Many horses are needin' help

by @winecountrydog Tilin Corgi

Soon cold weathers and big rains and winds will come, and the horses will still be standing out there in the fields ... with no shelter or blankets ... with no feed, just acres of mud. They are the thousands of neglected, abused, and unwanted horses in today's American West.

Mywoofself has always loved tall neighing furriends. Since puppyhood, myself has met many rescued horses in California and Oregon.

It is good to be gettin' to know some of da most needy horses. It is comfortin' to learn about caring humans who rescue the horses or collect hay bank money to feed them.

Pawleeze document and report horse neglect, abuse, or starvation when you see it! You can contact a rescue organization for advice on how to do this properly. Also ask county sheriff's department and animal control the best way to get help for the horse who's in trouble.

Here are some good folks to know about:

Colorado Horsecare Foodbank
provides feed grants + emergency hay

Oregon Hay Bank
helps horses in Oregon + Northern California

Safe Haven Horse Rescue
horse rescue in Northern California

California Coastal Horse Rescue
horse rescue in Central California

Neigh Savers
California’s Thoroughbred Rehab/Rehoming

Equamore Horse Sanctuary
horse rescue + sanctuary in Oregon

Mustang Meg
Wild Mustang advocacy in SE Oregon

Buck Brannaman
natural horsemanship training
("starting" colts, not breaking them.)

RIP Rita Miljo, wildlife conservationist of African baboon sanctuary C.A.R.E.

by winecountrydog Tilin Corgi

We would like to remember conservationist Rita Miljo, renowned for caring for orphaned and injured wildlife and for reintroducing baboons into the wilds of South Africa.

Ms Miljo was the founder of C.A.R.E. -- the Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education -- in the bush of Limpopo province, on the banks of the Olifants River near Phalaborwa in the Northern Province, about 250 miles northeast of Johannesburg.

On 27 July 2012, Ms Miljo died in a fire which destroyed much of the headquarters of C.A.R.E. Ms Miljo was 81 years old, and had been working in Africa since 1953. Three of her beloved baboons died with her in the tragic fire.

Here is Rita Miljo speaking in a 2007 video interview by wildlife-nannies.com:

"You can never over-spoil a baboon. The more love you give him, the more love he gives you back."

A lovely quote from a very caring human. Rest in peace.

Heifer Houdini's final escape

by pawlitico

The April 2002 news headlines said things like "Escaped Cow on the Loose!", "Mad cow? Ha! She's furious.", "The World's Fastest Cow!", "Cow Becomes Local Hero!", and "Cow to Get Key to the City!"

The heifer Houdini on the lam was a snow white Charolais later called Cinci Freedom.

Cinci did what any cow would hope to do to escape slaughter: She jumped a big fence and ran for freedom. For 11 days, she eluded capture, all the while garnering sympathy from the public.


The citizens of Cincinnati pled for her life. Farm Sanctuary wrote:

As she resisted capture time and again, staying hidden in a park where she foraged and rested when she could, the courageous cow demonstrated an unbendable will, and her tremendous fight for survival resonated with the public. By the time of her capture, she had won the hearts of so many that calls for mercy poured into the city from all over the country. In the end, it was a plea from renowned artist Peter Max that brought the brave bovine safely to our New York Shelter, where she was named Cincinnati Freedom and given the liberty she always deserved.

. . . Freedom received a warm reception. When they saw her arrive, the other Farm Sanctuary cows ran to the barn to greet Freedom. The cows mooed hellos to their famous new herd-mate, and gave her cow kisses. Freedom was quickly adopted by the shelter cattle herd. . . .

Since her arrival in April 2002, Cincinnati Freedom has enjoyed all the comforts and joys that every cow deserves. She has made friends with many of the cows in the herd, and is especially close to two other daring escape artists named Annie Dodge and Queenie.

Another famous escapee and good friend of Cinci's is Maxine from Queens (pictured below).


If Maxine were talking to you, I'm afraid she'd have to tell you a sad story. You see, Cinci got sick recently. It was a cancer that spread fast. Everybuddy said their last goodbyes to Cinci this week.

Dear Cinncinati Freedom, we've never had a cow or a steer furriend, but now we sure wish we did. When we read about your final escape, it touched our corgi hearts. We hope the grass is greenest in your new pasture.

Paw-note: You can see Cinci's eulogy & slide show "In Loving Memory: Cinncinati Freedom" at FarmSanctuary.org.