It’s a simple comedic equation: animals + accents = hilarity. When the accents are British, the hilarity increases exponentially. I think Einstein wrote a paper on this fact, resulting in the little known “Monty Python-ean theorem”.
Over in Chicago, our friend Mary Scheffke continues to fight the good fight on behalf of Frenchies in need. Her organization, Frenchies Por Vous (aka Chicago French Bulldog Rescue), has helped numerous dogs in need, all thanks to Mary’s tireless efforts.
This time, Mary needs OUR help – not for herself, but for Hank.
Hank came from owners who really did do everything that they could to try to get him the help he needed, but a combination of veterinary incompetence and a lack of fund have conspired to put Hank in a position where he’ll require a lot of care to get him back up on his feet. The good news is that Hank’s prognosis is positive, but ONLY if he can get the care he needs. As a small rescue in a big city that’s experienced a surge in the popularity of French Bulldogs, Mary’s rescue is stretched to the financial breaking point, and she’s going to need our help to get Hank the veterinary care he deserves.
Mary tells us more about Hank:
Hank needs everyone’s help – we need to raise money for a consult and possible surgery to get him to walk again.
He went down in the rear 5 weeks ago, was taken to his owners’ vet who told him that he does not have the money to take care of the 3 year old boy and he should put him down. Did not take x rays or advise crate rest or given any anti inflammatory drugs. (The owner) went home crying, carrying his boy in his arms.
Hank got worse and he went to another vet- this vet told him that if he had come in sooner- they may have been able to help him and gave him some mild steroids -that are basically used for skin allergies- not back injuries. After much crying and talking with his wife- he knew they could not take care of him or provide what he needed and called us. We drove 10 hours to get him through two white-out snow storms.
Took him to our vet today- got x rays and an exam- healing his sores from rug and urine burns from dragging himself around before coming into rescue. He is on crate rest with love breaks with us now. He shows great response to pain on his back feet and is trying to stand on his own- xrays show he has a bad hemi but rest of spine looks great.
Our vets think he would be a great candidate for surgery and walk again. Monday we will call Purdue to set up a consult with specialist and see if they agree. Consult, MRI, surgery would cost between $3000 and $5000- any amount of donations would be greatly appreciated by Hank- he is a lover boy and loves life, people and dogs- let’s get this boy up and running with the vigor he so deserves again with all of your help- please!
If you can help, please donate towards Hank’s care. He is one of the lucky few dogs who really could have full mobility restored to him by surgery. What a miracle it would be, to see this boy up and walking again!
You can donate via Frenchies Por Vous, or via their Chip In for Hank.
Bunny and Petal, relaxing in the sun
Good news! An ultrasound this morning confirmed that Bunny is, indeed, with child. Apparently all of that plastic chewing has been fulfilling a necessary dietary gap in her prenatal diet. Even so, I think we’re going to insist she stick to actual food from now on (or at least until the kids arrive).
We saw two puppies on the ultrasound, complete with heart beats. There might have been one more, lurking in the background and acting all shy about having its photo taken, but we’re not counting on it. We’ll just call it two and be happy with that. Look for a ton of Bunny baby photos coming the end of February or so…
Delilah will be at day thirty by next weekend. As usual with her, we’re on again/off again – one minute we look and think “Yeah, she might be”, and the next we look and think “There’s no way”. As usual, Delilah has her own opinions on the subject.
Image courtesy of the wonderful artist Olga Gonorovsky. You can see more of her work on Facebook, or on her website at http://frudog.ru/
On of my favorite movies of all time is the Children’s Classic “Babe”. The barnyard animal portrayals are all so exactly and precisely spot on what I could really imagine those creatures ‘sounding’ like that it will always embody what I think ducks must ‘talk’ like, or crotchety border collies, or cud munching cows.
Dick King-Smith was the author of “Sheep-Pig” – the original title of the book the movie “Babe” was based on. A teacher for many years, King-Smith made a failed attempt at farming, but turned his experiences into a success with his children’s books, many of which he referred to as “Farmyard fantasies”.
From the Los Angeles Times –
..His most famous book was his sixth, “The Sheep-Pig,” published in England in 1983 and retitled “Babe: The Gallant Pig” when it was published in the United States in 1985. The book won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize in 1984, with one judge declaring it “perfect.”
It’s the story of a piglet that is won at a fair by a sheep farmer and adopted by the farm’s mother sheepdog, Fly.
Trained to herd sheep by Fly, the polite Babe puts his own spin on getting sheep to obey.
“If I might ask a great favor of you, could you all please be kind enough to walk down to that gate where the farmer is standing, and to go through it? Take your time, please, there’s absolutely no rush.”
The author, who tapped his years of working with farm animals for his writing, had an affinity for pigs — despite a fondness for eating bacon.
“It’s something I may have to see my psychiatrist about, but yes, I have a real soft spot for pigs,” he told the Daily Telegraph of Sydney, Australia, in 1996. “I like pigs as friends and for their intelligence. I have always admired them.”
King-Smith, who sold the movie rights to “The Sheep-Pig” to Australian writer-producer George Miller shortly after it was published, was a fan of the Chris Noonan-directed movie.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa.
[custom_list style=”list-1″]
[/custom_list]
Aliquam lorem ante, dapibus in, viverra quis, feugiat a, tellus. Phasellus viverra nulla ut metus varius laoreet. Quisque rutrum. Aenean imperdiet.
