3 Eyed Cameron and Chihuahuas

First, the latest on the Chihuahuas. We stopped by the mill this morning and were told Animal Control was called yesterday regarding a trap but evidently the county shelter instead of city animal control. However, the tan and white dog has not been seen since it ran across the street into the bushes Friday, so it is possible the dog is no longer at the mill. The dog could hide forever in that undergrowth. So we aren't expecting any more news for a while.

Because of the ... shall we call it tension between the shelter and the Humane Society, Jan has not called the shelter to ask about the chocolate Chihuahua that hasn't been seen since the first night. Today, she had opportunity to speak to city Animal Control and learned a chocolate Chihuahua was picked up in the Walgreen's parking lot last week. Whether it has been adopted or put down is something we can't answer. Nor can city AC since it doesn't have any say at the shelter. What we do know is that if this tan and white one is caught, it will be put down without a chance of adoption because it growled at the mill crew trying to catch it last week. So right now, we're hoping it will find someone on its own and make friends so it can be helped -- not turned in to the shelter. Time will tell. We wish it the best!

And after so much sadness around the blogs the last week or two, we decided a moment of comic relief is in order. Rocky Creek Scottie Adventures is having a contest. All you have to do is post a picture sticking out your tongue. So, purely by accident, we found an appropriate entry today when Jan downloaded the camera.


Yep, it's a 3-eyed Cameron! But his tongue is showing, so it counts, doesn't it?

Maybe next time he'll listen when Jan tells him to sit still.

Chihuahua Update and AniMeals

We would like to give you a postive update on the 2 Chihuahua's dumped at the mill on Sunday, June 21. ( Click to read "What Were You Thinking".) Unfortunately, we can't. We do stop at the mill every morning when we walk Jan and she asks about them. Last Friday we were told the tan and white one was spotted but he scooted under buildings and got around so fast they couldn't corner it long enough to call Animal Control.

This morning we met the boss over the workers there. (I, Buddy, howled at him when he shook Jan's hand and introduced himself. Nobody shakes her hand but Merci, Sam and myself! Not without our permission and he didn't ask us. And by the way, he told Jan he used to have a Boxer, but last year while he was mixing paint in his back yard, a van pulled up out front and drove off with his dog. Watch your pets!) He said the Chihuahua growled at them whenever they got close to it and they lost it when it sped across the road and disappeared into the bushes. There is no way to find him in that jungle!

So Jan suggested they call Animal Control and ask for a trap to be set up in the shade. It's possibly the only way the tan and white dog will be captured. We are all very sad because the chocolate Chihuahua has not been seen since that first night. It was protective of this tan and white one, but was so hyper it could not be still or quiet. It was here, there, up, down, back and forth, barking all the while. With the lack of water in that high heat and humidity, Jan fears the dog died of heat stroke.


For any of you who missed the blurb on the Cat Blogosphere the other day, we'd like to introduce you to AniMeals. AniMeals.com is an animal food bank located in Missoula, MT. They help feed hungry animals and facilitate adoptions for abandoned pets. They are short on medicine, food, money, as they are overloaded with 25 adult cats and 46 kittens. So many animals end up at a shelter because their owner dies. Read the very short bio of Fifi and Mrs. Arbuncle, whose owner took his own life but couldn't/didn't take theirs too. They are among the cats needing a home. Click to visit thei AniMeals blog. Also check them out on YouTube. And if you can help in some way .....

There is some very good news. Laska, the Siberian that ran away from his foster home last week is back home again. You can read about Laska and lots of other news in various posts at Khyra's Khorner blog.

We are very sad for Huskee & Hershey's mom and dad. They lost their first baby a year ago and now they have lost their second. We can not imagine their pain! If you haven't stopped by to leave a word of support, we hope you will do so today.

Merci's prize from the SuppliesJust4Pets.com modeling contest arrived a little while ago but we haven't even seen what's in the box yet. We'll post on it soon.

