Animal Rights Blog

Bark For Rights and Ruby’s Bark For Rights now has a YouTube channel!

Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/user/BarkForRights

If you want to add any video’s to the channel or if there is anything you feel is important for people to see, please email us at barkforrights@gmail.com

http://bubble-cast.com

Woof, Chirp, Meow

Brigit xo

Last Thursday the 27th August 2009 we had to say goodbye to our wonderful friend and family member, Elroy. Roy had been sick in the past months but seemed to be improving greatly with lots of love and affection and treatment from our very caring vet. In the week before we let him to go Rainbow Bridge Elroy’s muscle mass had deteriorated in his back legs to a point where he had trouble even getting out of bed or standing to urinate, eat or drink. Each day it was getting worse.

On Thursday morning my husband and I woke up and called all the dogs to go outside for their morning toilet. Although Elroy had been deaf for a few months, we still spoke to him every day and called his name just as we did for the other dogs. I knew he was having trouble standing but was attempting to get him to strengthen his muscles… After 5 minutes of standing outside with the other three ‘kids’ I went back into the bedroom for Elroy. He was laying in his bed crying for me to come and pick him up to go to the toilet. This is something he had been doing for a few days and I had been assisting him in standing. On Thursday he couldnt even hold his own weight and we had to hold him up to urinate.

My husband and I knew that it couldnt go on like this any longer… Although it killed me inside, I phoned the vet and let him know that it was Roy’s time. This was something we had been discussing with our vet since Roy first got ill a few months back, but we knew it wasnt his time then… I knew on Thursday morning. We took him in that morning in his own bed and sat with him, fed him a bag of treats and tried to say our goodbyes… It didnt matter how many times we hugged and kissed him and told him we loved him, the pain didnt ease at all. Mic and I stayed with him the whole time and held his hand. I was inconsolable and had to turn away as I couldnt watch him go… I ran out of the room as soon as the vet said he had gone… I couldnt be in there any more… Elroy was gone.

The grief hasnt eased at all. I went to the vet with our dog and came home without him… We decided not to bury him, but to have him cremated instead. I have to wait weeks to get our boy back and the lack of closure hurts. We decided to plant him a memorial tree – a beautiful white rose which went in the ground yesterday. It should start budding within the next few weeks and I will be out there every day watching and waiting.

We have also ordered a beautiful laser engraved tumbled river stone to put under his tree from Talking Stones. They are simply amazing, both with their beautiful products, their tactful, caring and professional nature and their large support for animal cruelty. I would recommend their services to anyone.

Talking Stones takes an active approach to supporting animal cruelty and offers closure to those of us who have lost a loved animal. A few months ago when we lost Micky, we ordered a granite headstone for him and for Abby who we lost 10 years ago. Although Micky and Abby are both burried at Mum’s farm, the stones offered more closure. The pain never went away, but it eased having them there, and it was an important thing for my Mum and I to do together to pay our respect and love for the animals who changed our lives. I wish that my Dad, Lisa and sister Amber were here when we lay Elroy’s stone.

If you have had the misfortune of experiencing the loss of a beloved animal, please visit Talking Stones website: http://www.talkingstones.com.au

RIP Elroy… Meet Hannah, Abby, Micky and Jess at the Bridge. They will take care of you. I’ll see you again one day. We love you…

Hey all, Brigit here…

Just a quick little note to say that the Bark For Rights main page is almost up and running! This is so exciting and I have been working super hard on it so lets hope it turns out as planned! I *think* this will just be a temporary site, but I think it will do the trick for now!

I am also going to set up a Bark For Rights Facebook group and Twitter account to get as many people on board as we can. I hope this is going to be major and open a lot of peoples eyes.

Anyhow, I had better run off to do some more work on the site – hopefully we will be ‘launching’ tomorrow!

Until then…

Woof, Chirp, Meow

Brigit xo

Welcome to Ruby’s Bark for Rights!

I can’t tell you how exciting it is for me to be making this first post because the dream is finally becoming a reality! During the course of this blog, both Ruby the Pomeranian (spokes-dog for Bark for Rights), Lilie, Frankie, Elroy (The other doglets) and Myself will all be making entries as often as we can. We will touch on all subjects – anything and everything! If you would like to have your story published or you find an interesting article you would like to share with the world, please email it over to barkforrights@gmail.com. Include photos if you wish.

