Posted on 10/06/2005 11:13:24 AM PDT by green pastures
Tahlequah has quite a few celebrity canines who've made the pages of the Daily Press.
Just a few examples are Ruby the Redbone hound, who starred in the remake of "Where the Red Fern Grows"; Coach, the Labrador retriever who helped find victims of 9/11 World Trade Center attacks; Baden, the waving Collie; and Chica, the three-legged Rat Terrier who has her own chauffeur.
Now we have Tanya the poodle, who comes to Tahlequah from New Orleans, via Dallas.
Tanya's human companions are Lloyd and Rosemary Griffin, New Orleanians who recently moved to Tahlequah from the evacuee center at Camp Gruber.
The Griffins have been Tahlequonians for a week or so, but Tanya just caught up to them Saturday. She'd been hanging around the Dallas area for almost a month, but the Griffins had no idea where she was, and didn't really expect to ever see her again.
That would've been unfortunate, considering what Tanya did for them when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and flooded the entire city.
"We both would've been dead if it hadn't been for Tanya," said Rosemary.
"That's right," added Lloyd. "That dog woke us up. When I got up, the water was up to my knees, and she was swimming around. The next time I looked, my sofa in the living room was floating, and she was up on the sofa."
Rosemary was a bit surprised, but thankful, to see Tanya dogpaddling - literally - around their bedroom.
"I didn't know she could swim," she said. "But Lloyd told me all dogs can swim."
"That's right," Lloyd agreed. "That's God's gift to dogs. They ain't gonna drown!"
Of course, once a dog saves your life, you can't just leave her behind - even if she is a good swimmer. So the Griffins picked up their soggy poodle and headed to the Super Dome, where now-homeless New Orleanians were sheltering from the rain and floodwaters.
For a week, Tanya stayed with the Griffins in the Super Dome, but when it came time to board the bus for Texas, evacuees who had pets with them were instructed to leave them behind.
"There were some beautiful dogs in the Super Dome," said Lloyd. "There were some dogs I would've loved to have had, but they said all dogs had to stay there."
But, as mentioned before, when a dog saves your life, it's kind of hard not to feel like you owe her one. So the Griffins found a box that was just big enough for Tanya, covered her up with a blanket, and boarded the bus for Houston - which ended up going to Dallas instead.
"When we got to Dallas, the dog had been in the Super Dome in a box for a week, and had rode on the bus to Dallas," said Lloyd. "The dog wasn't looking so good. I delivered her when she was born, and she'd never lived on the street. She'd go outside to take care of business and come back in again, and that's the only time she ever went outside. Rather than let her suffer, I decided to give her up to the SPCA [Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals]."
Rosemary said the separation was so emotional, people who didn't even know Tanya were crying when Lloyd took her to the SPCA representative.
"He said, 'What do you want to do before I take her? Do you want to kiss her?' and I said, 'No, I'm gonna just close my eyes and you take her.'"
"[The SPCA representative] grabbed the dog and was gone," said Lloyd. "I thought I'd never see that dog again. That dog was deep in Texas!"
While the Griffins made their way to Camp Gruber in Muskogee County, Tanya was doing some traveling of her own.
Her first stop was the Mesquite, Texas, animal control department. From there, she was taken to the K9 Rescue and Referral organization that is working to reunite displaced New Orleanians with their pets.
K9 Rescue and Referral Director Allison Becker took Tanya home with her, and began looking for her owners.
Lloyd had told the story of Tanya to Tom Cornish, a volunteer at Gruber, who got on the Internet and discovered that, lo and behold, Tanya had her very own page on the K9 Rescue and Referral Web site!
Cornish got the Griffins in contact with Becker, who delivered Tanya to her new home in Tahlequah on Saturday. Becker also volunteered to pay for cataract surgery for the 10-year-old Tanya, who in dog years is well into senior citizenry.
"She [Becker] almost spoiled her," said Lloyd, and then thought about that statement for a moment. "She did spoil her! The dog came riding up in a big ol' air-conditioned Cadillac, sitting on a pillow."
Tanya may not cruise around Tahlequah in a Caddy, but she doesn't seem to mind. She's obviously having no trouble readjusting to life with her folks.
"She's a bunch of love," said Lloyd. "She gets grouchy sometimes, but she's 10 years old - that's old for a dog."
