Embarassing Birthday Hat Photo

Mom couldn't find a hat to put on me, she said it will have to wait until this weekend. So she did this.
Oh yeah. That looks real.

You Say It's Your Birthday!

It's my birthday today, I'm five! But I must look very young for my age, because when we go for walks lots of people ask if I'm a puppy. Mom said I don't have to worry about face cream yet...I don't know what that means.
Mom said she will make me some special birthday biscuits this weekend, and we'll have a birthday party for me at doggie day camp next week. Wheeee! As long as I don't have to wear a stupid hat like this poor pug, it sounds good to me!

The Doggie Flu

Someone in our rescue group sent my mom some really good info on the dog flu that has been on the news so much, except they call it "canine influenza", whatever that is. Here is the link where a man from a place called "the CDC" talked about the doggie flu. Doggies can get sick, but few dogs develop complications from it. So there is no need to panic, but it's still a good idea to take your doggie vitamins!

Our Friend is Feeling Better

Mommy got some good news about our friend in the Husky rescue group who is sick - she said he is still in the hospital, but he's been awake, and talking, and he is really doing much better (thank you for your purrr-ayers Oreo!). So that is happy news. His wife and Huskies have been very worried!

Swiffer Wet Jets Are Not Planes

They are these funny looking things that humans use to clean floors (silly humans - don't they know we would lick their floors clean for free?) Mommy got an email from someone in the Husky rescue saying that Swiffer Wet Jets can kill household pets because they have antifreeze in them. Well, my mom is pretty smart. When she first heard this rumor a few months ago, she checked around online to see if it was true. There is a site called snopes.com (hee hee, funny name!) that has a whole bunch of silly stories like this on it, so that people will know that they are just rumors (or big fat lies).

The ASPCA also checked this rumor out and said that it was "unfounded", whatever that means. Mommy said it means it's not true, so that's good. So don't believe all the rumors you hear...my mom, she's pretty smart!

Twitchy Twitchy

Jeez! It's getting so a Husky can't even sleep around here in peace! Now whenever I fall asleep in the living room and start twitching, daddy says to mom "Pssst...hey, he's twitching!" and mom gets the camera. She wants to get a little movie of me twitching in my sleep. Of course, I always stop twitching as soon as she has the camera out, or wake up while she'se getting it, so it will NEVER happen!

Puppy Mill Awareness Day

Last Chance for Animals organized Puppy Mill Awareness Day this past September 17th in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The Midwest is known for its puppymills, but Lancanster, Pennslyvania is called the "puppymill capital of the East Coast". and according to Last Chance for Animals, has the largest number of puppymill breeders of any county in the United States.

Actor Paul Sorvino and his daughter Amanda were two of the guest speakers at this event. Paul Sorvino is the founder and director of Dogfellas, and Amanda is the director. Dogfellas is an organization that rescues puppy mill dogs and only adopts them to applicants that pass their very strict and high adoption standards. The Dogfellas web site is great, everyone should check it out! It also has some great information about Lancaster puppy mills, and expose the truth behind puppy mill breeders who make false promises like this. Puppy mills are something that we should all be aware of!

Sad Day

We got some sad news about a member of our Husky rescue group - mommy said he is sick and in the hospital, and that we need to send our prayers to him and his family. I am also crossing my paws for them, since I can't cross my toes. We are all sending out our thoughts and prayers.

Dante the Foster Puppy

My mommy and daddy are still talking about how happy they are that Dante, the foster puppy, looks so good and healthy and happy. His leg is much, much better, he barely limps at all anymore! He isn't as afraid of other dogs as he used to be. He liked hanging out with me. Mommy and Daddy are still sad that they don't have room to foster this little guy. He makes and impression on a lot of people!

I have to agree, he definetely looks happier! Yay rescue!

Dante's foster mom said that he's doing really well, the infection in his foot is almost gone, and when the infection is gone and they make sure that all of the parasites are gone, they'll make an appointment to get him neutered (for some reason, that part doesn't sound so great...) After he's recovered from the neutering, whatever that is, he'll be available for adoption.

This is a great example of why I think rescue groups are awesome, and I'm very glad that we are a part of one!

A Few More Pictures From the Hike

Another one of the rescue members posted their photos online. Here are some more pictures of tired Huskies:

Here is Darya (who is available for adoption) resting:

Here is a volunteer's dog resting behind a booth:

Here is the same dog getting a belly rub to help revive him:

It was exhausting, but it was so much fun! I can't wait for next year's hike! Mommy and I got a total of $155 in pledges for the rescue group. Not bad, we'll try to beat it at next year's hike!

