal rescue groups, veterinarians and police and fire departments have received residents’ calls with wildlife related calls. Many county animal control departments will only respond to calls for domestic animals (dogs and cats) and other sources do not specialize in wildlife and the public needs somewhere to turn in order to get help.

We offer a solution for these types of calls.* The Bi-State Wildlife Hotline @ (636) 492-1610 or (800) 482-7950 is a free, volunteer based service, available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week for all wildlife related questions and concerns. Calls regarding all wildlife like squirrels, skunks, raccoons, opossums, woodchucks, chipmunks, foxes, coyotes, rabbits, mink, otter, beaver, song birds, birds of prey and deer can be referred to this hotline for assistance.

*Note: Bite reports will still be referred to local/municipality animal control departments or health departments.*

We offer licensed rehab referral information for callers when the animal in question truly needs medical care. Often, a caller’s wildlife conflicts can be resolved via telephone through education, or referral. However, when an animal is in true need of rescue, we have a network of licensed rehabilitators in Missouri & Illinois available to assist. For more information visit us online at www.wildlifehotline.com.

The third annual Alton Pet Mardi Gras Parade kicks off at 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29, at 3rd and Piasa, Downtown Alton.

All pets MUST be spayed/neutered and current on vaccines in order to participate.

Parade begins at 2 p.m. Entry fee for parade is $5 per family; prizes awarded for best dressed pet.

Proceeds benefit the City of Alton Dog Park.

More interesting places to go and things to see from the Watershed Nature Center, Edwardsville:

Discovery Days! Saturdays @ Watershed (formerly known as Get Outdoors!)

Topic : Backyard Birds

Date/Time: 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 28
Fee/Registration: Free and open to the public, all ages welcome.

For bird lovers of all kinds, whether you like to sit in your house and watch birds out the window or take your binoculars on a walk. Learn how to use binoculars, identify birds using field guides, watch some bird feeding habits, and find out how birds survive winter. You will also get to make eco-friendly bird feeders out of everyday household items.

The Discovery Days! series is a chance for our community to understand and appreciate nature through education, recreation, and volunteerism. Events are held at the Watershed Nature Center, 1591 Tower Avenue in Edwardsville, near Hoppe Park and N.O. Nelson School.

Contact Watershed Nature Center, 618-692-7578 or email watershed@cityofedwardsville.com .

Just for your information:

The Alton Parks and Recreation Department will offer a 10-week dog obedience course starting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, at the Muenstermann Pavilion in Gordon Moore Park.

The fee for the course is $50 for residents and $60 for non-residents.

Classes are open for all dogs. Shot certifications must be shown at time of registration.

First classes are for dog owners only for registration and orientation.

For more information call (618) 463-3580.

Photos below right are of Grace, a dog recently taken in by Hope Rescues. Grace is from an animal neglect case in St. Clair County.

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”
King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)

God should be having second thoughts about giving man “dominion,” no matter what your personal definition of the word might be. Humans are supposed to have an intellect or consciousness, that separates them from animals. The person responsible for Grace’s abuse had neither, nor a heart.

Via email from Metro East Humane Society:

As MEHS welcomes 2012, we look to upcoming events and a chance to meet with some of our supporters!

The first is the 2012 Wine Tasting. Slated from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, this year’s wine tasting will again be held at Springer’s Creek Winery in Edwardsville. Details about the event and anonline opportunity to purchase tickets can be found on our website – www.mehs.org[http://www.mehs.org].

We encourage everyone to join us, taste a little wine,enjoy some refreshments, and socialize with animal lovers from the area! We also want to bring everyone’s attention to a special adoption case at the shelter:
His name is Hershey, a four year old chocolate Lab who deserves a second chance. Hershey came to us heartworm positive. He was an unclaimed stray who apparently wasn’t medically cared for in his life. MEHS decided to give him a second chance.

The heart worms, however, pose a problem. The nation is facing a shortage ofheartworm treatment vaccines. It is on back order everywhere. But, there is currently a ‘treatment’ that has proven successful. If the dog receives Heartguard medication monthly for a year to year and a half, research has found that the positive is reversed. So, MEHS is offering Hershey for adoption to a great home for the cost of one year’s Heartguard — $60.

We would love to see Hershey get a second chance in a home where the family understands what good care means. If you, or someone you know, would like to give Hershey that chance, visit the MEHS website and complete an online application. We will then be sure to choose the appropriate home for Hershey!

The following story was submitted last year as a Holiday Memory. Some feel-good stories turn into classics. Though The Telegraph can’t reprint the story as a Holiday Memory for this year, I thought I’d throw it on my blog:

It was a nice mid-November day in 1974. A neighbor was going to Greenfield to exercise his two young beagles. Could our five-year-old beagle, Tippy, go along? The wife said, “Sure, the run will do him good.” Wrong!
Evening arrived – no neighbor and no Tippy. Late that night the neighbor arrived with bad news. Tippy had run away. A shotgun was fired and our housepet turned from beaglehound to greyhound, streaking north. The neighbor looked for him – no luck. He was sorry.
We were devastated. Poor Tippy – was he cold, hungry, hurt, afraid, or worse? Our two sons wanted their pet home immediately, if not sooner. I told the boys that daylight saving time, work and school would limit our searches to weekends. Hold on, Tippy.
The people of Greenfield and the surrounding county were great. We set up a network there with several families. Phone calls were made and signs were posted in churches, stores, etc. They made the boys feel better by putting out food and a blanket.
A gloomy Thanksgiving came and went. The search went on – no luck. The Christmas decorations went up while our Christmas spirit went down. While other dreamed of a white Christmas, we prayed for warmer weather. Tippy’s return was at the top of the kids’ Christmas list. Friends and relatives joined the search – no luck.
The Sunday before Christmas, we repeated the weekly ritual of driving, walking, and calling for Tippy. As we drove back to the main road, one of the boys said, “There’s a beagle, Dad.” I stopped and saw a dirty, skinny beagle tied to the side of a house. I was halfway to him when the bark told us we had found our pet.
The way Tippy behaved convinced the household that he was our pet. The dog had come to their house that week and made friends with their son who was our boy’s age. Tippy raced to the car and sat between the boys. He gave us a look that said, “Where have you been?” We gave the boy the reward – he was happy for the Christmas money. Truly a win-win feeling.
Tippy and the Christmas spirit were back.
(We had our pet for nine more Christmases.)
CLARENCE VAN HOY
Alton