Gratuitous completely unnecessary "post a pet photo" thread...

<p>Our silly but wonderful rescue cat, Nia.<br>

<img src="http://www.cchanphotography.com/nia/nia_playful/images/dsc_6053.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="686" /><br>

unfortunately this one came out too soft... invisible corn on the cobb<br>

<img src="http://www.cchanphotography.com/nia/nia_june_09/images/dsc_7466.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="699" /></p>

<p>"Lola" after a jog when she was a youngster (now 6.5 yrs old)<br>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/9856653-md.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p>This is "Schmendrick" (Fool) in 1969. We got him and his brother Loco in 1965 from the animal facilty at the medical center I was working in at the time. He used to chase light beams (no laser pointers back then) from a flashlight and would jump to the top hinge of doors to grab a pipe cleaner hung on it. He and Loco lived long and happy lives, certainly better than what was in store for them in a lab experiment. </p><div></div>

<p>Here's "Loco" in 1970. He mostly liked to sit in someone's lap, purr, and watch the antics of his athletic brother.</p><div></div>

<p><img src="http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00U/00UeKY-177781584.jpg" alt="" width="532" height="400" /><br>

Ant is a great cat. He came from a barn and was named "piss ant" luckily he moved and had his name shortened. He is most tolerent of the stupidest posing. His cute act is used to trick us into thinking his bossy brother scratches the furniture and other undesirable cat antics. He is a great campanion.</p>

<p><img src="http://www.photoshopuser.com/members/portfolios/view/image/146732" alt="" /> This is my inside baby, Ginger. I've never seen a dog so happy to see me when I come home (even if I've been outside for only 2 minutes!) She's our little sunshine! <br>

I've really enjoyed seeing the posts and pet photos. Nothing warms the heart more!<br>

Good luck with the surgery, Josh.</p>

<p>My birthday present this year was to be a dog and I wanted a Lab, but was overridden by the requirements of weight, a non-shedder and a few more that I can't recall. My girlfriend has always had small dogs, and we had put down her Shih-Tzu of 13 years about 2-1/2 years ago. I had not had a Lab in 7 years after the previous 20 with 3 of them. It was time.<br />We live a block from the beach and I wanted a dog to run and play with on the beach and in the water, but with the requirements given to me I figured it'd be another Shih-Tzu. I was right. <br />This is our little baby, her name is Martini. She was a mommy in a puppy mill that was raided back in 2/09. She's at least 3, and had probably never been outside of those little cages they were kept in. I googled the raid in North Carolina and found a video. It was extremely painful and disturbing to watch. I can't imagine the hell she lived in, but she bears some scars to prove how difficult it must have been. I ran across the spca worker that had fostered her and found out she'd been returned once to the shelter. These things explain why she is skittish and distrustful of humans. <br />She has come a long way in the past few months that we have had her. She loves my girlfriend, is still a little wary of me but that's ok. We are getting her out in the neighborhood and she's socializing well. At the beginning it was 3 days here before we knew she ate or drank. It was 2-1/2 weeks before she wagged her tail. She would play with her sqeaky toys, bones, etc only by herself. We could hear her upstairs or in the next room, but she'd stop and hide if we went to look. It was 2 months before I saw her wag her tail. We are at 3-1/2 months now, and I think she's understanding she's got a "home." <br />I can't explain how it makes me feel to help save this little soul.</p><div></div>

<p>Josh,<br>

Good luck with the surgery.<br>

Jaz, our Australian Cattle Dog had ACL surgery approximately 5 years ago. The surgery was successful. She already had her AKC Championship at the time. After the surgery she went on and earned an AKC Obedience title, a Rallye title, and a herding title or 2.</p>

<p>A year ago we noticed a lump at the site of the ACL surgery. A biopsy was in-conclusive. It could be very fast growing cancer, slow growing cancer, or some sort of scar tissue. We chose not to put her through surgery if it was a fast growing cancer. This January, she was still alive, so we know it wasn't fast growing cancer. The lump was larger so that pointed to one of the slow growing cancers. We opted to have her leg removed at the hip rather than just above the knee and risk leaving any cancer cells. The tumor was causing more and more discomfort so we had the surgery done this January.</p>

<p>Jaz is alive, doing most excellently, and doesn't even miss the leg. This picture was taken about a month after the surgery. She's happy, pain free, and able to do her morning 'job'...going to the road and bringing back the morning paper.</p>

<p>We're fortunate in that the vet that did the original ACL surgery was a country vet and did not charge high fees. Another country vet did the amputation and again, did not have to pay high fees.</p>

