When A Best Friend Gets Sick

Yesterday was a horrible, scary day! Today is a nervous day!

Our neighbors are on a vacation and I promised to take care of their rabbit and to check in on their house. I came up with the suggestion that two of our dogs could run around in their garden some hours a day. People could see movement and the house/yard wouldn't look empty, and also to scare off any thieves. My dogs would love it too, new smells, and a new task for them. They are dogs, and dogs like to have an "important" mission or job to accomplish.

Anyway, in the afternoon, I let Shiloh and Clyde into their yard. I could see from were I worked in our kitchen that they were having a good time. But then, after maybe 2 hours, Shiloh was barking constantly for a long time and I couldn't consentrate on my work, so I decided to bring them back into our yard.

In the house I noticed that something was wrong with Clyde. My intinct told me something was terribly wrong. I gave him the comand to follow me and after one minute his back legs started to just buckle under him, like he started to get paralyzed! Suddenly, he started to shiver and shake, his eyes were rolling up into the back of his head, his head was moving around like Stevie Wonder and foam was coming out of his mouth! He fell down and was totally confused.

With adrenalin pumping through my veins, I snatched him up and got him to the car. Then, it was back in to quickly get Olivia (who by now was on the 3rd floor) and then Maximillian together and into the car as well. Each time I took one of the children to the car, I looked in on Clyde, fearing for the worst. But each time, he was still with us.

I motored out of our parco, up the road and onto the highway. On the way, I called ahead to Dr. Fritz' clinic, praying that they would answer the phone and be open! At last, after many tries, I was able to get them on the phone, and explain what was happening. I feared poisoning, as he showed many of the symptoms I'd seen in Sarajevo when dogs were poisoned.

It seemed like it took forever, but it was probably the fastest I'd driven the 20 or so kilometers to Dr. Fritz' clinic. They were waiting for us, and despite the full waiting room and another emergency, we were ushered into a treatment room. Clyde, thoroughly confused, dizzy and disoriented, promptly threw up.

Olivia was excellent, being a big sister to Maximillian, allowing me to focus on Clyde. I was so afraid that we would loose our gentle former stray who had adopted us.

Dr. Fritz confirmed my suspicions... he had all the classic symptoms of being poisoned. Infact, she opined that he had a high level of toxicity. They shaved his leg and inserted the needle to start an IV drip. They put him on valium to calm him, because he had started to shake with fright. Olivia became very concerned for her dog, and didn't want to leave him there.

But leave him we had to. They wanted to keep him over night. They weren't sure if we had gotten him to them in time. My Amore!

Dog Stress

Many people ask me what they can do to help animals in need.
Well, here is one suggestion, a very important one.
First you read and look at the pictures --to get educated--so you can tell people to sign the petition. If you look away, you will not give these dogs any help--your voice is important!
Dogs in stress and fear
Your fear is helping the evilness! This is not Amore!

Kennel Stress

I got a very good comment from Todd that is worth writing about;

"Of course, it isn't only the space allowed to an animal in a shelter. "Kennel Craziness" is well documented in shelters around the world. All the barking, on top of the stress of being "locked up" will drive any dog crazy over time... some sooner than others. When this happens, it is very hard to bring them back to be a suitable pet or companion. It can happen, but it takes a lot of work, love and dedication to do so... and there are no guarantees. It breaks my heart to think of these dogs locked up indefinitely, in inhumane conditions, going crazy... all to line some pockets with government money that was originated for a good cause, but like many government programs, is misused and abused."

When visiting different shelters in the world I have seen "kennel craziness" from depressed to stressed dogs. It is horrible to view! And knowing some of the dogs will be put down to sleep is horrible. It is horrible because we put them there.

But then you have these dogs that can survive, the shelter is having doggy walkers that comes and takes out the dogs for a walk. Or, people that are giving them a foster home!

Even people in the "business" of animal shelters with the best of intentions have to make hard choices every day. Look at the clearly unethical actions of some animal activists that have been publicized in recent years. When dealing with life or death decisions for these animals... or even "just" quality of life questions, it is a hard balance. Who truly knows without a doubt what the right thing is? But is it right to end someone's life?

