Linda's Pets

Cyber-Gus works double-duty as my screen-saver. Occasionally, I let time pass without doing anything JUST to watch him patrol the monitor, protecting my work. (Sometimes he falls asleep, but it's tiring work and I'm up all hours working on projects...)

I've also adopted a cyber-version of one of my real-life companions, called Shadow, from a wonderful place right here in GeoCities. Put your mouse on Cyber-Shadow to go adopt a kitty for your own web-site.

My household is presently blessed with three dogs, two cats, and a canary. I recently purchased a digital camera, so I do have some photos to share. (Odie was my Senior Cat, at 15 years of age. He developed arthritis and wasn't limber enough to escape the coyote that ravaged our neighborhood for a week. I miss him terribly. He was an orange tiger-striped domestic short-hair, and I just couldn't call him "Garfield".) Shadow is eleven, a grey short-haired domestic, and rediscovered kittenhood (for short periods of activity) with the addition of Onyx, who joined us about two years ago. Shadow is a hunter; he brings me legless, skinny reptilian creatures on a regular basis. Onyx was a feral kitten whose mom hung around my dispatch center until the commander ordered me to call Animal Control to come pick up the strays (which the dispatchers were feeding and letting inside on the midnight shift). They caught the kitten and paged me late at night to let me know I had a new member of my household. He was so wild it took two weeks of living in one of my bathroom drawers before he stopped hissing at me when I reached in to pick him up and love him. (It was only a half-hearted little warning hiss, and he'd immediately settle into a purr.) But, there were other cats and dogs in the house, and it took him that long to venture out of the bathroom on his own. You'd never know he was the same kitten, and he turned into a gorgeous fluffy cat who let the largest dog keep the insides of his ears clean. (ewwwwww, dog kisses!)

However, Onyx was only a "love" at home and unfortunately, a neighbor trapped him to turn over to the local animal control agency. He didn't act like a house cat and clawed and bit the shelter workers. Due to his regression to a feral state (through fear, I'm sure) he didn't survive long enough for me to rescue him from the animal shelter. That was only 3 weeks after we lost Odie...

Just a week ago, Widget came to live with us. His full name is "Fuzzy Widget" and his coloring is not quite as deep an orange as was Odie's coat. His stripes aren't as prominent, either. But he's a little tiger, too! (Pictures to come soon.)

The "house Hitler" is Nicholas, a 11 year old papillion-mix, who at 12 pounds, rules the home. I also have a "real" Gus, who's a 7 or 8 year old terrier-mix. Gus was put on this earth to love. He loves me, my friends, the neighbors, the cats, and probably even burglars, if Nicholas didn't warn him that intruders could be bad people. He's an excellent watch dog, but "watch" IS the operative word here. He alerts me to company, then wags himself silly for a pat on the head. Wait! I just remembered that Gus, for some reason, distrusts the mail carrier and the garbage collectors. But that's probably because they never approach the porch, but "do things" to our stuff out on the street.

The latest addition (2/23/97) is Preztel, a miniature dachshund. (If you visited in the last few months, I originally named him "Baron" but that didn't stick.) He was born December 28th, 1996 and his first night with me was his first night away from his mother. I hadn't had a puppy for 10 years.... He weighed under 2 pounds the first week with me, and he couldn't push the heavy-duty magnetized flap open on the cat door. He's a short-haired dachshund, and he wore a sock with holes cut in it for a jacket, to keep warm the first couple of weeks with us. He now weighs all of 9 pounds, and looks like this when munching on an edible pretzel.

This is a handy likeness I found on the 'Net that won't take so long to load: he looks a LOT like this, but the ratio of envelope to dachshund is WAAAY off!

I'm ashamed to admit I don't have a unique name for the canary. He's yellow, he sings up a storm, but he was given to me by an elderly woman who couldn't keep him any more and I've forgotten what name she gave him. I think it was Tweety and I've resorted to simply telling him he's a "pretty bird," so maybe that's his name now.

All my pets are, and have been, "rescue" pets. (Except Pretzel, now. He's a purebred without "papers" and I got him from a family that was giving away the last puppy of a litter.) I know many folks purchase purebreds, and I'm attracted to many breeds too, but there are SO many homeless, needy companion-animals out there. I really recommend you choose your companion from a shelter instead of a breeder, unless you intend to show dogs or cats. (I won't even go into the reasons why you should NEVER, EVER buy one from a pet store!) Instead, look for a local SPCA organization to assist you in adopting a companion animal. Willis J. Evans - aka "Mr. Woo" will be able to explain why we need to look for a pet at animal shelters.

Click on the logos for the North Shore Animal League or Pets In Need to see excellent websites for two outstanding organizations. (I've been contributing to NSAL for several years now, with an automatic monthly checking account deduction.)

One of my actual neighbors has adopted two greyhounds and we meet regularly on walks. One of my virtual neighbors is involved in greyhound rescue support; if you can't adopt a dog, perhaps you can adopt a virtual greyhound at her website. Tell Kate I sent ya!