No Justice for Shepp

Some of you might remember Shepp's story from September 2008. Shepp was a German Shepherd whose owners, Daniel and Norma Luna, dumped him at an abandoned home on a chain so short he could barely move and left him to die. A little food was left just out of his reach. He spent a month slowing and painfully starving to death,the chain digging a hole in his neck. He had painful shoulder and body injuries from flailing for weeks on that concrete. He died four days after he was finally rescued. Evidently, there wasn't a single phone call from a concerned neighbor to report an abandoned dog at an abandoned house. (Mark has sent a correction. Calls were made to Kelli Copeland/Animal Control and no one responded until someone called the TV station and they went out with their news cameras.)

After several delays, the Luna's hearing was scheduled for Monday, June 29. But Thursday, June 25, the Lunas were allowed to plead guilty in exchange for 1 year of probation and a $900 fine.

In response to a light reprimand for such criminal neglect and abuse, our friend, Corpus Christi animal advocate Mark Crider emailed: There were almost 7,500 signatures on Shepp's petition calling for the city of Corpus to do the right thing. Please email the powers that be here and tell them how disgusted you are with this sentence and the city itself for condoning animal abuse and neglect! Please don't let Shepp's voice go unheard.

For anyone interested in contacting "the powers that be" of Corpus Christi, Texas --

Judge Martinez - the judge who sentenced the Lunas: (361) 888-0466; fax: 361-888-0250. Email.

Mayor: Email.
or Kelly Denson, Assistant to the Mayor: Email.

City Council Offices, 1201 Leopard St., Corpus Christi, Texas 78401
Main Line.....826-3105

Yesterday (Friday), Mark and Tammy Thayne, founder of Dogs Deserve Better, were interviewed about this decision on KZTV 10. You can read the interview and/or watch the news video -- click here. We don't know how long they will remain posted there, but we can't post the news video because of copyright, so our apologies if you find this post after the article and video have been removed.

Mark has also written a letter to his local editor (used with permission):
We've been waiting for months now through several continuances to see justice served for the horrible cruelty that Shepp endured, struggling, starving on a chain. All were aghast. Aghast that a judge, a person sworn to uphold the laws of the state of Texas, would only sprinkle freedom and a pittance of a fine on the perpetrators of this absolutely horrendous cruelty.

Maybe the judge is not aware of the cruelty statutes that were signed into law and went in effect Sept. 1st, 2007? From the earthquake rumblings I am hearing, he will have a very well funded opponent and Shepp will come back to haunt the despicable sentence applied in this case.

I’m curious, do these obviously fine, understanding, and well regarded members of the Corpus Christi gentry have any human children? I hope not, but if they do perhaps CPS should take a look at the environment they are being raised in because the majority of killers and abusers get their start with animals. It is well documented that a person who abuses animals also abuse children and other defenseless people.

Sentences and lack of enforcement like this, obviously, is the reason we have such a high crime rate. It would be so simple to cure this. Have every police officer write a ticket to the owners of chained dogs. Encourage the public to report pet chaining and cruelty. Get the police out to enforce these laws. Isn't that what they're supposed to do?

Sunday, June 28 (that's tomorrow) DDB and friends will be kicking off Dogs Deserve Betters annual chain off with demonstrators against this torture by chaining them selves up in protest of this cruel and barbaric practice" (from Dogs Deserve Better flyer).

WHERE: McCaughan Park, Corpus Christi Bay front next to Memorial Coliseum
WHEN: Sunday, 6/28/2009. 9 a.m. to ?????
Bring something to drink
Bring all of your friends

What Were You Thinking

To the heartless human who dumped two Chihuahuas up the street sometime Sunday --

We here at Jan's Funny Farm are struggling to figure out why you did this terrible thing. Was it a husband who wanted to "punish" his wife by abandoning her dogs and driving away? Was it a woman who lost her job and could no longer afford to keep these ex-members of your household? Or was it a cold-hearted hyena's butt that thought it was funny? There are any number of guesses to be made but no facts except one. Some human dumped them.

