My friend and animal rescue colleague Janice was evacuated tonight, the fire has spread into her neighborhood across from the Huachucas. I have three of her dogs and she’s coming with more. Two of the dogs are fosters.
I was going to do a separate post on these two small dogs, but now that they’re here at my house, here’s the story. A man had cancer. He was at home and very sick. He begged his wife to keep his two small dogs, which she did…until THE DAY he went into hospice. Then she dumped them just as fast as she could. Bitch. They are two small five-year-old chihuahua mixes, sweet and loving. We don’t want to separate them as they are best friends—they eat, sleep and play together. I introduced them to all my dogs and after the usual initial doggie who-the-hell-are-you meet and greet, everybody’s doing fine. They have no interest in my many cats. They need to be neutered, we just haven’t had time.
The cat pictures are of Gracie, the cat left behind at a foreclosed home we rescued in May (see Foster Cat of the Week). Gracie was a bag of bones when I got her, now she is healthy, has been spayed and is ready to go. She is extremely loving, wants to be in your lap, and purrs a lot. She picks fights with my other cats but she loves dogs. Border Animal Rescue paid for the spay and has had to lower the adoption fees for both cats and dogs—cats $30, dogs $50. There are just too many. All animals are fixed and given rabies shots before adoption.
9500 acres burned so far in the Monument fire, still raging. 40 homes damaged or destroyed. Power down. Evacuations continue. Today I worked in Old Bisbee and saw tiny pieces of ash floating everywhere in the air, 25 miles away. High winds today and tomorrow make the fire spread faster and hinder the slurry helicopters and the crews. There are tears and anger here. Where are the troops? Where’s the money? Fires, tornadoes, floods—where is the help for America in her time of need? In the Mideast. I am numb with rage.
Please see my last three posts for many more pictures of the Monument fire.
Monument Fire Update June 18th: 20,000 acres burned, 50 homes destroyed, 12,000 people evacuated. Wind gusts of 50-60 mph today. Extremely dangerous conditions for the firefighters and pilots. It’s also very, very hot. Chaos, anger, tears here. At least now the papers are admitting it’s “human caused.” It will never go any further than this.
There’s an article in local news source called “Impact on Wild Animals Affected by Fire” but there’s NO WAY I can read it.

Sun trying to shine through smoke from Monument fire over Bisbee 6-16-11.

Smoke from Monument fire, picture taken on Naco Highway near my house 6-16-11.

Two loving 5-year-old male chihuahua mixes need home. Chico on left, Coco on right. They both get along very well with dogs and cats. Coco is the darker one.

Two loving male chihuahua mixes up for adoption. They are very interactive with each other and with their humans.

Two chihuahua mixes need home. Funny, curious, playful. There have been a few grumbles, but everybody’s doing really well for the first night. I just made everybody go-lie-down so the two new ones can have some freedom to explore without being followed around. Jasmine would prefer to bite their little heads off, but she will do no such thing. In a few days she’ll accept them, for now, I watch her and she knows it. It’s time for me to step up to the fostering, altering, and adoption of these dogs, Janice has major stress right now.

Two male chihuahua mixes need home. Coco left, Chico right. Southern Arizona.

Two chihuahua mixes need home. Coco left, Chico right.

Gracie, two year old female tabby rescued from foreclosed house needs home. Spayed and very loving. Likes dogs, but not cats.

Gracie, two year old spayed female tabby up for adoption. Rescued from foreclosed home. VERY loving. Southern Arizona.

Gracie, two year old spayed female tabby needs home. Very loving. Likes dogs, not cats. Southern Arizona.