Prancer is a very friendly girl. She’s still a little confused about shelter life and would like nothing better than to be the loving companion she can be in a “forever home.” She is 8-10 months old so she still has a bit of “puppyhood” left.
The Pine Bluff Animal Friends group in my home town of Pine Bluff, Arkansas is a hyper-active support group for dogs and cats who wind up being residents of the Pine Bluff Animal Shelter. The animal shelter staff and the PBAF work hand in hand in a good relationship.
The PBAF walk the dogs, soothe and provide companionship to the cats and generally work to improve the lot of the critters while they are residents — while working their fingers to the bone to find “forever homes” for the lonesome shelter critters. There is a never-ending supply of new residents.
Click on Santa and the hound to see 38 Santa and dog pictures
On the other hand, we recently provided photography for the Jefferson County (Arkansas) Humane Society annual “Pet Pictures with Santa” event. We photographed a lot of critters and families. Some the dogs we photographed were rescues from the Pine Bluff Animal Shelter and other caring shelters. We have posted 38 pictures of Santa, dogs, kids, and families on the Photo of the Week Page at Corndancer dot-com. We invite you to check out these pictures. We will wait here while you look.
We are showing you a selection of “available” dogs and cats in this post. We have several pictures of each critter. Some individuals will have more pictures than others. That number has nothing to do with importance; it is a function of how still the critter would be for the few seconds it takes to grab a usable image. In some cases it was tantamount to nailing Jello to a tree.
Prancer
Female, 1 – 1 1/2 years old. Black and Tan
Prancer is a bit shy, but friendly. She loves to walk.
Susan
Female, 8-10 months old, Siamese/Tabby mix short hair with just a bit of Calico which you can see on her nose. Susan is well socialized. Had the Dempseys not already being family to three rescue cats, this girl would have likely left the shelter with yours truly. She is friendly and ready to curl up and exchange comforts with her new family, whomsoever those fortunate individuals might be.
Susan says, “I’m ready!.”
Susan peeks out of her cage.
I promise I will purr.
Susan is a talker. Her conversation is directed to me. Holding her is Cathy Hastings Turner, the fearless leader of Pine Bluff Animal Friends.
Susan doing what she does best: being a friend.
Susan hopes this is a temporary inconvenience.
Comet
Female, black and tan. Comet, to this untrained eye, looks like a little Dobie. She is good-natured with lots of energy and a very loving attitude. She likes to nuzzle up as you can see in the last picture.
Comet casts and inviting glance.
Comet strikes a handsome profile.
At the end of her shoot, Comet has figured out it’s time to go back inside. She is negotiating a delay.
Becky
Female, six months old, gray short hair Tabby. Becky is a precocious kitty. She is curious, friendly and likes people. She is a talker and she purrs nicely.
Becky and Cathy are friends.
“Take me to the house dude,” Becky seems to say. She is a “talker.”
Roxey
Female black and white. Roxey is a high-voltage and near perpetual motion bundle of love and affection. She thinks every human being is a new two-legged toy to be loved and licked.
Roxey perks up at the sound of the shutter.
Roxey has spotted a new toy.
Roxey has spotted a couple of humans. Play time!
Rambunctious Roxey needed a bit of help leaving her new friends. She is showing her gratitude to Cathy for this manifestation of care.
Roxey is ready for someone who wants an energetic, loving companion.
Elizabeth
Female, six to eight months old, Siamese and long-hair mix Elizabeth is a friendly little kitty who has had a bad experience, but seems to have recovered nicely with a good attitude. Look at her whiskers and you will see that some scurvy miscreant has trimmed them — a big-time NO-NO. Despite this cavalier treatment, she is a friendly kitty who likes human attention.
Elizabeth is good at being friends.
Elizabeth appears to be a camera hog, not a bad thing if you would like to get adopted. Notice the ill-whacked whiskers. Someone should be ashamed!
Come and get me! I’ll be nice. Promise!
Lucky
Male blonde shepherd mix, four months old Lucky is going to be a big boy when he grows up. Despite his spartan accommodations, he has a good attitude and is a big-time tail wagger.
Lucky is curious and friendly.
Lucky has all the indications of being the friendly, local Dick Butkus of rescues. His attack will be licking you with a tongue the size of a bathmat.
Splinter
Male, tri-colored beagle mix, five to six months old Splinter has a curable malady known as “cherry-eye.” Pine Bluff Animal Friends are in the process of raising money for his treatment. He is a bit bashful now, but knowing the Snoopy tendencies of Beagles, in the right environment, the boy would likely blossom.
Splinter has a look that is hard to resist.
Underneath the bashfulness is a Snoopy waiting to emerge.
Jock
(Not available for adoption) Boxer / Pit Bull mix, male, three years old. Jock is a favorite around the shelter. Despite popular misgivings about his Pit Bull side, he is a big ol’ friendly dog that looks forward to visiting with his human friends. I found him to be outgoing and wanting a good ear scratching, which I administered.
“C’mon Jock,” and here he came, full-speed, ready for attention.
Jock is a handsome dog.
After Cathy left the pen to prepare Jock’s “room,” he and I struck up a friendship after he gave me a few good nosings. He is a good boy!
Think rescue!
The chez Dempsey animal population now is four rescues and one Rottweiler. The count is Ruby, a lab mix; Katie, a mostly Russian Blue mix; Sooner a tiny tiger-tabby and Nikon, the monster long-hair, our most recent addition. These critters add a measure of companionship, love, and loyalty not available from any other source. If you are ready for the responsibilities and rewards of a pet, please check your local rescue venue first. If you happen to find a support group like Pine Bluff Animal Friends, throw a little support their way. In the words of Henny Youngman, “It can’t hoit.”
Thanks for looking.
Joe Dempsey,
Weekly Grist for the Eyes and Mind
http://www.joedempseycommunications.com/
http://www.joedempseyphoto.com/
http://www.corndancer.com/joephoto/photohome.html
Filed under: Behind the Scenes, but wait, there's more |
Weekly Grist for the Eyes and Mind 
Leave a Reply