Oct - Old Ottawa South

Page 22 The OSCAR - OUR 31 st YEAR OCTOBER 2005
WINDSOR CHRONICLES – PART 57
Art Bark In The Park
Dear Tera,
Wow, you can’t beat that
Sunday afternoon in
Windsor Park a few
weeks back. What a party! What
great weather! What opportunities
to make new friends with people
who realize that life is fulfilled
by throwing a ball to a friendly
dog. I could walk up to complete
strangers and they were only too
willing to enter into the spirit of
the day by tossing the ball.
Alpha was on a stage talking into
a microphone about this event. He
called it “Art in the Park.” I think
there were many among us of the
canine persuasion who thought of
it more as “Bark in the Park.”
So we’ll compromise. Let it
be known as the “First Annual Art
Bark in the Park.”
All kinds of places to wander
and hide. Tables and pictures and
the smell of oil and acrylic. One
booth even featured paintings of
dogs. These paintings emphasized
the nose and the eyes, which is a
very humanoid perspective on
things. As you and I know, if you
want to really get to know a dog,
you should sniff the other end.
My favourite spot, of course,
was the food stand where the girl
guides were cooking hot dogs.
Alpha seemed to understand that,
anytime he needed to check up on
where I was, all he needed to do
was mosey over to the barbecue.
The girls who handled the
frankfurters and the cash box
were all very nice. But between
you and me, they did not seem to
understand that it is always a good
idea to give a nice, well-behaved
dog something to eat every couple
of sales transactions. It placates
the gods of commerce – or so we’d
like the girls to believe.
As you know, we all have a
hierarchy of needs. And after I’ve
been exercised and fed, I also feel
the need for artistic expression.
The humanoids corralled their pups
at tables set up where the paths
meet. Long rolls of kraft paper
were unrolled along the sidewalk,
and the humanoid pups took turns
Caring Home Needed for Frightened Cat
Grisou is a beautiful, quiet cat with long
blue/grey hair. He was born in 2003
and was a physically well cared for
indoor cat. He is neutered and declawed. The
owner traveled a great deal and Grisou was
often alone and ignored. When the owner’s
lifestyle changed Grisou was taken to a vet and
eventually placed with the Cat Rescue Network
(CRN).
Grisou’s search fo a new home has been
long and arduous. He was transported to three
different homes in 2 days and was kept in a cage
surrounded by many other caged cats. Grisou
feels very vulnerable and frightened around
other animals so he hid in a closet and would
not eat or drink for two days. Fortunately CRN
found a quiet foster home and slowly the foster
family gained his trust. Grisou no longer hid
and enjoyed playing with the children and their
friends. However, he hid whenever a stranger
came to see him. Nobody wanted a shy cat so he
splashing colour all over.
Well, of course they wanted
me to participate – they just didn’t
understand it at the time. So when
I walked across the wet paint and
added my own paw prints to the
colour, I’m sure that the more
artistically discerning among them
recognized a work of genius. The
scrolls will be displayed at the
field house over the coming weeks.
Watch for the one with the multicoloured
paw prints.
By the way, after making my
artistic contribution, I drank up
some of the water they use to wet the
paint brushes. It was surprisingly
good actually. I detected some
fruity notes along the bass of my
palate, but the aftertaste was a bit
metallic.
We’ll form a committee for next
year and make sure there are even
more events for dogs. I know that
Dancer, Arthur and Lucy were on
the organizing committee for this
year – or at least, their humanoid
representatives were. We’ll make
sure more dogs are included next
year.
remained in the foster home for almost a year.
Then two things happened that turned
Grisou’s life upside down once again. The foster
parents were going away and someone indicated
that they wanted to adopt the quiet cat. Grisou
moved to a temporary foster home with many
cats to await his adoption. He was terrified of
the other cats; a common trait in declawed cats;
and did not present himself well to the adopter.
The opportunity for a new home fell through
and Grisou remained in the ‘temporary’ foster
home for two months. His fear of other cats was
so great that he had to be isolated.
Eventually Grisou moved to a quiet, catless,
foster home and immediately settled in. He did
not hide; instead he explored the quiet home
and selected two favorite places, both beside
windows. He likes sit next to his foster parent
in the evenings, and is very gentle, friendly and
playful. All of his foster parents adored him.
However, he is still afraid of strangers.
This beautiful cat needs a quiet ‘forever’
home where he will be the only cat; or with one
other non-dominant cat. He especially needs
to be given some time to adjust to his new
surroundings.
To inquire about adopting Grisou contact
flora_louise@yahoo.ca or 613-7253166. Other
CRN cats can be seen at www.catrescuenetwork.
petfinder.org
I saw many of my friends from
the pup kennel at the park that
afternoon. I don’t think you have
any pups among the humanoids in
your pack – you have a cat, which
has challenges of a different sort,
I suppose. But among those who
have humanoid pups in their pack,
this is a time of year for the great
gatherings every morning at the
pup kennel up the hill.
Some of my old friends – dog
and humanoid – are still there this
year. My friend Lily is usually
there in the morning, and we hang
out at Starbucks waiting to see if
Big Murphy is going to come by.
But there are newcomers as well –
Ruthie and Rosie and a black dog
named Purple. I’m sure we will all
become good friends over the next
months – once we’ve established
the pecking order of course.
Loving this time of year, when
the air gets cooler and the shadows
longer,
Zoscha
17 th annual
Eukanuba Wiggle Waggle
Walkathon raises highest
amount ever
The Ottawa Humane Society (OHS) held its most
successful Wiggle Waggle Walkathon ever on
September 11, in the Central Experimental
Farm Arboretum. Over 1,300 participants and their
companion animals took part in the 17 th Annual
Eukanuba Wiggle Waggle Walkathon and raised over
$117,000 for the animals.
All funds raised will go toward supporting the
many ongoing programs and activities of the Ottawa
Humane Society. These programs include humane
education, companion animal visits, dog walking,
adoptions, foster care, and emergency animal protection
services.
The Eukanuba Wiggle Waggle Walkathon is the
largest event of its kind in Eastern Ontario. This year’s
Honorary Chair was Catherine Clark, who was joined
by her dog Maddie.
Walkers could choose between the traditional 5 km
route and a special 2 km route geared for families with
small children, seniors, and dogs of all ages.
The Ottawa Humane Society is a registered charity
founded in 1888. The Ottawa Humane Society works
in and with the community to provide leadership in
the humane treatment of all animals, to address the
causes of animal suffering, to encourage people to
take responsibility for their animal companions, and
to provide care for animals who are neglected, abused,
exploited, stray, or homeless.