Whew! What a Weekend!

We're back from Pennsylvania! The Hike yesterday was great, except my silly humans remembered to pack the camera, the batter charger, but forgot the memory stick. There were a lot of people, and even better, a lot of Huskies! My humans and I did the two mile hike, then we stayed around, walked some foster dogs, talked to some people, and ate lunch (except I didn't get to have any hamburgrers or hot dogs!). We visited with Dante, the foster puppy that was here overnight just about a month ago. He looks great, he's put on some weight, and his leg is almost completely healed! He doesn't limp at all anymore, and he wasn't afraid of other dogs. He and I got along real well, we hung out for a couple of hours.

Then my humans took us to the sled dog demonstrations. There was a lady there who competes in sled dog races. She had her team and her practice sled (it has wheels) and she had two of her dogs hooked up to the front, and then other people could hook their dogs up and pull the sled around a baseball field with a little kid on it. Dante and I did mushing together. We were both confused at first when they were putting these funny harnesses on us, and hooking us up to this line. Then the two dogs in front started running, and we did too! We were all running together, we just followed the dogs in the front, it was really fun! I kept looking over my shoulder at the sled and the kid - it was wierd how they followed us the whole way!

Fortunately my human mother's parents were there, and they videotaped us mushing. Daddy is going to make it into an .mpg file so that I can put it online and you can all see.

Mom did take this picture of me this afternoon after we got home...can you guess how I feel?

The Husky Hike is Tomorrow!!!

The big day is tomorrow! The 2005 Annual Tails on the Trails Hike is tomorrow! We'll see all of our friends from Tails of the Tundra Siberian Husky Rescue! So many Huskies, and so many of us staying at the same hotel! I'm so excited! Awoooooooooooooooooooooo!

My humans and I are leaving for Pennsylvania tonight, and we won't be back until Sunday evening, so I may not post this weekend. But I'll have lots of cool pictures to share! Have a great weekend everyone!
The one, the only,
IndyPindy

Evacuate With Your Pets

For anyone who ever needs to evacuate their hometown, Dogster Travel lets you search for pet friendly hotels. There are even links for major U.S. cities, last minute deals, air travel, car rentals and travel insurance. Dogster rocks!

Petswelcome.com also has a Hurricane Update site, and tips for protecting your pets during disaster. They even provided this nifty list:

Disaster Supply Checklist for Pets

• Medications and medical records (stored in a waterproof container) and a first aid kit. A pet first aid book is also good to include. (For information about the HSUS book, Pet First Aid: Cat and Dogs, call 202-454-1100.)
• Sturdy leashes, harnesses and/or carriers to transport pets safely and to ensure that your pets can't escape. (Carriers should be large enough for the animal to stand comfortably, turn around, and lie down. Your pet may have to stay in the carrier for hours at a time.)
• Current photos of your pet for indentification in case your pet gets lost.
• Food, water, bowls, cat litter and litter box, and a manually-operated can opener.
• Information on feeding schedules, medical conditions, behavior problems, and the name and number of your veterinarian in case you have to board your pets or place them in foster care.
• Pet beds and toys, if you can easily take them.
• Other useful items include newspapers, paper towels, plastic trash bags, grooming items, and household bleach.

And here is Indy's Useful Tip of the Day: it's always very, very helpful to have all of your pets microchipped!
It's my mommy's birthday, so I'm going to go give her some lovey dovey kisses, which I almost never do. Maybe she'll give me some cake!

Allergy Medicine Makes Me Sleepy

So now my tummy seems to be better (no runny poo, yay!), but since I don't have the trots anymore, I'm actually digesting my allergy medicine and it's starting to work. It works real well. But it also makes me sleepy. Mom and I take our allergy medicine at the same time - in the morning at breakfast, and in the evening right when she gets home from work. Except my pill bottle is green and has pictures of dogs, cats and horses on it. So today, mom and I both took our allergy medicine, and an hour later I was passed out on the carpet.
Not to worry though. I did play with daddy for about 5 minutes and I destroyed the tire toy that my grandparents in Florida gave me last Christmas. It lasted a good long time, and I sure had fun taking it apart tonight!

Thanks Grandma & Grandpa, great toy!

My Poo, Part II

This morning when Mommy and I were on our way out, we stopped at my potty spot. I did my thing, and Mommy watched very intently as I went number two. Geez! A little privacy please?

