Life

According
to Henry
PAGE 34
 Editor’s Note
HELLO EVERYONE, GRACIE HERE. Edward and
Julee’s golden retriever. It’s been a while, right?
I talk to you only when I feel I have something
important to say. So here it is: I hate baths!
You might think, given my breed and lineage,
that I would enjoy water. I do! Especially when
it’s combined with dirt or soil. I’m told this
is called mud. That’s where the trouble starts.
I love mud!
If there is mud, I will find it. When I find mud
I will flop in it. Why, you ask? Because it feels
good. Why else would I do it? Whistle and shout all you want, I
can’t help myself. I want to be a good dog, I really do, but mud
always wins. Is that such a bad thing? At four years of age I have
grown up so much! For instance, I can’t remember the last time
I ate a TV remote.
However, I am not allowed to enjoy my mud. I am swiftly taken
to a public facility, where Edward lures me into a tub by deceiving
me with liver treats. I cannot resist liver treats. So un-
fair! I am subjected to a complete hosing down and
washed with something called oatmeal shampoo, which
doesn’t taste anything like the oatmeal I’m familiar
with. People shopping in the pet store area watch and
say how good I am. If they only knew. The whole ordeal
is humiliating!
Then comes the horrible part: the blow-dryer. That’s
where I draw the line. I do everything to escape it. I’ll
Order Always
flee to a corner of the so-called spa area. Edward will
By My Side
pursue me waving the weapon, but the floor is wet and
at guideposts
sometimes he falls down. How often have I warned him
.org/millie,
about the perils of walking on just two legs? He should
or look for
listen! At that point workers in the store will come in
it wherever
and capture me. I thought they were my friends. What
books are sold.
a betrayal! At least I am given more liver treats.
Finally they more or less give up and I’m allowed to dry naturally.
This can take some time. I’m told I give off an odor in this interim,
but people shouldn’t talk. Meanwhile, I don’t want there to be bad
TOP: COURTESY EDWARD GRINNAN

feelings. I hate that. So I make up with everyone, wagging my tail

and rolling on my back. Also I kind of feel sorry for Edward. All I
really want is for everyone to love one another.
Maybe that’s more important than mud. But I’m not promis-
ing anything.

—Gracie (as told to my human, Edward Grinnan)

2 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
 contents
2 EDITOR’S NOTE
5 UNEXPECTED FRIENDS
Best buds Jack and Diane.
By Desiree Cole, Contributing Editor
6 PEACEABLE KINGDOM
“A Jelly-Fish”
By Marianne Moore
8 PAW PRINTS
A roundup of news, expert advice,
fun facts and more, including
your pets enjoying summer, lifesaving
horse blankets and canine stamps.
16
COVER PHOTO: COURTESY DANIEL SHUMSKI. TOP: ROY GUMPEL
THE COMPASSION OF GIANTS
There’s more to whales than
meets the eye.
By Elena Tafone, Contributing Editor
20 LET’S DANCE!
The man behind the toy that cats love.
By Alina Larson, Contributing Editor
23 CREATURE COMFORTS
A mother-to-be’s message from God.
By Lucinda Zamora-Wiley,
Brownsville, Texas
24 LLAMAS EVERYWHERE
30
One couple’s unusual—and
inspiring—retirement plan.
By Judy Ross, Chesapeake, Ohio
30 HELPING AMERICA’S ANIMALS
Meet volunteers around the
country who are making life better
for creatures big and small.
By Peggy Frezon, Contributing Editor
33 THEIR MYSTERIOUS WAYS
A little kitty therapy.
By Bridget Keenan,
San Leandro, California
34
HENRY’S GUIDE TO LIFE,
LOVE AND HAPPINESS
As told to his foster dad.
By Daniel Shumski, Montreal, Canada
37 ROOM TO GROW
Sometimes change is good.
By Terry Helwig
38 HOW I MET MY PET
The story of Trouper, her
blind raccoon.
By Dot Lee, Fort Myers, Florida
ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 3
20
40 SANDY
Reassurance for a single mom.
By Mary Hansen, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
44 IS THIS FOR REAL?
Wally, the emotional support alligator.
By Alina Larson, Contributing Editor
46 LOST AND FOUND
10 things to do if your pet goes missing.
By Peggy Frezon, Contributing Editor
on the web
Saving Trouper
When Dot Lee got a call about a raccoon
that needed help (page 38), she never
expected to change her whole life for
him. Watch a video of this special pair
at guideposts.org/trouper.
The Llama Life
Go to guideposts.org/goodnewsllamas
to see more exclusive photos of the
Good News Llamas ministry (page 24).
All Creatures invites unsolicited manuscripts but
cannot be responsible for returning them. Mail
them to All Creatures, 110 William Street, Suite 901,
New York, NY 10038. All Creatures (ISSN 2572-
1712) is published bimonthly by Guideposts, 39
Old Ridgebury Road, Suite 27, Danbury, CT 06810.
Standard nonprofit postage paid. Canadian GST
#893989236. Copyright © 2019 by Guideposts,
all rights reserved. Volume 3, No. 6. Issue date:
July/Aug 2019. Printed in U.S.A. Postmaster: Send
address changes to Guideposts, P.O. Box 5814,
Harlan, IA 51593-1314. Canada Post: Send address
changes to P.O. Box 1051, Fort Erie, ON L2A 6C7.
4 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
A GUIDEPOSTS PUBLICATION
All Creatures is a bimonthly magazine featuring
true stories of the animals who share
our lives and inspire us to be better people.
Editorial Director & Vice President
Edward Grinnan
Executive Editor Amy Wong
Creative Director Kayo Der Sarkissian
Senior Editor Megan Troise
Art Director Gigi Fava
Photo Editors Kristin Sladen, Kevin Eans
Copy Editor and Production
Coordinator Steve Levine
Production Editor Celia M. Gibbons
Senior Contributing Editors
Rick Hamlin, Colleen Hughes
Senior Digital Editor Sabra Ciancanelli
Senior Digital Producer Brett Leveridge
Assistant Digital Producer Ashley Lateef
Contributors
Meg Belviso, Ty’Ann Brown,
Desiree Cole, Amanda Ericson, Peggy Frezon,
Lisa Guernsey, Jim Hinch, Andrew Kessel,
Alina Larson, Celeste McCauley, Evan Miller,
Rakeem Nelson, Mari Pack, Doug Snyder,
Elena Tafone, Alikay Wood
President & CEO
John Temple
Chief Financial Officer David Teitler
Senior Vice Presidents Rocco Martino,
Kelly Mangold, Heather Dennis
Vice Presidents
William McGlynn (Magazine Marketing),
James Asselmeyer (Production), David
McGowan (Finance), Julian Lama (Continuity
and Book Marketing), Pablo Diaz (Outreach),
Chris Mellor (Books and Inspirational Media),
Ansley Roan (Digital Content)
FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE:
P.O. Box 5814, Harlan, IA 51593–1314;
guideposts.org/customerservice
Do you have a story about a pet or other animal
that inspired you or changed your life?
Send a manuscript to All Creatures, 110 William
MIKE ROEMER
Street, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038 or
allcreatures@guideposts.org. Connect with us
at facebook.com/allcreaturesmagazine.
 unexpected friends
Jack and Diane

In November 2018, the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue (CWR)

team discovered a donkey and an emu at an abandoned
farm in Kershaw, South Carolina. It appeared the pair had
been surviving on their own for at least two years. Jennifer
Gordon, the nonprofit’s founder, watched Diane (the emu)
and Jack follow each other, share meals and sleep side by
side and knew they couldn’t be separated. But the wildlife
organization wasn’t able to care for the best buds long-
term. Then actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead)
stepped in, offering them a home on his farm in New York’s
Hudson Valley. “He was a natural with the animals,” Gordon
CAROLINA WATERFOWL RESCUE

posted on CWR’s Facebook page. “He manages Jack all

by himself and it took four of us to get him loaded at the res-
cue.” Morgan noted on Twitter that Diane had made the
long trip north snuggled between Jack’s legs. “Love is an
amazing thing,” he tweeted. —Desiree Cole, Contributing Editor

ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 5

peaceable kingdom Share a moment of
connection you’ve
had with one of God’s
creatures (poems
and prayers welcome).
Send it to allcreatures
@guideposts.org or All
Creatures, 110 William
Street, Suite 901,
New York, NY 10038.
 a jelly-fish
Visible, invisible,
A fluctuating charm,
An amber-colored amethyst
Inhabits it; your arm
Approaches, and
It opens and
It closes;
You have meant
To catch it,
And it shrivels;
ALEXANDER SEMENOV/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/GETTY IMAGES

