Back Bone Book

"Why Men Love Bitches" and "Why Men Marry Bitches" by Sherry Agrov are great Back Bone reading. I wish I had had these books when I was (much) younger, they would have been (very)helpful.

These books don't incourage you to be mean,. Rather, I would say, they help to build up your (you're right!) back bone.

So, I am saving these books for Olivia's collection when she grows up (hah, even got it signed for her by the author!). No Cinderella here, she will become "the back bone Princess" that saves....the future.

This is good Amore Back Bone reading.

Did you see the back bone dog Hunty on http://www.animalswithoutlimits.blogspot.com/

I've Got a Backbone...

...I want to think that, even if its just a very small one.

When I was expecting Olivia, I read an article about a woman who had a problem with speaking up, "to let her voice be loud". Yet she said when she got her child she had to work to get a "backbone"..."to be able to stand up for my daughter in the future I couldn't be a blond mouse anymore"

I thought then the idea of "getting a backbone" was a good self-coaching mantra, so I started to use that every time I wanted to back out of something that made me feel uncomfortable. Or, to complain at the hospital when they had treated my daughter incorrectly (and I was right, so no chicken mom here!)

There is a flip-side, however. I noticed that I became uncomfortable about some people, because they had to work harder since I started to ask why? Or say no!

When other women could be catty I backed off, and they got my power. I hated that, that they made me feel little and ugly. So now I have reclaimed my backbone, especially in my home and with my family. Here I am the lion mother who will fight for my backbone rights.


One thing I find enjoying amusing, is when people I don't know tell me how to raise my children. At a recent dinner party, one of the guests, a woman, was trying to get as many points from her new boyfriend "I know best, I am taking control here." Understandable, but the problem was the foil in her game was ME!



Max (11 months) crawls now and we have tiles that are ice cold. I dress him in double layers of clothing, since his tummy would otherwise be so cold. Ms Cat (as I called her) picked him up and started to joggle with him in the air, tickling him to which we were all where smiling. She stops abruptly, looks at me and bursts out; "He is sweating how can you dress him this warm?"

My explanation, with a smile. "Max crawls to the steps, as he loves to sit and hit with his small hands on the first steps. I am a hawk-eye mom, so don't worry!'

Ms Cat runs over and pulls him up from the floor; 'Watch it he can hit himself, this is dangerous!"

I explained solely with my smile.

So this went on and at the end of the evening I had had it. My "hostess politeness" started to shiver when she walked up and "saved" my son that she just met.

My backbone started to talk; "Lady, I am his mother, you are a guest, so go and relax"

And I Amore smiled. Thank God I had my ears or my smile would have gone around my head!

Read about the true backbones on www.animalswithoutlimits.blogspot.com

My Girl is Singing

Olivia, my three year-old girl, was singing today, the TV was on in the kitchen, and it is always on Italian channels. I want to hear Italian every day, so that my Italian can for God sake improve one day. Suddenly, I hear Olivia sing and my spine gets stiff, I hear; "Womanizer, womanizer, I'm a womanizer"...

My gosh! my little girl is mimicking Britney Spears, she is in my Italian kitchen ... argh!

Amore is to sing, but Britney when you are 3? I am getting Amore old!

Did you read the www.animalswithoutlimits.blogspot.com today?

Good News Update Gianni

Giovanni that we wrote about October 20th on this blog, stayed with Dario and Vittoria, got a new home. This is the e mail I got from them:
"Gianni is in a nice house here in our neighborhood, living with a young married couple...the lady, wanted him...because they had 2 more small dogs..but one had an accident and unfortunately died...so she really wanted a company for the little Stella!!
Gianni is very...super sweet that when she comes back from work..he has to stay in the house...
on the carpet all night long...close to her!!
Me and Dario...because we wanted keep helping Gianni decided that to buy for him monthly dog
food...and accessories!!
That's Amore by Dario and Vittoria!

Why Helping Animals and Not Humans?

