Credit: Courtesy of Charlene Cruff

"Original Video - Met Jerry Miller the horses owner for the first time when he stopped by my barbershop today. Jerry said he saw the video on the TV and tracked me down.

Driving north on Highway 75 just north of 4 corners, 25 miles south of Topeka Kansas we found a horse in the back seat of a car. Rick and Mandi Potter, our kids Jade and Riley, and there friend Cheyenne thought it was pretty cool. Driving from Osage City north on 75 toward Topeka for a Walmart run Saturday November 6, 2:15pm, 2010.

Rascal the 15 year old horse and Jerry drive all over Kansas doing shows for folks. Rascal can do 40 different tricks and some say he's the smartest horse in the world. Jerry and Rascal live near Pomona Lake south of Topeka Kansas."

 Ain't Kansas grand ... if this were Texas now, that would be a BIG car with a BIG horse in it! Guess the old feller needed a little more "horsepower".


~Zena

According to Rebecca Rescate, the founder and president of CitiKitty , "CitiKitty is the world's most complete Cat Toilet Training Kit. Save thousands of dollars ordinarily spent on kitty litter and toilet train your cat in just weeks with CitiKitty - life without a litter box is just a click away! Just $29.99 ... also available is the CitiKitty Automatic Toilet Flusher  for only an additional $189.00!!"

US Military in Afghanistan 2003

Remember Fallen Horses on Veterans' Day

by: Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc
November 11 2010, Article # 17231

Armistice Day, more commonly known as Veterans Day, provides us with an opportunity to commemorate the armistice signed between the Allies and Germany at the end of World War I and marks the day when millions of people worldwide stop to remember those who have served and died for their countries in military conflicts throughout history.

This Veterans Day, spare a few extra seconds to remember the countless number of horses that lost their lives in combat alongside the brave men and women who served their nations.

Equine disease and casualties were not light during World War I:

• More than 1 million horses and mules served for Britain alone--only 67,000 of those survived the war;
• Horse deaths were attributable to battle injuries, disease, and exhaustion;
• Some of the major equine diseases and ailments that plagued the horses were equine influenza, ringworm, sand colic, fly bites, and anthrax; and
• More than 725,500 horses were treated by the British Army Veterinary Corps hospital during war--more than half a million of those treatments were successful.

Historically, horses were an important part of the military, and their use in conflict dates back as far as 4,000 B.C. By the First World War, however, the cavalry was no longer one of the most effective military units. Instead, cavalry charges were abysmal failures, as the horse and rider were clearly no match against enemy machine guns, trench warfare, barbed wire, or tanks.

Despite the changing face of the traditional "war horse," horses were still used extensively in World War II, mainly for transporting troops and supplies, acting as scouts, and for reconnaissance.

Sadly, horses that did survive the war often were not returned home with the surviving soldiers. Thousands of former war horses were slaughtered, and the remaining horses were either sold or reassigned (e.g., sent to India as remounts for the British Army).

Horses, mules, and donkeys are still used today in the Middle East conflict for transportation and for transporting supplies through the often rough terrain.

Horses are included in a multitude of war memorials, yet few of these memorials have been erected in honor of the horses themselves. Notable exceptions are the Horse Memorials at St. George's Park in Port Elizabeth, South Africa and at St. Jude-on-the-Hill in Hampstead, and the Animals In War Memorial in Hyde Park, London, UK. In the United States, a memorial to the horses that served in the American Civil War was completed in 1997 and stands in front of the National Sporting Library and Museum in Middleburg, Va.

An organization called the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) formally recognized the importance of horses in war by awarding three horses who served in World War II with the "PDSA Dickin Medal," an animal's version of the Victoria Cross.

More information is available from the History Channel's 2010 documentary "The Real War Horse."

Very interesting!! I will definitely be looking up the documentary mentioned above!