Sometimes Amore is hard to see.

Rifugio St Francesco Italy

Last Friday, my teacher/translator Vittoria and I, went to one of the shelters here in Southern Italy, "Rifugio St Francesco".
I had heard that this one would be a "positive" one, and indeed it was positive, even if I and so many others wish there are no need for shelters. Some would say that they would euthanize the dogs since it is not a worthy life for a dog to sit locked in.

I cannot say I share the same opinion. I have learned through all my trips around the world that every shelter is different. It depends on how well it is taken cared of, and how long a dog has to stay before being adopted. And, how does "the outside" look: a lot of traffic, aggressive people or children?

Anyway, this shelter was opened in 1960 and it is private, without "help" from the Government.
Five people are employed, working to improve the cages that the dogs are living in
(around 5-6 dogs in each). At the moment they have 500 dogs.

It was such a wonderful moment to meet them, some dogs were roaming outside-- those who have a great difficulty to be locked in. There were old dogs, three-legged dogs, puppies; big ones and small ones and everything in between.

So many people want a "pure bred" dog. But there are so many souls out there already, waiting for the family or master they deserve. If you are even thinking about a dog, take a trip to a shelter near you. There will always be someone for you!

This is Amore!

Infant Swimming Resource

This is the most incredible and beautiful video I have seen in a long time.

Children are amazing. Infant Swimming Resource

This is absolutely Amore!

Thank you Silvia in N.C (USA) for sending it to me.

Swedish Law Nothing for Children

Today, I read in the Swedish newspaper (Aftonbladet) that a policeman had been arrested in November last year for having child porn (950 child pictures) in his computer. During the investigation he was replaced to another assignment at the police station. When the investigation was done the police athourity thought he was not suitable as a police officer.
The convicted policeman resigned on his on request, and the Swedish law said he had to pay 50 kr (5 Euro) a day for 80 days and 500kr (50 euro) to a crime victim fond.

What kind of signal does this show to the pedophiles?
That you can have a naughty mind and just get a slap on your wrist?

In the Swedish newspaper they don’t even print out name. “A man in his 40 has been arrested…”

He just resigns, and can go on with his life, no "help" for his sick desire! No therapist, nothing!

No Amore for the Swedish law!

So how can we trust that the law will help us? How can we give the children the right signals when we don’t show them the right punishment (some calls it help) for wrong behavior?

This is no Amore for the children’s future

First Smile

The first smile that makes moms' knees melt!

That is why the pictures is so bad....tears rolled down and my hands were shaking. MOM! how silly!

Well my son, just wait 'till you get older ,then you will see your old mom cry over a lot of things you are doing. That's mommy Amore!

Max is now 10 weeks old.

I Need Your Help

At the end of this week I am going on a new mission, to do research and take pictures.

Many shelters here are run for profit... they get paid by the government for each dog they "shelter". So there is little or no motivation for the operators to find homes for the dogs. In many of these concentration camps-for-dogs, up to 1000 dogs or more are being held in horrible conditions. They will never get out unless someone adopts them, and the chance of being adopted by a family is near zero.

I have been told they are sitting on a cold wet floor, (one square meter) day in and day out. No exercise. Some are sick and in terrible condition.

Already I feel very bad going there, and I would rather stay home with my four healthy loving dogs.

I need your support to get the strength to walk into these places, where I know the dogs are very unhappy.

Their freedoms are gone, they are just waiting to die.

Their days are so long. Remember when you have to sit still and wait, for maybe one hour, how restless and bored you become. Well, they are there forever!

So when you see homeless dogs, wait to feel sorry for them, they are at least having some kind of freedom. Every dog is unique, and has it’s own story to tell. Wait and listen before you judge. Maybe he is a lucky stray dog!

This is not Amore but please help me give them some kind of Amore!