In my e mail box today one woman asked; "Some people react negatively about helping animals. They believe we always should care about human-beings first and foremost. What do you tell them?"

Many times it is the humans that have caused animals suffering, and some of us are cleaning up after their mess. But for me, it depends of how the person asks; if the person has a negative, accusative tone, I just ask back; "What are you doing to help others in need?"

As I wrote in my third book; " But whom has said that I, who help animals, don't also help humans? No one accuses veterinarian students that they have chosen the wrong education. No one asks why become a veterinarian when there is a need for doctors in society."

Life is full of possibilitys and it is the knowledge we give and learn from each other that is important.

My daughter, who is now just three years old, donated 30 teddy's to a hospital for abused children, when she was much younger. She goes with me to shelters, and in school they have a Sudan assistance project that she participates in. So, she is learning about helping others from a very early age... "others" in terms of people and animals!

So no asumption Amore here please! Giving without expecting Amore... is Amore itself!

Feeding Strays?

This morning we went back to the skeletal houses (read below) to feed Truffle and Hunty. As we drove up, from the car I could spot Truffle's white tail wagging, far away. I got out of the car and was greeted by Hunty and Truffle with a lot of affection ---I nearly lost my balance. Hunty's eye looked much better, and both seemed in such a good spirit/mood.

I saw they hadn't been eating much of the dry food that left for them last night (returning for the third time), but when I opened the can of juicy meat they where all over it, and inhaled it with great joy.

A friend of mine later asked why they didn't finish the dry food....if they are so skinny and bony?

The answer: Strays are mostly surviving from humans' garbage; from pasta and other wet food. Good and soft. For them that is a delicacy.

It does make me wonder when some people say you shouldn't give your dog table scraps...well ask a stray!

When strays are eating "wet" food, they don't have to search for water to drink. But when they get dry food, they need to drink a lot. Sometimes, it can be hard for them to find water, especially when the summer here is more than 8 months long, and hot! Don't tell me that the strays didn't figure this out in a splendid way.

This is darn Amore surviving intelligence!

Copyright (c)2008 Mia Mattsson-Mercer

Truffle Update with Friend

(Update from October 29th)
We visited Truffle this morning, and found out he is taking care of a young, female. She is thin as a skeleton, and we named her Hunty. So sweet that it tears your heart in pieces, painful because you cannot provide them a warm home. A drafty skeletal house, dirt, weeds and mud.

It was so nice to see Truffle again, he and my daughter Olivia were cuddling up to each other, him closing his eyes letting go in human-child love.

Both Truffle and Hunty were famished! We offered them the can of dog food I always carry with me, and they inhaled it! Truffle seems to be doing well, although he limps from what appears to be an old wound, and has a scar on the right side of his face that looks like a grin. Hunty is doing much worse, it seems. She is skin-and-bones thin, with her hip-bones jutting out through her skin. I know she'd make somebody a great companion and maybe a hunting dog.

Truffle stayed close to Olivia. He seemed to sense her animal Amore, even at her young age. She's a great partner on our "missions".

Dr. Inga and I will visit Truffle and Hunty again soon, to check up on Hunty's eyes, and Truffle's limp. Hopefully, we will be able to routinely feed them too, to make sure they gain some weight, especially Hunty.

Here's some warm Amore for two loveable strays as the weather gets colder.

Mission Possible Team

From left; Erika Sundman, Mia Mattsson-Mercer, Dog Zara, Veterinarian Inga Vetrell, and my Princess Olivia.
We are some of the " Amore Team Mission Possible" Animals Without Limits!

Mission Mr. Ear

On the Mission Possible day, we continued on to a place near a lake to see if the fur balls needed our help. We stopped and met Mr. Ear, and his friend Mr.Rope. Mr.Ear was friendly to us and we could examine his ear, which we noticed that he scratched a lot.

Yes indeed, red and infected.

While I held Mr.Ear, Dr. Inga cleaned and medicated his ear. Poor thing! It hurt him badly walking around with such a bad infection.

