My Love for Animals Runs Deep

My love for animals runs very deep within me....I feel as if it begins in my heart and travels through my veins. I have never felt such passion about something as I do about animal rights and animal welfare. If I come across an animal in need, rescuing him/her is something I feel I must do. I cannot turn a blind eye and overlook an injured, homeless or hungry creature. If I did, I could not live with myself.

I have always been this way, it's nothing new. When I was a child, I begged to take in every stray and most of the time succeeded in talking my parents into it. I do believe I inherited my innate love for animals from my mother. Growing up, we always had an array of animals...dogs, cats, horses, goats, chickens, ducks and my many different rodents. My mom was known for rescuing and fostering squirrels, birds and even a raccoon (which unfortunately I was too young to remember). She also gave me my first hands on experience with a person being a voice for animals. We were at the beach one day where we spent most weekends during the summer, and a guy threw a shell at a seagull and the bird fell to the sand, stunned. Yes, seagulls can be annoying but that doesn't mean they deserve to have rocks thrown at them. The wrath of my mother came down upon that man, and I'm pretty sure he would never throw another rock at any living creature after that. My mom stood up for that bird, she was his voice. If she hadn't no one else would have. We have to be a voice for the voiceless.

When I was growing up, I was pretty obsessed with horses during my childhood but I've always loved every kind of animal...never have I been the kind to love a dog but hate a rat. And actually as a child, mice were one of my favorite pets! You know...those tiny little adorable creatures that most people are petrified of or think are gross....well I've always thought they were precious. And honestly...they were some of the best little pets I had. I remember when I was probably about eight, my pet mouse "Cuddles" died suddenly and I was devastated! And when I realized it was because his auto-waterer had quit working, I was infuriated! I wanted to sue the pet store, I wanted someone to pay! When you're an animal lover like I am...it's literally heart breaking to lose a pet...especially when it was preventable. But it was a learning experience for me. I learned a lesson that I've kept with me all these years...you can never rely on automated objects to care for your animals...yes I still have auto-waterers for almost all my fur and feather friends but I also know to check them daily. I also know that accidents happen and I just have to do the best that I can to ensure the creatures under my care are well taken care of and loved. When you have an animal that has been domesticated, you are their care-taker and you are responsible for their health, their happiness and their life!

As soon as I started working and had my own money I started donating to all the rescue and animal rights organizations I could find. I was a member of ASPCA, HSUS, PETA, IFAW, WWF to name a few....I had enough address labels to last me a lifetime! haha If you've ever donated to a similar organization you know what I mean.

As an adult, I rescue as many animals as I can afford to and I now have a small farm and unofficially rescue pot bellied pigs and other small farm animals on my 10 acres. My life goal is to one day be able to do more, rescue more and become a real non-profit. Every animal that comes onto our farm, becomes part of our family. Every animal is treated with love and respect and gets the best care possible. No animal that comes to our farm will ever be exploited or killed for food.

I am an Animal Rescuer
My work is never done,
My home is never quiet
My wallet is always empty
But my heart is always full

Thank you to all the divine souls who dedicate their lives to rescuing animals and spend their time and money saving these innocent creatures, educating people about animals rights and providing sanctuary and refuge for them.

Christmas without Marmaduke

Christmas is supposed to be a time full of joy, love, excitement and cheer. But when you've lost a beloved family member, Christmas can seem empty, lonely, and depressing.

It has now been 6 months since we lost our Marmmaduke. But this past Christmas was our first without him in 9 years. He's just a dog many would say....but he wasn't just a dog to us. He was the patriarch of our family, and being a single mom so, basically, the man of the house. Haha Life without him hasn't been the same and I knew Christmas wouldn't be either.