You abandon
Your intent—
It opens, and it
Closes and you
Reach for it—
The blue
Surrounding it
Grows cloudy, and
It floats away
From you.
—Marianne Moore

ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 7

 News, expert advice, fun facts and more
paw prints

OLIVER He
It’s hard to get him out! —Martha Anne Tudor
always jumps right into the pool.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: COURTESY GIGI KANE, CAROL HYMAN CONNELL,
MONIQUE LEVESQUE HEBERT, JENNIFER TRAFT, MARTHA ANNE TUDOR
  MUNCHKIN  TRACKER
I often find This was his
her smelling the first time on

summer
chipmunk paths the beach!
under our porches. —Carol Hyman
—Gigi Kane Connell

fun
We asked, you
shared! Pets
enjoying the
season, from
our Facebook
community

 ZOE She loves to lie in the grass and  BRADY My kayak buddy here in
soak up the sun. —Jennifer Traft Maine. —Monique Levesque Hebert

ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 9

paw prints
 BUSTER He likes using
our wooden swing as a
scratch pad. —Mike Kane

ABBY I gave her a hat

when she joined me in the
yard. —Susan Bradley Matos

CHANCE Getting his  LILY My special-

paws in the sand is needs lamb, stopping to
always a happy moment. smell summer’s flowers.
—Natalie Formyduval —Janell G. Jensen

10 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
 facebook
Join Our Community
Can’t get enough of All
Creatures? Visit facebook.com/
allcreaturesmagazine for
feel-good stories, videos, contests and
more about the animals in our lives.
We love featuring your pet photos, post-
ing inspiring images and hearing about
your animal encounters. Like the summer
photos (left), your Facebook post could
CLOCKWISE FROM CENTER LEFT: COURTESY SUSAN BRADLEY MATOS, MIKE KANE, LINDA TOSCH PITTMAN, JANELL G. JENSEN, NATALIE FORMYDUVAL

end up in a future issue!

 ELLIE She loves sharing my

hammock for some shade on a
hot day. —Linda Tosch Pittman

ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 11

paw prints

I’ll never forget you

Special ways we remember our companions

Sammy shines on.

went into respiratory

arrest in the middle of
the night. We made
it to the vet—but just
to say goodbye. Our
hearts were broken. I
missed his quirkiness
and curiosity. Most of
all, I missed seeing
his face. I’d been mak-
ing stained glass me-
morials for others, so it
was fitting that I make
one of Sammy. It’s
hanging in our kitchen,
and when I look at
MY HOUSEMATE and was able it, I feel as if he’s still
I adopted Sammy be- to free with us. No dog ever
cause our older dog, Cal, himself replaces another. They
needed a companion but nearly severed his all leave unique paw
and playmate. Sammy paw in the process. prints—no matter how
was nine months old We rushed him to the many—on our hearts.
and a Lab mix, just like emergency vet. Part —Susan Behm
Cal. The two hit it off of that leg had to be Clinton, Maryland
immediately. amputated. Having
One day when Sam- three legs never slowed Do you commemorate
PHOTOS COURTESY SUSAN BEHM

my was two years old him down, though. He your pet in a special way?
and we were at work, loved chasing squirrels Share it with us! Send
he tried to climb over and standing on his a photo to allcreatures
the dog gate that one hind leg to look out @guideposts.org or
blocked off the kitch- the window. All Creatures, 110 William
en. One of his back At age 10, long after Street, Suite 901, New
paws got caught. He Cal had left us, Sammy York, NY 10038.

12 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
 going beyond
IN JUNE 2016, a wildfire broke out
in the Calabasas hills northwest of
Los Angeles. Dalia MacPhee, a celeb-
rity clothing designer and horse
lover, got a frantic call: Flames were
closing in on the stable where she
kept her horse Wolfie. “Firefighters
weren’t allowing horse trailers
through the main road,” MacPhee
says. “We had two choices: Set the
horses loose or hose them down to
delay the burning.” Fortunately,
rescuers found another way in, and
Wolfie and the others were saved.
A year and a half later, the Lilac
Fire blazed through a thoroughbred
training facility in San Diego Coun-
ty, forcing more than 400 horses to
flee. Dozens perished. MacPhee felt
as if she had to do something. So she
designed a fire-retardant, heat-
resistant blanket to protect horses.
The Equisafe Blanket comes with
GPS technology so owners can
locate their animals and is offered
in five levels of protection, from a
lightweight option to one as heavy
as a firefighter’s coat. Each design
includes breakaway straps so horses
don’t get caught on branches.
MacPhee hopes these blankets
never have to be used. “But if
the worst happens, they give the
animals a fighting chance.”
—Diane Stark
The Equisafe
Blanket could
save horses.

why we love… canines that are all

military dog stamps

common breeds
in the armed forces:
German shepherd,
YOU’VE GOT MAIL, and rescue, and pro- Labrador retriever,
dog lovers! The viding emotional Dutch shepherd
U.S. Postal Service is support for soldiers. and Belgian Malinois.
FROM TOP: COURTESY DALIA MacPHEE; U.S. POSTAL SERVICE

honoring military The stamps will “The stylized digital

working dogs with a feature four different illustrations are in red,
new line of stamps. white, blue and gold
Dogs have assisted the to represent the Amer-
U.S. military since ican flag and patrio-
its inception. In 1942, tism,” the USPS said
the Army established in its announcement.
the K-9 Corps to train This well-deserved
dogs for all branches. recognition gets our
Their duties include stamp of approval.
detecting explosives, —Kaylin Kaupish
performing search Contributing Editor

ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 13

paw prints
Expert answers for pet concerns

should I be worried?
Q
My kitten, Gus, sneezes a lot. His
vet says the reason is probably
allergies from outdoors, but Gus
doesn’t go outside. What could
be the cause?

A
—Caroline Patterson, Sebring, Florida

Sneezing is actually a common problem

for cats. There are a number of possible
causes. While your veterinarian may be Featured expert:
correct in diagnosing environmental Eric Dougherty, DVM
allergies, another fre- appear symptom- of the sniffles in other-
quent cause of chronic free for most of their wise healthy cats.
sneezing is feline her- lives. When stress- To help rule out en-
pes virus. ful conditions arise vironmental allergies,
This virus is easily (moving or being remove allergens from
transmitted through away from loved ones, Gus’s surroundings.
direct contact with for example), their Place an air purifier in
saliva or secretions immune systems can his favorite room and
from infected cats, become compromised give your entire house
and kittens can get the and the latent in- a thorough cleaning.
infection from their fection may become Wipe down furniture
mothers when they active. Kittens, like and windowsills and
are only a few days Gus, might be experi- vacuum rugs often. Be
old. Feline herpes is encing clinical signs mindful of areas
most commonly diag- for the first time. The that collect dust, like
nosed due to upper- good news is that blinds, curtains and
COURTESY THE CAT PRACTICE

respiratory and ocular the virus is generally ledges. If your kitten’s

symptoms, such as treatable, and with sneezing continues
sneezing, nasal con- proper vaccinations and your vet has ruled
gestion, watery eyes, and veterinary care out other potential
and conjunctivitis. it rarely becomes more causes, such as a nasal
Some cats, however, than a chronic case polyp, certain anti-

14 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
 viral medications for
the herpes virus can
calendar
be considered. Your vet
may also suggest sup-
plementing Gus’s diet
with an amino acid
called L-lysine (note
that this supplement
is not effective for
every cat).
Providing a stress-
free environment is
also important to
a healthy recovery for
cats with respiratory
issues. The best plan
of action is to con-
sult your veterinarian
about any problem
that isn’t improving,
since sneezing can
have many causes and, Henry knows the secret to a life of love and happiness.
as such, many differ-
ent treatment plans. INDEPENDENCE INTERNATIONAL
DAY CAT DAY
Eric Dougherty is JULY 4 AUGUST 8
the medical director Why pets run off The man and the story
of The Cat Practice in the summer and behind the Cat Dancer, the
in New York City, what to do if yours toy beloved by felines
the first feline veteri- gets lost (page 46). the world over (page 20).
FROM TOP: COURTESY DANIEL SHUMSKI; MIKE ROEMER

nary hospital in the
nation. Learn more at NATIONAL
thecatpractice.com. MUTT DAY
JULY 31
Are you concerned about Daniel Shumski
your pet? Send your shares the unexpect-
questions to allcreatures ed life lessons
@guideposts.org or that he learned from
All Creatures, 110 William a one-eyed foster
Street, Suite 901, pup named Henry
New York, NY 10038. (page 34). The simpler, the better

ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 15

 The
Compassion
of GIANTS
Is there more to whales than
meets the eye?
By Elena Tafone, Contributing Editor
M
y mom and I stood at the bow
of the boat, braced against
the chop. It was July, but the
wind was ripping through Monterey
Bay, freezing my hands and face. Per-
fect weather, our tour guide assured
us, for catching a glimpse. My fam-
ily was on vacation in California, and
there was a lot to do. But we were
on a mission to see just one thing—
humpback whales. My mom is a phar-
macist who studied marine biology
in college. She’d been itching to go
whale watching ever since. Now that
we were on the boat, she could barely
16 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
sit still. “I just love whales,” she said.
“They’re so majestic.”
My mom isn’t alone in her love of
these fantastic creatures. Since the
FRANCOIS GOHIER/VW PICS/UIG VIA GETTY IMAGES
be ginning of time, whales have
fascinated mankind. And for good
reason. They aren’t just majestic.
They’re downright mysterious, from
their massive size—the blue whale
stretches the length of nearly three
school buses—to the haunting songs
that humpbacks use to communi-
cate with one another. Then there’s
their personality. Humpback whales,
in particular, have been known to
display humanlike emotions—even
compassion.
In fact, it was in Monterey Bay that
in May 2012 a group of research-
ers with the California Killer Whale
Project witnessed the incredible. A
pod of orcas—a.k.a. killer whales—
attacked two gray whales, a mother
and its calf. The orcas killed the calf.
Before they could eat it or attack the
mother whale, a dozen or so hump-
back whales showed up. They made
loud noises and slapped their tails
against the water whenever an orca
approached. For six and a half hours,
A humpback breaching, Inside Passage, Alaska
the humpbacks kept up their amazing
vigil, protecting the gray.
It wasn’t an isolated incident. For
decades, scientists have been docu-
menting a puzzling phenomenon:
humpback whales that come to the
aid and rescue of other creatures of
the sea. It’s fitting in a way. After all,
the most famous incident of a whale
rescue comes from the Old Testa-
ment. Jonah, the prophet, was saved
from drowning by a “big fish” that
swallowed him whole and delivered
ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 17
him to shore after three days. Many
theologians believe that the story
hints at Jesus’ death and resurrec-
tion. But could the tale also indicate
there’s more to whales than meets
the eye?
Take what happened in 2009 to
Dr. Robert Pitman, a marine ecologist
for NOAA Fisheries. On a research trip
to the Antarctic Peninsula, Pitman
and his team encountered two full-
grown humpbacks harassing a pod of
orcas. “The whole thing seemed a bit
odd,” Pitman says, “because it didn’t
seem like an attack.”
It was only after the team reviewed
footage of the event that they saw
something else: a small Weddell seal
tucked between the whales, just out
of reach of the orcas. Was it pos-
sible that the humpbacks had been
protecting it? Or had the seal simply
been caught in the wrong place at the
wrong time?
A week later, Pitman and his crew
got an answer. They captured yet an-
other photo, this time of a humpback
clutching a small seal to its belly. The
whale was holding the seal upside
down, out of the water and away from
another group of hungry orcas. Again,
the humpbacks had stepped in.
Intrigued, Pitman asked around. He
learned that other whale researchers
had observed similar encounters. Ac-
cording to a study Pitman published
in the journal Marine Mammal Science,
from 1951 to 2012 there have been
115 documented cases of humpbacks
interfering with orcas and sharks. The
humpbacks most often work in pairs
18 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
and protect animals ranging from
sunfish to sea lions.
The question remains, why do
humpbacks show up in times of
need, especially if there’s no appar-
ent benefit to them? Are they sim-
ply protecting their territory, or are
they acting with a more benevolent
purpose?
“WHEN A HUMAN protects an imper-
iled individual of another species, we
call it compassion,” Pitman says. “If
a humpback whale does so, we call it
instinct. But sometimes the distinc-
tion isn’t all that clear.”
Especially when that compassion
extends to human beings. Nan Haus-
er, a whale biologist and the president
of the Center for Cetacean Research
and Conservation, experienced a
humpback rescue firsthand. In Oc-
tober 2017, she was filming as she
snorkeled off the coast of the Cook
Islands, in the Pacific Ocean. Sud-
denly she came face to face with two
adult humpbacks. One of them—a
50,000-pound male—made a bee-
line for her.
“He came right toward me and
didn’t stop,” Hauser says. “You have
to sort of push yourself to try to get
away. But I couldn’t. This whale was
relentless. My hand was up against
him, and he was pushing me. And the
next thing I knew, he was nudging me
and I was on his head.”
For the next 10 minutes, the whale
continued to prod Hauser. She tried
as best she could to remain calm.
But one wrong move and the hump-
 back could have easily injured her.
“I knew I was going to die,” she
says. “He kept trying to put me un-
der his pectoral fin, but I couldn’t go
under because I’d drown. I had just a
mask and snorkel on. Then he lifted
me up, clear out of the water. I looked
over and saw the other whale, a fe-
male. She was madly tail slapping.”
Then Hauser noticed something
else. A third shape in the water. At
first, because of its sheer size, she
thought it was another whale. But
its tail wasn’t going up and down,
and it was swimming from side to
side, headed straight for Hauser.
“We can present [these
cases] professionally
and scientifically,”
Hauser says, “but, at
the same time, there’s
a spiritual aspect to it.”
It was a 15-foot tiger shark. The
whales had been keeping Hauser
away from it.
The incident left its mark. Hauser
thought about her whale rescuer con-
stantly. She couldn’t help but won-
der if the whale was conscious of her
as well. Then a year and 15 days after
the rescue, something remarkable
happened.
While out with another research
team, Hauser spotted a humpback
with similar markings on its tail to
the one who rescued her. Whale tail
patterns are unique, like human fin-
gerprints. This humpback swam right
up to the side of the boat.
“He picked up his head and stared
at me,” Hauser recalls. “He didn’t
pay any attention to anyone else on
my boat.”
She pulled up a photo on her phone
of the male whale that had rescued
her and compared it with this whale.
The tail markings were identical.
“We can present [these cases] pro-
fessionally and scientifically,” Hauser
says, “but, at the same time, there’s
a spiritual aspect to it.”
That’s something I experienced
that July day in Monterey when our
tour boat came to a sudden stop. The
captain had spotted something. Yes!
There, to the left of the bow, we saw
the shadow of a submerged hump-
back. The whale was a mother—her
calf swam alongside her. My mom
and I watched, mesmerized, as the
calf, already weighing in at about
three tons, jumped in and out of the
water, coming back down with a gi-
ant splash. We visited with the whales
for only an hour. But months later I
still couldn’t stop thinking about
them. Hauser, who’s been studying
whales for nearly 30 years, feels the
same way.
“Everything about them is so mys-
terious,” she says. “They are sen-
tient beings. When you look into their
eyes, you can see that they know
something we don’t know. And it’s
that deep, deep wisdom and knowl-
edge we can only hope to one day
understand.”
ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 19
 let’s dance!
Inventor and entrepreneur Jim Boelke talks about
the inspiration behind a top-selling cat toy that’s been
a feline fave for more than 30 years
By Alina Larson, Contributing Editor

One of the most popular cat toys is made of steel wire and rolled card-
board and can be purchased for less than three dollars. Simple but
genius, right? We got the scoop from Jim Boelke, who invented the
Cat Dancer in college and turned it into a million-dollar business.
PHOTOS BY MIKE ROEMER

What inspired you to invent a cat toy? taking welfare recipients to differ-
I was putting myself through col- ent city departments in Oshkosh,
lege in the mid 1970s and had three Wisconsin. We would stop by the
part-time jobs, one of which was animal shelter to clean the cages

