Pet Parade

He needed rescuing and our family did too after the long illness and eventual goodbye to our other dog months before. Although Bailey could never be replaced in our hearts, we are a “pet family” and that summer without one was odd, out of step, a little too quiet. So by fall along came Sam, a six year old golden retriever who was rejected because of his intense fear of thunderstorms. Although a bit skittish, the pool brings him joy and with a sweet spirit he moved into our lives for good at just the right time.

Fast forward six years and we are rescued again as my youngest daughter prepares to go off to college. While the “empty nest” is a happy, logical new chapter for us, the transition will be made a bit easier by my older daughter’s red cat.  Casey is staying with us this year while my older daughter works and lives where she cannot have pets. The new cat and dog duo get along well and have provided much laughter.  Pets seem to sense when they are needed most, a wagging tail , easy walks with now elderly Sam, a cat’s purr, batting at favorite toys, while both loudly asking for daily treats. 

Summertime is a season of change, but also parades of many kinds.  Along with my blog friend Gayle, we have periodically organized a simple online

 “Pet Parade”, inviting everyone to post photos of their pets.

Today as it marches here at Shutter Sisters, I encourage you to post a photo of your pet, all types, shapes or sizes are welcome. Or perhaps you might post one that you dream of having or even a photo paying tribute to a pet no longer here but held close in your memory.

Let the parade begin…

Image and words courtesy of Honorary Sister/ Guest Blogger Elaine Kean (known affectionately as ELK) of Red or Gray.

Comments

[Sage]

This is my Opie, he's a 20 lb. ginger cat and I've had him since he was 5 weeks old. The two of us recently moved from the US to Denmark and he's one of my best friends, I just adore him!

http://www.sageandsimple.com/2009/01/opie.html

[Marcie]

S0 good to see you here..and what a wonderful idea. Here's my girl - our second pup who we got after our first died..and at that juncture of our empty nest:
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1222

[sperlygirl]

here's my little orange kitty who showed up on my doorstep in the mouth of a stray...barely 2 wks old and fed through a dropper - he's been with us ever since! http://www.flickr.com/photos/78865561@N00/3635836874/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78865561@N00/4721288102/

[Kathryn Dyche Dechairo]

Great post, I don't know where I'd be without my two boys (cats). Here's a few pics of them.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=80906&id=577586521&l=d6252fee27

They were both rescue cats from kittens.

[Se'lah]

such a touching post. you have a heart of gold.

so nice to see the pet parade here. <a href="http://momentarysolace.blogspot.com/2010/07/lovely-jewels.html">my pet</a> and i are just thrilled ;)

one love.

[Se'lah]

so nice to see the pet parade here. my pet and i are just thrilled ;)

sharing their pics: http://momentarysolace.blogspot.com/2010/07/lovely-jewels.html

one love.

[Puna]

HI elk and Gayle! Here is my submission to the Pet Parade.

http://lifesignatures.org/wordpress/2010/07/the-pet-parade-sheba-style/

Love that kitty.

[joey]

We've got two cats at our house. They are the only girls besides me in a house filled with boys.

This one thinks she's the baby of the house. http://www.flickr.com/photos/19379573@N06/4842891045/

Here's a fun silhouette I caught of the other. http://www.flickr.com/photos/19379573@N06/4842891045/

[pam]

We always have pets, since my husband is allergic to dogs, it's kitty cats for us. Usually 3 or 4!

Here is Smudge, grooming in the backyard.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sidewalkshoes/4823057257/in/set-72157623130555456/

[xanthe]

lovely post!

our new kitten is bringing delight to our whole family.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xantheberkeley/4842954229/

[lucy]

we are a cat family. this guy is my special pal:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucyloomis/4684208360/

[Tara R.]

