Happy Holiday's to all!

[westminster pet sanctuary]

As I await for the children to come downstairs in excitment, I prepared accordingly..for the big day..

Got up super early..put all the dogs out, gave everyone their meds, eye creams's, ear drops, epi meds, heart meds, anti-biotics to the cat that just had it's eye removed...then on went on to feed everyone cats and dogs alike..even fed the neighbours barn cats a treat this morning..afterall it is Christmas right!

So now I sit back, having a coffee, looking at the tree. By no means "bogged" down by presents, instead..small meaningful things, as everyday surrounded by our "special furry friends" is a gift in itself.

Even though we are a Registered charity and the only Sanctuary in Canada that takes in the "special ones" only (for dogs anyway..and alot of the cats!!)..people just do not understand why..Why give to a place that takes care of the "less than perfects" (in their eyes anyway)..when there are places out there that will give me a free calendar, or stuff if I give them $10.00?

They just do not get it..sometimes I wonder, actually often, if they ever will. If they do not, they in my minds are the ones truly missing out.

Today they are awakening, surrounded with "things", diamonds, Plasma TV's, this new thing called a Wii (have no clue the kids told me about it)..while we have a stocking packed with homemade toys for every cat and dog in care (the girls and I worked on it for a week)

do not get me wrong..the girls got nice things..a big stuffed dog each (that will be the ULTIMATE for them , some clothes, a recorder and a few of those littlest pet shop toyas that they adore..my husband, got the standard, underwear, socks, new shirt and a flashlight..as for me..I have no clue, but something meaningful carefully picked out with care and love no doubt.

I know once the girls see the dogs, the fist thing they are going to ask to do.."Can we open up the critter stocking for them now"..same thing, every year. To them, and us, it gives us no greater joy to see our children happy, and also the fact they are being made happy, by making the animals happy.

So the dogs will run around with homemade polar fleece toys (that they will no doubt rip apart even though we triple sewed them!!), pull on the old socks with balls inside..and watch the cats play with their stuffed wee toys filled with organic catnip I grow for them

To us at the Sanctuary..this is Christmas..as a family, surrounded by everyone we love, and that includes our furry "special needs" family..I cannot imagine Christmas without them.

Maybe I am a little too reflective, but I have just finished with a three day bout dealing with one of our epi's famous 'holiday cluster seizures'..every holiday without fail..Christmas, birthdays, Easter, Canada Day, I am sure even the fourth of July (and he is not even American!!)..he is doing well..and survived (and I did too!!)..

So we are all well, ready and set to start celebrating the love, joy and happiness, surrounded by those we love the most in our lives, our children, and the very special that walk threw our sanctuary doors every year..

I am so thankful, to have them here to help us celebrate this wonderful time with us!

Happy Holiday's to everyone!!

[Dianne]

Kelli,

Merry Christmas! YOU are our kind of people.

Nobody here expects things to be perfect. We love our broken toys as much or more than the perfect ones. We nurture life to its fullest, and provide hospice to those that are passing on.

You've got it! And your children are learning from YOU. You wrote a touching letter. It is the quiet moments in life that are meaningful...and not the whiz-bang events.

So very happy you joined us.

