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Apr 7, 10:26 PM (ET) By ANNE SAUNDERS STRATHAM, N.H. (AP) - Satellite tracking, helicopter surveillance and dart guns failed. In the end, it was a ham dinner and a remote-controlled net that brought a golden retriever named Sam in from the cold after two years on the run. Until this week, "he was winning 200 to 1," said Steve Sprowl, one of the experts who took part in hunt for the dog who earned the nickname "Golden Ghost." Raiding garbage cans and winning handouts from sympathetic neighbors, the dog survived two New England winters, deer hunting season and a blow from a car. Peg and Dennis Sklarski got Sam in 2004, after he was rescued from a life inside a chain-link fence in Tennessee, where he was sporadically fed and otherwise ignored. They had him only three weeks when Sam got loose. Over the months and years, neighbors repeatedly spotted Sam and called the Sklarskis, and Dennis said he spent many nights cruising the roads. In January, experts arrived from Bos...

I started using hand-controls to drive my car about 7 years ago. The difference they've made in my life is tremendous. And it didn't take me long to get used to using them either. You would think that 15 some-odd years of driving with my feet would make the transition to using hand-controls difficult. But it actually comes very naturally. Using hand-controls to drive has made me much more independent. But I still have difficulty going on long drives, whether I'm doing the driving or someone else is. I once asked my neurologist why this is. Why do my legs (and the rest of my body) get so tired if I'm just sitting on my butt in a car while someone else does all the work. He explained to me that even though I think I'm just relaxing comfortably in a car seat, I'm actually using almost every muscle in my legs to maintain that upright position. I'm using my buttocks and thighs to keep from leaning around corners, and I'm most likely using my other leg ...

Apr 24, 8:56 PM (ET) By LUKE MEREDITH DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - To those who know her best, Hannah is the ultimate girly girl. She enjoys socializing in the neighborhood, wearing fancy outfits and pursuing a shoe fetish that would rival any Hollywood starlet. But Hannah doesn't wear shoes - she eats them. Still, that didn't stop this 2-year old English bulldog from beating out 49 others to claim top prize in the 27th annual "Beautiful Bulldog" contest Monday. The contest marks the beginning of the Drake Relays, one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious track and field meets. Hannah, who is white with patches of brown scattered across her squat figure, took the stage wearing a Drake cheerleaders' outfit and shocked the crowd by taking "top dog" honors over Porterhouse, a brown male from St. Paul, Minn., who dressed like a construction worker - complete with tool belt and hard hat. As the winner, Hannah will serve a yearlong term as the official ma...

Apr 15, 5:33 PM (ET) By MICHAEL HILL ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Jane is scampering around the children's cancer center, nuzzling a toddler who had a brain tumor removed, when 14-year-old Alexia walks in. Girl and dog both flop on the hospital floor. Alexia scratches Jane's belly two-handed and gives a big smile. Jane licks Alexia's face. The two met when Alexia was horribly sick with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, when she was suffering through chemotherapy, when she was sad and wanted a friend. Alexia couldn't get out of her hospital bed then, so Jane would curl into bed with her. "She saved the day," Alexia says, rubbing Jane's thick black coat near her "I AM A THERAPY DOG" tag until Jane's handler, Teri Conroy, finally walks her over to another child who's in for treatment. Therapy dogs, so often associated with nursing homes, have expanded their range. The trained animals now comfort people everywhere from disaster sites to hospitals, schools, even ...

Apr 20, 5:16 PM (ET) By MIKE STOBBE ATLANTA (AP) - Chronic fatigue syndrome appears to result from something in people's genetic makeup that reduces their ability to deal with physical and psychological stress, researchers reported Thursday. The research is being called some of the first credible scientific evidence that genetics, when combined with stress, can bring on chronic fatigue syndrome - a condition so hard to diagnose and so poorly understood that some question whether it is even a real ailment. Researchers said the findings could help lead to betters means of diagnosing and treating chronic fatigue syndrome and predicting those who are likely to develop the disorder, which is characterized by extreme, persistent exhaustion. "The results are ground-breaking," said Dr. William Reeves of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reeves said the study demonstrates that people with chronic fatigue syndrome are unable to deal with everyday challenges and advers...

Recently, my brother and 5-year old niece came to visit us. One of the activities we did was geocaching . My bro' has the whole GPS thing and is really into it. I found that it's something I can do on my scooter as long as the cache isn't too far off the beaten track. The first cache we went to was in a public park not too far from home. As we were searching for the cache, suddenly my niece started screaming. My brother ran over and grabbed her. She had been leaning against a tree right next to a fire-ant hill. Nasty critters. Poor kid, she got her first fire-ant bite while out trying to have fun. Luckily, she only got one single bite on her hand. After seeing the seething ant hill she had been standing next to, she's one lucky kiddo. After calming her down, she rode with me on my scooter to get to the next geocache. As we're walking, my brother says that he thinks he should get himself bitten by a fire-ant so he can know what his daughter just had to go...