Anyway, I didn't have runny poo today! Mommy was very excited, she jumped up and down and clapped her hands and said "Oh good boy! Good boy!" as if I just decided to make normal poo today instead of runny poo. Humans! When mommy dropped me off at school, she told the ladies at school about my poo, and they were very happy to hear it and said "Oh good! That's great!" Geez, I had runny poops for a couple of months...it's not like I almost died! Humans are so silly.

How Evil Are You?

I found this cool quiz on Oreo the Cat's blog. This quiz measures how truly eeevil you are!

Here is what the quiz said:

Raw evil score: 26.67%
As you can see, I am a perfect angel. If evil things happen when I'm around, it's an accident or a coincidence!

Fasting Sucks, Part II

So today I could eat NOTHING all day. Nothing. Well, mom did give me my medicine mixed in to a tablespoon of canned pumpkin this morning. But other than that, I had nothing! As the day wore on I grew listless and weak from lack of nourishment...I barely managed to hang on until 5 o' clock!

Here you can see how I am simply wasting away.

Growing exhausted from hunger...

THEN at five o'clock, my mother did the meanest thing. She put exactly 1 cup of this new prescription food that the vet gave us on Saturday in my bowl - and that was it! Then she expected me to EAT it! I just stared out the window. Mom said "Crunchy crunchy! Eat your dinner!"

I just stared out the window.

Mom actually had the audacity to open my mouth and put a piece of kibble in my mouth!

I munched on a few peices only to sustain myself. Then I laid down facing the front door with my back to both of the humans.

Do you think I made my feelings about this treatment clear?

On a happier note, my poo was much better today. I hope it stays that way...I don't know how I can survive more fasting!

I Voted!

My buddy Cody made me this cool "I Voted" logo since I voted for him in the this photo contest. Rock the vote!

Food Allergies and Fasting SUCK!

The vet yesterday told my mom that I may have a food sensitivity, and that I may have irritable bowel disease. Ugh, how embarrassing! This means that I may be allergic to something in my food, so my mom has to try different special diets to see if she can eliminate whatever is giving me runny poo. Then mom looked up the medication that I take for my skin allergies (I get them every fall) online, and it says it can cause GI upset, whatever that is. Then we went out and my poo was really runny, so mommy says I have to fast for 24 hours, then all I can have is my prescription food. I wasn't sure what "fast" meant - I should run fast for 24 hours? Okay. But as the evening goes on, I get the feeling it means something else. Mom took all my treats away and, get this, threw them in the trash! Needless to say, I was HORRIFIED! As if that wasn't enough, she also picked up my food bowl and left me with nothing but water!

This is, of course, totally unacceptable. TOTALLY. If this is what fasting is, it sucks.

Doing Good Deeds

Mommy and I just went to our local PetSmart and PetCo stores and put up flyers for the Tails of the Tundra Siberian Husky Rescue 2005 annual Tails on the Trails Hike. It's next weekend, and I am hiking to help Huskies in need! I think I have convinced my grandparents to come, too. I still think they are going to end up adopting a Husky someday! Thank you PetSmart and PetCo for letting us put up flyers!

Poo Patrol and Watching for the Wiggly Things

Well, ever since the new vet told my mommy yesterday morning that I had something called tapeworm, mommy has been letting me out to go potty a lot. She also gave me these two big pills in a lump of peanut butter when we got home, which, of course, I gulped down whole! Then she brushed me and got a lot of hair off of me, and called Grandma and told her that we were coming over. Then she got the bottle of something called Flea Spray that she got after that freeloading foster puppy was here, and she sprayed the apartment all over, and then we left and went to grandma's house for several hours.

Well, when we got to grandma's house, Mommy took me in the back yard and gave me a bath! I don't have to tell you that I resented that! Then she rubbed me with towels, which I love, and once I dried off she put more flea repellant on me.

I heard her telling grandma how I didn't want the vet to look at my bottom, and how I was a good boy and pooped for her so that the vet could look at my poo poo, and how they found something called tapeworm. Then she said that the vet warned her that the pills she gave me would make the worms come out, but that I might see something called "segments" in my poo poo. Grandma said "Eeeeeeeeeew!". Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me! I can't help it, you know! And I'm not the one who decided to bring home that parasite infested freeloading foster puppy!

So yesterday I did have to poo a lot, like 4 times. But Mommy didn't see anything wierd in my poo. Now she's boiling some rice, which I like, and she mixed some of the new prescription food with it. I sniffed it and walked away...eh, it's all right, but I liked my last food better.

Just Six Days Left Until the Tails on the Trails Husky Hike!

