Maureen thanks for sharing your doggie pics with us - what a cutie - I love the Murph too! Merry Christmas to you!

Thanks Maureen for sharing this.  We have 2 'non-biological' dogs and can't imagine life without them.  I've heard about the relationship to the high foreclosures and the doggy shelters.  It happens here too. But I think one of the saddest stories I've heard is the house that went into foreclosure and the dog was left behind.  It was days before the dog was found in the vacant house, no water, no food....so sad

Bless your heart for encouraging people to visit shelters and to not forget the pets.  I'd have 100 dogs if I could handle it.

Cyndee Merry Christmas from Buddy and me.  Murphy is adorable throughout the year, he is a such a photographers model.  

Mary that is what Elaine's blog was about... which is really, really heart breaking... I think that's why CAHS is involved, investigation of inhumane treatment.... that would be harder to put a holiday spin on.  

Thank you Chris for the blog about making photos "holidayish."  I had forgot it was on ImageChef.com and had to revisit your ActiveRain post on how to...  I can not visit shelters, Elaine used to volunteer at CAHS.  In high school I predicted I would someday become one of those old weird cat ladies... it still could happen.  I blog about the Franklin County Mingle with our Mutts events on my other blogs occasionally but I can't attend, because they mostly conflict with Open Houses and I would want to adopt more "fur babies" and I certainly am in no position to do that.  

I love image chef. I just used it this morning on my real blog. You can label a computer keyboard key what you'd like.  I wrote about the computer shop that just fixed my laptop.  The key read: Easy Fix at Platinum Coast (the name of their shop)  I wrote about them a while back and they've gotten people that walk into their shop with the blog printed.  I figure if I can score a few more of those, they'll throw me a bone.  :)

whortleberry?  sounds awful.

I love Image Chef... I have a blog I may post on AR with some images from them yesterday. That's why it is odd I did not remember the holiday stuff came from them. 

You know what's wrong with that Dispatch story!!!!!!!!!!!

They couldn't affod the 2 dogs they had ... gave them up ... then someone goes and gets them another puppy. If they can afford the puppy, why did they give up the 2 dogs? So the next time they get in financial trouble, I suppose they'll give up THAT puppy, too!

I wish people wouldn't consider animals as expendable property. GEEZ, that makes me angry.

I just wrote a blog article about the pet topic.  Agents who specialize in REO's here are finding pets just left behind, or worse, dead chained or locked in a yard or the home.  At least at a shelter they stand a chance, even if its just for a few days.  Maybe the homeowners don't realize that even after an eviction or after they move out it may take days or weeks (and in some cases months) before anyone comes in to ready the house for sale.  It is a sad state of affairs.

Maureen Happy Howlidays to  you and your Buddy. It's so sad about all these dispaced pets due to foreclosure,,, breaks my heart!

merry Christmas

Ginger & Bella

Maureen Very cute dog you have there. He isn't spoiled in any way, is he? My heart goes out to those families. I cannot begin to think or comprehend what it would be like if I ever had to depart with my side kick Lars. He is a working dog and I know there would be meaningful people out there. The fact remains that I could never forgive myself. Imagine when someone is forced to be in those situations because of hard times.I think it would be nothing short of unbearable for any child involved in it as well. Pets are kids whole Worlds. Sad, very sad. Merry Christmas from Wisconsin Sincerely Tom Braatz

Thanks for the comments all! Elaine that was my point. You can't write a story saying they are family members and then say people trade them away and replace them in a heart beat. Dropping pets off on December 24 because you are traveling has nothing to do with foreclosure. It was a garbled mess. Catherine that's exactly what Elaine wrote about. Ginger Happy Howlidays to Bella, to better times in 2008!

I still have my 18 yrd old dog.....he is still moving quite well...Happy Holidays Maureen.

18 years old! WOW! Small dog? 

Maureen - I am a devout animal lover and it breaks my heart to see people have to decide between a place to live and their four-legged/vertically challenged/hirsute children.  There have been times in my life where I opted for less than premium living space just to be able to keep my dog(s).  Yes - it was a LONG time ago, but I would not give them up then, and I hate that people feel like they have to give them up now.  I could not bear to be without my 'kids' in my life.

And kudos to Neal for the longevity of his pup!  I had a Rhodesian Ridgeback that lived till the age of 17.  The vet said that her long life was because she was loved so much.  Keep it up Neal!

Merry Christmas all! 

Merry Christmas to you ands all of your furry family from Gayle and her pack in Collegedale Tn!!!

The Dispatch often is a garbled mess. The Wolfe's use it - and all the other local media they own - to push their own agenda. I checked to see when I wrote my post on this topic and it was back in Nov. I got my story from WCMH Ch4. Think the Dispatch is a little behind in their story! Probably Ch10 will also report on it in the next day or two, as they usually repeat what was in the paper. The Wolfe's probably force them to do that.

Carol Gayle and Elaine... thanks for the  comments. 

I agree with Elaine that dispatch does not make any sense. Thank you for this heart felt blog. Love the pic of Buddy! "Not your biological child" made me smile.

Have a wonderful New Year! 

Thanks for the comment Lloyd.   Buddy was bad today, ate one of my Christmas presents.