The more boys I meet, the more I love my dog...

I first heard that Carrie Underwood song on Pandora.com a few months back, and it makes me laugh because of the whole "funny 'cause it's true" aspect. With another good weekend gone too quickly and another return to the grind, this week with the boss present, I found myself having an "I hate people" morning that only intensified with the morning commute and the realization it's back to school this week, which means more traffic and more clueless/careless pedestrians. 

So I thought I'd turn my thoughts to the one species who has never let me down - dogs. Last week I found a story on a furry, four-legged Iraqi refugee who finally found a happy ending. Laia, a stray from Basra, was adopted by Major Steven Hutchinson after he shared a lunch with her while away from his base. Maj. Hutchinson adopted her despite the Army's policy on pets. Laia rode in trucks with him and slept on his feet at night. On May 10, 2009 Maj. Hutchinson was killed by a roadside bomb. He'd left Laia at the base that morning. Sgt. Andrew Hunt, a friend of the late major, stepped up and worked with the US Embassy and the SPCA to send Laia to the States where she now has a loving home with a man who worked with Maj. Hutchinson in Iraq, according to the Charleston Examiner. 

The Tulsa World had a story on a local rescue dog who made the top 10 in Purina's "Rally to Rescue" contest, which tipped me to the contest in the first place. People can go to the website and vote for their favorite rescue story. The contest was created to honor rescue pets and the organizations who dedicate their time and resources to helping animals. The winning pet, owner and rescue organization win a trip to the National Dog Show and the winning rescue group will get $5,000 in Purina products. 

And finally, one last plug for the strays - my favorite animals on the planet. The Animal Rescue Site donates 0.6 bowls of food to rescued animals for every click at their website. They also have a gift shop that donates part of its proceeds to rescues (if you are so inclined or have a friend/relative who is into animals).

(Photo courtesy of the Examiner)