Animal Updates
Something is always happening in the lives of Home for Life® residents: achievements, visits from sponsors and supporters, and milestones. This page highlights just a few of the many events that residents experience throughout the year.
January 25, 2010
Wild Curl Photography
This month we feature the photos of Jeannette Nargelenas of Wild Curl Photography. Jeannette donated her time taking the photos that accompany our update letters to the animals' sponsors.
Below, see the photos Jeannette took of long-time Home for Life residents Rory and Christopher Robin. For more photos, see the Wild Curl Photography blog.
Rory, by Wild Curl Photography
Ageless Rory is still the same spry, lithe little cat that was surrendered to Home for Life® years ago. Rory was just a kitten when the Minneapolis Police found her in an alley, shot in the back and left for dead. The assault paralyzed Rory and left her unable to walk. Because of her disability and need for special care, Minneapolis Animal Control surrendered her to Home for Life®.
Rory never regained the ability to walk with all four legs, and although she tries to use the cat box, she has occasional incontinence. But, Rory still gets around! Her light frame makes it easy for her to travel quickly across the smooth, heated tile floors of the cattery, and she can even climb up a cat tree using her strong front quarters.
Rory likes to spend time with Peaches, another female paraplegic who suffered a hauntingly similar injury, having been shot in the back by a stranger after her owners let her outside to wander around. (Cat owners: keep your cats indoors! Cats may have nine lives, but they cannot always dodge the bullets of mean people who want to hurt them.)
Rory and her hot pink leg wraps, by Wild Curl Photography
Both Rory and Peaches are athletic and adventurous girls who love the outdoors. Rory dreams wistfully of springtime when she and Peaches can resume their duties as gardening attendants, and wander through the tall grass that surrounds their outdoor cat run.
When not gardening, the girls spend long hours in the cat run, which they can access any time via the cat door in their apartment.
They are incredibly determined, and it is a wonder to watch them maneuver through the cat door. Their strong wills command awe and respect, and are likely responsible for their survival.
Despite their disabilities, both cats enjoy a great quality of life, thanks to their spunk and the loving and dedicated care provided by our staff. The staff provide para care for them twice a day at minimum, and more if needed. Because Rory is so active, our staff noticed that one leg seemed to drag behind and develop sores. So Rory now wears leg wraps to protect her legs and feet from scrapes. Rory doesn't mind the bandages and usually sports hot pink wraps to heighten her feminine appeal.
Christopher Robin, by Wild Curl Photography
Christopher Robin is a wire fox terrier who has lived at HFL for many years. Beloved of our volunteers and staff, Christopher, who was born with orthopedic issues and a cleft palate, is also a well known therapy dog with a large following.
Christopher regularly travels to Fairview University Hospitals Riverside campus to visit adult and pediatric patients receiving treatment for mental health conditions. He also visits Linden Nursing Home in Stillwater every month and makes periodic trips to Fairview University Hospital on the Main Minneapolis campus to visit adult and pediatric oncology and critical care patients.
Christopher is the leader of the small dog population and is quite put out if he is not singled out to attend at least one Pet Peace Corps outreach visit a week. Ever the extrovert, Christopher thrives on car rides, attention, and bossing the other dogs around.
Although Christopher enjoys running in the meadows, winter has been a little difficult this year. Now over 10 years old, Christopher has developed arthritis. He receives medicine twice daily to take manage this condition, and the treatment has definitely helped him maintain a comfort level and keep up his favorite social activities.
Remembering Stephen Huneck
Joy II, by Stephen Huneck, appeared in Home for Life's Summer 2004 newsletter
"You can build a chapel to your dog, in a place that is always open:
your heart"
–from The Dog Chapel, by Stephen Huneck
Home for Life® mourns the loss of a great friend to the sanctuary and our animals—internationally famous artist, woodworker and author Stephen Huneck. Stephen passed away on January 7, 2010 at the age of 60.
Stephen and his wife Gwen lived in St. Johnsbury, Vermont on a 400-acre farm he called Dog Mountain. Dog Mountain was the site for the beloved dog chapel, immortalized in Stephen's book of the same name. People came from around the world to visit Dog Mountain and the dog chapel and pay tribute to the memory of their beloved dogs.
Stephen loved Home for Life® and considered himself our "artist in residence." He faithfully contributed a work of art each year for our fall gala, and his incredible talent was well known to our supporters, who looked forward to bidding on the woodcut he and Gwen would select for our event. Stephen always wanted to visit Home for Life® and dreamed of someday starting a sanctuary for dogs at Dog Mountain. Stephen's woodcut Joy II, which was his wife's favorite, was on the cover of our Summer 2004 newsletter.
We hope Stephen's gentle spirit is at peace in heaven with his beloved Sally, his black lab who crossed the rainbow bridge a few years ago. Home for Life® extends our deepest sympathy to Stephen's wife Gwen, his dogs, and the many people who loved and admired him and his art. Rest in peace Stephen.
–Your friends at Home for Life
To read more about Stephen and leave tributes to his spirit:
Stephen's
page on Tributes.com
The Stephen Huneck
Gallery on Facebook
The Artists behind The Art of the Dog
The midwest artist community was on display this year during our Art of the Dog holiday exhibit at the Mall of America. Home for Life® has always tried to support living artists through our newsletters, website, our annual holiday event. We began showcasing dog houses created by area artists and architects at our 2008 holiday event, and MOA patrons were charmed by the artists' originality and vision.
This year, Home for Life® and the MOA decided to display not only houses, but also life-sized dog and cat statues interpreted through the unique vision of each artist. Most of the artists started with a base dog house or statue mold of their breed of choice, and then turned it into an incredible one-of-a-kind work of art. Other artists chose to construct their own houses from scratch. No statue or house was the same, and all were beautiful.
This lovable statue is still available!
Home for Life® is grateful for the support of the artist community and we're glad we can bring attention to the amazing talent of our participating artists through this event.
For more information about the artists and their work, please see The Art of the Dog website developed by Home for Life® sponsor and volunteer, Jennifer Fairchild of Las Vegas.
We still have some of the houses and statues available. Please check the site and contact Home for Life if you are interested in purchasing one to benefit the sanctuary.
Any works of art not sold this season will make an encore appearance at our spring event on May 2 at the Calhoun Beach Club (see Revving up for Spring with Home for Life® in right column).