Okay everyhusky, there are only 6 days left until the Tails of the Tundra 2005 Annual Husky Hike Fundraiser! My humans and I will be doing the two mile hike, as well as volunteering at the event. I might even convince my human mother's grandparents to come! What do you want to bet they can't leave without adopting a Husky? Hee hee!

But if anyone out there wants to pledge some of their treat money to help Huskies in need of rescue, medical care and new homes, please click here to sponsor me for the hike. You can view photos from last year's hike here.

Vote for My Buddy Cody!

My good buddy Cody is in this photo contest. Vote for him, I did! Can I get one of those "I Voted" stickers?

The Diagnosis

Well, this new vet was a very nice lady. She wanted to look at my bottom, and first I backed up against the wall, and then I sat. Mommy explained that ever since the last vet put that stick in my you-know-where to take a poo poo sample, I didn't like strangers looking at my bottom. So the doctor felt my tummy, and checked me out, and gave me some biscuits, and then asked mommmy to take me outside for a little bit to see if I would poop on my own. Mommy said "Okay, if you poo poo now, she won't put the stick in your you-know-where!" so of course I pooped! Mommy scooped some up in a poo bag and took it to the vet tech, who said "That was very accommodating of you, Indy!" Well, I try.

Well, it turns out I have tapeworm! The vet said it looks like I picked it up recently. Mommy said "Oh, he probably got that from the foster we had overnight...he had tapeworm." The vet said that was probably it, since the foster puppy had fleas, and a flea probably got on me, and I bit it and got the tapeworms that way (yet another reason not to have those freeloading foster dogs in the house, I say)! So they gave mommy two de-wormer pills, and when we got home she gave them to me in a lump of peanut butter. Yum!

But the tapeworm doesn't explain the, uh, diarrhea. The vet said she didn't see much bacteria in my poo. My last vet said that I had an overgrowth of bacteria in my digestive system. This vet said she didn't see abnormal amounts of bacteria, but it could be a food sensitivity or irritable bowel syndrome, which is simple to treat. She gave us a prescription venison and potato formula kibble, and said that if there was no improvement after a week or two, she would refer me to a specialist. She said that other than the diarrhea, I seem very healthy, my weight is good, my muscle tone is good, and that my skin and coat look good, and I am alert and energetic. So, we'll wait and see.

Mommy put a little of the new food in my bowl with some rice. Eh, I might eat some later. I'm off to rest now.

Hey, What Are You Doing, Lady?

Okay, we will be leaving for the vet shortly. Just keep your paws crossed - my regular vet is a very nice lady, but for some reason, she wanted to look at my poo poo, and she put this stick in my you-know-where...which I did NOT appreciate!

The next time I went back, I backed up and put my hiney against the wall...for some reason Daddy found that very, very funny. Yeah, well, he wouldn't laugh if she wanted to look at his poo poo!

A New Vet???

Tomorrow I am going to a new vet to get something called a "second opinion" because I've had an upset tummy for 3 months now. I've been on a special diet and on medication, and it's not helping much. So keep your paws crossed for me!

A Happy Poodle is Reunited With Her Human

A happy ending for one rescued animal! Click here to watch.

Animal Planet Heroes: Hurricane Rescues

Animal Planet has a new special depicting heroic volunteers risking their lives and safety to help animals affected by Hurricane Katrina. Click here to view showing times and a preview.

A Mini Lesson in Husky Body Language

Here is a picture of a cyber pen pal of mine, a pretty, bi-eyed girl Husky named Indigo - hey, great name! Do your humans ever call you Indy as a nickname (hint hint)? Isn't she pretty?
When I am super excited, like when we first start off on a walk, or when one of my humans is driving me to school, my ears are pinned back like that too. Mommy and daddy joke and say that the more excited I get, the closer together the tips of my ears get, until they are almost touching at the back of my head. So, based on the angle of Indigo's ears in this photo, and the fact that her eyes are wide and her whiskers are sticking out at the sides, I would say that she is very excited here.

This has been one of Indy's Useful Husky Tips of the Day.

Tips for an Effective Temper Tantrum (or, Things Every Husky Should Already Know)

I forgot to mention that on Monday morning when my mommy brought her suitcase into the living room and started packing, I threw a very short but effective temper tantrum.

My mommy had started getting a bunch of things out of the bathroom, and started putting clothes and other things in there. Suddenly I realized that she was planning to not only leave, and stay away overnight!. I was furious! How dare she think that she could stay away from me? It was a small suitcase, so my Husky senses told me that she wouldn't be away for too long, but hey, she never ran this by me! And I am the one who matters here! Why doesn't everybody get that???