Sunday when Buddy, Merci & Sam took Jan for her evening walk, the Chihuahuas were by one of the mill gates, a frequent dumping area for unwanted dogs and cats. The mouthy chocolate one with the spindly legs tried to approach us dogs -- one of his own kind -- but we barked back at him to keep his distance. We don't allow other dogs near Jan during our walks. That is poor canine etiquette. We'll gladly let Jan help them, but they must come to the front door like other guests.

We continued our walk and ran into a couple of others out walking who saw the dogs and wanted to help, but they wanted to avoid humans. The chocolate one barked and ran around like a hyper whirlwind. The tan and white one just lay by the gate without a sound. Was it sick, injured, exhausted from spending hours in the hot sun without water (example, our heat index today is 116 degrees F), or depressed after waiting hours for the heartless human to return for them?

Jan took us home and returned with food and water for the dogs, but, although the chocolate one barked at her from a distance, they both disappeared under the gate and onto padlocked private mill property before she reached them. Monday evening a neighbor excitedly knocked on our door to say she and her husband had seen the tan & white dog going up the steps and entering a building through a broken glass door. They left diet dog food and water. Jan went up and added some of our dog food, but evidently the dogs never found it.

Tuesday morning we were passing the area when Buddy's keen hound sense of smell caught the tan & white dog's scent. It was under a bush, so well hidden that until we reached the fence and the dog raised its head, Jan couldn't see it. It just stared at us. Again, it didn't make any sound. Jan raced us home, grabbed food, water, a camera and a leash (just in case), but as fast as she moved, it was gone when she got back. (Buddy: Well, Jan moved fast, but, sorry furries, when a guy's gotta poop, he's just gotta poop! So she was delayed a few minutes.)

Neither dog has been seen since. Even though the mill crew is not working in that area, they supposedly are keeping an eye out for the dogs. They had one sighting of the tan and white dog but nothing yesterday. Did the chocolate one move on and leave his companion behind. Or ..... Will either dog be found alive? They don't have much of a chance unless they can find a clean water source somewhere. And they need nourishment.

The property is large, with numerous buildings. Between the work crews and vandals, there are any number of ways for them to get inside buildings, where either or both could fall into a pit, break bones or just be unable to climb out, and die or ... And there are many bushes around the buildings. These dogs are so small, they can easily hide.

We assume, heartless human, you figured you were doing the dogs a favor. Aw, they're so cute, someone will rescue them right away. Well, guess again. They're scared and hiding, so no one has been able to rescue them. We hope you can't sleep at night for wondering and worrying. But we figure you are probably sleeping very well and feeling very proud of yourself for "humanely" resolving the problem of what to do with two little Chihuahuas you didn't want, for whatever reason. There was nothing humane about abandoning them .... anywhere!

So, tell us, heartless human, what were you thinking? And how could you do this to two little Chihuahuas?

Or any other animal!

(s) JFF -- Crystal, Cotton, Merci, Cyndi, Percy, Cameron, Buddy, Rusty & Sam

Cotton Is 10

Our Cotton is turning 10. She doesn't look a day over ... Oh, we're not supposed to discuss a lady's age, are we! Let's just say, she is as beautiful as ever.

This is our pretty girl, napping in one of the beds Jan makes up for us every winter. She and Rusty always seem to have their eyes closed when it's photo time.




Happy 10th Birthday, to our sweet tortie Cotton!!


Note: Thursday is Sassy's doth's birthday. (That's dad of the house, in case you wonder.) You know Sassy, the head of CCSI. You can surprise her doth (big time!) by leaving a message for him on Sassy's blog .


And Friday is Jan's. She's going to be --

Percy: OUCH!!!!!! You stepped on my paw. And I was sitting on the typing chair. Why did you do that?

Jan: Sorry, Percy. I just wanted to see what you were typing. You were about to give out my age. I hope you aren't expecting anything for your birthday next month?

Percy: Mumble, mumble, mumble.

Jan: What, Percy?

Buddy: I think he's trying to say his paw hurts. And he's sorry you stepped on it. And since he can't type with a sore paw, we're just going to have to skip your birthday this year, Jan.

But today is Cotton's day and we're all going to celebrate her favorite way. We're going to nap.

