When Irish eyes are smiling...

...they're usually up to something!

With a maiden name like Houlihan, you have to know St Patrick's Day is special to me. So in honor of St Patrick, we led 55 dogs and cats out of Spartanburg and on to freedom! I hope you enjoy the little video I posted below. And check out the kiss I got from that beautiful boxer!

10 year old border collie returns to agility

Brewster, our 10 year old Border Collie, has been trained and performing agility jumps since he was a pup. In the last year, as a large dog (50+ lbs.) he has developed some arthritis in his hips, the vet says due to age and his athletic life.

His symptoms were hard to rise from lying down while on a smooth tile floor, and after 2 or 3 jumps on the hurdles, he would drag his back feet and knock the hurdle over.

We started him on Pet Restore and one pill a day of Run. After only a few days, his energy activity level picked up (if you can believe a Border can have an increased level) and he was taking his daily jump routine making 10 – 15 jumps with no problem or fatigue. He has also become more lively, such as rising in the morning and running for a toy to fetch with, similar to the way he behaved as a young dog.

The Pet Restore and limited Run tablets have really worked with him. Thanks for giving us our family athlete back!!

Rick Z.
Florida

17 common poisonous plants

From the ASPCA:
What flora should be forbidden in your home, pet parents? Dr. Steven Hansen, veterinary toxicologist & ASPCA Senior Vice President, shows you examples of the most common potentially dangerous plants.

Bye-bye sweetie pie

I took Gilligan and Ginger to an adoption event last Saturday at Petsmart. The first family that met her fell in love and filled out an application. I took Ginger over Sunday evening for a home visit and we decided on a weekend trial. So Friday evening I delivered my little sweetie to them along with her crate, toys, food, etc. By Saturday morning they had made their decision to keep her! Here's a photo of Ginger and I just before we left to go to her new family.

We still have Gilligan and he probably won't get adopted until his cherry eye is surgically corrected. He's a good boy, sweet and fun too. His eye surgery and neuter are scheduled for March 25th.

We're having fun playing with him He's a precocious little guy. He jumps out of the puppy play pen, and can jump up onto our bed, which is quite high. Poor Casey and Noir thought they could go get on our bed to escape the little monster, but not anymore!

It's snowing tonight. This is our third snowfall this winter. Last winter it snowed once, the year before not at all. It started about 5PM and it's still going strong now. Big fat flakes. When I was a kid in Buffalo, we used to say, "mother goose is shaking her feather bed," when the flakes were so big. I guess we have maybe two inches accumulated already. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools have already announced they'll be closed tomorrow. My friends in PA, NY and Canada are probably having a laughing fit over that!

Here's a photo I took of the front of the house. Just LOOK at all that snow! LOL In NY that would be considered a "dusting"!

Makes me want to put up the Christmas tree!

56 lucky dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens

This weekend a huge group of people transported 56 dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens from shelters in South Carolina. The pets were bound for Virginia, Baltimore, and all sorts of points North and East.

As usual I took a lot of photos in Spartanburg, SC, and Charlotte and Salisbury, NC and have assembled them into a little video. My favorite dog this trip was Gem. Poor boy was so scared he didn't want to come out of his crate and had to be carried to the next car. Thanks to Jeff Boyd for his tender care of Gem as he carried him to Judy's car in Salisbury. Gem is a sweet boy and I hope his receiving rescue knows they have a true Gem on their hands!