Animals, animals animals. I have them on the brain after watching Animal Planet last night. They were showing people down in New Orleans rescuing dogs, cats, birds, lizards and even turtles post-Katrina. Wow, talk about tugging at the old heart strings. It was happy and sad all at the same time. The best part was seeing the reunions of the pets with their owners but seeing the dead animals, the ones who were malnurished because they were on their own for so long or the ones they had to leave behind because they ran out of room at the places they had set-up to take them in.....made me cry like a baby.
I have a LARGE place in my heart for animals; wild and pet-like. I grew up with them all around me. English Setters and mutts and cats and cows and chickens and birds and fish....I had all of them. I can't imagine having a place without a pet, it wouldn't feel like a home. Unfortunately because of my allergies I can only have fish or birds. Right now i have two birds; Mario my incredible-singing canary and Louise; a chatty Parakeet/Budgie who I adopted from a friends brother. They keep me entertained.
I even worked at a veterinary office once and spent some volunteer time at the local zoo. Being a Leo you couldn't keep me AWAY from the big cats.
Anyway, for those of you fellow animal lovers there's a place where you can donate money to help with the rescue, care and transportation of the animals affected by Katrina.

https://secure.hsus.org/01/disaster_relief_fund_2005?

WOOF!