All of our pets are shelter rescues, except for our cat Scruffy... he had been abandoned in the woods and was literally rescued by our son. He was barely two pounds when he came home, now he's close to 12 pounds and king of the house.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ifmomsaysok/3540372092/

[soupatraveler]

i love this post and love meeting the furry members of the family. we don't have any kids yet, so Major is our baby. i call him the sweetest, cutest puppy in the whole wide world! Here's one of his more serious looks:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46922592@N00/4828358372/in/set-72157622450627246/

[kristen marie]

Love the post and looking at everyone's furry friends :)

This is my beagle Izzy eating a slice of her birthday cake!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kbanthology/4690783014/in/set-72157623327358474/

[cigi]

My beloved Maggie Mae. Gone now but never forgotten:
http://instamaticgratification.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/22365/

[Laurie Live Laugh Love]

Two goofy dogs and one freaked out cat ;)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lauriesimages/sets/72157624124034183

[Katy]

This is 16 year old Alabaster. He's always been moody, but he's getting a bit more affectionate in his old age.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/katyharmer/4740984160/

[Gayle]

How exciting that the Pet Parade is here on Shutter Sisters!

Here are my sweet pets:

http://planetmfiles.com/2010/07/30/pet-parade-july-2010/

[Becky Sue]

I love this idea! Our pets are so much a part of our family. In December we lost our 17 1/2 year old border collie mix rescue, Logan. She was my first baby and I still miss her so much. We recently raised money for the HSUS and various other animal rescues in her honor.

http://www.firstgiving.com/rebeccalaflam

Now we have Stella, another border collie mix rescue. She is a sweety and so much puppy right now. Thanks for the pet parade and giving me an excuse to get down in the morning dew to photograph her.

http://cggrlogan.wordpress.com/2010/07/30/pet-parade/

[jakki]

I have a very grouchy 9 year old cat who absolutely, no questions asked, rules my house. His name is Ducky and he's very tempermental and truly only likes to be affectionate when he wants to be affectionate but when he wants to be...he does it in a big way. He can be a cuddler, will stand on his hind legs when he wants to be picked up and can sense when one of his humans needs love

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4819749244_0ba504d95a_b.jpg

and then we have a 2 year old (14 in dog years..man I'm surrounded by teenagers) Rottweiler pup who is gangly and goofy, loves to play and even though is 145 pounds, he still tries to curl up into my lap like he is still 15 pounds....even though, when he stands on his hind legs, his head is over my head, he is STILL scared to death of my the ruler of roost, my cat, Ducky...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/valeenwashington/4257777578/sizes/o/

i can get tons of photos of them seperately but seldom do I get them photographed together but one day i did...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/valeenwashington/4843117329/sizes/m/

[Sarah Brooks]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdeslaur/4283723656/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdeslaur/4336119563/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdeslaur/4529646477/

My little Nyla girl. Named by my niece Nya when she was 4 years old. My little girl is 6 years old and we got her after her original owners found out she had FIV (they had another cat). We took her in and have loved her ever since.

[Sarah]

Oh how fun is this..I love my furry buds...
Our Sweet Kit Tink...was a stray..has been a joy.. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cottagegardenstudios/3984550669/in/set-72157622469254395/
Our Lucy Lu..a giveaway..after four other families...for the life of me I cannot tell you why no one wanted her!! http://www.flickr.com/photos/cottagegardenstudios/3985292416/in/set-72157622469254395/
Our Bun...another giveaway..sweet tempered and loves my preschoolers..he is an old bunny now..turning gray..
scroll down a few shots... http://www.flickr.com/photos/cottagegardenstudios/3985292416/in/set-72157622469254395/

Off to see everyones critters :) Sarah

[Misty]

My dog Shady and my son's rabbit Chocolate, who we commonly call Bunny Bunny
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dontforgetthehorse/4554641130/in/set-72157623171618209/

My cat Hobbes. I could take lessons from him in stress management.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dontforgetthehorse/4555413868/in/set-72157623171618209/

[Andrea M.]

