The Biting Cat
The call came in for Animal Control. The hospital reported that a cat had bitten a child rather severely. Because any animal bite is a public health matter, animal control officers are required to investigate. Texas at…
Author Archives: Dianne West Short
Verbie the Volunteer
Volunteers are a staple of community organizations such as animal shelters. We rely on them and were always grateful to have them….except once. Verbie came to us one day in a flurry of high-pitched giggles,…
Cat Day Afternoon
The man’s voice sounded agitated. “Kin y’all come pick up m’ folks’ cats?” The person on the front desk explained to the caller we had a policy of not picking up owned animals and he must…
Frank, The Weenie Dog, Straying From the Truth
Frank was a red dachshund I met one morning when a man I know brought him to the shelter, tucked under his arm. The dog had no collar and no identification. The man was Chester,…
Deck The Halls With Gerbils
It was Christmas and our two youngest children each asked for a gerbil from Santa Claus. I had gone to the local Wal-Mart to buy two, careful to choose different-looking ones so the children could tell…
Dwayne and Dogs
Animal shelters are rarely found in the best part of town. Ours was no exception. This “animal control facility” was on a triangle of land bordered by a railroad and a pit for gravel and tar. …
Tilly
This story isn’t about my own beloved Tilly, it’s about another Tilly, a funny-looking terrier mix with a mind of her own and the ability to convince a family that wanted a chocolate Labrador retriever to take her…
Edgar the Teacup Poodle
One of the questions animal shelter people face every day is whether they can “promise” a certain puppy will stay small. That is impossible to guarantee. Whenever tempted to compromise, to fudge the truth just to…
The Second Grade Photograph
Being a twin, an “identical” twin is something I have always taken for granted, like having two arms, two feet, two parents. There have always been two of us, or … me..and another me. It…
I Never Wore A Tutu
I am well into my 60s. Aging brings few perks. Such “bonuses” as Medicare, mailed offers for motorized wheelchairs, hearing aids, pre-need funerals, adding such benefits as not having to drive carpool, not worrying AS…
My Twin Sister Was An Only Child
People often ask twins what it is like being a twin. It’s hard for me to answer that question, as I have always been a twin, an identical twin, and don’t know the difference. Growing…
Animal Welfare as Punishment
It is on this blog that I can tell my stories about life in animal rescue. I guess “dog eat dog” might be an inappropriate title for my 18 years in animal rescue and my experiences with the…
Why blog?
Okay, I asked myself, what in the world IS a “blog” exactly? Explained: a blend of “web log.” (or someone didn’t space the two words right? We blog?) I know about keeping a personal diary/log, but…
