Simon and Schuster is celebrating Animal Welfare Week with L.A. Kornetsky. L.A. joins us for a special guest post ...
I'm getting ready for a move, and part of that is decluttering. Getting rid of things – objects, old paperwork – that I don’t need to haul with me any more.
But in a folder of otherwise no-longer-needed papers, there’s a sheet I’m keeping. It’s from the ASPCA, and it documents my adoption of the kitten once known as Minna, who became my beloved Pandora, gone now a little over a year.
There’s no point to keeping the sheet of paper. All it does is say that I paid x amount for a 4 month old female tiger kitten, spayed. But throwing it out isn’t an option, either. Because this was the first connection I had to Pandora, the first contract we made with each other: I would give her food, shelter, care, and a lap when she wanted it. I would give her a home. And in return, she gave me such love and companionship, letting her go at the end was no less a pain than losing a human friend.
I don’t have documentation from Indy-J, who was found on the street as a weeks-old kitten, and lived a long and adventurous life before cancer took her in 2000. But Pandora’s adoption paper will go in the current file, along with the papers for our current residents, Boomerang (aka Boomer you idiot), and Castiel the Kitten of Thursday (aka DamnitCas).
Because you keep the important moments, the documents that say “this is how you changed my life.”
(and some of you may note that I invite disaster in the renaming of my cats. You would not be wrong. But where’s the fun of living with Sir Napsalot?)
L. A. Kornetsky is the author of two previous Gin & Tonic mysteries. She lives in New York City with two cats and a time-share dog, and also writes fantasy under the name Laura Anne Gilman. She welcomes visitors to lauraannegilman.net, Twitter @LAGilman and Facebook L. A. Kornetsky.
DOGHOUSE: A GIN AND TONIC MYSTERY
At her favorite Seattle bar, professional concierge Ginny Mallard can always count on a perfectly mixed gimlet and a friendly welcome for her shar-pei, Georgie, from resident cat, Penny. On this visit, Ginny gets an unexpected bonus. One of the regulars asks her and her sometime partner, bartender Teddy Tonica, to save an old friend who’s facing eviction. This is no simple landlord spat. Rumors abound of an underground dogfighting ring on the premises—a crime guaranteed to get Gin’s hackles up. Gin and Teddy want to believe the old man is innocent of all charges, thought a new piece of evidence suggests otherwise. Penny and Georgie keep their noses to the ground as they help their humans investigate the vicious animal rights case. But the truth is buried deep, and digging it up will unearth dangerous complications for owners and animals alike.
Simon & Schuster
I am currently reading (and enjoying) DOGHOUSE - definite appeal to pet lovers and cozy mystery fans!
I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash, including titles with animals, to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,
1. Leave a comment about rescue animals - do you have any? We have several, including Lucky in the lei!
2. Comments are open through Saturday, October 11, 10 pm in Baltimore.
3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, October 12.
Mahalo,
Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City
No, I don't have any rescue animals. However, I take my hat off to you, and all the other people that do.
ReplyDeleteI have a rescue kitty and one my daughter's is a rescue. They have many idiosyncrasies.
ReplyDeleteNo, we don't have any pets.
ReplyDeleteNot rescue, but just one is big doggie
ReplyDeleteThanks
Kimh
I rescued a 1 yr old Chihuahua-Jack Russell Terrier mix named Lucky about 2 weeks ago. He and my 10 year old Yorkie-Chihuahua get along really well.
ReplyDeleteI'm without pets at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI have a Lucky too! My Lucky is a rat and he along with the other two rats I have are all rescues from people who no longer wanted them or from bad situations.
ReplyDeleteI had a rescue dog and so far I have had 2 rescue cats.
ReplyDeleteI have never had a rescue dog. These covers are cute.
ReplyDeletePatoct
We didn't technically get our dog from a rescue shelter but we saved her from having to go to one... The people who had her before us had a daughter with allergies, which they didn't realize when they got her, so rather than letting them take her to the SPCA we took her.... We've had her for 7 1/2 years and couldn't be happier :)
ReplyDeleteNo... i have 2 small babies. So can't take care of a pet at the moment.
ReplyDeleteWe've always gotten our dogs from our local humane society :) Sammie, my current furbaby is the only exception, I've actually had him since birth, but we totally feel that it's better to rescue than to buy :) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI've had many rescue animals. Two dogs and many, many cats since I help ferals/strays. At the moment I have 5 inside cats and 2 outside ferals. I have two 17 yr. olds (one outside and one inside) and the youngest is 4.
ReplyDeleteAll of our animals have been rescues. Most appreciative of any kindness.
ReplyDeleteAww! We have had two rescue cats so far. I love the feeling of knowing you are giving them homes, otherwise they would have a far worse outcome. That is the only way I will accept an animal!
ReplyDeleteWe adopted our dog Sandy from the animal shelter back in 2001. She was the best furry family member I could have asked for. Loved her so much. When we decide to adopt again, we will do so through the animal shelter or a rescue.
ReplyDeletenot right now, but when I'm ready to get a dog it will definitely be a rescue.
ReplyDeleteno pets
ReplyDeleteNo pets right now. Had a few fish awhile back.
ReplyDeleteKaren T.
I'm not an animal-person, but I enjoy reading books with them in it!!
ReplyDeletecyn209 at juno dot com
I am not an animal person either; so never had any pets. Only a puppy when first married; but unfortunately that did not work out.
ReplyDeleteI have four dogs and they were a litter that should have been purebred, but weren't. I guess mom escaped from the yard. My neighbor asked if I wanted one and look what I ended up with.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any kind of animals in my house.
ReplyDeletePatty B43