There's a dachshund rescue website out there, too, right here in Heartland!

I also recommend the Delta Society website for information on animals helping people and people helping animals.

Over the years, I've loved and lost a few companion animals. During my four-year sojourn in Southern California, I also worked at the Seabreeze Pet Cemetery in Huntington Beach, and worked first-hand with the most caring individuals I can imagine, who provided sincere services for bereaved Masters and Mistresses of hundreds of companion animals. I truly enjoyed my work there. And, to commemorate my loss of two of my own, I purchased a red granite marker engraved with a beagle and cat silhouette, and this inscription: "Beauregard and Libby, 1977 - 1991. 13 years of love X two."

If you've lost a beloved companion, whatever the breed, you might be interested in the Lightning Strike - Pet-Loss Support Page. Grief is natural, and this is an excellent WWW resource. If you're ready to unabashedly cry, visit the Pet Loss and Rainbow Bridge website.

Shining Star Memorial Gardens is another Heartland site for those folks who miss their furred and feathered companions. Add a memorial for your beloved pet!

Also, you may be surprised to discover an excellent Internet Resource for Lost or Stolen Pets at Net Pet. It just might be more productive than putting up posters around your neighborhood.

Wild About Cats is a rescue organization for big and/or exotic cats. If you've got an interest in this subject, check this site out for more information.

On the whimsical side, I've discovered Sherman, a cat with his own Home Page. Anyone who's lived with cats will appreciate his point of view. I imagine I'll be finding more ingenious sites like his to share with other folks who've learned to treat their love of companion-animals with similar touches of humor.

Here's an online book called "Rats to Cats!" I encourage all cat-lovers to review the entire document; the drawings are delightful! (But this is my favorite page out of the middle of it.)

Another place you might want to visit is Buck's LitterBox, which, despite the name, is a nice home-page for another cat I've recently found on the 'Net.

There's even a cat named Skye who provides stock market tips. If you play the market, check to see if she's got a good paw for picks.

Be sure to check out the CLAW Recruitment Center, too!

There's another fascinating feline up out on the Heartland Plains, called Kitty Boodles; she'd love a visit or two, and certainly some e-mail from some other cats on the 'Net!

Meet Skylar and Zack, two Golden Retrievers with a website of their own.

Or, you could visit two standard poodles and a mutt, if you're so inclined. Their "mom" put a lot of love into their page, and it shows.

Let me introduce you to Archibald, a very handsome Dobermann. Just a few Heartland addresses away, resides Tiger, the CyberSchnauzer, a very talented pooch. You could also check out Schnauzer Lane, too. Further down the same Heartland block, find Crow's pets. Another Heartland homesteader, Helga The Dog, shares her home, family and friends with you through pictures.

I cannot resist beagles, bassets and dachshunds, so there will probably be several of those to share with y'all before too long. (The recent acquisition of Baron is a result of that attraction to short-legged hounds.) Here's Bo Diddly to steal YOUR heart too! You should also pay a visit Gabbie's Doghouse to meet a charming little guy. Oh, and don't miss Shadow's Spot either!

Then there's Ludvick's homepage, an Airedale's well-designed website. He even displays his favorite Gary Larsen cartoons.

If you're fond of Boston Terriers, be sure to visit Bonnie's Home Page. She's got links to other Boston Terrier sites, too. How about Westies? Meet Jamie, a white West Highland Terrier!

Even if the newest version of "101 Dalmations" hadn't just been released, one couldn't help but be impressed with Alexander and Napoleon's Home Page. What a couple of troopers!

Meet Wolfgang who's the resident dog at Houston WEST! He applies for a job at a fire station, but discovers he doesn't have the requisite spots....

Take a couple minutes to vist Tucker, who will sing for you. (It takes about that long to download the a little movie of this dog's ballad.)

Some of my friends have ferrets. If I didn't have so many pets already, I'd get a pair of them, myself. Interested in knowing where to get a ferret or two, and how much they cost? (They're NOW legal to keep in California!)

And now, here's a Parakeet's Perspective. I once had a parakeet and am planning on getting another soon. I kept their cages next to each other, and now that he's all alone, the canary does seem less musical. Every time I find another budgie link I get more and more tempted. Maybe if I ever left my office at work (or my computer desk at home) I might have some birdie-company for that little, yellow fellow of mine.

Go visit Gulliver, a Senegal parrot -- but take a treat with you!

Hummingbirds aren't really pets, but they certainly brighten up one's yard -- and life! I keep a feeder right outside the window by my computer; here on the California central coast, we can enjoy these lovely, lively visitors year-round.

Here's an interesting site with lots of information about mice. (For show or as companions, not as food or play-things for the four-footed members of your household!)

Love Hamsters? This site it still under construction, but it's got some good information.

If you live in an apartment or just somewhere you can't have pets at all, you might consider a virtual pet rock for your website. Click on mine, below, to go check 'em out.

You could even take a look at my small, but growing, collection of jokes about companion animals.