I have been gone a while. For those who may be wondering, I was involved in a very bad car accident. I almost died. I have had to learn to do some things over. There is some brain damage. My beloved companion dog Angel was killed in the accident.

Life goes on. =^..^=

A Story of a Turkey...

By Karen Dawn At DawnWatch.com


During the 12-1 hour today, on Thanksgiving, Washington Post Radio broadcast a 3 minute piece I recorded about my meeting with the turkey Olivia. It was broadcast right in the middle of a call-in show where people were chatting about turkey cooking recipes. Perfect! I will paste the text below so you can read it.

Earlier in the hour, before my piece was broadcast, I heard a caller, warm and friendly, tell the hosts that she had seen footage from the Butterball turkey plant (check out http://www.goveg.com/feat/butterball/butterball.asp ) and was horrified by the treatment, so she was cooking veggie pot pies this year, and adopting a turkey from Farm Sanctuary. You'll find a lovely article and a beautiful slide show about the Farm Sanctuary "Feed the Turkeys" and adoption programs at http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/16073776.htm. You can post comments on that page. Please do!

And here is a video from the turkey celebration at Animal Acres near Los Angeles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEDFwQB-GRQ

The caller on today's Washington Post Radio show made me realize what a wonderful opportunity we have to add a warm voice of compassion to the turkey talk on the airwaves today. If you are having a veggie feast, please consider making a friendly call about it when your local station takes callers. And please let me know if you do -- you will make my day!

Here's the text of my Olivia piece broadcast on Washington Post Radio. It would be great if Washington Post Radio got some notes of appreciation. Positive feedback for animal friendly coverage encourages more of it. The station takes comments at comment@washingtonpostradio.com
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At Thanksgiving, I remember Olivia. I met her in the year 2000 at Poplar Springs farm animal sanctuary near Washington DC. Having fallen for Babe, the movie star, I thought I was there to meet the pigs. But Terry, the sanctuary owner, started our at the turkey coop.

Terry opened the gate, and introduced Olivia. Olivia had been living on a turkey factory farm till Hurricane Floyd wiped out it. Ironically that hurricane saved her from a particularly gruesome death; turkeys are not covered under federal Humane Slaughter laws.

Olivia hobbled through the gate – "hobbled" because the ends of her toes had been cut off. That's standard practice on farms where jam-packed birds sometimes attack each other. For the same reason the end of her beak had been seared off. That procedure is painful, since turkeys use their beaks to explore for food, so they are loaded with nerve endings. But Terry explained that it is cheaper to hack off the ends of toes and beaks then to give animals enough space.

I was sitting cross-legged on the grassy hill near the coop. To my surprise, Olivia limped in my direction. She came close enough for me to reach out and touch her – gingerly. She moved further in, and I could pet her. It was surprisingly like petting my dog.

I reached my fingers under the outer feathers on her back and could feel a layer of soft down underneath. I had only ever felt that down in luxury pillows. How odd, and lovely, to feel it warm, on a living being.

Within a couple of minutes, Olivia had edged herself into my lap! I continued to move my fingers through her down. She lay her head in the crook of my elbow. She fell asleep. I fell in love.

And I adopted her. I couldn't take her home, but her photograph has been in the middle of our Thanksgiving table, surrounded by a vegetarian feast, for the last five years.

Olivia showed remarkable longevity for a modern turkey. Bred to be deformed with a grotesquely huge chest with lots of 'white meat', she'd been too weak to stand when she had arrived at the sanctuary. But apparently a home with space to move, grass to enjoy, sunshine in which to bathe, and loving care, had given her the will to live. And live she did, happily, until last year when we received the sad news that the sanctuary's lovely little turkey ambassador, my little ward, had died of cancer.

This year we are heading to a local farm animal sanctuary to adopt another rescued turkey. We'll add a new photo to our Thanksgiving table arrangement. But Olivia’s will stay in the center. She changed our Thanksgivings forever, and nobody can ever take her place.
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Wishing all a wonderful Thanksgiving,
Karen Dawn
Dawnwatch

A good friend of mine, one of the nicest people I know, has her cat, Darby Dawn in a contest. Could you all take a few minutes of your time to vote for her?



http://www.animalattraction.com/PhotoContest.asp?PhotoID=6926


Thanks

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Don't Let Halloween Bring a Scare!

Witches, bats, and scaredy cats
Halloween is a great holiday for kids, but it can be hard on pets if you don't take some precautions.

Keep your pet safely indoors, away from noisy groups of small ghouls and goblins. And keep pets away from the door where they can accidentally escape as you open the door for trick-or-treaters.

If you have a black cat, you have a special problem. The mythology about black cats being related to witches can lead strange people to do strange things to them. Even kids who mean no harm may yell when they see a black cat -- scaring the cat much more than the cat scares them.

Pet costumes are the latest Halloween craze. Who can resist dressing up their pet in those cute little hats and witches capes? But make sure your pet can move freely and won’t stumble over a costume that hangs to the ground. And never tie anything around his neck that can choke and strangle him. Opt for a fancy collar instead. Let your pet be the judge. If he struggles and is uncomfortable, then maybe it would be best to let him stay dressed as a Corgi rather than a ghost!

Candy can make a pet sick or may be lethal. Chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine, which can make dogs very ill, and could even cause death if consumed in enough quantity.

If you want to treat your pets, stock up on dog biscuits or catnip toys.
If you suspect your pet has gotten into a potentially poisonous substance, call your veterinarian immediately! Have the telephone number to your local emergency animal hospital readily available, as well as the number for the national animal poison control center.

Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

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Cats are wonderful! Here are 3 of mine.

Please sign my petition regarding a very sick 13 year old boy who set fire to a cat. It had to be euthanized. The petition asks for accountability and treatment.

Thank you.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/112291305



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Yesterday evening a terrible storm come through.

With 80 mile an hour winds!

It was very unexpected. Usually, I keep this link up on my computer, and watch what is going on with the weather.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?CityName=Saint+Clair&state=MO&site=LSX

There was no indication until it was upon us. I had just gotten out of a nice relaxing shower. The first thing that clued me in was the lights started blinking. I looked out the window and it looked like it does when a tornado is coming. (I think they did have one in De Soto, not to far from here.) The trees and shrubbery, which are plentiful here, were whipping back and forth like there weighed nothing. All of a sudden there was a strong gust that seemed like it wanted to pull the bushes from the ground. A lawn chair went sailing past the window! (In my heart I know this is when my tree went.)

The good news first, we are all ok, humans and pets. Sadly, one of my beloved trees didn't fare so well. It was a giant old tree, in front of my house. Most of the branchs came down. Many of them were blocking the highway. The police and fire department were here to cut away some of the branches blocking the highway. Then MODOT, to bulldoze the larger tree limbs back on my property.I hope my tree, the majority of which is still standing, makes a comeback. Time will tell.

Obviously, we do have power. We are so lucky. Many, 480,000 from what the radio says, don't. It is supposed to be 102 degrees today with heat index values as high as 114. I pray for the elderly and pets.

I have one favor to ask. As you all go about the day, say a prayer for the people and pets of the St Louis area who are left without power on this the hottest day of the year. I know there will be some who won't make it. There always is.

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