20 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
Jim and Cooper play with the Cat Dancer.
and socialize the animals. It was so
tiny, the size of a three-car garage.
The cat room wasn’t much big-
ger than a closet. At that time there
weren’t no-kill shelters, so a lot
of animals got put down. One day a
woman brought in two kittens with
eye infections. I knew they wouldn’t
find homes and would be eutha-
nized. I had no money and my room-
mates weren’t keen on the idea,
but I couldn’t let the cats die. So I
adopted them. I named them Jake
and Elwood, after the Blues Brothers.
They turned out to be the reason I
came up with the Cat Dancer.
How was the idea born?
My evening job was sweeping up
scrap metal at a factory. One night
I picked up a piece of wire with
cardboard strips attached to it and
bent it around. I thought, I bet my
cats would like this. When I brought it
home, they chased it and did back-
flips until they were exhausted. I’d
bring it out when we had parties.
People began asking me for one of
their own. I made those wire cat
toys with pliers and tin snips and
just gave them away.
How did you build the Cat Dancer
into a business?
In the early 1980s I suffered from
cluster migraines. I was either
debilitated by the pain or lethar-
gic because of the medication. I
couldn’t keep a job with a normal
schedule, so I was looking for a
business to start. I had about $1,500
in savings and thought, Let’s see
i� I can get this cat toy into a sto�e.
What was the process like?
I went to as many stores as I
could and finally found a dis-
tributor. I even bought an RV and
drove from city to city, build-
ing my base. My customers were
loyal. I’ve never found a cat that
didn’t love this toy. People think
it’s just a wire, but it’s a specific
type of wire and lure. We also have
good packaging and the best cat
toy name on the market.
How did you come up with the name?
I originally called it Kitty Flip. Then
my brother introduced me to a friend
in marketing who was convinced
the toy needed a new name. It came
to him suddenly and he shouted
out, “Cat dancer!” I’ve tried to find
him to thank him but never could.
Have you had other cats besides
Jake and Elwood?
They’ve all been rescues. Before Jake
and Elwood was Buddy. Then I had
Max for 19 years. When my daughter
was young we got Spike and Otis.
Spike is still with us, along with
Cooper and Blue. I describe Cooper
as the Robert Wagner of cats—he’s
seriously handsome.
And Cooper inspired a new
Cat Dancer product?
Yes, the Pro Model. When I adopted
him, he was in a cage with no toys.
We did some experimenting and
ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 21
made a Cat Dancer with a shorter
wire and a handle with a clip that
can attach to the bars of a cage. It
vibrates when there’s any distur-
bance in the cage, making the lure
dance so the cat can play.
Why is pet adoption so
important to you?
There are more than three million
cats in U.S. shelters. They need
homes. We give away about half
of the Pro Models we manufac-
ture to rescue shelters to help keep
their cats happy while waiting
for forever families.
What cat-apulted the Cat Dancer
to fame?
Leading up to the 1980s, dogs were
the far more popular pet, but in
1991 Cat Fancy magazine said there
were three things that improved
America’s relationship with cats: the
introduction of premium cat food,
clumping litter and the Cat Dancer,
since we offered the first interac-
tive cat toy. Before the Cat Dancer,
Cat Dancer Chasers
use cardboard
and colored fleece
to attract felines.
22 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
the only cat toys were furry stuffed
mice and balls with bells on them.
Tell us about the decision to make
your factory solar powered.
I always wanted to be sustainable. We
all need to give back to the planet.
The solar panels will eventually pay
for themselves. Since noting that
we’re a solar-powered operation on
our packaging, we’ve had a 20 per-
cent increase in profits. I’ve never
seen such a dramatic increase.
Why do you think cats like the
Cat Dancer so much?
I consider myself a bit of a cat be-
haviorist. The lure is the cardboard.
Cats love the smell of it. The wire
we use is bouncy and springy—cats
are attracted to the motion. The
unpredictability of the wire makes
the lure jump around, which re-
minds them of bugs and brings out
their hunting instincts.
And their dance moves?
That’s the best part!
 Creature Comforts
IT HAD TAKEN EIGHT YEARS to get pregnant again. Now
in my fourth week, I rushed to the doctor with abdom-
inal pains. Please, let this baby su��ive, I prayed, fearing
another miscarriage.
As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed a ladybug sit-
ting peacefully on my side-view mirror—the first one I’d
seen since my miscarriage all those years ago. It felt like
a sign back then, that God was with me in my grief. Now
I believed that the polka-dotted creature had reappeared
to let me know that my baby and I were in God’s care. The
doctor confirmed that everything was fine.
Two months later I had another scare. On the way to the
doctor, a ladybug alighted on my windshield. Once again,
my baby was okay.
In my final trimester, I started a ladybug collection—
VISUAL _INTERMEZZO/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES

an enamel ladybug from a flea market for my rearview

mirror, a ladybug stapler for my desk—to keep my faith
strong. Friends, family, even my students surprised me
with ladybug journals, stuffed animals and key chains.
Soon we welcomed our baby girl. We named her Ava—
Latin for “bird”—in honor of those little red ladybirds, my
own personal reminders of God’s loving care.
—Lucinda Zamora-Wiley
Brownsville, Texas

ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 23

24 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
 llamas
everywhere
Was this the future my husband envisioned for us?
I just couldn’t see it
By Judy Ross, Chesapeake, Ohio
MY HUSBAND, TOM, had come up with
more than a few crazy ideas in our 29
years of marriage, but this one topped
them all.
“We are not buying a llama,” I told
him. “No way.”
We had just driven home after
spending the afternoon at a huge
llama exhibition and show on the
Ohio State Fair grounds.
We had gone there for the dog show,
where for five years we’d shown our
beloved boxer. Roxie was a beautiful
champion show dog whom I’d loved
as if she were one of our children.
She’d drawn us into a life I could
never have imagined. Roxie came
into our lives when she was a puppy
and everything changed. Summer
weekends were spent going to shows
across the region. It became all-
consuming. For months, we didn’t
even go to church. That was the one
PHOTOS BY MADDIE McGARVEY
drawback about showing dogs. But
I’d so enjoyed it—the competition,
the people we met, the time bonding
with Roxie. I was sure God under-
Emily, the Rosses’ first llama, is 23 years old.
stood. Then, at six years old, Roxie
was diagnosed with an inoperable
brain tumor and died.
Nearly a year later I was still heart-
broken. I’d thought coming to the
show would be a way to relive happy
memories, but all I felt was sadness.
“I can’t do this,” I’d told Tom half-
way through. We left the arena.
Just outside the doors was a huge
sign: “Come see the llamas.”
“LET’S CHECK IT OUT,” Tom said. I
thought he was joking. An hour later
we were still walking past pen after
pen of these leggy, furry animals. Tom
was fascinated, peppering the farm
owners with questions and getting
their business cards.
The whole three-hour drive back to
our 32-acre hillside hobby farm, Tom
was lost in thought. “Sometimes I feel
like we should be doing something
more with our lives,” he said, as much
to himself as me. At last we pulled into
the driveway. Tom announced, “I’m
going to buy a llama.”
He’d always been like this, impul-
sive and full of ideas. Wanting to buy
ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 25
Happy among the herd at Good News Llamas;
Tom and the llamas tend to see eye to eye.
the farm when we were just starting
out in our marriage, volunteering
us to teach Sunday school and then
to lead a youth group. Never mind
that we had no experience—he just
leaped in and trusted God to figure
out the details. I was more cautious
and liked to weigh all the pros and
cons. God gave us brains so we could
think things through, right? And I
couldn’t see anything good about
this. Why llamas, and what would we
do with them?
“There’s good money to be made
in breeding them,” Tom said. “The
breeders mentioned there’s a huge
demand, and it could supplement our
retirement.”
I was 50. Tom was 52. I was glad
he was thinking about our future,
but still, llamas?
“It seems too risky,” I said. We’d
raised a few horses and cattle, not
that we’d ever gotten rich off it.
Tom let the subject drop. I noticed
he kept all the llama farm business
cards on his dresser, though. A couple
of months later he called me at work.
“There’s a llama farm north of Co-
26 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
lumbus,” he said. “I want to go have
a look this weekend.”
More than 100 llamas ambled about
the farm’s rolling fields. Tom was like
a kid in a candy store. Was this the fu-
ture he envisioned for us? Llamas ev-
erywhere? We both worked full-time,
Tom for a plastics manufacturer, me
in the computer department of Mar-
shall University’s school of medicine.
Solid, dependable jobs.
One llama in particular, a spindly-
legged fuzzy brown-and-white baby,
took a liking to Tom. Her name was
Emily. She followed him like a pup-
py. “How can we resist?” Tom said.
“Let’s just start with her.”
I still wasn’t feeling it, but how
much trouble could one little llama
be? “Okay,” I said.
“You’ll need to get two,” the
breeder added, not so helpfully.
“They’re herd animals. They don’t
do well alone.”
Six months later, when they were
old enough to be weaned, we brought
home Emily and a solid brown male
baby named Fabian. We opened the
back doors of the trailer and the lla-
mas walked into our freshly mown
field. Emily nosed the grass and be-
gan nibbling. Fabian sniffed the air
around him. I can’t explain it, but
something took hold of me. There
were just the two of them, surround-
ed by open field, their wool sun dap-
pled. It seemed as if they were exactly
where they belonged, as if God had
reached down and placed them on
our farm himself. Was he trying to
tell me something?
“THEY’RE BEAUTIFUL,” I said. “They
really are.”
Tom nodded, but he had that far-
away look again. What now? I thought.
A few days later I found out.
“We should take the llamas out to
places where folks can meet them,”
he said. “Nursing homes, schools—
that kind of thing.”
I remembered the breeder stressing
that it was important to get the word
out, to have people interact with the
llamas, in order to build a successful
breeding operation. I hadn’t thought
we’d start right away, though.
“I’ve been praying for a way for us
to get involved in some sort of minis-
try outside of church,” Tom said. “The
llamas could be the answer. They’ll
be a conversation starter for sure.”
An animal ministry? I thought
about Roxie and all the places we’d
taken her. People constantly came up
to us, wanting to pet her. But I’d never
seen it as a chance to talk about God.
If anything, the dog show circuit had
pulled me away from church, from
practicing my faith. I’d regretted that.
Now it was as if God was giving us a
chance for a do-over. With llamas, of
all things.
“We could call our farm Good News
Llamas,” Tom said, “and we can share
the good news of Jesus Christ where
we go.”
A few days later I called a nursing
home in our area. They were thrilled
to have us visit. The residents’ faces
lit up when they saw Emily and Fa-
bian. “I’ve never seen a llama in real
life,” one woman said. She couldn’t
stop petting Emily. The llamas were
as gentle as could be. We didn’t talk
directly about God, and yet there was
no doubt that he was there, working
through us, bringing joy and laughter
to people.
Not long after that we visited a
school. A boy came up to Fabian, a
scowl on his face. He was dressed all
in black. Everything about him said,
“Leave me alone.” Yet he buried his
head deep in Fabian’s wool, holding
the llama tight for nearly 20 minutes.
ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 27
Judy spins, dyes and felts llama wool.
Fabian never tried to pull away. He
connected with this boy in a way I
never could have imagined.
At the end of our visit, a teacher told
me, “That boy comes from a very dif-
ficult family situation. I’ve never seen
him show any kind of affection.”
I found myself spending more and
more time with our llamas, and it
wasn’t just to learn how to keep them
healthy and happy. Emily still fol-
lowed Tom around like a puppy. Every
night when he came home from work
she was by the fence, waiting for him.
When Emily and Fabian were nearly a
year old, the breeder told us we need-
ed to separate them so they wouldn’t
mate too young. Of course, that meant
buying two more llamas so everyone
could have a friend.
When we finally began breed-
ing them, the babies were so cute I
couldn’t bear to part with them. So
much for our retirement income. Ev-
ery year we welcomed two or three
new llamas to the herd that became
part of our family.
I heard about all the uses for llama
28 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
fiber, and from that came an entirely
new ministry. Our daughter, Mitzi,
started Wooly Mountain Ministries,
speaking at churches and using lla-
ma wool and her spinning wheel to
share the message of Jesus Christ. I
too learned how to spin the fiber into
yarn, perfect for knitting and crochet-
ing. I began teaching spinning, dyeing
and felting.
WE WENT TO MORE SCHOOLS and
nursing homes, festivals and pa-
rades, even the llama show on the
Ohio State Fair grounds—the place
where it all began. Our schedules got
so busy, we ultimately left our jobs
to devote more time to the minis-
try. The llamas turned out to be a
wonderful retirement plan after all!
Today we have a herd of 18, including
Emily. She’s 23 now and still loves
meeting people.
People are drawn in by the llamas,
but they also ask about the ministry’s
name. “What do you mean by good
news?” they say. I tell them of God’s
love and how he wants the best for
each of us, if only we allow ourselves
to trust and go where he leads us.
 helping America’s animals
AARON ZIGELSKY
Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Research Institute, Florida
Meet volunteers around the country who are making
life better for creatures big and small
By Peggy Frezon, Contributing Editor

Who he is animal’s behavior and movements

Aaron Zigelsky is a full-time
aquarist, tending to fish, turtles
and other sea life at a large
aquarium in Florida. Yet he wants
to do more, which is why he’s
been volunteering for years with
Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Research Institute (CMARI), work-
ing with manatees. Why? “They
are unique animals with what
appears to be a relaxing lifestyle,”
Aaron says. “But they need our
help.” Despite having no natural
predators, these slow-moving
marine mammals, which can weigh
well over 1,000 pounds, are a
threatened species. The greatest
dangers to manatees are man-
made, including boats that cause
injury and trash that’s ingested.
What he does
(how it uses the Florida waterways,
for example).
Why he does it
What started as an internship in
college became a passion. “I fell
in love with manatees,” Aaron says.
These unique animals are gentle
giants. “They’re not aggressive.”
Manatees are herbivores, grazing
on grasses and “any vegetation
they can get their mouth on. They
eat up to 10 percent of their body
weight every day.”
How he does it
Twice a month Aaron and a fellow
volunteer hop in a small boat or
kayak and patrol the warm, shallow
tributaries of the Ocklawaha River,
looking for manatees. “We stay at
least 20 feet away so as not to cause
PHOTOS BY ROY GUMPEL

Aaron works on the Manatee Photo-
Identification Project. This initia-
tive helps marine scientists identify
individual manatees over time,
which provides insight into each
any change in the manatee’s be-
havior, which could inadvertently
cause harassment—something
you never want to do to a threatened
or endangered animal.” When they

30 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 31
Searching the tributaries of the Ocklawaha River in an effort to aid the gentle manatee
find one, they take its picture for
identification. “We identify them
by their scar patterns,” Aaron says.
Manatees are often victims of
boat strikes. “It’s rare to see an
adult manatee without scars.”
The photos are compiled in a data-
base and used to collect informa-
tion on the habits and well-being
of the manatee. “When we see one
that looks or acts like it’s not doing
well, we notify the FWC [Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Com-
mission], and they will determine
when it’s time to step in.”
How you can do it too
How can you help manatees and
sea life in your area? “Remember
that all drains lead to the ocean,”
Aaron says. Keep your environment
clean. “Refraining from using plas-
32 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
tic drinking straws is a good start,
but also rethink your use of bottled
water and all single-use plastic.”
Trash ends up tangled in plants at
the bottom of waterways, where
manatees inadvertently eat it. It also
poses problems for other marine
animals; plastic bags floating in the
water look a lot like jellyfish, and
sea life, especially sea turtles, end
up ingesting them. Pay attention
when you’re out in a boat, especially
in shallow water, and abide by post-
ed speed signs in areas known to be
populated with manatees. If you
see a sick, injured or dead manatee,
immediately call the FWC’s Wildlife
Alert Program at 888-404-3922.
CMARI also studies dolphins, sea
tu�tles and right whales. Find out mo�e
at seewinter.com/�esea�ch.
Their Mysterious Ways
WE KEENAN SIBLINGS always stick together. That was never
more true than when my sister Mary was dying of cancer.
She lived in Austria, thousands of miles away from the rest
of us, but we five juggled plane tickets and time off so that
Mary would rarely be without one of us.
I was the last sibling scheduled to go. I needed to see
Mary, to hold her hand, perhaps for the last time. Fifteen
minutes before my flight to Vienna, though, I got the
call—Mary had passed away.
How I had wanted to have that moment with my sister,
to comfort her in her final hours. Instead, I spent a week in
Austria securing her death certificate, making arrange-
ments with the crematorium and closing out her affairs
before bringing her ashes home with me to California.
My first Monday back at work was rough. At least I could
count on my clients to comfort me—the animals at
Humane Society Silicon Valley, for whom we find loving
homes and where I work as a fund-raiser.
Around noon, I visited our large community cat room
for a little kitty therapy with the cats awaiting adoption. I’d
been considering adopting one myself—I lived alone and
could use a companion. Now the time felt especially right.
I took a seat in a wicker chair. Immediately, a gray-and-
cream muted tabby with green eyes sized me up. He jumped
gracefully off his perch and hopped up into my lap.
“Hiya, fella!” I said, surprised at his boldness. He put his
paws on my shoulder and nuzzled my face, as if he knew
what I needed.
All the other cats and kittens went about their business,
paying me no mind. But even after I put him down to meet
some of them, ol’ Green Eyes kept following me, pawing
at my legs whenever I stopped, meowing for attention until
I finally cradled him in my arms like a baby. Twenty min-
utes later, I surrendered. “Okay, love,” I said. “You got me.”
I left the room to find the card with his information.
Eight years old, had all his vaccinations, neute�ed. Then I read
his name, in bold block letters.
We Keenans stick together. My sister Mary knew that.
Somehow, the tabby cat named Keenan knew too.
—Bridget Keenan, San Leandro, California

ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 33

 HENRY’S
GUIDE
to life, love and
happiness
As told to his foster dad
By Daniel Shumski
Montreal, Canada
THIS IS HENRY. He has only one
eye. We’ll come back to that.
My partner and I love dogs but
travel often and wouldn’t want
to subject a pet to a life of kennels.
When we’re not traveling, we
work from home, which leaves us
long stretches to offer attention,
comfort and love to a dog who needs
it. So we decided to foster.
When we met Henry, a four-year-
old papillon mix, there was no
doubt: He should live with us until
he found a permanent home. We
were happy to have his company and
committed to teaching him a few
things, one of which was not to bark
so much. What I didn’t realize was
34 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
that this beautiful one-eyed
creature had a lot to teach me too.
1. EVERYONE HAS A STORY.
A family first adopted Henry from
a pound, but as it turned out, they
weren’t a good match. That’s how
he ended up in a rescue, where we
found him. We were told he didn’t
get along with the family’s chil-
dren and its other dog, but it’s hard
to know for sure (and Henry wasn’t
COURTESY DANIEL SHUMSKI
talking). It reminded me that you
can hear things about others, but
you’ll never really know the truth
unless you were there. We weren’t
there. We just accepted Henry and
loved him.

Tiny Henry trains
his steady gaze on
the wide world.
2. ACCEPT THE THINGS YOU
CANNOT CHANGE.
The vet said Henry was probably
born without a second eye. I like to
think he looked around, saw oth-
ers who have two eyes and thought,
Two? How can you even see out
o� both at once? There’s power in
accepting the things you can’t
change. Henry didn’t mind that he
was missing an eye. And he cer-
tainly couldn’t will himself to have
a second eye. He never let having
only one eye stop him from living
his best life. We all have our “sec-
ond eye.” The closer we can get to
having an attitude like Henry’s,
the better off we’ll be.
3. LET OTHERS LIFT YOU UP.
Henry was too short for some
of the things he wanted to do, like
getting on our bed at night. He
would scramble on the floor from
one side of the bed to another,
hoping to find the low side. (There
was no low side.) In the end, one
of us would always pick him up and
set him on the bed. It’s okay to
rely on others. Being independent
isn’t the same thing as being in-
sistent on doing everything yourself.
Sometimes there’s strength in let-
ting others carry you.
4. LIVE IN THE NOW.
Our human brains can be our great-
est weakness. I can’t prove it, but
I’m convinced Henry didn’t know
how to hold a grudge and that he
thought little, if at all, about the
future or the past. He was all
about the now. If you told Henry
that he was going for a walk, he
thought you meant he was going
for a walk right now. There was
no later, and there was no before.
There was only this moment. Stay
present like Henry.
5. FIND YOUR PEANUT BUTTER JAR.
Life is too short for half-hearted
endeavours. I learned this from
watching Henry spend hours dig-
ging into a nearly empty peanut
butter jar. When he finished, the
jar was licked clean as far as his
tongue could reach. His dedication
was admirable. Find the thing you
love and give yourself over to it.
ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 35
6. BE A GOOD LISTENER.
Henry never interrupted. He never
made things about himself. He
never brought his baggage to a con-
versation. When I spoke, he was
patient and tilted his head adorably
to indicate his engagement. Being
a good listener means contributing
to someone else’s well-being with-
out saying a word. Whether you tilt
your head is up to you.
7. DON’T DWELL ON
THE NEGATIVE.
Step on Henry’s foot while he
watched us make dinner? He
howled for an instant, then went
right back to hoping for scraps.
Nip his ear while I attached his
collar? He got over it before I
realized what happened. Maybe
Henry’s neurocapacity didn’t
allow him to dwell on the nega-
tive because, well, dog brain.
But we can choose how to expend
our mental energy—why waste
it on something that upsets us?
8. DON’T LET ANYONE TELL
YOU YOU’RE SMALL.
Henry didn’t weigh more than
15 pounds soaking wet, a fact he
seemed blissfully unaware of. If
he saw something that unnerved
him, he barked. It wasn’t a boom-
ing or menacing bark that would
alert others or frighten his tar-
get. But that never stopped him.
He would speak up whenever
he thought something was wrong,
even if his voice was small.
36 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
9. EXERCISE, DRINK PLENTY OF
WATER AND GET YOUR REST.
This would probably mean more
coming from, say, a doctor than
a dog foster, but here we are. And
the essential truth is undeniable.
Henry went for three or four walks
a day, followed up with a healthy
drink of water and always made
sure he got his sleep. No late-night
Netflix benders for him. It seems
simple, but we humans often wind
up off track, make poor choices,
then have to deal with the conse-
quences. Take care of yourself.
Henry never regretted getting up
and out—you won’t either.
10. LET IT ROLL RIGHT OFF YOU.
People would sometimes stop
us on walks. Did they ask about
Henry’s hobbies? Admire how
well he behaved on a leash? Never.
It was always about the eye. Every
time. It annoyed me. But you know
what? Henry didn’t care. You
may say that he didn’t understand,
and I concede that. Our ability to
process language means we do not
have that luxury. But we can still
get ourselves to the same place as
Henry. And the sooner we do, the
more we can enjoy life.
Henry lived with us for a month.
Then he got adopted. The best
part? His forever home is with my
mother-in-law. He lives six hours
away now, but we still have his
leash ready for when he visits. And
a peanut butter jar.
 room to grow
I STOOD KNEE-DEEP in the ocean, my thoughts swirling
like the foaming water around me. For some time I had
been incubating the idea of going back to school, maybe
to become a counselor or a therapist. But at 41, becoming
a student again would mean many changes: new sched-
ules, new demands, new courage. Was I capable of such
a demanding challenge?
I squinted, looking at the sandy bottom below the sur-
face. Something tumbled against my right foot. Was it a
murex shell? I bent down and grabbed a fistful of sand.
Aha! I felt the rough grooves of the murex in my fingertips.
As I studied it in the morning sunlight, I saw two round
eyes peering out at me. The shell had become the home
of a hermit crab. I opened my palm wide. The crab’s two
large claws cautiously emerged, then its dark eyes and
finally its whole upper body. I recalled reading that hermit
crabs twist their bodies into the spiral of empty seashells.
As the animals grow, they shed the shell for a larger one.
I looked at it. How did it know when to find a bigger
shell? Was letting go of the old scary? As I lowered the crab
into the water, I wished it well on its journey of living.
And I prayed that when the time came, I, too, would have
the courage to leave my little space in search of a new
ILLUSTRATION BY MICHELLE DUJARDIN

one…roomy enough for growth and change.

Lord, please help me to find room for

the growth and change occurring
within me. And give me the courage to take
the bold steps required to act. Amen.
—Terry Helwig

ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 37

 how I met
my pet
First encounters
with our faithful friends

ONE HOT JUNE morning in 2009 a friend

phoned me from the golf course near my
North Carolina home. He had seen a golfer
beat a baby raccoon with a golf club. It wasn’t
unusual for me to get these types of calls. A
licensed wildlife rehabilitator, I took in and
cared for injured animals until they could be
released back into the wild.
The kit—just eight weeks old—was in bad
shape. His face was so swollen I could barely
find his eyes. I didn’t think he’d live through
the night. But I took him home and put him on
a heating pad inside a crate. I gave him fluids
and cleaned his wounds, hoping for a miracle.
He didn’t move for four days. I fed him for-
mula with a dropper, but I had to massage his
throat to help him swallow it. I can’t �elease
an animal like this back into the wild, I thought.
How would he �orage �or �ood?
On the fifth morning, I made the decision
I always dreaded as an animal rehabber. This
raccoon had no quality of life, and I was quali-
fied to end his pain. I held the kit in my arms
and looked into his beautiful black eyes. “I’m
sorry,” I whispered.
Just then, he opened his mouth and yawned.
He stretched his legs. Then he shook him-
PHOTOS BY PRESTON MACK

self. It was as if he were saying, “I’m still

fighting!” Maybe there was a chance he could
bounce back.
I knew he had to strengthen his limbs. I put
him in a bathtub full of water. Immediately, he