So I saw her packing and an idea formed. I remembered how last week when I rubbed my face on the ficus plant mommy felt sorry for me and rubbed my eyes and hugged me and fussed over me. I decided that if she was going to leave, she was going to feel bad about it! I got up, walked out of my cage, looked right at her, and bumped the ficus plant with my head really hard. I thought that would show her!

But for some reason, she and daddy looked at each other, then turned away and covered their mouths. I heard Mommy say "Did you see that?" and Daddy said "Uh huh. He's pissed at you!". So...I'm not sure how bad it made her feel, but it made an impresson!

What a Day!

Hi everyone - what a day! My humans are running around like crazy. Mommy was up late checking on something for work, and she was tired this morning. She took me to school and Daddy picked me up. Mommy and I are home now. I'm resting...I played hard at school with my buddy Niko at day camp today!
Oh, and here are some dramatic animal rescues from New Orleans. Enjoy!

Mommy is Home at Last!

My mommy had to go away for something called "work", whatever that is. I was so bummed I couldn't blog for a few days...
But today mommy came home! She is very tired, but she hugged me and petted me and rubbed my itchy eyes for me, and she played with me and put Honey Nut Cheerios in my Buster Cube, woohoo! I'm off to play with mommy, I'll write more tomorrow.
In the meantime, click here to see pictures of Humane Society Volunteers rescuing animals affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Police in St. Bernard Parish Shoot Dogs to Compel Owner to Evacuate

Sometimes I can't understand how some humans can be so wonderful and some can be so awful.

...cops in St. Bernard Parish made it clear Wednesday that they weren't interested in taking no for an answer. Nor were they taking dogs they deemed too big or dangerous.
That left forced evacuee Marie Miller on the verge of tears.
"They shot our dogs!" Miller, a 54-year-old housewife, said of her mixed pit bulls, Angel and Hooch. She had gone inside to collect clothes and personal papers when she heard it.
"Boom! Boom!" Miller said. "Hooch came in and had blood all over him."

I'm going to go say prayers for humans and animals tonight.

80 Pets Flown From New Orleans to California Today

I'm glad to see that some people who are able to give so much have remembered that the animals of New Orleans need help too.

The Continental Airlines flight from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was chartered for about $50,000 by Texas oil tycoon Boone Pickens and his wife, Madeleine, in a movement dubbed "Operation Pet Lift." Some dogs were placed in cages in the cargo section while others rode in the passenger cabin, where they barked and wagged their tails. "They'd been in cages far too long. We felt like they needed to be free so they sat on our laps, and we played with them the whole way," said Christine Penrod, Madeleine Pickens' sister, who accompanied the animals on the flight.

I think this man and his wife earned Husky Spirit Guides to watch over them from now on!

Want to See Me Say "Hello"?

My cheapskate mom finally shelled out a little so that she could have her own files hosted, so today she filmed me saying "hello", the trick that got me on David Letterman 2 years ago!

Click here to watch!

News Helicopter saves 3 Dogs in New Orleans Today

These nice people in this news helicopter saw dogs running loose in New Orleans and stopped and saved them. Thank you! Doggies everywhere appreciate what you've done!

In Memory of 9/11

This slideshow is a tribute to the search and rescue dogs and their handlers that worked at Ground Zero.

Saint Bernard Sheriff Admits to Shooting Dogs

This is from yesterday's Chicago Tribune:(clck on title to read the full article):

"Although the Humane Society of the United States reported 2,500 animal rescues as of Friday, time is clearly running out, said Wayne Pacelle, the society's president.
"There is quite a drama unfolding," Pacelle said Friday. He had heard of animals being shot and said that while there is an order in St. Bernard Parish to kill any dog maiming or defacing a human corpse, he has heard of local authorities shooting when that is not the case.
"We have room for the dogs. There is no need for it," Pacelle said. "They are scared. They are hungry. But they are alive."
But that will not be the case in a few more days, he said.
Pacelle said it is imperative that all government responders--the Navy, Army, Coast Guard, police, firefighters and and others--assist in capturing the animals and bringing them to a shelter."

The Dallas Morning News ran this video and has it on their web site. Warning - this video is upsetting to watch, although it does not show animals being harmed, Mike Minton does admit to shooting dogs.
This page lists the contact information for the Louisiana Sheriff's Association.
Sheriff - Jack Stephens #2 Courthouse Square Chalmette, Louisiana 70043 (504)271-2504

You can also send complaints to the White House at:
• 202-456-1111
• Switchboard: 202-456-1414
• FAX:202-456-2461
• comments@whitehouse.gov
• Email letters to President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney here.

