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Angels of Assisi Harmony Farms Sanctuary is looking to make hay, and they would like to do it in your fields.

If you have 10 or more acres in Roanoke or Botetourt Counties in need of cutting, Angels volunteers will neatly cut and bale your field for free as a tax-deductible hay donation to the animals at the Sanctuary Farm.

A combination of last summer's drought-like weather and the skyrocketing prices of hay, grain and corn have left the non-profit farm in need of food and funds.

Harmony Farm Sanctuary is home to over 200 cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and one donkey. They also took in 50 bunnies rescued from a Botetourt farm in March.

If you or someone you know would like to donate, contact Steve George, the farm manager, at 312-2360 or e-mail at harmony@angelsofassisi.org.

Katherine Baker of Blacksburg recently brought home a yellow Labrador puppy. Baker has named the puppy Jackson. She will teach Jackson house manners, basic obedience and expose him to the world.

And sometime after the first 12 to 15 months of Jackson’s life, Baker will give the puppy back.

Baker is a puppy raiser for Leader Dogs for the Blind, a group based in Rochester, Mich., that trains and places leader dogs with blind people like Eddie Walker of Roanoke.

“We would not be able to provide Leader Dogs at all if it weren’t for volunteer puppy raisers. Right now we have about 400 puppies in 22 states and Canada growing up learning about the world around them. The exposure that the puppy raisers provide is an intricate part of the dog’s extensive training needed to become a leader dog,” Beverly Blanchard, puppy program development manager for Leader Dogs is quoted in a news release.

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Did you see the story about Jumper, the little kitten in Radford that's down to eight lives already in his young life?

Drivers called animal control in Montgomery County last Thursday afternoon about a kitten who was wandering on a heavily traveled bridge.

As he was about to be apprehended by an animal control officer, the tiny orange tabby decided he wasn't going to taken alive and dived off the US 11 bridge onto a tennis court 80 feet below.

Dubbed Jumper by the staff at West End Animal Clinic, the little guy suffered only a couple of scratches from his steep leap. Jumper should be released to the Montgomery County Animal Shelter later this week for adoption.

After we read about Jumper's big day, my husband jokingly suggested that the New River Valley shelter should stock up on homeless orange tabby kittens, call them all Jumper, and they will all get adopted immediately.

Okay, a little unethical, but any idea that gets more homeless kitties a home is a good one to me.

Good luck, Jumper. Keep your four paws on the ground, please.

Photo by Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times

Ah, vacation time approaches. My hubs and I are bound for Colorado this week so we can attend our niece’s high school graduation and visit with family.

Alas, the pets will have to stay home. But they will have our summer class-bound daughter, their favorite pet sitter also known as The Cookie Lady, to watch them at our home, so no need for a kennel on this trip.

And the whole family, me, hubs, daughter, and dogs, will all have a nice vacation later this summer, so it's all good.

If you are planning to tote your terrier on a trip this summer, here are a few tips from the ASPCA to make your travel safer and more enjoyable.

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How do you raise thousands of dollars to build a dog park in this town?

One sudsy pooch at a time, that's how.

Saturday's fundraiser for the Roanoke Dog Park had a line of pooches waiting to lather-rinse-repeat under sunny skies in the lawn in front of Fire Station 8 on the city's south side.

Dogs played, dogs frolicked, dogs got a gentle scrubbing, and pet parents got to chat with each and enjoy a nice afternoon out with their pets, just the sort of activity envisioned for a public dog park.

Volunteer Lauren Ellerman said there was a steady flow of customers that kept volunteers busy washing, walking and photographing dogs, with all proceeds intended to add a fence and other amenities for an off-leash area in a city park.

My husband and I strolled over from the fire station to Fork in the Alley, our first visit to that charming bistro, to have lunch. Fifteen percent of our tab, as well as all sales over the weekend, will be donated to the dog park cause.

Georgia Chapman of Bedford sent this photo of her kitty.

Georgia writes "Our indoor cat, Smudge, gazes longingly at her outdoor neighborhood friend."

Ah, a closed door is the sworn enemy of every cat. I am sure both kitties wish they were on the other side. Until they get there. Then they want to be on the other side, and so on. It's one of the things you have to love about a cat: They want it all, right now.

Send in your pix of your little sweeties to pets@roanoke.com.

Okay, it's a little cheesy (no pun intended) but this video from Petside.com has some good information about pet obesity.

By Donna Alvis-Banks/ The Roanoke Times

A Carroll County business owner who was the target of a puppy mill sting by animal rights advocates was found guilty today of animal cruelty and neglect charges in a Hillsville courtroom.

Junior Horton won't serve any jail time and plans to appeal the convictions.

Horton, who operated Horton's Pups in Hillsville where more than 1,000 dogs were discovered in November by local authorities acting on a tip from the Virginia Partnership for Animal Welfare and Support, had been charged with 14 counts of animal cruelty, 25 counts of animal neglect and one count of failing to obtain a license tax for 125 unlicensed adult dogs.

Horton had kennel licenses for 500 dogs. Many of his stock were very young puppies that were not yet licensed.

The charges were brought after veterinarians examined dogs taken from Horton's Pups on Nov. 2. At that time, Horton agreed to surrender a large number of animals to authorities. More than 700 dogs were released in what the Humane Society of the United States called the largest dog rescue operation in the country. Most of the animals were taken to various shelters and private homes for care while awaiting adoption.

Veterinarians working with the animal welfare advocates filed reports to the office of Carroll County Commonwealth's Attorney Gregory Goad. The charges accused Horton of depriving dogs of necessary food, drink, shelter or emergency veterinary treatment, and of failing to adequately house, feed, water, exercise or care for animals in his possession.

I found this link on another pet-related blog. Here is the report from Rueters.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Contaminated dry dog food was the source of an outbreak of Salmonella infections affecting people in 19 states, public health officials report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This investigation, the first one to identify dry dog food as the source of human Salmonella infections, demonstrates that dry pet food may be contaminated with Salmonella and be an under-recognized source of human infections, especially in young children, the investigators say.

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By JoAnne Poindexter/ The Roanoke Times

Eddie Walker is no stranger in his Northwest Roanoke neighborhood.

Sixteen years ago, the legally blind veteran was collecting flags for an Avenue of Flags on his street. He then donated the flags to his neighbors who purchased a $35 pole to display them.
He hasn’t collected flags for a few years, but now Walker’s daily routine keeps him on the streets. He walks three miles, helped by guide dog Usher and a GPS system.

Walker, 78, recently completed a 26-day, live-in training program at Leader Dogs for the Blind Foundation in Rochester, Mich., before bringing Usher, a black lab, home earlier this month.
The nonprofit school trains adult dogs to help give the visually impaired more independence and mobility.

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