Mr.Rope waged his tail but did not come up to us no matter how hard we tried to tempt him with goodies or kind voices. While frustrating to us, this is actually good in one way "I don't trust you, don't know what people will do to me." It can be such wariness that will keep him alive and out of "jail".

Bad for us who wanted to cut off the rope that hung around his neck. And also, to examine to be sure the rope hadn't grown into his neck, causing infection or even strangling him. No luck this time! We never got close enough.

We decided to return every day, and try to coax him into trusting us.

Follow up Amore on Mr. Ear and Mr.Rope is on our schedule.

Kind People

Yesterday I wrote about the dog Brownie, and the nice "Kiosk owner Lady" here she is next to Dr.Inga

I salute you, and veterinarian Inga for your Amore to the strays!
Amore!

Mission Possible

One month ago, the AWL veterinarian Inga and I went out on a "mission possible".

Brownie, (pictured above) is one of our clients. An old stray with terrible skin problems and gum bleeding, was in pretty bad shape.

Back then Dr. Inga treated him, and yesterday, we returned to pay him a "follow-up" visit.

We knew that a very kind Sengora was looking after him and his pack.

As we pulled up we were greeted by several strays, some happy fat ones, some less fat but laying in the sun, resting happily. The Sengora, who owns her kiosk at this place, came out and showed us that Brownie was sleeping behind her counter. My heart got so warm from her kindness.

Brownie came out, and he looked better. Dr. Inga treated him again and gave Sengora medicine to follow up until our next visit.

AWL Amore to the kindness of Campanian people.

More about mission possible tomorrow!

AWL Helped Bianco, The Rowing Club Mascot

A big dog friend, Helene (UK) called me and asked if AWL could help her with a dog at the Italian rowing club and restaurant, across the lake from where I live. The dog had a problem with one of its back legs.
Of course AWL would and could!

We agreed on meeting on a Saturday morning. It was a peaceful morning, the water on the lake was glittering from the sun, and I was greeted by a happy Helene, and a wonderful, happy, beige dog, Bianco.
Bianco limped and sometimes didn't put down his leg. He had "kind off" healed burn wounds on his stomach, but he was loving, gentle and didn't leave your side.

The restaurant owner came out, Bianco's "guardian angel." He told me what had happened one morning:
"I heard this terrible scream and rushed out. Bianco was being attacked by a Pitt Bull and it wouldn't let go even when I tried to hose it off with cold water. I ran in to the kitchen and got a pot of boiling water and threw it over them. It wasn't until then that he let go, and poor Bianco got burns
and a nasty bite."
I asked if they knew what had happened to the Pit Bull, did the owner get charged for miss handling a dog (breed)?
"The Pit bull ran into a pasture and attacked the horse, the farmer came out and shot the dog"
The restaurant owner took Bianco to an Italian veterinarian clinic were he was examined, but still he was not doing great, better though. But could we help?

I asked if we could have him castrated at the same time? The owner looked at me with big starring eyes, and his lips formed in a soundless "NO".
I promised that AWL would take care of the bill. His face lit up and he took my hand and was pleased. "Si, si!"

Bianco is doing fine now, a small fracture above the knee, his burns are healed and he is still a happy, castrated boy back at the restaurant. And, Helene sponsored by paying Biancos medical bill.

Healing Amore Helene Grazie!

Thank YOU

AWL want to thank Ulla Adamsson (SE), who is an animal homeopath and sent us a package with samples off ecological products, fare trade certified and not tested on animals,-- and even got a license from Koscher and Islam--. We are so looking forward to try the products. (http://www.ullabo.com/) Company, Forever Living Products (US)

We also got some big play toys (that they cannot chew a part) for the dogs that are in Shelters, or as a present for a dog being adopted.
Ulla Adamsson is also donating money every month to the foundation, Animals Without Limits.
Thank you so much for you generosity Ulla!

Ylwa Drugge-Mercer (SE) who picked up the package and traveled with the things back to Italy. And, your birthday donation. Instead of presents you wanted people to donate money to AWL.
A big Amore Happy Birthday!