Please forward this information to animal lovers you know! Grrrrr, this makes me and my mommy so angry!

My Friend the Ficus

So a little while ago while my mother was busy making coffee (by the way, that stuff smells really good, but she never lets me have any!), my eyes were very itchy. I rubbed them with my paws, then rubbed them against the side of the couch...and they still itched.

Finally, I was driven to desperation and turned to my friend, the ficus plant. I had been blissfully rubbing my eyes against the ficus' leaves when I realized that my mother was not only watching me, but filming me! I tried to look as innocent as possible...what do you think? Watch for yourself and cast your vote: innocent or guilty?

It's That Time of Year...Allergy Season!

Every year toward the end of August and the beginning of September, I start to itch. And I mean I really itch! My eyes itch. My feet itch. My tail itches. My sides itch. My ears itch. And did I mention that my eyes itch? They get watery too, and mom insists on wiping them with tissues. Ugh! I spend a lot of time rubbing my eyes and scratching my itches.

Well, mom called the vet and got my allergy medicine on Friday. I'm getting used to it, but it makes me kind of sleepy. But at least it does help the itching. Although it takes about 30 minutes to kick in, so when I first get up in the morning I'm pretty itchy until it starts working! What really helps is to rub my face against the ficus plant in the living room. Well, this morning I was really itchy, and I must have rubbed harder than normal, because the plant fell over and some dirt spilled out. Mom said "Indy, no!" and she came over and rubbed my eyes for me. It felt so good, my back foot started to move! See?. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...that's better!

Animal Organizations Hurry to Rescue Trapped & Abandoned Pets

The Humane Society has four teams rushing to rescue as many pets as they can. They have received over 3,000 calls from people displaced by Hurricane Katrina asking for the Humane Society teams to go to their homes and rescue their pets. Watch a short video here.

Click here to watch a short video of CNN's close up coverage of a family determined to rescue their four cats from their uptown New Orleans home.

How You Can Help

• Click here to fill out a volunteer registration form for the ASPCA.
• Click here to register to volunteer for the Humane Society of the United States.
• Click here to donate to Best Friends Animal Society.

Panda Cub at National Zoo Doing Well

This is just too cute not to post, even though it has nothing to do with Huskies or dogs.

The two month old cub gets his first vaccinations and is said to be sturdy and in good health. Okay, all together now: one, two, three...awwwwwwwwwwwwww! Think those nice people at the National Zoo will let me play with him? He's soooo cute and fluffy!

Grandparents Are So Cool!

My wonderful grandparents who live in Florida read about how my silly human mother demeans my dignity and beauty by forcing me to endure having my nails clipped, which is bad enough, but also insists on filing my nails! That is so wrong. First of all, I am a boy. Boys don't get their nails done. What's next, is she going to take me to one of those salon places for a full manicure?

Anyway, my grandparents read about this awful event and wrote to me:

Dear Indy, You poor baby, come live with us. We just can't get over how much you have to take from your parents! You need to come and visit your grandparents and be spoiled so you can try to get over this trauma. Love, Your FL Grandparents

That sounds good to me! I'll throw my toys and treats into a carry on bag and off I go!

How do I get a plane ticket? This web site called Travelocity is asking for my credit card...what's that? I think mommy has one, I'll see if I can find it. I'll be back later.

The Need for Volunteers

My mommy found some information on Noah's Wish. For those of you who have not heard of Noah's Wish, click here to read about them. They may need the services of more volunteers, even if they have not yet been through training. Here is the information:

Noah's Wish has trained Volunteers throughout the United States and Canada. We will be utilizing trained Volunteers first. Given the size of this disaster though there is a good possibility we will be using Volunteers who have not been through our training. We call individuals who are not already trained Convergent Volunteers. If you would like to be a Convergent Volunteer, please e-mail us:

• Your name
• Where you live
• A contact phone number
• A fax number

The address to send this information to is info@noahswish.org. In the subject area on your e-mail please write "Volunteering." After we receive your information we will fax you a Convergent Volunteer Registration form. Then, just as soon as we are set up and know what kind of additional help we may need we will have one of our Volunteers assigned to coordinate Convergent Volunteers contact you. Please note that completing a Convergent Volunteer Registration form does not guarantee you will be able to volunteer.

If you can't volunteer, you can also help by making a donation or reading their list of needed items here.
My mommy and daddy and some of their friends are going to see about taking a few days off of work to travel and offer their help.
Here are some updates and photos of Noah's Wish volunteers helping animals affected by Katrina.