I think I should include in my first ever post at Ruby’s Bark for Rights a LONG list of thank you’s to the people and animals around me…

Firstly… Thank you to my husband Michael. You are honestly amazing. You are so patient with me and all my neurotic animal tendancies… You even included animals in our wedding vows when you voewd to “live in a zoo” with me!

Thank you to Lilie… Lilie is my ‘heart dog’. She was the first dog in my life who was ever 100% ‘mine’ (that is – not a family dog). Lilie has changed my life in so many ways. She came from a super abusive home. (I wont go into details right away… perhaps in the future). She needed me at that time in her life and I needed her… More than I realised. She is there every time I turn around – my little white shadow. Without Lilie I dont think I could have done any of this. She is my angel and my best friend.

Thank you to Frankie… A little maltese cross who was a gift from my wonderful brother, Adam. He’s hilarious and makes me laugh every single day with his funny little tendancies. He has his serious moments where I swear he is trying to take over the world. Lilie needed him when he came into our lives and I don’t think I realised how much I needed him until he grew up a bit and became such a prominent part of my every day life.

Thank you to Elroy… Elroy is the most gentle dog I have ever met. He came to live with us last December after living with my wonderful Dad and Step-Mum, Lisa for 13 years. Over the past 9 months we have gone though ups and downs with poor Roy’s health and for a moment last month we almost lost him. Thank goodness we didn’t – I don’t quite know what I would do without him – he always makes me so calm with his presence. Elroy is the typical old man dog… Sleeps all day basking in the sun! I love him dearly…

Thank you to Ruby… Ruby is the latest addition to out doggy family and was a gift from Michael for our one year wedding anniversary. (which by the way, hasn’t even come up yet!) Since forever I have been listing off breeds of dogs I one day one to have in our family. Pomeranians were always at the top of the list! Obviously Mic listened! Ruby is absolutely hilarious. She is a typical puppy – funny, naughty, mischevious, sweet, cuddly, and unpredictable. We love her to pieces! She will be trained as a special care dog and together we will visit nursing homes and hospitals. She will also accompany me to Bark for Rights seminars in the future!

Thank you to Pancakes, Horatio & Finchette… I love you guys being in my daily routine. Pancakes is the best natured bunny I have ever met. He’s so sweet and kind and just loves cuddles! Horatio & Finchette pretty much keep to themselves and flitter aroud, but they bring joy to all of your lives nonetheless.

Thank you to my Mum… I don’t even know where to begin! Just thank you for everything! Thank you for always being there, thank you for putting up with me! Thank you for understanding my need for animal companionship, thank you for listening to me drone on about things which dont interest you! Thank you for cooking for me for all of those years, thank you for helping me in any and every way… Just… Thank you!

Thank you to my Dad… A special thank you to my Dad who doesnt exactly understand why I do all of this, but supports me anyway. Dad, you have always been there for me even when you think I’m a little nuts. You are there for me when you don’t agree with me or when you dont understand. That means more to me than anything.

Thank you to my siblings Adam, Nathan and Amber… I am the luckiest sister in the world to have brothers and a sister like you guys… You don’t understand how much I appreciate you all in my life and how much I enjoy our semi-daily conversations. You keep me on my toes!

Thank you to my Step-Mum Lisa (aka Shma)… You have only ever tried to be my friend and in that you have suceeded… Not only in being my friend, but in being someone I can look up to and respect. I love you very much Shmasy. You helped me so much through my life and I can’t thank you enough.

Thank you to Jen and Marc… Wow… Thank you for taking Lilie every morning at 3am. I know she woke you up every day and you never once complained. Thank you for guiding me through the weird and tricky world of the internet! Thank you for encouraging me and supporting me with my graphic design and all my animal rights ideas. Thank you both for being my friends!

Thank you to Louise, Courtney, Greg and Tash… My human best friends! You guys are all awesome. I love you all more than I can even say! Thank you for putting up with me for all of these years!

Last but not least…

Thank you to Abby and Micky… Gone but not forgotten. I still cry for the both of you almost every day. There is never a day where you arent in my thoughts. You were both such small dogs with such big hearts. I’ll love you both forever…

Wowwwww…. I am SURE I have missed very important people but after all of that I think my brain is a tad fried! I will add in the people I have missed in my next post!

Until then!

Woof, Chirp, Meow…

Brigit xo