Labour Children of 2008

Sex tourism is throughout the whole world, and is most common in the poor countries where children have to survive day to day. Their youth gone, the time to explore life with children’s eyes are long past.
Plenty of men travel to buy sex from minders in South America—where the law is corrupted. A man who likes to be admired by their innocent, their firm body on top of his own old body.
They tell themselves that the children are older, and that they really love to do what they are doing--they wouldn't do it otherwise, right?
Trafficking is getting more common and many men hire younger girls and boys to have sex with. As an excuse from the buyers—“they want sex or they wouldn’t do it!”
Many men doesn’t want to take any responsibility, their selfish ego are bigger than their conscience. Their fantasies are bigger than trust, felling they are not harming anybody, just helping someone with their love.
I remember a man telling me --he lives half time in Paraguay-- that the young children hanged around him at the restaurant waiting to get his and others leftovers. These children getting their hungry stomach filled to survive another day, where no hope exists, and they would give sex in return. Their parents are gone, abandoned them at a young age, or in some cases, the children has to give their parents the money they earn through selling their body.
This is not Amore!

We who are born in a more "safe" countries—even if there is children who are getting abused in one way or another—there is some safety net—not great but that is because children are easy to manipulate, and not many believe their stories—have difficulty understanding this problem and many times we turn away from this huge problem, it doesn’t concern us. But their we go wrong in our thinking, it does concern us and we can do something about it. You can if you want!

Last week I visited a center for orphans—children of illegal immigrants, prostitutes, a result of incest, and those who have escaped from child labour. I had a talk with the founders, the Luciano family a strong hardworking family.
I will write more about them and my visit, and what YOU can do.
This is Amore!

Lawless and Problemness

Told this week:
Castle Vultorno, close to were we live, is the best place to hide in if you are having any problems with the law. You can just disapear there, and live very cheap. No one asks for your paper.
Heard this week:
Hundreds of dog shelters with up to thusands dogs inside. Once they are in there they never gets out. Adoption rate = zero. Living space = 1 m. Amore = zero. Hope = zero. Life = zero

This is not Amore!

Happy "Gucci" Valentine

My Italian friend Vittoria got style, and so her dog Zeus.

This is real Gucci Amore!

Happy Valentine everybody!

Valentine Expectatons

And so it is valentine, and the expectations are on high alert for many today. The stores are hoping for big sales. Yesterday was like a valentine day for me, were many people made me feel loved, and my expectation was on zero level.

Max and I went in to the hospital, when a person walked up to me and said, "You look awesome mom."

At the clinic one nurse said to me, "Wow you are skinny" (well I took that as a compliment!)

At the food store, the manager (yes it is a woman) came up and said, "Look everybody how beautiful her son is, and his mom looks great too."

This is big time Amore! Thank you for filling my day with extra sunshine!

At the Age of Twenty

I went and visited Bobby early one recent morning.

Can you believe this handsome dog will be twenty years-old in September?

His mother was a Valpino--a fox-related dog that sleeps like a fox and have many times the same movements as a fox.

When the owner opened the door to welcome me, Bobby went out past me and peed on his owner's four wheels. Many owners/people get angry when dogs are peeing on their car's tires. But this woman said, "He is blessing my tires."

20 years! That is Amore!

Do you Know Whom you Ate Today?

It is easy to go to the store and buy meat. It doesn't have any background of treatment that you knnow of, no sound, it is "just" plain dead.

Were is the respect? Would you treat your pet this way?

Look at this video clip, and take a stand for them who doesn't have a voice. Remember, our silence is also a way of being guilty to what is going on. Sign the petition. This is a video from USA, but you have it too, in your country....The cruelty doesn't have a nationality!

This is not Amore, but YOU can turn it around!

Children's Help Law

This is something every country should have as law number one.

The children cannot speak for themselves, or vote. Your's are their voices, make it happen!

"Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) are required from April 1, 2008,
to review all child deaths and their local authority area, and to have in place processes to respond to, enquire into and evaluated each unexpected death to provide an understanding of the reasons for the death."

--- a new law in one jurisdiction

This will hopefully become molto Amore!