Dianne

~~~~~~

[Paul Coover]

Kelli, I have just one question...

What took you so long to join us??

You think the way that we ALL think about our pets. My wife and I do not have children, we have 6 dogs. We treat them as such, and we have already given them their toys.

As I speak, there are destroyed unstuffed toys everywhere, pieces of Bobo from this corner of the room to the other.

The dogs have already devoured their edible Christmas Cards, and all is quiet again. Merry Christmas everyone!

[Christine]

Your reflections completed my Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and all of your family...YOU are their greatest gift.

Love,

[connie]

merry christmas to you to kelli,
they say children learn from example, and you are setting the right one. you teach that christmas isn't about what you get, but about what you give. and my friend, love and compassion is the GREATEST GIFTS anyone can give and recieve.
if only everyone could show just a small amount of the love you and others show to the animals in this world, maybe it could lead to humans showing compassion to other humans.
a pat on a stray dogs head, a bit of milk to the stray cat in the neighborhood, such a small thing, but it is human kindness in it's raw form to me.
i admire you so much for your kind heart. it's folks like you that makes this site. we must teach the world that our pets are handicapped, not worthless. my cricket does not know the word different, he just knows he is my baby and is loved.
your place must have angels flying over it, for god has blessed you and your family.
my dad stories of the OLD DAYS, make me wish we were back then, when everyone helped everyone.
your animals are so lucky to have found you, or maybe your the lucky one. i find my life more worthwhile since cricket got paralyzed, he showed me what real strength, determination, and love is all about. he refused to give up.
so welcome , stick around, we need you here.
may each of your family have a healthy, happy and joyful hoilday. from my home to yours, merry christmas.
a hug to you all,
connie and cricket

[puremutt]

No kids here either , only the dog.
He was sooooo happy with his toy, that's all I wanted to see for Xmas!

[GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily]

And happiest of holidays to all y'all too!
I do not know what I would do without my h-cap critters this sad Holiday season. Today is so hard, so very hard for those left behind. I've been crying for four days now, counting the hours until I can stop again for awhile. My special pups truly keep me moving one foot in front of the other. I love you kids of mine! Even if you cannot hear nor see me, I shout out to the rafters, I love my 'kids'.
Kelli, you are growing little rescuers! No greater gift.
Bless you and your family...
Karen, Andy's ^i^ mom
Andrew Keith Anderson
June 17, 1980 ^i^ November 5, 2004
Andrew Keith Anderson, Jr., his son
^i^ November 5, 2004

[Christine]

((((((Hugs to you, Karen)))))))

Love,

[westminster pet sanctuary]

Kelli, I have just one question...

What took you so long to join us??

Thank you so much everyone for your kind words..and Paul, to answer your question, I have NO IDEA why it took so long, other than I never knew about this site..luckily I stumbled upon it somehow..and here I am

Christmas was a joy..Mainly because ALL the critters had a GOOD DAY!! (no seizures, heart troubles etc...yippee!!) they loved their stocking, as I type they still are playing with the toys (well what is left of them anyway LOL)

I feel truly blessed to have found this site, I only wish I had of found it sooner.

I feel like I have moved to my new "cozy home" here already..thank you!

[Jane Scott]

Happy Holidays Kelli;
So, wow I am so excited! I live in Ottawa and didn't know you existed either - how is that possible!!? The people here are the most amazing folks in the world - glad you can join them and be a part of this family. I'll be visiting your website often and will call in the new year once things go back to "normal".
Jane

[westminster pet sanctuary]

Jane small small world!!

If you get the Citizen you have probably read about us..just not knowing us! We were the group that drove down to help during Hurricane Katrina...and also our Tazzy Dog (given crack cocaine)and Mon Ami were both big stories (when Ami broke his legs..we managed to fundraise enough money to get Kirshner devices put on both..)

The Ottawa Humane Society knows us..they do not deal with alot of "special furries" they know that is WHAT we do deal in! Actually we deal with ALOT of Humane Societies in Ontario (have taken in special needs from Windsor all the travelling path back to our sanctuary and beyond!..)

My husband works in Ottawa..Mom lives there..we are an hour East along the Countryside

Also take a look in our happy Tails section to see some very special ones we have found homes for as well. (nearly 400 adoptions in about 2 years)

We do not put a price on life..we instead measure based on Quality of life..which makes the Sanctuary a little different. Like I said to others, in Ontario, I am pretty sure we are the only ones that ONLY take in special needs dogs (based on the amount of calls we get)..but because we give so much one on one care we are limited in how many we take in (again quality matters)

Our emergency hospital we use is Alta Vista..trust me we are well known there too!!!

Feel free give me a call anytime..would love to meet up or chat sometime..

Small world..heck it is like we are neighbours!!

Happy Holidays Kelli;
So, wow I am so excited! I live in Ottawa and didn't know you existed either - how is that possible!!? The people here are the most amazing folks in the world - glad you can join them and be a part of this family. I'll be visiting your website often and will call in the new year once things go back to "normal".
Jane

[LisainCAN]

Kudos to you for raising your little ones right. I told my husband that our little one is going to come out purring. Everytime I'm stressed I put a kitten on my belly bulge.