(s) JFF-- Crystal, Cotton, Merci, Cyndi, Percy, Cameron, Buddy, Rusty & Sam

Merci the Model and Pee Pee Ess

Thank you Zoolatry for the beautiful graphic.

We are so proud of Merci, as we think she is a beautiful girl with a heart of cat. Yes, we said a heart of cat. When Jan adopted her, she was just hoping for a dog that wouldn't harm her cats. She never dreamed Merci would turn into a cat rescuer -- Percy and Cameron are Merci's -- or attract cats to follow them on their walks. (That was pre-Buddy and Sam, folks.) This loving Merci-ful character is what makes her beautiful to us.

We forgot about the Next Dog Model Contest until the last day (Friday, June 19). All our photos of Merci playing with a toy are blurred and we didn't have any posed shots we could use. So Jan took Merci outside and took some shots of her in the grass.

There were some beautiful/handsome dog photos entered, but when we got online this afternoon, we were pleasantly surprised to learn Merci won.

As Baby Patches writes in her post, "Just to recaps here da winner receives bragging rights, a spot in da header on SuppliesJust4Pets.com, and these goodies to goes wif it: 1 BullyBell Bully Stick, and 1 His or Hers Plush Bone Dog Toy!"

Congratulations Merci, runners-up perrythebirman's brother Sam and Jax. And also to honorable mentions Dixie, Syke and Olive. (If you don't believe a pit bull can smile, you have got to see Olive's photo. What a cutie.) You can view all their photos here at Baby Patches'.

And you can see our Merci in the header over at Supplies Just 4 Pets.

(s) JFF -- Crystal, Cotton, Merci, Cyndi, Percy, Cameron, Buddy, Rusty & Sam

Pee Ess:
Our intention was to do an upbeat post, but just as we began writing this, we learned JB' has a prayer request out for Bear. Some of you are aware of the problem, but the details are not important. What is important is that Bear was to be safely turned over to JB's mom, but the ex-stepdad relocated him instead and Bear is evidently not in a safe situation. Please stop by JB's Small World to leave a comment -- and pray for Bear's safe return.

Pee Pee Ess:
Khyra's mom really liked a handsome Siberian named Laska that she helped transport to New Jersey. He got out Sunday. He was LOST NEAR POINT BREEZE DRIVE IN WEST MILFORD NJ. Khyra's mom lives in PA and she is worried sick about Laska. H e needs to be found ASAP! Visit Khyra's blog for details and updates.

Addiction, We Ate It

Sam: Oh, good, a box for us. Or is this all for me?


Buddy: It's a box for us, Sam! See, I'm sitting on my throne. That means I'm in charge of whatever it is. Does it smell like food to you?

Sam, taking a deep sniff: Sure smells like food to me!


Percy: It is food! We hit the jackpot. Quick, let's inventory it and hide it from Jan. She'll save it for a rainy day and we'll never get to taste it.


Sam: It's the Addiction natural hypoallergenic, grain free cat and dog food we all wanted to try.

Buddy: Then it must all be for me. I'm the one with the allergies.

Sam & Percy: I don't think so! It's for all of us!


Day One
Cotton: Mmmmmm, this Unagi & Seaweed is pretty good!


Crystal: Percy, I'm done. You're eating too slow. Let me have some of yours.


Percy: Mmmmmff.


Cameron: Here, you can have mine. I'm not crazy about trying new food.

Rusty: Me either. Where's our regular food?

Cyndi: What's with you guys? This is great! But if you don't eat your shares, that's more for the rest of us!


Buddy: Anything you cats don't want, I'll eat!


Sam: Don't have any idea what unagi is, but it's great with seaweed!


Day Two
Buddy: Come on, Jan, I'm going faint from hunger if you don't hurry. This raw dehydrated food smells yummilicious!


Merci: Mmmmmff.

Sam: Mmphmm.


Buddy: Gulp. I'm done. Ready for seconds. What do you mean, there are no leftovers? No fair, Merci licked her bowl clean and Sam's big nose is hogging his bowl.