Not Without My Dog

I am happy to say that there are some wonderful doggie mommies and daddies out there that refuse to abandon their furry family members. There are also many people and pet product companies that have made wonderful donations to help animals affected by Katrina:

Not without my dog In the desperate race to pull human survivors out of the flood, rescuers haven't been able to accommodate pets. Some people have refused to leave without them.

"When this thing happened, everybody was shooting at everybody. The only thing I trusted was my dogs. I'm not going to leave them," said Robert, a New Orleans man who would not give his last name.

"The government has to understand that people are not going to leave their pets," Rubin said.

"When someone won't leave their pet we try and be there at the same time so we can take it for them, so that they can be assured that they can be reunited at some point," Rubin said.

On Tuesday afternoon a man needing medical assistance held up a "fleet of ambulances" on the Interstate 10 exit to Causeway Boulevard because he refused to leave his dog, Mountain, of Best Friends, said. A nurse in the caravan called Best Friends to see if the group could help.

"By the time we got there, they had to wrench the dog from him," Mountain said. "They had a few others [dogs] as well. They tied up three of them and took off. We had the description and managed to get hold of all three."

While, many national organizations were held up at staging areas just outside the city, Best Friends had boats in the neighborhoods rescuing pets. On Saturday, with the permission of the Jefferson Parish sheriff, Best Friends workers "broke in" to a pet store and saved about 140 pets -- from hamsters to snakes to tarantulas to birds -- Mountain said.

Donations and help
Organizations involved in the rescue have gotten support in the form of donations of money, pet food and medical supplies.

COLLAR FOR A CAUSE
Want to help? Buy a Humane Society dog "CauseCollar." The blue and brown collar is fashioned after popular "message" bracelets for people. The slogan on the collar reads "Be Kind" and costs $3.

Source: Humane Society of the United States "We've got stuff that was shipped in from well-wishers from all over the country," Mountain said. "Yesterday we got a pile of blankets that ran 15 feet high."

Nestle Purina PetCare shipped more than 33 tons of dog and cat food to the affected areas, spokesman Keith Schopp said.

"We are actually right now putting another donation together that will be coordinated through Louisiana State University," he said.

With supply needs met, agencies like the ASPCA and the Humane Society are turning their attention to the long-term needs of housing the displaced animals. Many shelters in the New Orleans area were destroyed by the hurricane or the flood that followed. They will need rebuilding.

"The best thing that people can do right now is donate dollars and let us buy what we need as we need it, Sullivan said.

Be Careful When Making Donations Online

Listen everyhusky, it's sad, but there are some bad humans out there who are trying to trick people into donationg money for hurricane victims by putting up fake websites and keeping the money. Here is an article on cnn.com that has some good advice for avoiding phoney charity web sites.
In the meantime, animal rescuers are hurrying to save pets as fast as they can. This article mentions some chariable ortanizations that are hurrying to save animals.
Remember, the Humane Society of Montgomery County, MD is taking donations (pet supplies, not just money) Sunday and Monday to send to Louisiana State University.

And This Is Me Being Annoyed

My mother cut my toe nails. She says she has to do it for my own good. Whatever. But then she insists on filing them! She bought a special nail file for doggies! Who does that? She says that she has to file them, otherwise when I play with her and daddy the sharp edges of my nails scratch up their legs and arms. Humans can be such whiny babies! So this is me, looking annoyed, while my ridiculous mother files my nails. I can't believe any Husky has to suffer this indignity.

Hope for Pets Affected by Katrina

I found this story today, it makes me very happy. I'm glad to see that so many humans are working hard to save and care for all of the animals that were left stranded by the hurricane. Click here to watch the short video.

Montgomery County Humane Society Sending Supplies to Louisiana State University

The Montgomery County Humane Society will be sending their Mobile Adoption Unit and a box truck full of supplies to Louisiana State University. They will be collecting donations on Sunday and Monday. For details and a list of supplies that they need please click here.

If you can't donate money or purchase items to send, look through your things and see if you have extra pet supplies that you can donate. This will be a BIG help to the people providing care to the animals injured or left stranded by the hurricane. Thanks everybody, woo woo!

How to Help Animals Affected by Katrina

Fritz and Booker's mommy asked "Hi Indy - this is very sad. What does a human do to get involved with the rescues?" Well, I am so glad she asked!

There are many ways to help - you can contact the Humane Society and make a donation, or you can go to katrinafoundpets.com and click on "Foster App", if you can foster pets that need temporary homes, or click on "Front Line Help Needed", if you have time to spare and can travel to the affected areas to offer your help. If you can donate pet food or pet supplies click on "Items Needed Now". If you would like to donate money, click on the "Donate online Now" link on the left side of the page.