Cat saves baby's life Apr 15, 10:27 PM (ET) BERLIN (Reuters) - A cat saved the life of a newborn baby abandoned on the doorstep of a Cologne house in the middle of the night by meowing loudly until someone woke up, a police spokesman said Saturday. "The cat is a hero," Cologne police spokesman Uwe Beier said. "Its loud meowing got the attention of the homeowner and saved the baby from suffering life-threatening hypothermia. The homeowner opened door to see why the cat was making so much noise and discovered the newborn." Beier said the boy was taken to hospital at 5 a.m. on Thursday, when overnight temperatures fell toward zero, and had suffered only mild hypothermia. He said there was no indication of what happened to the boy's mother. Filed under: News

Apr 5, 9:57 PM (ET) VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - An American bulldog that had escaped from a kennel by scaling a 7-foot concrete wall topped with barbed wire was found Wednesday night, Animal Control Bureau officials said. Rosco chewed and bent the latch on his outdoor pen, enabling him to push open the door and escape over the wall on Tuesday. Police and animal control officers continued to search for Rosco Wednesday until he was caught at 6:30 p.m. in a lake about four miles from the kennel, said Wayne Gilbert, superintendent for animal control. Gilbert said Rosco was captured without incident, was "extremely exhausted" and wasn't aggressive toward the officers. After being seen by a veterinarian, Rosco was placed back in a reinforced kennel with a padlock. "Given his history, we wanted to make sure that door can't pop open," Gilbert said. The dog was brought to the kennel Sunday because it had jumped over a fence into a yard and attacked another dog, said S...

There was an article on the AP yesterday about pets getting acupuncture (I posted it below). It reminded me of the time that JoJo, my first Service Dog, needed acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments to help her heal from an almost-fatal ailment. It started suddenly, without warning. I woke up one morning to that find my beloved Service Dog could not use her back legs. I had no idea what was wrong. She seemed in good spirits, did not exhibit any pain symptoms, but her back legs appeared so weak that she could barely hold herself up. She was swaying from side to side and she would just fall over if a breeze blew. We immediately took her to the vet. We were asked many questions: had she had an injury, had she played really rough with Barney, had she strained herself pulling me. All were answered "no". The vet was stumped. The next day we were sent to an orthopedic vet who asked the same questions. Then he did an x-ray of her spine. It showed nothing out of the ordinar...

What the well-dressed dog is wearing Apr 6, 8:05 AM (ET) By Claudia Parsons NEW YORK (Reuters) - From a Chihuahua in a white Marilyn Monroe dress to a bulldog in a purple net tutu, the dogs of New York today are as well dressed as their owners. At a dog fashion show this week at one of New York's hottest clubs, waiters circled the room with glass bowls of dog food as well-groomed young people sipped cocktails and their dogs sniffed out new friends at the bar. Preparations for the show, which raised money for an animal rescue center, were as chaotic as any fashion event, with some new problems. "There's a lot more barking and a lot more interesting smells," said actress Stella Keitel, daughter of actor Harvey Keitel. Stella Keitel was among those walking with the canine models on the catwalk. "I'm definitely watching where I step." Pet fashions are big business, with major retailers such as Target producing lines of clothing and accessories and boutique s...

I should have put the show "Lost" in yesterday's post as my top fave TV show. God, I love that show! Did you watch yesterday's episode? If you didn't, don't read this until you do. Question : How many of us "crips" would love to live on that island for the rest of our lives? That choice isn't as easy to make as you think. Consider this : You're given a choice. You can either live as you are right now, handicapped in whatever way you are, getting possibly worse, dealing with meds and docs, dealing with pain and weakness, dealing with being ostracize and lonely.... OR, you can live on the "Lost" island and be perfectly "normal" in every way. Not only will all your disabilities be erased, but you won't get sick, you won't get cancer, and maybe you won't even age. BUT, you also won't see your family and friends ever again, and you'll only live with the people you crashed there with (ok, I'm clea...