Happy Month

We are now in the month of Pisces, also known as the month of joy!

Is it joy for all God's creatures, or just humans? Is it meant to be?

~~~

On my way to a client--to have his picture taken--this beautiful "girl" was relaxing near where I parked my car.

This is her home. A cushion and some blanket scraps. A man comes every day to feed her and her "room mate"--another dog companion. Are they happy stray dogs? Is perhaps freedom their happiness?

A Hello from America

Picture;Monty (dog) and Olivia (our daughter) when we lived in North Carolina.

In North Carolina, I met this incredable lady, Jenn and her family. She is an amazing woman in so many things, from children to animals, to enviromental knowledge to having a human "big" heart.

I love to read her e mails, she always makes me want to be a better person. Maybe I can call her my "mentor"?

Monty, her German Shepard is the biggest, goofiest, loving dog. I loved visiting their house when we lived close by, and Monty was always the best dog to greet you. Because of him, you didn't want to leave.

I always send him my love through e-mails, and yesterday I got a message back;

"Monty is recuperating from an elbow injury. He jumped off our bed and hurt himself. Poor guy was limping around for a few days. I was worried about him. I asked him to take it easy for a spell and he gave up herding the kitties for 2 days and snuggled on his bed. I was so proud of him! He got better and I think he's king up for lost time, irritating Isis, Morgan and Merlot (cats). I grumble at him about it, but I'm secretly glad to see him back in action. We played ball in the backyard today and he was so happy to be bounding around acting like he is king of the block again. He's keeping a watchful eye on all three "little siblings" (children) as I type this. I asked him if he wanted to say hi to Mia and he came over and gave me a big slurp on the chin. That's for you, I guess ;-)"

This is molto Amore!

Two Months Ago

Gosh, how time flies.

This picture was taken at 0600, December 6th, ten hours later Max was born.

Of course, before heading to the hospital, I had to clean the floor! Kath came over and looked after Olivia the whole day.

Last Sunday, the children and I were invited over to our friend's house for brunch. (My husband was in Kosovo). Malte and Sabine had made a wonderful breakfast. I felt like I was coming into a five start hotel were you can chose everything to eat and drink, and to be able to sit down for hours just to eat.

Malte entertained Olivia, and she was so happy, laughing and wrapping him around her finger(s). They looked at the sea, and when we left, Olivia said "Bye bye water."

Max is such a super wonderful boy. He slept the whole time. This ment so much to me (and Olivia). I don't remember the last time I could sit down, relax and eat, at the same time have an adult conversation.

I am so thankful to my (our) friends.

This is grande Amore!

Hurting an Angel

This is also incredable!

Many children have to pay a high, unforgetable price for an adult's stupidity. How can one even justify their own bloody hands?

Read this article.

Not Amore! Not by a long shot!

Cock Fighting

This is incredible!

To watch this video clip about cock fighting from the Philipines, and to hear them defend themselves ... that this is an old tradition!

Like I always say, money talks .....and it is always them without a voice that looses.

Show them that you dare to stand up for them.

Cock fighting video in the begining there is a comercial (of course) and after that some strong pictures (could be worse so don't ignore) from one game.

One interview is in Swedish but hang on, english will be heard later in the tape.

Don't be a chicken....stand up for these beautiful creatures, give them your support!

This is not Amore, but you can make it Amore.

Flower Amore

Across from were we live there, is a flower shop.

When I pick up Olivia from her school, we always walk by and admire the flowers. The owners, a married couple, are always greeting us in a warm and loving way. "Salve!"

Olivia throws kisses to them and says; "Ciao!"

They hand her a beautiful flower and Olivia is so happy and shows her beautiful flower to everybody on her way home.

Once home, the four dogs also have to admire her flower, too.

Then the flower needs water, and half the floor gets drenched in the process.

That is Amore to the flower store owners and mother nature for making such beautiful things (and people)!

Horse Amore

We went out to my friends horse one early Saturday morning. It was cold and frisky.

Olivia love horses, even if the picture (with her best friend Chiara next to her) shows different.

Why is she crying?

She wanted to go into the stalls with the big horses and pet them!