Btw ... Being new to blogging, I am not sure if this is an encouraged practice, or not.  However, since more often than not, the article of interest is lost with the passing of time (i.e. website is closed), or I can no longer located it,  I am posting them here for posterity.  All articles are posted in their entirety, not edited, and are linked back to where I originally saw them, and credit is given to the author (if it is known).

This advertisement was originally released by BMW on April 1, 2008, but I thought it was still interesting, and relevant, today:

BMW has announced the first details of the new Canine Repellent Alloy Protection system. Designed to stop dogs fouling against the sparkling alloys of new BMW cars, the innovative Canine Repellent Alloy Protection system (C.R.A.P.) is the latest offering in the BMW EfficientDynamics programme.

Using the EfficientDynamics Brake Energy Regeneration system, energy that would normally have been lost during engine over-run and during braking is harnessed as Rim Impulse Power (R.I.P.) and stored for future use. Whenever a dog tries to relieve itself on the wheel of a suitably-equipped BMW, a small and relatively painless electric shock is immediately administered to the animal, thus deterring it from future fouling.

Dr Hans Zoff, Head of Automotive Security from BMW AG, said; “Research shows that most BMW customers like to keep their cars clean and dog fouling is a constant irritant. Not only does the Canine Repellent Alloy Protection system support this aim, but it does so using energy created through the EfficientDynamics programme. Beauty through engineering perfection – our philosophy in a wheel nut.”

ORLANDO, Fla. – (Nov. 1, 2010) – Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is always in search of stories, facts and achievements that are unbelievable. Company officials recently discovered a story involving a dog that was so amazing and unbelievable and was in so much distress, that they had to step in and help.


Ripley’s is donating money to help a neglected dog in Houma, Louisiana. A poodle was found in a ditch with fur so badly matted that it couldn’t even walk.  The dog was literally a living, breathing ball of hair.

Ripley. Yes there is a dog under there!

Staff at a local animal rescue group, My Heart’s Desire, rescued the dog, had his massive amount of tangled mane shaven off and gave him a very fitting name – Ripley.

According to shelter co-founder Tracey Lapeyrouse, they chose the name Ripley because “you would have never believed there was a dog under there. He didn’t even look like a dog. He looked like the elephant man. All you could see was his snout.” The company’s love for unusual animals comes directly from Robert Ripley himself, who owned many pets including a one-eyed dog name Cyclops.

Ripley has been given a good grooming, lots of TLC, and has been neutered. My Heart’s Desire is now looking for a permanent home for him.

Ripley Entertainment Inc., the parent of the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! brand, is making a donation to the shelter and to Ripley’s future family. The company will give $400 to My Heart’s Desire and Ripley the dog will come with a gift card for a local pet store that his new owners can use for food, grooming, toys and other expenses.

“Ripley the dog is what Ripley’s Believe It or Not! is all about,” said Tim O’Brien, VP of Communications for Ripley’s Believe It or Not! “It’s unbelievable that a dog could even be in this condition, let alone survive and go on to potentially become a great pet for someone.”

Ripley - after the save and shave

This may not be the last time that Ripley the dog will hear from the people at Ripley’s. His story is being considered for the next Ripley’s Believe It or Not! book.

Anyone interested in making a donation to My Heart’s Desire should contact Tracey Lapeyrouse at tvlapeyrouse@hotmail.com or call the shelter at 985-226-4693. 


Press release and photos courtesy of Ripley's Newsroom.




Additional information via the Dailycomet.com:

Workers at St. John the Baptist Animal Shelter called Ms.Lapeyrouse about "Ripley", after finding him in a ditch outside the St. John facility. His fur was matted to the point that it was unable to walk.

Lapeyrouse said Ripley was socialized at one point because he seeks out the attention of people, but he remains timid. They're not sure if he was abandoned or on his own for a long time.

My Heart's Desire Co-founder Tracey Lapeyrouse holds “Ripley”.  (Emily Schwarze/Staff)