'Failed' Service Dog Takes up Surfing

'Ricochet' is a Golden Retriever who is now better known as 'Rip Curl Ricki!"

She was born to lead a life of service.... but, despite receiving the best possible training from the Puppy Prodigies Neonatal & Early Learning Program in San Diego, California, her penchant for chasing birds resulted in elimination from the program.

Rather than focus on what this dog couldn't do.... her trainer decided to focus on the dog's strengths and turned disappointment into a new direction. Ricki is now a surfing dog who not only helps the disabled, she also helps raise money for charity!

If you need inspiration to help you set new directions for the New Year, this video of Ricki riding the waves in the California surf is sure to bring a smile to your face and tears to your eyes!

Salute to Soldiers Who Help Homeless Dogs

It's called "Operation Baghdad Pups" and it is a story sure to warm your heart!

A new show on the Military TV Channel highlights the efforts of American soldiers who have befriended homeless dogs in war zones. The program started after one soldier contacted SPCA International for help in bringing home a dog he had rescued in Baghdad.

Enjoy this 'Salute to Soldiers' on CNN!

Feral? Stray? Or new to the neighborhood?

How to determine if a wandering cat needs your help

In rural and suburban areas many people, unfortunately, allow their animals to roam free - especially cats.

Cats tend to wander a fair distance from their home, so do not be quick to assume a 'stray' cat is lost or abandoned. Most cats are also nonchalant when roaming free, whereas dogs tend to be focused on their guardian and are more distressed when lost.

Observe if the cat appears well cared for or is dirty, thin, hurt, ill or generally frightened. If the cat appears uncared for and thin, you need to intervene right away. For sick or injured cats, call your local humane society or animal control right away.

Be aware that a cat which has been on its own for a period of time or one that is hurt may not be approachable and could scratch or bite. Approach cautiously and wear gloves if you attempt to handle a lost cat.

If the cat looks healthy, you may want to take a 'wait and see' approach to determine if it is still around over a couple of days. During that time, ask some of your neighbours if they know who may own the cat.

If you suspect the cat is genuinely lost, post its description on PetLynx. (But be sure to go back into PetLynx and remove the 'found' report if the cat disappears or you discover it lives just a few doors away.)

PetLynx has a state-of-the-art program called AutoMatchTM, that matches lost and found pets based on a physical description. It works, even if you do not know the age or sex of an animal and if there is no visible pet identification.

Accolades for PetLynx AutoMatch™

Holly C and her family were concerned when a stray dog showed up their Edmonton-area acreage one day. Fearing that the stray dog might be chased onto the range road by the family's owned dogs and be hit by passing cars or, alternately, become coyote bait, they called the County Animal Control.

"After we had safely loaded 'Jack' into the Animal Control Van, I went online and checked [my lost dog listing on] Pet Lynx," said Holly. "Lo and behold, on my first look at my potential matches, there was a perfect picture of this dog! I phoned the owner and within an hour, Jack was HomeSafe™. My heart felt soooo good. I can not say enough what a great site Pet Lynx has been. Well done!!! I am off to the vets today and will be sure to pass on the website so that other lost souls can be as easily be returned to their families as Jack was!"

Matches like this happen hundreds of times a day, when the PetLynx AutoMatch™ search engine automatically finds matches for the lost and found pets admitted to shelters, clinics, emergency hospitals, pounds, the general public and pet families.

PetLynx is the only provider of an Automated Recovery System like this in the world. PetLynx provides lifetime protection for pets... and peace of mind for pet families for just pennies a day.

A heart-warming story for a cold winter night

'Buckley's Story: Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher

In the spring of 2005, author Ingrid King met Buckley. All it took for King, a long-time veterinary hospital manager, was one look at the small homeless cat, and she fell in love. Hard.
And fast. Soon, her life was transformed. In King's warmhearted memoir, Buckley's Story: Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher, she shares the story of how -- rather unexpectedly -- one tortoiseshell cat touched her life forever.

Buckley's presence in King's life leads the author to make major changes in her own life, inspired by the lessons this little cat taught through her joyful spirit and huge heart -- universal lessons that readers can apply to their own lives. But after only a few years, Buckley is diagnosed with
advanced cardiac disease.

In the following chapters of Buckley's Story, King tells of the sometimes heart-wrenching, sometimes joyous, final months of Buckley's life. The human-feline bond is an unbreakable one, and King retells the story with poetic grace. This book is a celebration of life and a reflection of the never-ending love that anyone who has ever loved and lost a pet can surely relate to.