All Creatures Great and Small

This week’s cold spell has been hard on the human population, but please think about domestic pets and wild animals.

We once had a rescue English Springer Spaniel for many, many years. A beautiful animal, but all in all, a crazy puppy. When we first got him, he was like most puppies: a chewer, unmannered, a runner, not house trained, a destroyer. He was relegated to the backyard. At age three with his puppyhood behind him, we moved to another state, one colder and with more severe weather. We made the conscious decision to bring our spaniel inside, potty train him, make him a member of the family. To do otherwise would be inhumane in those bitter winters of snow and ice and hot, humid summers.  People who have pets in cold climates should only be pet owners if they are willing to do what is necessary to show kindness to animals.

Within a short time, our spaniel was transformed into a loving, protective, friendly, eager to please, well-trained, clever house dog. We never looked back. He became a poster child for good pets. In only a few months, he  could be trusted to stay with us without a leash and not leave our presence while outside. He had gorgeous markings and was an exquisite animal. People would ask us, “How did you get your dog to be so good?” The answer was always, “We brought him inside and made him a member of the family.” He lived for 13 years.

Our current rescue is a huge black coonhound, probably a mix. This guy was abused in his youth, he has the burn scars on his back where fur will never grow again. On adoption, his severe case of heartworm cost $1000 to cure. Seriously underweight, his time on the streets resulted in starvation and malnutrition.  He didn’t wag his tail for over a year. He chewed his way through our house and yard, but we knew that if we could outlast him, love and time would win out.  That tail now wags non-stop and our little starvling is a sleek, fat and sassy animal. He sleeps with us in the king size bed and, indeed, does follow us around like a puppy dog.  We are still working on the running . We are his pack and he is in doggie heaven.  Life is good.

I don’t know about your area, but if you feed them, they will come. I’m speaking of hummers, those little bossy, showy, squeaky balls of energy. Last summer after a week in the mountains of New Mexico and observing how engaging multiple hummingbird feeders can be, we came back and relocated our one feeder to a higher, shadier, more protected location, and added a couple of more from Wal-Mart. While we had from time to time over the years, seen a stray hummer in our backyard, it was not a common occurance. Immediately, and I mean within minutes, the word got out to the neighborhood hummers that our yard hosted a bonanza of nectar. The feeders had non-stop traffic and the little guys also enjoyed our blooming annuals. Hummingbirds are also pollinators. They stayed until the weather turned cold. Hummers are bossy, possessive, and territorial. Hang out a few feeders in the spring and get ready for cheap, clean entertainment right in your backyard.

Now, about the wild bird population. I have read reports of declining bird populations, although it seems that grackles and pigeons thrive in my city. I would urge you to join The Audubon Society and support their work with birds. They do great work and have a beautiful magazine. We have multiple feeders in the front yard and the backyard, 3 bird baths, and an outdoor swimming pool which the neighborhood wildlife enjoys sipping from. The rule is that if you start feeding birds, either stop in time for them to migrate, or be faithful in your feeding. You can’t go on again, off again. We carefully keep the seed feeders filled during this cold snap. Get some good birdseed, especially one that has lots of sunflower seeds.  As I talk about our yard, you might be tempted to think that it is quite large. Au contraire. Our lot is smallish, we just maximize the space. Great things can be done in small, interesting areas. Back to the birds, please consider joining The Audubon Society and feeding the birds in these freezing temperatures. It is the right thing to do.

No deer come into our yard, but we have plenty of squirrels. They also feast on the birdfeeders,and I occasionally put out old bread or crackers for them. We hear the coyotes beyond the fence at night and see the evidence of the possums digging in our beds around our fruit trees. Our yard is a registerd Certified Wildlife Habitat. Check out nwf.org/backyard/ on how to certify your yard. Over 96000 yards have been certified. This is a fun program that stimulates conversation and supports environmental work. National Wildlife Federation also publishes a lovely magazine.

Feeding wildlife helps ensure their survival through the winter. Your pets will live longer and have a happier life if they are protected from the cold.

Until next time, The Aging Prepper