Our sweet Minerva, who we lost to squamous cell carcinoma earlier this summer.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_l3uJJfy60tw/TDNwWuVKJ2I/AAAAAAAAAXo/8fPjw_CE-zA/s1600/nervswindow.jpg

[humbird]

Like most 14 year old girls, I was certifiable horse crazy. I took care of a pregnant mare, was present and the first to place my arms around her filly. Complete love and devotion much to the dismay of my parents. It is 30 years later, we are both considerably older - but having weathered life we remain together. Here is my Moon, willing to teach the next generation of rider.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/humbirdhum/

[Grace]

While I do not personally have a pet right now, my boyfriend has 4 cats and 1 dog (all for his daughter). But I love them all, too and Callie is my favorite. She is the alpha (read: bitch) cat and doesn't put up with much but that is why I love her! Plus she loves to cuddle with me (unfortunately, all the time, even when it's 90+ degrees!). I recently did a photoshoot of her and here is my favorite picture:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12589879@N08/4670114533/

I love taking pictures of her!

And here is a shot of Dallas the maltese just cause he is a cutie-pie:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12589879@N08/4810524499/

[mrs mediocrity]

Such a wonderful story...
I have six (yes, SIX!) cats and a dog, which makes me officially a crazy cat lady. The first two cats I rescued from the pound, the other four have come to us over the years, showing up in our yard, the last two just this Spring. So far, we have made room for them all, although I think now we are at our limit. :)
As part of my "spreading some sunshine" post today, I posted a photo of the cat that came to us half-dead, injured, starving, yet so incredibly gentle. Now he is beautiful.

Here is my link:
http://www.mrsmediocrity.com/?p=3485

[Roberta]

Footprints on my heart...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/desertmules/4819169251/

[Sherralee]

It's true; we don't consider Angus a pet but call him our furry boy. He loves to come sailing with us. Here he is passing through Jupiter Florida. As a Westie, he defers to no one but is friendly to every one. Here he shows his disdain for a restrictive sign.

http://flic.kr/p/8o3DkS
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44927762@N08/4311667496/in/set-72157623098526775/

[Trude]

I take way too many photos of my Italian Greyhound, Dante, but this one is one of my all-time favorites because of his classic sweet, relaxed expression:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/trudem/4577361112/in/set-72157607489137746/

I rescued him just over two years ago and he's truly a girl's best friend. Don't know what I'd do without him to snuggle! :)

[Sheryl]

This is Buck. We rescued him last year. He came to us with an open wound that ran from his shoulder blades to his hip bone, unable to walk on a leash, and not knowing how to follow directions of any kind. A couple of months later he started having frequent seizures - as many as one a week. Today, he's a healthy, happy (but neurotic) dog who is a cherished member of our family (thanks to a lot of love and work from my husband). How could you not love this face.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/monsoonaz3/3384511146/in/set-72157612222814150/

This is Krypto - my favorite model and trusty lap dog. This boy loves to have his picture taken!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/monsoonaz3/sets/72157605374260522/

[Angela]

Here are Flotsam and Jetsam, two kittens I found living on a cliff last summer. We already had cats and certainly didn't plan on getting two more, but these kittens killed us with their turbo purr and have been part of our family ever since.

http://angela-hemming.blogspot.com/p/flotsam-and-jetsam.html

[Pamela]

Happy in the Sun
http://www.flickr.com/photos/happydog/4803058587/in/photostream/
Happy is 11 or 12 years old. He was a city pound rescue so we're not sure just how old he was when we got him. He's lost most of his sight now from cataracts but his nose still works though he's been known to run into walls, trees, planters and us if we stop short in front of him. Actually easier to take his picture now he can't see. Used to be when I raised the camera he came running over to see what I was eating, because 1) he's a Lab and it's always about the food and 2) in his world who would put anything up to your face unless you were going to eat it?

[Shari]

This is my grand daughter and Princess the pug.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28998778@N00/2812555704/

[BlessedMess]

so sweet and heartwarming. They are with us too short, perhaps why there is so much love packed into them.

Our summer has been, as you say, "that summer without one was odd, out of step, a little too quiet." We had to put down our 13 year old Tubbs in April. Not sure when we'll be ready again, but I know the time will come eventually.

I snapped this pick of my son with Tubbs on our last day together.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12418609@N00/4555045257/

[Elizabeth]

How fun to see the Pet Parade on Shutter Sisters.