Amore for animals starts already!

Lost & Found Dogs

Got this link in my e-mail this weekend. Its just wonderful that you can search after your lost dog on the Internet, and if you have found a dog you can post it on this site. Brava!

If you've lost your friend, I hope with all my heart you will find him soon.

Lost dogs link in Swedish

Different Cultures

A couple of days ago, our trash got picked up and the streets cleaned. It was wonderful to stand in the window at 0130 in the morning feeding Max, to see the big yellow truck collecting the garbage. I felt like running out to the men and scream; "Grazie, Mille Grazie" But I think they would take me as a crazy woman and lock me up!

Yesterday I went into the city were my friend lives. Twenty meters of garbage and one and half meter high garbage "hills" were laying everywhere. Even outside the big car sale companies like Saab, Volvo, Mercedes etc.

Think of buying a brand new car, and with the incredible stink as a background-- that makes you breath with your mouth open. (At the same time you realize that it is not healthy at all to breathe in.) Just amazing that businesses will tolerate such conditions, let alone the "private" people.

My Italian friend is upset over this, and more upset even to hear how many International people that are working here complain about it. Saying things like living here is like living in the third world, or they feel like they are in Baghdad. One can see how a "local" would take offense... but then why not do something about the bad situation?

That made me remember when I came home from Bosnia, many Swedish people would ask me why we didn't solve problems faster down there.

As I learned, it isn't easy to solve problems when even the Government doesn't follow the rules. So many are bought and paid for by crime and special interests!

At that time, we had veterinarian equipment and dog food donated by kind people in Nothern Europe. SAS sponsored us to fly it all down to Sarajevo.

I went to the airport with my interpreter and the Bosnian President (for the dog organization we sponsored), to sign for the loaded pallet, and take it out.

The dog food in the stores was over priced, so that many people simply boiled pasta for the dogs (filling but not nearly nutritious enough). The veterinarians had poor equipment, and to be able to donate to them would be was a wonderful goal.

At the airport I was told that the papers-- for the pallet-- were missing some signatures! I had to come back with a correct paper/signature.

Home to the apartment, faxed, and two days later we went back to the airport. Another, different man looked at the paper--"not correct you need a stamp", we were told. "Come back."

By this time, some of the cartons were opened and things had been stolen. Back home to the apartment, more faxing, and this time it took one week.

Back again to the airport, the same story; a new man, new law, new rule, had to go home, etc., etc.

The Swedish donators started to get irritated, and justifiably so. Nobody wants to donate and then have a lot of problems bothering you to get it into the right hands.

A month later I got the "ok" from a Customs Official, but now they wanted rent for my pallet--it had been taking up space in their warehouse. I told them we were a non-profit foundation, and no one was even paid for our work. We didn't have any money for the rent they required.

They didn't care that we were there to help "them" in their country. Frankly, they were kind of irritated that we helped animals.

I tried to explain that Sarajevo had 189 organizations "helping" people, but only two organizations helping animals. And by the way, these dogs had had owners before the war!

Frustrated, I thought of paying myself, from my own pocket. Surely one pallet couldn't require that much "rent". I asked the Customs guy how much? He calculated on a piece of paper looked up and said; "2500DEM"

I thought he was having a language problem, but no, I had heard correct.

There was no way I could come up with that much money. What to do?

Take the paper, go up to the Customs Office and have them sign that this was now a gift to the Government!!! from us!

The goods got later on re-marked and priced, sold on the black market. If we had more money we could go to the market early in the morning and pay for "our own" things!

Memory two: A lot of us Swedish people got frustrated when a lot of immigrants started to have their opinion over how things are done in our country. Many said; "Well, go back home to your country if you don't like it here."

So when we are guests in a new country--we should try to be they same way as when we visit someone's home, polite and respectful. We have a choice, go home if we don't like it.

That's to be lucky, to have a choice--that's Amore!