38 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
 “Trouper is everything to me,” Dot says.

started kicking. That was the confirmation I

needed that he was going to be okay. But a few
weeks later I was helping him practice walking
when a wind slammed my back door shut. The
kit didn’t jump. Oh no, I thought. He’s deaf.
He couldn’t see or smell either. My own vi-
sion was failing. I knew what it felt like to be
without all your senses. My mind went back to
the day I had prepared to say goodbye. Maybe
this li�e is just too ha�d �or him. Maybe…
“Don’t do it!” a voice said. I lived alone. Was
God talking to me ? I looked down at the rac-
coon. “You’re a real trouper, you know that?”
In that moment, I promised both myself and
Trouper that I was in it for the long haul. “No
human will ever hurt you again,” I told him.
Knowing I wouldn’t be legally able to keep a
raccoon in North Carolina, I researched states
where I could. There were only two. Virginia
and Florida, my home state.
Six weeks later, with my dog in the back
seat and Trouper beside me in his crate, we
crossed three state lines to start a new life.
(I stopped driving a year later.)
Trouper, now 10, is a licensed wildlife am-
bassador and service animal. I take him to
schools, churches and community centers to
teach about the importance of respecting all
life. People ask if he’s my raccoon. I say we
take care of each other. I’ve healed many ani-
mals in need, but Trouper has helped me share
that work with others. He’s a constant re-
minder that every creature deserves a chance.
What’s more, he’s captured my heart. Every
night I hold him in my arms and say, “Thanks
for coming into my life and making it better.”
—Dot Lee, Fort Myers, Florida

Find out mo�e at t�ouperand�riends.o�g.

ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 39

 Sandy, come home
It broke my heart to see my little girl longing
for her dog. She’d felt that way too often the past few years
By Mary Hansen, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Y
ou know how life sometimes
puts so many obstacles in your
path, it feels as if you’re climb-
ing a mountain and never going to
get to the top? Then you do reach
the top and you can finally exhale.
That’s how I felt on Memorial Day
weekend 2005, when my five-year-
old daughter, Gabrielle, our German
shepherd-chow mix, Sandy, and I
moved into our own home at last.
It wasn’t that long a drive from the
duplex we’d been renting to our new
house, but it seemed we were embark-
ing on a whole new life—a life full of
hope and joy instead of the struggles
and challenges that accompany being
a single mom after a divorce.
Gabrielle watched intently as we
drove through our new neighborhood
and pulled into our driveway. “Are you
excited?” She nodded, her big brown
eyes shining.
The house was a small single-
family home in a nice neighborhood.
No more moving. No more staying in
friends’ spare rooms. No more rentals
that didn’t allow pets.
“Welcome to your new home, Ga-
brielle,” I said. “This is where you’re
going to grow up.”
Gabrielle ran into the living room.
“I’m so happy!” she said. Sandy’s tail
thumped on the floor.
We walked through the house
together. Gabrielle’s bedroom was
40 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
painted a beautiful shade of pink, ex-
actly what she wanted. Then we went
out back. The yard was a decent size,
with a covered patio and a tall wood-
en stockade fence—a safe place for
Gabrielle and Sandy to play. Sandy
explored, sniffing the grass along the
fence. She seemed to approve.
THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS we tried to
get settled. When I wasn’t at my job
as a counselor, I worked on the house.
I wanted to get as much done as pos-
sible before we went to Tennessee in
mid-July for a family wedding. My
oldest sister’s daughter was getting
married, and Gabrielle was going to
be the flower girl.
We decorated Gabrielle’s room,
making it a special space for her. She
picked out new bedding. Even Sandy
got something new to celebrate our
fresh start—a purple collar. I checked
the backyard fence and replaced a few
of the panels that were beginning to
fail. I didn’t want to take any chance
that Sandy would slip out.
ILLUSTRATION BY MICHAEL WOLOSCHINOW
Summer was in full swing. Through
church I found a babysitter who was
good with both Gabrielle and Sandy.
I had Sandy’s long, thick blonde coat
shaved to help her manage the Okla-
homa heat. The groomers kept a sec-
tion around her neck and tail, so she
looked like a small lion. I took her to
the vet for a checkup and shots, mak-
 Best friends Gabrielle and Sandy
ing a mental note to put her updated
tags on her new collar.
Fourth of July weekend was a wel-
come break. Gabrielle and I went to
our friends’ barbecue on Saturday,
July 2. When we got home, Gabrielle
opened the back door to let Sandy in.
But she didn’t come. She wasn’t in
the backyard at all. Sandy was gone.
“Where did she go?” Gabrielle
asked.
“I don’t know, sweetie,” I said. “All
I know is, we’re going to find her.”
We drove the neighborhood, calling
Sandy’s name and keeping our eyes
and ears open for her. There was no
sign of her. No flash of blonde. No
barking. I listened hard, in case she’d
gotten hurt and couldn’t come to us.
No whimpering. I heard firecrack-
ers popping, though. The noise must
have scared Sandy into bolting. But I
had no idea how she could have got-
ten over our fence.
Gabrielle was sad when I put her
to bed. “Mommy, will Sandy come
home?”
Even though I was thinking, No,
not another challenge! I couldn’t let
my daughter lose her faith that good
things happen. “We’ll pray for her,”
I said. “God, please watch over Sandy
and bring her back to us unharmed.”
“Please help Sandy come home,
God,” Gabrielle added. “We love her
so much.”
We looked for Sandy every day. We
put up LOST DOG signs all over the
neighborhood. We spread the word to
42 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
local vets. I checked the city shelter,
kicking myself for not putting the
tags on her new collar right away.
We prayed for her safe return at bed-
time and whenever Gabrielle asked.
It broke my heart to see my little girl
long for her dog every day.
She’d felt that way too often the
past few years. We were living in a
small town in southeast Oklahoma
when her father and I divorced. Ga-
brielle and I moved several hours
away, back to my hometown, Okla-
homa City, where my family and
friends were and I was able to find a
good job to support us. Sandy would
stay with my ex until we found a per-
manent home.
Gabrielle was only two years old
then, too young to understand why
her beloved dog couldn’t come with
us. Ever since she could remember,
Sandy had been her best friend and
protector. She would see her dog on
visits to her dad, then come home
asking if Sandy could live with us.
Finally I pleaded with our landlords
to let our dog live with us. “Sandy is
medium-size,” I told them. “Very
calm and well-behaved.” They agreed
COURTESY MARY HANSEN
but constantly checked on the du-
plex, which caused a lot of stress for
me. Now at last we had our own home,
only to have Sandy go missing.
My daughter had already faced so
many transitions since the divorce.
Each day that she was separated from
her dog ratcheted up my worry. God,
I’m t��ing to t�ust you he�e, I prayed
privately. I don’t know how I’ll help
Gabrielle understand i� Sandy doesn’t
come back.
SANDY HAD BEEN MISSING for 14 days
when we went to Tennessee for my
niece’s wedding. At the hotel the night
before the ceremony, my oldest sister
asked me to help with some wedding
preparations. My middle sister came
to my room to sit with Gabrielle. When
I returned, Gabrielle was telling her
that Sandy was lost.
“That’s strange,” my sister said.
“There’s been a stray dog hanging
around my apartment.”
“What does it look like?” I asked.
“It has short blonde hair. Medium-
size, about this tall.” My sister mo-
tioned with her hands.
“Did it have a collar?”
“Yes, a purple one. But no tags.”
My heart beat faster. “Does the dog
have black on its tongue?”
My sister gasped and nodded.
“You found Sandy!”
My sister said our dog had followed
her on her walk that morning. Later,
she came out of her apartment to find
Sandy lying at her door. Before she
left for Memphis, she took Sandy to a
friend’s house so she wouldn’t wan-
der around the apartment complex.
Sandy had never been to my sis-
ter’s place, which was four miles
from our house. She must have rec-
ognized my sister from past family
gatherings, even though my sister
hadn’t recognized her with her sum-
mer lion cut. To me, it was miracu-
lous that Sandy had found her way
to someone familiar.
It was late. Still, my sister called
her friend. She hung up with disap-
pointment on her face. Sandy had
been chasing her friend’s cats and
been taken to the city animal shelter.
Gabrielle was confused. “Mommy,
is Sandy gone again?”
“I will get her back,” I said.
As soon as I could after the wed-
ding, I contacted the shelter. They
couldn’t identify Sandy from my de-
scription alone.
The only person who would rec-
ognize her with her haircut was Ga-
brielle’s babysitter. I called her and
explained the situation. She picked up
Sandy from the shelter and brought
her to our house. “I’ll look after her
until you get back,” she said.
There was quite the reunion in our
backyard—Gabrielle giggling, Sandy
wagging her whole body. I checked her
from nose to tail. Who knew what she
encountered in the 18 days she was
gone? Yet she didn’t have a scratch on
her. I understood then that God was
watching over our little family with
the same care. When Gabrielle and I
prayed that night, we thanked God for
his faithfulness and all the ways he
provided for our precious dog while
she was lost. Maybe I hadn’t reached
the summit yet, but I’d reached a pla-
teau and I knew God was with me.
Not only could I stand on the top and
exhale, I could take joy in the view.
ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 43
 Is This for Real?
How a five-foot-long “nuisance” alligator
became Joie Henney’s emotional support animal
By Alina Larson, Contributing Editor
C ute and calming is how most
people would describe the
dogs, cats and bunnies that
visit hospitals, schools and nursing
homes to offer emotional support.
Sca�� and dange�ous are the words
many would choose upon seeing Joie
Henney’s comfort companion. His
name is Wally, and he’s a five-foot-
long alligator.
Joie (pronounced like Joe) grew up
on a farm in Dover, Pennsylvania, an
“adrenaline junkie” who delighted
in handling poisonous snakes and
head-butting his pet bull. He has been
a Marine, a bull rider, a construction
worker, a woodworker and a parent—
a full, interesting life. It got even
more interesting three years ago,
when friends in Florida offered him
a “nuisance” alligator named Wally.
44 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
Alligators are deemed a nuisance
when they prowl backyards, posing
a threat to people or pets, but removal
means they’re either killed or put into
captivity. Joie said he’d take Wally in.
VIA AP; COURTESY JOIE HENNEY; HEATHER KHALIFA/THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER VIA AP
FROM LEFT: COURTESY JOIE HENNEY; HEATHER KHALIFA/THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
What do you do when a 14-month-
old alligator arrives at your door? “I
held him a lot,” Joie says. Then he
put him in an aquarium. Wally now
enjoys a 300-gallon basin (a sturdy
pond liner) in the center of the living
room. It’s also a prime TV-viewing
spot for the reptile, whose favorites
are Gator Boys, Swamp People and The
Lion King. “If you start that movie and
he hears the music, he’ll stop eating.
He’s mesmerized by it,” Joie says.
Joie says Wally is like a toddler—
crazy one minute and affectionate the
next. He’ll stick his head in a kitchen
cupboard and start scattering canned
Companionship, curiosity and comfort—all in the life of a not-so-typical gator
goods. But he’ll also crawl up on the
couch and rest his head on Joie’s lap.
Some may say he’s jealous of the two
other alligators in the house, Scrappy
and Luna (both rescues who joined the
family after he did), because he flips
water on Joie when Joie holds them.
Joie is convinced Wally acts silly to
make him smile—something that was
tough for him to do not long ago.
The deaths of several family mem-
bers and four close friends within a
brief period sent Joie into depression.
“I had no desire to do anything,” he
recalls. When his doctor asked him
to think about what truly makes him
happy, “I realized it was Wally.”
NOW WALLY IS a registered emotion-
al support animal—he even wears a
medallion on his harness that recog-
nizes his role in Joie’s life. To better
socialize the gator, Joie takes Wally to
senior centers and schools—some-
times with his teen stepsons—and
he has witnessed how his scaly friend
lifts others’ spirits too.
At one school, Wally met a boy with
Tourette’s syndrome. “While he was
petting Wally, his tics stopped,” Joie
says. “Wally was about to lose a tooth,
which happens often, so I pulled it
and gave it to the boy. I still get letters
from his family about how much that
tooth means to him.”
Understandably, people are skepti-
cal that a 65-pound alligator is safe to
be around, but Joie insists that he has
trained Wally well. “He knows com-
mands and doesn’t open his mouth
around people. He might hiss, but
that’s his way of saying hello.” Wally
won’t eat unless he’s inside his pond
and hears the sound of Joie’s clicker.
He’s also terrified of cats.
The real danger comes when people
get alligators and crocodiles as pets,
then can’t care for them once they
are grown. Joie is building a habitat
where he can give abandoned alli-
gators a home. He may need a bigger
TV, though, so they all can watch The
Lion King together.
Follow Wally on Facebook @wallygator
and on Instagram @wallygatornjoie.
ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 45
 lost &
found
10 things to do if
your pet goes missing
By Peggy Frezon
Contributing Editor