Overview:
Buddy, speaking on behalf of the canines: Basically, we loved the food. The cats liked their Venison grain-free dry food and also stole ours while Jan was fixing our meals. The canned Unagi & Seaweed and the King Salmon & Potatoes were delicious. We inhaled our portions of raw dehyrated Herbed Lamb & Potatoes, the dehydrated Steakhouse Beef & Zucchini too. All three of us dogs agree the food was good and Jan liked that it was hypoallergenic and natural.

Percy, speaking for the felines: Buddy's right. We sneaked the dog food whenever we could, but we ate our own dry food too. Jan mixed it with some of our regular food at first. We cats aren't used to eating a lot of canned food so our cans lasted us 2 days each and the leftovers were tasty too. Jan nuked it 10 seconds in the microwave to "warm" it up first. We all loved the King Salmon & Potatoes. Even our picky eaters, Cameron and Rusty, chowed down on that. They didn't care for the Unagi & Seaweed or the New Zealand Venison & Apples, though. But four out of six of us cats enjoyed all 3 canned varieties.

If you aren't familiar with Addiction Cat or Dog food yet, you can learn about them on their web site. www.addictionfoods.com/

(s) JFF -- Crystal, Cotton, Merci, Cyndi, Percy, Cameron, Buddy, Rusty & Sam

International Box Day

We received the official notice last week:

MAGGY (Zoolatry) & ROMEO (Peggy's Place)
officially declare
Friday, June 19, 2009
INTERNATIONAL BOX DAY

It is common knowledge that "cats in boxes" go together,
like cookies & cream, nip & tini, soft purrs & belly-rubs!

So we are announcing our
International Box Day Challenge.

Visiting many of your blogs over the last year or more,
we've seen dozens-plus great photos of "cats in boxes"...
you know you have them, in your archives.

So, take our challenge, and on June 19, 2009
let's all post (or re-post)

all the cats in boxes photos we can.

No prizes, no awards, just a box full 'o fun!

Oh, rats, we can't participate, since Jan claims there are no photos of any of us in boxes. We did find a couple with a cat in a dishpan but none in a box.

A sad day. We feel left out.




But wait! Wait! Hold everything! We found one! We found one! Quick, let's post it!


Our own Crystal rubbing his scent on a box. Doesn't matter the box isn't empty. He's claiming it for his own. At least for the moment!

Sigh. Saved by a box. Thanks, Crystal.

And by the way, have you visited the Daily Tripod blog yet? Then stop by. Both of the tripods, rescue kitties, are missing their right rear leg. The photos are great.

Chihuahuas Corner Cougar

Our first thought was, is this for real? But evidently it is.

3 toy Chihuahuas cornered a real live, angry mountain lion in a garage and held it at bay until the stunned owner woke up, took some photos, called 9-1-1 and two Riverside County Sheriff's deputies arrived. And then .... and then finally, nearly an hour later, officers with the Department of Fish and Game arrived with a tranquilizer gun. What happened to the cougar is unclear. But the three Chihuahuas are fine, though we suspect all three might have a severe case of laryngitis.

You can read the news story here.

Darren the Waving Goat,and SB250

Children visiting White Post Farm in Farnsfield near Nottingham often wave good-bye, so a friendly Anglo-Nubian goat named Darren learned to stand on his hind legs and wave back. He was featured on "Animals Do The Funniest Things" and he's fast becoming an internet superstar. Here's a short video.






And while you're smiling, we'd like to comment on a controversial subject -- Senate Bill 250, an attempt to pass a law requiring mandatory spay/neuter of cats and dogs in California. We don't live in California, but we do have an opinion on the subject.

Just today we read two blog posts with opposing views. Surprisingly, the one rooting for the bill to pass moderates comments. We left a polite comment that we disagree, with a very short explanation, and although the blog has been updated and another comment added, our comment has disappeared. So we're going to touch on the subject. It's okay to disagree. We won't delete polite comments.