Rosemary said Tanya's gotten back into her routine - sleeping, and occasionally going to the door to let the Griffins know she has some business to take care of. She pretty much has the run of the house, with one exception.
"You can't let her sleep with you - she sleeps flat on her back with her legs up in the air, and she snores," said Rosemary. "But I got my baby back, and I am so happy. I just thank God I got her back."
Hmmm...that's an idea...
Feel free to convert it to your own uses if you like ;~D
That is a big mouse. Field rat? How much does cataract surgery cost for a cat? BTW, your cat is beautiful.
Thanks, I will. Nothing complicated - I'll just add ZOT in a starburst a la the old Batman TV show. I prefer the pic with the cataract still in, though - makes him look more battle-scarred.
Heh - OK :~D
Good grief! The day is coming when we will be forced to get health insurance for our pets. I think you are correct in not having the eye removed unless he injures it. He looks pretty frisky to me.
They can do the same fancy stuff that costs money!
With three horses, two dogs and a cat, I've thought about the pet health insurance that's around.... But I haven't bought it yet.... it just gets expensive if more than one thing goes wrong at once.
Well, I'm off for bed.... good night everyone ;~D
ping
I had my adult male cat first, and later brought in a male and female kitten. It worked very well, because the adult cat taught the kittens that he ruled the roost. There was some hissing and swatting for a while (heck, there still is sometimes), but nothing serious. These days, my first cat and the now-adult second male cat pretty much co-exist; my first cat and my now-adult female cat alternately cuddle and spat like an old married couple.
Long story short -- for us, it was enough that we introduced our two new cats as kittens, because it established a hierarchy. The gender didn't seem to matter so much, although if the kittens' gender doesn't matter to you, it might be safest to go with two females.
Kittens (and cats!) are so much fun -- good luck!
I was thrilled to read a happy story! Thanks for the ping!
thanks for the ping to this nice story. Now your question
I have had A LOT OF CATS (and only 2 dogs)over the years having been involved in rescue & being a place where many get dropped.
One of the keys is to NOT fuss over the new pet. The mentality is the new pets are your "current dog/cats pets." Give extra attention to the older pet & talk about his/her kitty.
Cats I find are like people. some are easy going and hardly lift an eyebrow & some are very jealous & will be mean spirited & territorial. all the techniques in the world can't overcome some.
A male will normally accept a female more readily but most of them after a few days of tension settle down & enjoy a playmate & companionship, if only to share a cuddle spot on the bed or sofa.
FOr some a few days of getting acquainted under a door. Put new kitty(ies) in room & let the new/old meet by smelling & doing the "paw under the door" play thing.. They will still hiss when then nose to nose & some fur might fly but it will not be the total shock.
Make sure all pets have thier nails cut back to minimize thier eyes getting cut & your skin being slashed. Do NOT cut into the red artery you can see. I use regular nail clippers
One thing I have been semi-successful with is introduing them & having two piles of catnip.. at least 4 feet away. Each gets high in their own pile, as they eye the other. They will probably trade piles a few time with old cat taking over the new cats.
Keep us posted & good luck!
What a wonderful story! Has anyone heard anything about Snowball the little white doggie who wasn't allowed on the bus with the little boy who was so overwrought with grief that he threw up?
Thanks for the ping. Good story. Like it even more since it's in my home state and my adopted state.
Fats Domino.
I'm riding, yes indeed I'm barking
For you and me and I'm hoping
That you'll come back to me
I'm lonely as I can be
And I've waited for your company
And I'm hoping that you'll come back to me
Whatcha gonna do when the well runs dry
You gonna run away and hide
I'm gonna run right by your side
For you, pretty baby, I'd even die
I'm riding, yes indeed I'm barking
For you and me and I'm hoping
That you'll come back to me
Great suggestions Dolly Cali, I've got two altered male cats who came to me at separate times and, unfortunately, they don't like each other. This has been the case for over 4 years now. Wish there were a way to solve this problem. They'll sleep within 4 feet of each other and be fine but once awake it's no holds barred! I'd LOVE to get a female kitten that I could cuddle, but afraid since they don't like each other how they'd treat the new one. I'm tempted since it would be a female kitten, but just don't know. Any ideas?
Or the other precious puppy that was oil soaked. Think it was a National Geographic picture.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.