I wanted to walk to a field to take photos of the golden grass the other night, but Atlas decided it was too hot to walk the more than a few feet there. I snapped these photos of him instead, just in time for the parade.

http://retinalperspectives.typepad.com/retinalperspectives/2010/07/were-joining-the-parade.html

[traceyclark]

here is our Miss Right: http://www.traceyclark.com/blog/2010/7/30/friday-light-parading-around.html

[Jayne Bramley]

My little buddy Malone is a wonderful companion - always full of smiles whilst out on a walk. Today he is at the vet hospital feeling very unwell and I am at work waiting for the phonecall to tell me what the problem is...... :(
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14261878@N08/4842693228/

[Ann Newman]

It is so bittersweet to see your beloved pet age. Our dog Deets' eyes were the most impressive sign of his declining health. He still looked noble standing on a desert hill; he still showed his spark while swimming in a river's pool. But his walk was slower and his appetite weaker, and we knew it would be his last summer.

I still get tears when I look at this album of Deets, but they truly are bittersweet tears because he was a great pet and much loved.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/annleah/3174512027/in/set-72157617145223818/

[Rosie]

As a child I had a cat, and although I also like dogs, I'm more of a cat person. Unfortunately, I can't have a cat where I live at the moment, so every cat meeting me on one of my walks has to accept being caressed and stroked by me and they usually like it as you can see:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52313750@N03/4843922461/

[Traci]

All our babies have been rescues as well - even the pure bred ones.
The newest one we've only had two weeks.

Happy to share with you all here:
http://tracilordphotography.blogspot.com/

[Shelby]

We are definitely a pet family. My grandfather is a vet, so bringing home strays has been second-nature to me.

Cats:
Rin, our only little girl: http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlbones/4767996358/
Piggie, the baby: http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlbones/4767360325/
Paris, our clown: http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlbones/4767363367/

Dogs:
Jada: http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlbones/4771661428/
Kyla: http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlbones/4771021835/

And one that is no longer with us:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlbones/4767363501/

[Jennifer Gandin Le]

Our beloved dog, Mister, died last week, and I wrote this short tribute to him after he passed:

http://jennifergandin.com/2010/07/23/rest-well-mister-the-dog/

Here's an earlier post, a meditation on "last times":

http://jennifergandin.com/2010/06/03/the-last-time/

[Melanie]

This is Delilah. She is three years old and takes three different types of medication for epilepsy. She was rescued from a dog fighting ring when she was eight weeks old, and I adopted her at 12 weeks. She is half Pit Bull, half Chow, and all love.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/apartmentlife/sets/72157601793929357/

I adore her beyond all reason - we rescued each other.

[Wendy T.]

my first baby...miss holly:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wendytienken/4559028030/

she is a snuggler like no other, and she grooms us all while we sleep.

[Tricia]

Here's our most recent pet....a baby guinea pig named Billy.
http://littleecofootprints.typepad.com/little_eco_footprints/2010/07/learning-to-love-earths-little-creatures-.html

[Jeanne]

I lost my kitty earlier this year, and I still talk to her whenever I open a can of tuna for myself... her name was Sam also, (Samantha) :)

She was so pretty, don't you think?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22522584@N02/4365769721/in/set-72157623331924327/

[Jan]

DaisyPuppy is here http://twoscoopz.com/2010/06/30/its-a-dogs-life-180365/
Spoiled little girl :)

[Gabrielle Smith]

This is my husband's baby, Meepy - she's his wittle one. See those ears in this pic - that sums up her personality perfectly! I always tell her that she has a "sweet mad face", LOL.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chymerikaen/2490330107/in/set-72157623384547936/

[Katy Leet]

Here is my Durango aka Mango, leaf chaser, double d, tamango (for some reason kiddos tend to say this one), and shabango. She is currently resting after being spayed. Poor thing has to wear a cone. Our neighbor calls it the cone of shame :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/katyleet/4845567552/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/katyleet/4844947457/in/photostream/#/