We strongly believe spay/neuter should be voluntary. Jan volunteered all of us, and she would like to see more folks spay/neuter their pets. It isn't that we don't understand the millions of animals being killed (euthanized is too kind a word) in shelters each year. Jan used to photograph some shelter dogs and cats, knowing most every one would leave the shelter in a body bag. She knows how hard it is to convince humans to change their perspective toward animals, but she volunteers with the local Humane Society (not the shelter) to help educate and promote voluntary spay/neuter. And like Jan, we do not believe that mandatory spay/neuter will solve the shelter euthanasia population.

In the last months, we have read a number of articles stating mandatory spay/neuter does not work, but unfortunately, we don't remember who wrote them and we don't have time to search for them at the moment.

(Buddy, Mercy & Sam: Jan injured her ankle last night while we were walking her. No, we are not responsible. We got caught in a storm and Jan wanted to hurry back. She stepped up on a curb that was broken but appeared solid. It wasn't -- well, it wasn't in the one spot she picked. Broken concrete shifted and with all her weight on it, rolled her ankle. She nearly took us all down but we kept her upright long enough to get thoroughly drenched. And then it was a long, sloooooooooow walk home. She can't sit at the computer long today, so while she rests, we're typing before we get kicked off again.)

To quote from the ASPCA statement: "To the knowledge of the ASPCA, the only method of population control that has demonstrated long-term efficacy in significantly reducing the number of animals entering animal shelters is the voluntary sterilization of owned pets. .... There is also evidence that sterilizing very specific, at-risk sub-populations of companion animals such as feral cats and animals in shelters can also contribute to reductions in overpopulation. .... In contrast, the ASPCA is not aware of any credible evidence demonstrating a statistically significant enhancement in the reduction of shelter intake or euthanasia as a result of the implementation of a mandatory spay/neuter law."

So we're just going to refer you to this one article by the ASPCA, "Position Statement on Mandatory Spay/Neuter Laws."

Now, we have to run. Jan is grumpy and we need to go sit on her foot so she'll really have something to yell about.

Surprise from KC

First of all, we want to file a complaint against Jan for blasting the air with unmentionables today. (We aren't allowed to mention them.) The way Jan yelled, you'd think poor Cameron stepped on the UPS power button on purpose. Yes, she has it covered over so that can't happen, but his foot slipped. Okay, so she was working online at the time. But is she too helpless to push a couple of buttons to restart the computer?

Now for the surprise. We opened the box and there was a note, " Surprise. Love KC."

Isn't this gorgeous! It's from KC of the Sherwood Bunch. One of the soft and fuzzy blankies knitted by Peggy of Peggy's Place for the auction to help Coco and Charlie cat with their vet bills. Now we know why it was listed as "shipped to some lucky cat(s)." We sure are lucky. This blankie will be so warm next winter! Our house gets cold!


Rusty, Buddy & Sam are the first to check it out. (You thought we were kidding when we said in another post that Jan covers the furniture with sheets because we shed, didn't you?)


Rusty: Hmmmm, nice place to take a bath.


Percy: Hey, wait for me. I'm a kitty too.
Cyndi (on the arm of the couch): I'll wait to see if Rusty gives Percy the boot before I get any closer.


Sam: Is there any room up there for me?
Percy: Wait, there's a box. I have to check out the box.
Cyndi: I can almost touch it from here.


Buddy (upper left, brown): Well, I don't need to stand in line. There's plenty of room for me in my chair.
Cameron: Wow, Jan caught nearly all of us in this one shot. Merci and Cotton are the only ones who disappeared when the camera came out. But why did Jan cut off my head? Retake. I want a retake!


Cameron: Jan, you did it again. Where's my head? Oh, there's my head but where's my face? I do have a face, you know!
Rusty: What are you complaining about? Jan keeps taking pictures of my back. I have a face too.


Cyndi: Well, it's about time they all left. Rusty takes up half this blankie himself.
Percy: Zzzzzzzzzz.

Thank you, KC & the Sherwood Bunch. We love our new blankie!

Crystal received a late card for his birthday from our friends Annie, Gyp & Mollie -- and their human KC (not KC of the Sherwoods) -- over at Gentle Annie's .

