Hope Transforms Into Art and Becomes a Winner

This is a story about and abandoned puppy nicknamed 'Hope'. The little guy was born with only two legs and he and his eight siblings, all newborns, were found shortly before Christmas, in a box at the side of an Orlando, Florida highway. They were taken to a local shelter—'Pet Rescue by Judy'. Seven of the puppies were healthy, but Hope's two front legs were stumps. Volunteer Judy Walker fostered Art for about three months until he was ready for a new, permanent home. He had to grow and put on weight before he could use a wheelchair. He now has a new home, a new name, and new mobility. Hope is now called Art and lives an active life with three other dogs and a retired veterinarian. And he gets around just fine! "I just fell in love with him," said Art's new owner, Robert Weigle, a retired veterinarian. "He's taught me more than years of veterinary training ever did, and a lot about life priorities." At 10 months old, he weighs 25 pounds and has adapted beautifully to his new name and home. Robert added: "He's just a happy dog and he's very intelligent and if one thing doesn't succeed, he'll work around it and find a way that does". Weigle built Art two makeshift wheelchairs, one with four wheels and one with two, which Art uses when he leaves the house. "He really isn't overly-fond of either of them, unless we're in a strange area where he gets around and socializes with people," Weigle said. When he's at home, Art prefers to be free of his wheelchairs. "He travels about perfectly well on his own," Weigle said. Recently, Art's former foster caregiver, Judy Walker, had the opportunity to visit Art for the first time since he left her home in March. "He's happy and that's all I wanted," Judy said. For her it's come full circle: Art the abandoned puppy born with two legs is happy, healthy and amazingly active. "It's amazing what love can do, especially with animals," she said.

How to Make a Chicken Coop - Five Important Reasons To Consider

Farmers raise them. So do hundreds of kids for 4H projects. There are even clubs dedicated to raising chickens in your backyard. So, just what does all this have to do with why you should learn how to make a chicken coop? There are many reasons why this would be a good idea, but in truth, you can narrow these down to five especially good ones:

1. You can you can raise hens for healthy, more tasty eggs or feeder hens for the dinner table.


2. Chickens produce manure that's high in nitrogen for your garden. Some people go so far as to call it the best fertilizer in the world.


3. Chickens provide excellent pest and insect control if allowed to roam free for a few hours a day. As they peck around the yard, they gobble up grubs, slugs and other bugs, viewing garden pests as tasty, nutritious treats.


4. Chickens are great foragers and will scratch around in the leaves and soil energetically, seeking out the delectable tidbits. In doing so, they aerate the soil and break down larger pieces of vegetation with their sharp talons, accelerating the decomposition process.
5. Raising animals can be a very important source of family time. This is perhaps the most important reason why you should learn how to make a chicken coop. In today's society quality family time is hard enough to come by so teaching your children how to care for backyard chickens can offer them a way to occupy their time beyond talking on the phone or playing video games.

When you make a chicken coop and get a few backyard chickens you are taking a step toward independence. You are distancing yourself from the mega-egg producers whose methods lean heavily toward polluting the environment and your chickens won't be pumped full of hormones or chemicals which mean they, and the eggs they produce are healthier for you as well. There are many more great reasons to learn how to make a chicken coop. Give it a shot and you will find that you will soon have more benefits than you initially hoped for. Raising chickens in a backyard coop is not just for clubs or farmers anymore. It is now a family project that everyone can enjoy and benefit from.

See our section on "Keeping Backyard Chickens" by clicking >>Here<<

Officer Rudi Retires

For seven years he has patrolled the streets of Bryan, Texas, sniffing out crime. Now, Officer Rudi is hanging up his leash for a more relaxing routine. The department bid farewell Wednesday to the highly-decorated Bryan Police canine who's been with the force since 2002. The 10½ year old Belgian Malinois will remain under the care of his partner and handler Sergeant Dean Swartzlander. "I have had him longer than I've had my oldest child, so it's like retiring one my kids," Swartzlander said. A retirement ceremony was held for Rudi Wednesday afternoon at the Criminal Justice Center. Happy retirement Rudi— you've most certainly earned it!