Four jobs I have had in my life: Lifeguard Editor of IBM newsletter called Bits and Bytes Video editor for the Boys Scouts of America Booking agent Four movies I would watch over and over: Poltergeist Hell Raiser National Lampoon's Vacation Planes, Trains and Automobiles Four places I have lived: Irvington, NJ Wallkill, NY Burlington, VT Austin, TX Four TV shows I love to watch: Law and Order (any spin-off) Survivor CSI (original series) Big Brother Four places I have been on vacation: The Jersey Shore Destin, FL Maine Minnesota Four of my favorite foods: Raisins and peanuts Home-made fruit salad New York (or NJ) pizza Pork Ribs (NOT spicy) Four places I would rather be right now: The Jersey Shore Visiting my family Jogging, hiking, biking Anyplace but in my recliner Filed under: Q&A

Apr 5, 4:42 PM (ET) MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Every dog has his day, but a standard poodle named Zena had her day in court in Shelby County as the center of disputed ownership case. Divorcing couple Lisa and John Roberts tried to mediate the issue, but couldn't come to a compromise over who would take their dog, so Judge Robert Childers had to step in Tuesday. Animals are considered property under Tennessee law, so neither owner could be assigned primary custody over the 5-year-old dog or have visitation rights as in a custody case. After an hour-long hearing, Childers gave split decision, allowing John to take Zena during the week and Lisa to have the dog on the weekends. "It's like what a Solomon decision might do," said attorney Joe Duncan, who represents John Roberts. "The parties just felt so strongly about this issue that it was very difficult for them to give in, and that's what judges are for." Dorothy Pounders, attorney for the wife, recalled a simi...

Accessible video games... have you heard of such a thing?! These are games that use only one key on the keyboard. Games that, while simple in their control scheme, are complex in their immersion and design. And that's what keeps them interesting. Here's a short list of games: One Switch Ballz Roll your ball to the end of tricky courses. Requires very accurate timing skills and fairly fast button presses. Strange Attractors Unique game where "one button activates the attractive force between your ship and the other objects in the game world". 1-Key Cave Ship Avoid the cave walls as you jet through by controlling upward thrust. Requires very accurate timing skills and rapid button presses. Mini Golf 1 Button Style 2D Crazy Golf with many features. Requires good timing and accuracy/luck. Shades of Doom Shades of Doom is a revolutionary Window’s-based game for the visually impaired. It creates a virtual reality using sound as it’s medium. It features multi-dimensional m...

Normally, I wouldn't post this joke because it isn't dog or disability related. But today is an FLS day. Besides, the last line of this article does relate to me (my next album is titled "Run With Scissors"!). We Are The Lucky Ones WHO SURVIVED the 1930's 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's !! First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat. We dr...

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) - A couple says they are thrilled to have their dog back nearly five years after it disappeared. Holly and Troy Webb said they thought the worst when Gidget, their Lhasa apso, ran away in 2001. "We thought maybe she got hurt or something, but nobody called or anything like that," Holly Webb told WNDU-TV. But the South Bend Animal Control officials called the Webbs last week, saying they found the dog, still wearing the collar and tags she had on when she disappeared. The dog was found tied to animal control's front door, the Webbs were told. "When I saw her, it was like seeing a ghost," Troy Webb said. Gidget, missing for four years and seven months, is now 12 or 13 years old. She came home with matted fur and moves a bit slower but was otherwise all right, the Webbs said. "If she just wants to be a lap dog, that's fine with me, too," said Troy Webb. The Webbs said they believe someone had their dog. She had been fed but not g...

TALK TO THE DISABLED TUESDAY! The first Tuesday of every month is hereby proclaimed as Talk To The Disabled Tuesday . NOW, THEREFORE, I, The WillaWoman, do hereby proclaim the First Tuesday of every Month as TALK TO THE DISABLED TUESDAY . I call upon public officials, educators, librarians, parents, and all the people of the World to observe this day with the appropriate actions outlined below. Pretty official sounding, eh?! Goals : Raise awareness of the Disabled's plight of feeling invisible or feeling like a circus freak. Demonstrate to the abled-bodied that The Disabled are just like everyone else. Cause a generational avalanche of knowledge to the abled-bodied 's children. Make the day of a lonely, ostracized Disabled Person . Actions : Say "Hello" to a Disabled Person . Nod and smile to a Disabled Person . Strike up a conversation with a Disabled Person . Have your child say "Hello" to a Disabled Person . Look a Disabled Person in the eye and a...

Yes, my friends, such a thing exists. Rarely seen (smelled?), this elusive entity has finally been spotted, confirmed, and explained. A few months back, Frankie had some butt surgery . Yes painful, yes inconvenient, but also very necessary. After the surgery, he did have some issues with his "anal tone". Needless to say, I had never heard this terminology (which is probably a good thing). It means that he had some issues with holding in poops and farts (oh yeah, WARNING: this article may ruin your appetite.) When he farted, it would make noise. Lots of it. That was funny. But when he would bark, sometimes a small piece of poop would come out. Not funny. For the first 2 weeks after the surgery, I slept with him out in the living room. This was to keep him from jumping up on our bed. He had to wear a doggie-diaper, especially during the evenings. There were a few mornings I would wake up and find a small piece of "dirt" on the towel he was sleeping on. It l...

I've spent some time puting together a Q&A page for this blog. Here's the link . What do ya think?