It turns out for me, the time leading up to Christmas was much harder then the day itself. Even though I received some gifts in memory of Marm, I was able to stay tear free all day; which for me was quite an accomplishment. Who wants to cry on Christmas? Or get my kids all upset and feeling down? But I am a highly sensitive soul and just a memory can bring on the tears. So I've pondered why it was that I didn't get upset on Christmas. Maybe because I really don't keep my emotions bottled up. If I feel the need to cry, I do. And because of that I've allowed myself to deeply mourn Marmaduke for 5 whole months and, actually, long before. When I feel the need to talk about him or how much I miss him or shed some tears over him, I went ahead and did it...to my children mostly and even to Ziggy (Marmaduke's brother) at times; because they're the ones who share the loss of Marmaduke with me. So it's easiest to talk to them because they understand how I'm feeling more then anyone else could. They don't think it's silly I'm still crying over a dog. They don't think it's strange that I want pictures of him everywhere, or that I want to make his grave a very special place in my yard. They knew for years before we even lost Marm that it would be very hard on me when the time came. They knew I had a special bond with him. And I guess I really prepped them for it being that I cried for years mourning a death that had not yet come. I would cry (sob really) while holding Marm tight just because I knew he was getting so old, so fast. Because I knew that day would come sooner rather then later. I had been mourning losing My Marm years before I even lost him and I've just really realized this. But I don't regret it at all. I was honest with myself that he wouldn't live forever and that his days were numbered...and because of that I cherished every second with him, made sure I got lots of photos of him, gave him lots of special treats and snuggles and spent a lots of time talking to him and letting him know that I would miss him when he was gone and how much he had changed my life. I never kept my emotions in, never bottled them up, never felt ashamed of them and never tried to hide them away or ignore the fact that he was aging. I said what I needed to say, did what I needed to do and had no regrets. Of  course none of that made it any easier to say goodbye but I do believe it's helped with the mourning process and maybe was how I was able to stay tear free on Christmas.  I can now talk about him without always getting upset, which is nice but that doesn't mean I miss him any less.

What's really odd...is that since we lost Marm...Ziggy has aged so much in just these 6 months that it's like he morphed into Marmaduke. Losing his brother and best friend must have been very hard on him as well! And why wouldn't it have been....animals feel loss too.      

Summer and my Mom made me this Marm pillow

Before we lost Marm, the kids named our home Marmaduke Manor
and my parents made us this beautiful sign.

In Loving Memory of Marmaduke

R.I.P

MARMADUKE

2003/2004?--- July 3rd 2015

Wise, Stoic, Nurturing, Devoted, Loyal, Friend

It is with a heavy heart I must share that we lost our beloved
Great Dane Marmaduke on July 3, 2015. 

He was my best friend, my baby, my shadow and now my angel.

He passed away peacefully in one of his favorite shady spots on the front lawn while Kevin and I held him until his last breath. The decision to let Marmaduke go was not one taken lightly! I've been battling with myself for many months trying to figure out what was best and most humane for my friend. It was the single most difficult decision I've ever had to make. In the end I determined I would feel guilty no matter what choice I made. What hurts the most is that his eyes were so alive and bright still but his body was crumbling around him. And I couldn't stand to see him struggle and suffer any longer. The logical side of me knows it was for the best, but having to make that decision broke my heart into pieces.

Marmaduke was our family member and loyal friend for eight years. Summer and Gavin can't remember life without Marmaduke... Also known as Marm, Marmadookie, and most recently Old Marm. I remember the day I met Marm formally nicknamed Tiny, at a party at The Bywaters' house, he was just hanging on the back porch...so tall and so skinny.  He actually wasn't even their dog, he had just wandered up recently...malnourished with no collar or ID and already showing signs of neglect and abandonment. He was so sweet and I fell in love.  After talking with Danny and Alicia I was so excited to find out that they had started feeding and caring for him since he had shown up but they didn't plan to keep him. He must've been meant for me!  A few days later I took the kids to pick him up… Summer was just a-year-old then. The kids were in the backseat of my truck so Marm laid across the front seat with his head in my lap to come home to his forever home for the very first time.
The vet estimated him at between three and four years old, therefore he would've been between 11 and 12 when he passed...which is very old for a Great Dane.

Those that know me and my family know our animal friends are truly family members and loved as such. Marmaduke was the patriarch of our little family, he will be greatly missed and our lives will forever be changed. Thank you for recognizing and being supportive of our grief during this difficult time.

The house seems so empty now without Marm even though it's full of other furry friends. He was such a big presence with a big aura and the sweetest soul. He had nothing but love for every person and animal he met.

 There is now a huge void in our home and our hearts.

Forever in our hearts

Being blessed at The Blessing of the Animals

Loving on Ollie the Pig

 

Buried with Marmaduke