Mayor Hazel and Ingle's

Jan has been moaning and groaning on our walks the last few days. She claims it's from standing on her feet Friday and Saturday to help distribute VFW Buddy Poppies. We think it's old age. After all, she is older than all of us and our 9 lives together.

Well, our friend Sherry sent us a video link that puts Jan to shame. (Okay, she sent the link to Jan and we appropriated it.) An 88-year old mayor with energy to spare -- and no whining when her dogs try to walk her. Of course, we don't actually know whether she has dogs, but if she did, she wouldn't be whining about walking with them. She'd probably be racing them down the road -- and win!

But since we mentioned the VFW, we'll take a minute to update our post A Sad Day. We hope you caught the message, that it wasn't just about the VFW being denied permission to fundraise on Ingle's Markets property. It was about the entire community being tossed out on their butts. The fire departments, most of which are volunteer, can't do another Boot Drive to raise funds. The little kid with cancer is denied a car wash to help pay his medical bills.

Friday night Jan learned that a couple months or so ago, Ingle's Corporate sent a memo effectively ending community involvement of any kind. Corporate sent the District Manager personally to post "No Soliciting" signs on the doors and to remove -- get this! -- the community bulletin board where folks could post lost animals, pets needing a home, church events, etc. Guess Ingle's, like other big corporations, has lost perspective and relegated the local community to the litter box. And we all know what goes on in a litter box!

Anyone using the email form on Ingle's website to complain, even if they specifically mention they don't live in Ingle's territory, receives a canned response:

Thank you for contacting us. Due to our increased concern for safety we have ceased activities of this kind at all of our locations. We would like to thank you for your understanding. Many groups and organizations have benefited from Ingles' giving in the past and we are hopeful that you will find other opportunities to meet your current need. A copy of our Community Giving Policy can be found at the following link http://www.ingles-markets.com/donations.php . Please check there to see if this may be an avenue for your organization. We appreciate your shopping at Ingles.
Customer Service
Ingles-Markets.com
Phone: 866-226-7168

Now, first of all, this is not about seeking money from Ingle's so their response is a slap in the face to anyone receiving it. A friend of Jan's replied, asking if Ingle's had even bothered to read his original message and he received the above for the second time. So, basically, no one is reading the messages. It's just an assembly line -- one message in, canned response out.

A Viet Nam vet cc'd Jan. We don't think he'll mind if we use a couple of lines from his message: "I wrote ingles supermarkets costumer service department about their most questionable corporate decision from their web site. .... I nicely explained without any form of vulgarisms that their corporate decision was a kick in the hind ends of disabled veterans of the USA." We imagine he received the same canned response.

We hope our post didn't get the local Ingle's manager in trouble with Corporate. And with no disrespect to him, since he has nothing to do with Corporate decisions, we think this decision was a kick in the hind ends of all Ingle's customers and their communities. Unforatunately, it reflects a growing trend. Non-involvement.

Enough said! Now to our fun video. You will enjoy this energetic mayor of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.



If the video won't play, click here.

Crystal is 11

It's hard to believe Crystal is 11 today. At least according to Jan's calculations. He found Jan when he was about 6 weeks old. Since he's the oldest, all of us furries on the Funny Farm have known him all our lives.

Jan can't say the same, about knowing him all her life. She's older than all of us together. And that total includes all 9 lives -- of each of us -- added together! Let's see, 9 x 11 = 99, plus 9 x Cotton's going on 10 ..... plus 9 x ..... plus ..... plus .... plus ...plus .... plus .... plus .... That would make her ..... Uh, hi, Jan. What are we doing? We're just posting about Crystal's birthday.


This is a picture of him we like. Jan set he kitty toy box (translate, "dish pan") on the washing machine and Crystal immediately climbed in and took a long snooze. He looks pretty comfy there, doesn't he!

Crystal, we all want to wish you a Happy 11th Birthday!

And may there be many more. We love you.

JFF -- Cotton, Merci, Cyndi, Percy, Cameron, Buddy, Rusty & Sam

Oh, yeah, and Jan.