<p>Here is a link to a video I made the day after the surgery when we picked up Jaz to take her home. <a href="http://auntellensfarm.com/gallery/VID00002.AVI/view">http://auntellensfarm.com/gallery/VID00002.AVI/view</a></p>

<p>Again, the best of luck with Griffen. And remember - a happy healthy dog makes for a happy non-grouchy dog owner<g>.</p>

<p>Mark</p><div></div>

<p>Jaz on a walk on the farm 3 months after amputation.</p><div></div>

<p>We are a Golden Retreiver family, having up to three at one time. In February we added our third because the other two boys were so close that I feared something happening should we lose one. They were 11 and 8. As Fate would have it, we lost our 11 year old, Sunny, a few months after adding Cooper to our family.<br>

Sunny was beloved and he is missed every single day. Enjoy your time with your buddies!</p>

<div></div>

<p>We are a Golden Retreiver family, having up to three at one time. In February we added our third because the other two boys were so close that I feared something happening should we lose one. They were 11 and 8. As Fate would have it, we lost our 11 year old, Sunny, a few months after adding Cooper to our family.<br>

Sunny was beloved and he is missed every single day. Enjoy your time with your buddies!</p>

 

<p>Cooper and Max</p>

<p>This is Rocko...a great friend, protector and companion for 10 years. I recently lost him to cancer.</p><div></div>

<p>We started adopting ex racing greyhounds sixteen years ago after falling in love with this gentle, intelligent breed. In 2005 after our first greyhound Keats died of old age, my husband picked Bond (James Bond) when he found his profile on a rescue website.<br>

Bond may not be a good racer, but he certainly is a wonderful friend. This is his morning kiss.</p><div></div>

<p>Collie at Christmas =)<img src="http://www.photoreflect.com/PR3/orderpage.aspx?pi=0AGS009Q000000&po=0&hp=2" alt="" /></p><div></div>

<p>These are our three beasts - Tannoy, our little brown Burmese, Tilda the Dally and Charlie, who used to be my mum's dog, before she died. The pic of Tannoy was taken before his two-week disappearance a couple of years ago. When he returned, we found his pelvis had been broken and mended itself strangely and his spine was broken where the tail joins the body. The vets put it down to malicious acts by person or persons unknown. He's still a lovely, affectionate cat, though nervous of strangers now. He walks in an interesting way, but can still climb and cause trouble to the dogs. He takes a bit of care because there was significant nerve damage and you can guess the rest. We all get on famously, though both dogs would like to be boss. Can't do without this sort of presence in the house. Good luck for your pup in his surgery Josh.</p><div></div>

<p>Haven't done this before, here's Tilda I hope</p><div></div>

<p>And here's Charlie</p><div></div>

<p>Our rescue Samoyed, Woody.</p><div></div>

<p>This is Joe!...His eyes are very scary but he is the mouses enemy!</p>

<p>Great to be friend with him!</p><div></div>

<p>...I lost Mamzie a year ago. After 13 years of being my faithful, pugs' face, lovable, special friend. When we said goodbye on the vet table, I cried as I felt my guts were pulled out of me for a moment. I was with a dear friend who loved Mamzie very much too and I could not, like him, stay a minute more when Life had left her. It wasn't her anymore on the table. She was gone...</p>

<p>Well, time has passed and yesterday I finally adopted a new girl cat. She is a sweet girl, has been rescued first before ending up in foster care for a while. I saw her picture on the web...a funny good feeling came to me when I first saw her. She would not replace my Mamzie. She would be a new friend. I guess at my age (45+), perhaps for the rest of my life... Big decision. I did drive an hour to go and finally meet with her. She had all I was hoping for: the curiosity of a cat, the beauty of a cat, the grace and all. She IS a cat. I am happy I brought her home and now she is exploring her new digs... Welcome my dear.</p><div></div>

<p><a title="Untitled by Chaospress, on Flickr" href=" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2338/2279425388_ceb7b58cab_o.jpg" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>(Above) Angelina was a stray dog I found in the Bay of Los Angeles in Baja while camping with some friends exactly 10 years ago this month. She's been my best buddy and has a demeanor that's the very definition of 'mellow'. A couple weeks ago she had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, and so far so good. The vet says she may well be good to go for a couple or few years more... </p>

<p>Shakespeare, lost him this summer at age 10 years and seven months, a few years ago he was in the lake with some trumpeter swans</p><div></div>

<p>Last summer I had to put down my companion of 17 years, Ernie. He'd cry when I'd leave the apartment and meet me at the door when I got home. He was afraid of no one and was called the "watch cat". I still miss him very much. A few months before he departed I rescued a feral kitten and Ernie sternly taught her some house manners. </p><div></div>