I pray you all had a pleasant Thanksgiving with family, friends and loved ones. I think the one thing we can be most grateful for is that we can choose whatever course we wish to take in life. Sometimes the results of our actions are fruitful and other time they are sad or harmful, but the course we take in any event remains ours.Not so with the so called lesser creatures, it is we who make the choices that result in their happiness and well being. If you think about it, it is an awesome responsibility to have the welfare of one of Gods creatures in your hands. My prayers have always been that more and more people would understand that fact.

I recently visited with Jake, the black and tan coon hound, and Im scheduled to visit Dusty, a dear old friend, tomorrow. I constantly run into old friends and when I visit my kids (from past stories told) in their forever homes; my heart fills with joy witnessing the loving care they receive.

Im sure many of you have seen the commercials on T.V. about the Humane Society of America and all the sad animals they depict. If you can watch that and not well up with sympathy, there is a hole in your heart.

When I visit the Foothills Humane Society, nearly every day I experience the same sympathetic emotion every time. I try to spend some time with as many as I can, hand out treats and give them some love and encouragement. The thing that saddens me the most is when an animal has been there a good while and they look up at me with sadness and hope in their eyes. Two such animals are Diamond and Raylee. Each are female American Staffordshire mixes who are beautiful and sweet beyond words.

Unfortunately, most of the times these animals go to rescues because of the unwarranted reputation they have, but the rescues are full and so they wait. The wonderful volunteers and staff at F.H.S. give them as much time as they can and tend to all their needs and every once in a while Uncle Lennie comes by with a hug of encouragement. Yes, these animals are large and they are strong, but their hearts are filled with the same love and loyalty as your Poodle or Pomeranian and in most cases more so.

Dont make those who have mistreated and abused this breed of dog win out. The reputation that they have was not their choice, it was ours. Oh how I pray that the next time I visit Diamond and Raylee they will not be looking up at me with sad eyes from behind a cage door, but a happy visit in a forever home where all choices that are made for them are done with love.

Thanks for listening.~ Special Cases written by Leonard Rizzo