Altar to Honor Shelter Dogs

Dias de Los Muertos 2009

Dias de Los Muertos 2009
Originally uploaded by Calsidyrose

I have been making yearly altars for Dias de los Muertos since the early 1980s. This year's offrenda honors my Shelter dogs who have crossed the rainbow bridge: Queeny, a Queensland Heeler girl who died of distemper, and JoJo, a fawn pit bull boy who had to be euthanized due to aggression.

Although this altar is dedicated to two individual Shelter dogs, it is also a memorial for all the millions of dogs euthanized or killed each year in American animal shelters.

This altar features most of the traditional elements, including marigolds, religious items, representations of the dogs, candles and a dog dish full of Milkbone biscuits. The collar contains tags recalling my various foster dogs for 2009, including the dogs which I have placed in new homes. The small clay muerto dog is from Mexico, while the cloth painted dog is my own creation.

This year, I purchased a new piece of oil cloth and a lovely cotton runner from Casa Ramirez in the Houston Heights. This family-owned hub of Mexican culture hosts a yearly Dias de Los Muertos procession.

Happy Foster Mother's Day!

Spike, a young pit bull mix currently available at the Montgomery County Animal Shelter in Conroe, TX (www.fmctas.org), is counting to three in hopes that he will find a foster-mom, or even better yet, a forever-mom who will teach him how to be the dog that he can be!

Happy Mother's Day to all the women who volunteer to help make the world a better place for animals--the Puppy Holders, the Kitten Cuddlers, the Dog Transporters, the Kennel Cleaners, the Towel Washers, the Chief Poop Inspectors, the Paper Filers, the Blog Writers, the Dog Walkers, the Dog Bathers, the Photographers, the Advocates and the Legal Watchdogs!

Hooray for JRTs!

I love Jack Russell Terriers, and my 5th foster dog for this year is a wonderful JRT named Darla. She is an owner-throwaway--she was left in her yard when her owners moved away. By the time she came to me, she had an intestinal infection, so now she's on medication and is eating a bland diet. She was very mopey due to her illness--and there's nothing sadder than a lethargic Jack Russell Terrier.

Happily, Darla is regaining her vigor and spunk.

I made this digital stamp in honor of Darla and her breed! If you go to my Flickr page, you can download a set of these stamps and send your messages by Busy Dog Express!