Thank for all the heart felt comments. I have respect for all of you continue to read even tho there is a good chance to feel uncomfortable at the realities of life here at T.G home base. I think I have realized why there is so much of “rescue” that is not talked about. How and why I rescue is deeply personal and private and is like child birth unless you been there you just never seem to get it…

As I was uploading Bear’s movie yesterday (takes about a hour a min to upload on dial up) I was relaxing in the morning sun cuddling my babies’ Brooklyn the one sole survivor of her litter that died alone and scared some where. A shiver of fear ran down my spine as I thought of letting her go to her new home on the dog run. I wanted to grab her and never let go; I loved her so much. Love, there you go now I said it !!! And I am going to talk about it too. Love has been one of the most destructive emotions in my life when it goes wrong there is no pain like it in the world…You see the truth is we love every dog that comes tho the place, just as you seen we all loved Running Bear. We love and cry when we lose them. The day I stop loving and crying is the day I get outta rescue because that’s what keeps us safe and reminds us that we are not “GOD” That job been taken. Sounds to me like this rescue thing is kinda a guaranteed one to get hurt!!! Why would you do it and how could you ever do it for 25 years.

Just as the migrating geese, I have been following the strong before me, I now realize that the one at the tip of the V is Mom and Dad and has been for the last 25 years guiding the way with strong steady loving strokes..teaching me just by doing, what love is and how to love and be safe…. So you’re never going to get a new never loved dog from T.G and the only way for us all to be safe is to keep loving. We never say goodbye, it’s always till we meet again old friend. That’s why the updates are so important to keep us safe and allowing us to keep loving…

Now don’t get me wrong I am not talking about all that sappy B.S that we see on T.V. Love is about action and doing not flowers and candy and jewels…. I have to stop and take the time to pet and talk to them even tho I got so much to do. Take them out for walks, feed them, pick up their poo. Then I let them go because they need their own family to really be fully loved in a way that we could never give them here. And I love them enough to know it. In return they love us back. I have never told a dog that I loved them and they just be silent and not say a word and leave me hanging, they have always loved me back to the best of their ability (you don’t have to touch a being to love them) So now you know if your furry friend wants to put their head on your shoulder and give you a hug it’s because they have been taught the practical action side of love…. Hug them back and think how much you love them. They will hear you and feel you thru the magic of loving fur.. I know My Mom and Dad taught me it’s got to be true!!!!!!

There’s now only 14 days to go before the gala! There are still tickets left so pass the word around!
Let’s make this 25th Anniversary for Turtle Gardens a SELL OUT!

I shared this in hopes of providing us with some closure and good bye to a old friend.. It was thought it might be too controversial to be shared,misunderstood to the point of evoking a Passionate clash of points of view…. all the while we are forgetting about the most helpless important beings. I just do the best that I can do with what I have, I learn that from my mom. So please if you would like to see more of what it takes to survive, the day to day hands on fur grind comment and come to the gala. Bring new friends to the gala in hopes they might save a lost soul. Without you and what you do T.G would not be all that it is today!!!

There’s now only 15 days to go before the gala! There are still tickets left so pass the word around!
Let’s make this 25th Anniversary for Turtle Gardens a SELL OUT!

I guess one could never imagine what it is like to live with 30 or 40
dogs. I think we get used to things that most people never see so I am
going to slowly take time to share what I do and why….

When I get up it’s huge rush of activity and excitement everyone is
excited to see me- they are jumping on me licking me and nibbling me (we
have sharpei puppies). I have morning routine. I always do the same thing
and yesterday I found out why!!! I am not much of a morning person at
all but for some reason that’s my cuddle time and all the dogs know it.
They all come over quiet and two at a time to get there hands on fur
time. Yes every dog here needs hands on fur time everyday, they need
to be checked for there health and mental well being as well…
The morning time is the time I pick up all the puppies as they come
over and make sure they like and know what cuddles are and they are
valuable beings. Seems a little out there but puppies are kind of like
kids… Then we have the lifers the ones that live here for life, they
need extra hands on fur time. So I hear what does it take to be a
lifer at T.G? I almost drowned once when I was younger in a river, I
remember giving up and accepting death and when I let go and put my
feet down they touched bottom, by giving up the river current pushed me
on to a sand bar. That near death experience had a profound affect on
my 16 year old mind. I still to this day can’t handle water it’s not
fun, don’t joke around and try and push me into the water because you
are going to get nailed. We all seem to understand that when it’s me
we are talking about but why can’t we understand when it happens to
our animals.

My good Buddy Running Bear (don’t’ let his name influence your
judgement over the years I have learned that West Van has as many
secrets as Hazelton) He came in as a older dog he was 10 or
something, his soul had been mortally wounded. Someone had grabbed him
by the neck and beat him within a inch of his life many times I think
but it’s just a guess. So consequently if you tried to grab him by the
collar he would just bite you; just about to the point of drawing
blood but not. But it still hurts very much, so I learned that one the
hard way, then about a year later he reminded me again. Then a few weeks
ago we shared a moment. I am a loud and excitable guy. I was just laughing
and having fun and for some reason I reached over fast to pet him and
he bit me. It was weird. We were all having fun then his reflex took
over and he bit me; kinda just grabbed my hand but a bite. When we
looked into each others eyes all I could see was “Man what you do that
for” then he was sad because he knew it was bad and that the big event
that got him sent here, I am sure…. So I did the right thing I told
him I was sorry. I forgot and not to worry I understand. I am still too
scared if the bath tub is too deep. Running Bear is on the way too long
list of lifers here at T.G that I give morning cuddles too, and love
them and accept them.

Yesterday I learned why. It was a nice quiet sunny spring afternoon
Running Bear loved to sun bathe. and that’s what it took for his rehab
to finally be complete, he stretched out in the sunshine and dreamed
he was running free (that’s how he got his name he was always dreaming) But
this time he never came home and he is still running free. As I picked
up his body with tears in my eyes I was thinking I just touched you
this morning and you were happy to see me and ok happy and loved just
like every other morning I have been here at T.G. We have to accept the
end because that is what rescue really is to me GIVING THEM THE CHOICE
OF LIFE AND DEATH BACK… not take the only choice they have away from
them because they trust. Please don’t be sad for Running Bear. With
your help we loved those demons right out of him for life… He is a
free spirit again and finally “RESCUED”

Running Bear arrival was October 29th 2009.

There’s now only 16 days to go before the gala! There are still tickets left so pass the word around!
Let’s make this 25th Anniversary for Turtle Gardens a SELL OUT!