Thank you Fritz and Booker for leaving that web site open on your mommy's computer - good job guys! Woo!

Help Reunite Animals Stranded by Katrina With Their Owners

Hey everyhusky, if your mommies and daddies are suckers for sad stories and cute faces (and most humans that keep Huskies around are), leave this web site open on their computers: Katrina Found Pets. According to CNN, the nice lady who runs Puppymill Rescue has founded Katrina Found Pets to try to reunite pets with their owners who have been separated due to Hurricane Katrina. You can donate money, or you can ask if you can help in other ways.
If your humans just close the web page, woo "You don't love me enough!" at them until they go back to it and look at it again!

People Give Up Their Huskies (and other dogs)???

I heard my mommy telling my daddy about a man who emailed Tails of the Tundra because he said he could not keep his Husky anymore. I thought this was very strange - why on earth would anyone not want their Husky anymore? This man said that he had moved to a townhouse and didn't have a yard, and that he didn't have time to give his Husky the excersize and attention that he needed. I didn't understand this at all. But I looked on the Tails of the Tundra site, and it says that these are the most common reasons that people give up their dogs:

• Moving
• Landlord Issues
• Cost of dog maintenance
• No time for dog
• Inadequate facilities
• Too many pets in the home
• Dog illness
• Personal problems
• Biting
• No homes for littermates

This just doesn't make sense to me. People don't give up their other family members...why would they give us up? I can't imagine how scary it must be to have your family give you up. My mommy hugs me and says that she loves me and that she will always take care of me. I thought all mommies and daddies were like that.

Update on the Foster Puppy

The other day my Mommy got some pictures of the puppy that stayed here overnight last weekend. He has been to the vet again and is doing well. Here are some new pictures of him. He is nice and clean and he is not holding his leg up as much, which is very good. I have to admit, he is a cute little guy. Maybe I will get to play with him once his leg is all better!
Can't you just see how much he needs a forever home? Look at dat wittle face!

A Happy Husky Rescue Story

Here is a story about a Husky that was rescued from a bad situation and now has a great life with her new owner. My mommy got this in her email and I decided to borrow it. "Sam & Athena are enrolled in the dog-children therapy class at Riley Children's Hospital. Athena steals the spotlight. Imagine that! Sam is a med student, so they are both "wearing the part"-he got Athena a scrubs costume and stethoscope to wear around her neck. She is such a charmer! Sam also ordered Athena a Halloween costume and one for Christmas."

I love a happy ending! See, second hand dogs really do give first class love!

Secret Agent Indy

My Daddy has a friend whose uncle is in the Secret Service, and his uncle gave him some neat Secret Service stuff. Daddy's friend gave him a Secret Service cap. It's a cool hat. I think it would be really cool to be a bomb sniffing dog, or a dog who helped protect people. Indy to the rescue! I wonder if I would get to wear a badge on my collar like K9 dogs? Daddy let me wear the Secret Service hat for a little while, and he took some neat pictures of me in it. I'll take some to school, I bet the girls at school, Luna and Destiny, will love them! And my buddies, Sebastian, Niko and Indoe, will be so jealous!

Please Help Those Who Lost Their Homes

I don't usually like to talk about sad things here, but it's very important that we all do what we can to help both people and animals that have lost their homes or have been injured by Hurricane Katrina. There are many very good organizations listed here that you can donate to - some specialize in helping people, and some specialize in helping animals.
You can also go directly to the Humane Society's donation page to make a contribution.
Remember, if you can't donate money, you can also help by donating blood or clothes that you don't wear anymore, or donating some of your time to any of these wonderful organizations. Everyhusky must stand together!

Humans Talk Too Much!

My tummy was very upset today. Daddy took me out in the morning and told me to go poo poo. Well, I squatted, and all of a sudden there was a really loud noise, like sombody slammed a door! It scared me and I jumped, and Daddy laughed and said "That was you, silly! You farted!" Then I had really runny poo. Daddy had to clean up my bottom when we got inside. He didn't even make fun of me or tease me, which I appreciated greatly.
But then when Mommy got home, he couldn't keep quiet about it, ooooooooooooh nooooooooo. He had to tell her aaaaaaaaaaaaall about it. He was telling her how I was Hershey squirting, and I couldn't take it anymore! I turned around and exclaimed "Owowowow!" and turned around and stared angrily at the wall. HUMANS!