All Creatures March - April 2018

MY BELOVED GOLDEN RETRIEVER, Millie, who died a couple of years ago at the all-too-young age of eight, had a best friend, Winky, who preceded her over the rainbow bridge. If you ever doubted that dogs, or any sensate animals, were capable of deep and complex emotions or a rich interior life, you need only to have observed their friendship. In fact, if you don’t believe that animals have these qualities, then I wonder why you’re bothering to read this at all. I had a friend who used to crow at me, “Find me a dog that understands differential equations!” To which I’d reply, “Find me a human who can sense when a loved one is 100 miles away and heading to them.” Science has confirmed that this prescience exists…

Labradors are good bird dogs, but Fred takes it to another level. When he and his owner, Jerry Goldmith, stumbled upon an orphaned duckling, the four-year-old dog licked the baby clean. Dennis the duck has followed Fred around ever since. They eat, sleep and swim together. The pair lives at England’s Mountfitchet Castle. It’s home to hundreds of rescue animals, including other ducks, but Dennis would rather hang with his very first friend.…

A green lizard sometimes slips inside our front door. It scales the wall and clings to the drapery by the window, looking out. I imagine that it wonders, How can I get to that leaf outside? As I approach, it does not flee but turns to make eye contact. “Good morning,” I croon. “Let me show you out.” Then I tap my fingers gently behind the drape and open the door to offer the lizard light, air and freedom—three things that all of God’s magnificent creatures deserve. Share a poem, prayer or meaningful moment you’ve had with one of God’s creatures. Send it to allcreatures@guideposts.org  or All Creatures, 110 William Street, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038.…

The Elephant Sanctuary Hohenwald, Tennessee elephants.com Many elephants retired from zoos and circuses suffer long-term health issues as a result of spending their lives in captivity. The 10 at this sanctuary are individually cared for while living with the companionship of a herd. Kindred Spirits Animal Sanctuary Santa Fe, New Mexico kindredspiritsnm.org This peaceful place provides eldercare and hospice for unwanted dogs, horses and birds, including a peacock named Liberace. Each afternoon, the animals enjoy a siesta. Texas A&M Stevenson Companion Animal Life-Care Center College Station, Texas vetmed.tamu.edu/stevenson-center Pets whose owners are hospitalized, have moved to retirement homes or are deceased are cared for at this center. Each animal is given the attention it needs to remain healthy and happy. Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines Pottstown, Pennsylvania ryerssfarm.org Aged, abused…

AT 11:10 P.M. on October 8, 2017, Roland Hendel saw flames across the valley. The wind kicked up. The wildfires ravaging Northern California were advancing on his family’s Santa Rosa farm. They needed to evacuate immediately. They loaded up their cats and dogs, except Odin, their Great Pyrenees. Odin’s job on the farm was to watch over the eight bottle-raised rescue goats, and he wouldn’t leave them. Time was running out. Hendel made the difficult decision to leave Odin behind. “We got out with our lives and what was in our pockets,” he wrote on Facebook. The family cried for Odin and their goats, convinced that the animals had perished in the fire. A couple of days later, the Hendels returned to the farm. All the buildings were destroyed and…

Q My rescue dog, Reilly, doesn’t react to people when we’re walking outside but is very aggressive when anyone comes to my door. What should I do? —Lauren Lang, Catawissa, Pennsylvania A Guarding their humans’ homes is deeply built into most dogs’ DNA. One of the most popular theories of how wolves evolved into dogs describes an ancient unwritten contract: Wolves alerted humans to predators approaching their camps and chased them away in return for scraps of food. Because it’s so deeply ingrained, alert barking can be extremely difficult to eliminate. But it can be lessened to some extent. The first goal is to make sure Reilly gets enough exercise and socialization with other dogs. “A tired dog is a good dog,” the saying goes; it takes energy…