AWL got a new Swedish girl in our team. Erika Sundman and lives "just" one hour from us. She is a great helper with the information and translation, Swedish-English-Italian
That is communication Amore!

Getting Old

Today I heard it again, a very common conversation-- or should I say common comment--, that the strays should be put down ... euthanized. I have been working with strays in different countries for 10 years I simply cannot agree.
Life is not always black or white, indeed, most of the time it is very gray. Some strays, perhaps if they are terribly sick or hurt. But many strays are happy!
Most of the dogs here are getting fed by kind Italians or International people. It is the medicine that costs a lot and many cannot afford paying for the animals treatment.
Heck, many cannot afford to pay their own hospital or dentist visits.

When we at AWL are out on mission, many strays are looking healthy, those who don't we either treat or bring in to a clinic. But yes, it isn't a pleasure watching scared animals running in the traffic, or being hit and no one stops.
Today on my way home from the Vet. Clinic, I counted four dead dogs on the highway. But killing all strays, just because it is an uncomfortable view?
That is extreme.
Life is not like when you are on vacation, in a place sanitized of strays, homeless people, starvation or children forced into prostitution. We can't, and shouldn't want to, go through life with rose-colored glasses, or we will miss the things that need true attention.

But anyway, I remember one case in Sweden about a sect that didn't believe in killing or eating animals. They had a couple of cows they took care of, and one day the sect was charged with animal neglect! People thought it was horrible to see this skinny, emaciated cow laying down most of the time. Big headlines in the newspapers: "Euthanize the animals and put the sect people in jail", shouted the papers and the people.
The head office veterinarian was called in.
This Veterinarian had spent many years working and living in India, where the Hindu religion forbids the killing of animals such as cows.
He examined the cows, went out to the herd of journalists, and the group of protesting "animal rights" group. The old veterinarian's back was straight, he coughed a little, looked at the people and said; "There is nothing wrong with the cow, YOU have just never seen a cow getting old!"

So next time ask yourself, "Is it a fact or assumption?"

It is just an Amore thought!

Happy Strays

Happy strays, yes there are happy healthy strays!

Another Dumped Dog

It breaks my heart--and those of so many others--to see a wonderful dog that has had a former home and family, but is now out on the street. No home, no food, no health care, no love.

Animals Without Limits was asked if we could help Rottweiler Bruna--living on the street--to get sterilized. You could see she had already had puppies many times, and we needed to keep it from happening again. Could we also re-home her?

I picked up Bruna and the woman that feeds her on the street. With eyes full of worries Flavia the woman, was so totally concerned about what would happen to Bruna after recovering at the vet. clinic. I could well understand her, Bruna, a loving and very polite dog was snuggling up to us while we were talking. A gentle lick on my hand, and with brown, watery, begging eyes she asked for just a little. "Just" a home!

Flavia don't want to put her back on the street, many people get afraid when they see a lose Rottweiler and they could go out of their way to hit her!

Please help us help Bruna with Amore, she is a sweet dog, one who doesn't deserve to be cast to chance on these mean streets. She needs a loving family that will receive her love in ample return.

Amore and Amore.

Visiting Oscar Dalmation

(follow up from October 7th, 9th and 24th)

After rescuing Truffle-- the other day--, we went to see Oscar. He had been sneezing the last couple of days. We also wanted to make sure he gained weight, and to have a look at his ear after someone had bit him (before we found him.)

It was so wonderful to see him! This big goof sitting in the backseat, looking out from the window like a King. Even Dr. Inga thought he was a great, loving goof!

Oscar is in a good mood. His ear is healing very well and he is gaining weight beautifully--great job foster mom Stephanie--Dr Inga could tell after examining him that he had 'kennel cough', but with some antibiotics he will soon be good as new.

Is there anyone with a lot of Amore that would like to receive a lot of Amore? Oscar is waiting for a new home!

AND, he is a young boy 2-3 years-old says Dr.Inga not the older dog we originally thought.