Meet the Staff

Today it is my turn to share about my family’s companions. Owen is a lovely boy, supposedly a Flame-point Siamese. He is a rescue, found at a city-run shelter that has a very limited budget. Unfortunately, this shelter has a strict 1-week policy. If the owner does not come forward within 1 week, the animal is euthanized. Owen had been reprieved twice because the shelter workers loved him and believed he was a wonderful cat who deserved a chance at life. We found him at his third week in the shelter – third time’s a charm! Owen has the best personality I have ever seen in a cat, and I’ve owned some cats. He is a confident, playful, joyous companion.


Ensign is our Airedale. A long awaited friend. When Ensign was 18 months old, he had a massive seizure. We were terrified. What was wrong with our lovely dog? After testing, we found that Ensign had Epilepsy. An Epileptic Airedale. What were we to do?


Epilepsy is NOT an infrequent affliction among some pure-breed dogs - Beagles, Border Collies, Poodles, Collies and Spaniels in particular. Dogs can live long and happy lives, even when they suffer from Epilepsy. If your dog is diagnosed with Epilepsy, listen to your vet and understand that you have a dog that may need a bit more care. They do NOT need to be put down. Our dog takes daily medication. He plays with my sons, goes for long walks, knows all of his training and tries to steal food from the table. About every 6 months he has a seizure. It still scares us, but now we know what to do. We make sure he is comfortable, keep him safe and give him a quiet place to recover when the seizure is over. Ensign is now 5 years old, and is a wonderful member of our family. So what if he occasionally needs a little extra care. Who doesn’t?