It can happen in the blink of an eye. Your dog is playing outside

and is suddenly nowhere to be seen; your kitty slips out the door when
you’re greeting a visitor. Summer brings more risks: Fourth of July
fireworks scaring pets into running off, family vacations where furry
companions escape an unfamiliar place or feel tempted to explore

1
new surroundings. Here’s how to find a lost pet as soon as possible.

Canvas the neighborhood. name and number and information

4
Start looking right away. Call your about your pet. Check back often.
pet’s name in a happy tone. Shake a
box of treats. Knock on doors and Use social media.

2
ask people if they’ve seen your pet.
Don’t chase!
Running after your dog could turn
into a game of chase, driving her
Post a lost-pet notice on your Face-
book page and ask friends to share.
Then post on local Facebook pages
and sites like Craigslist. A television
meteorologist in Albany, New York,
JEFFREY COOLIDGE/THE IMAGE BANK/GETTY IMAGES

farther away. Instead, get down on operates Pet Connection, a Facebook

the ground and cheerfully call page where people post notices and

3 5
the dog to you. Lure her with food. photos of lost and found pets.

Contact shelters, vets and List on a database.

rescue groups.
Someone may have turned your
pet in to an animal shelter, rescue
or veterinarian. And it may not be
the one closest to you; call or visit
as many as possible and leave your
Add your pet’s information to a
database such as the Center for Lost
Pets (thecenterforlostpets.com),
FidoFinder (fidofinder.com), Missing
Pet Network (missingpet.net) and
Tabbytracker (tabbytracker.com).

46 GUIDEPOSTS.ORG
6
Put up posters.
Never underestimate the value of
old-fashioned signs. Hang bright
easy-to-read posters on lampposts
and in store windows. Use your
best photo, include contact informa-
7
tion, and if possible, offer a reward.
Leave out food.
Set your cat’s food and water out-
side the door or on the porch. Your
video doorbell, or a baby monitor
placed outside, will help you hear
8
and see if your cat returns.
Hire a professional.
If you haven’t located your pet, try
using a professional tracker. Some
dogs are also trained to work with a
9
handler in locating missing pets.
Consider a Pet Amber Alert.
When a child is missing, an Amber
Alert is issued. Pet Amber Alert
(petamberalert.com) uses the same
advanced technology to help spread
10
the word about your lost pet.
Set a humane trap.
For a pet that is fearful and on the
run, set an appropriate-size cage
where he has been spotted and bait
it with food. Stay close by and out
of sight; that way, you can attend to
your pet immediately.
Is someone looking after your pet
while you’re away? Discuss with
your pet sitter or dog walker what
to do if your pet gets lost, so he or
she can take action immediately.
Keep Your Pet Safe
Update the ID. Tags should have
your current phone number and
address. Make sure the engraving
hasn’t worn down.
Consider microchipping. These
tiny tracking chips are easily inject-
ed under your pet’s skin. Vets and
shelter workers can read them with
a handheld scanning device.
Or use GPS. Attach a tag with a
GPS device to your pet’s collar.
These use the latest technology to
pinpoint your pet’s location.
Check enclosures. Periodically
inspect your fencing for holes
or gaps. Install self-closing hinges
on any gates.
Know your pet’s personality. If
your pal is anxious about loud noises,
such as those from fireworks, keep
him in a safe room with a TV or radio
playing. Use a calming pheromone
made for cats or dogs.
Travel safely. Always secure
your pet in a carrier or a crate on car
rides. Or use a harness and tether
attached to the seat belt so your pet
won’t get scared and run off if you
get into an accident.
PEGGY FREZON is the author of The Dog
in the Dentist Chair: And Other T�ue
Stories o� Animals Who Help, Com�o�t, and
Love Kids. She and her husband rescue
senior golden retrievers and are thera-
py dog handlers. Connect with Peggy
at peggyfrezon.com and on Facebook at
facebook.com/peggyfrezonbooks.
ALL CREATURES JULY/AUG 2019 47