Unexpect Appreaciation

Today we donated 13 Pet Oxygen Masks kits to the Palm Springs Fire Department. Then we went to the dog park for a little awhile and then we went town to go do some sniffing around. We found the local pet store and boy was it filled with great stuff. My Human told the store owner how their cities fire department was so welcoming to equipment for pets. There were many people in the store and they all had stories about how helpful and pet friendly their department was. They all also loved the idea of their city caring the equipment. After a little conversation my Human started shopping and she found this collar, it was green and had silver stars on it and there was only one large one and it was just my size. "Oh Emma this is so beautiful on you" she said as she looked at the price tag. Taking it off she told me, "Emma I cannot afford this collar but no worries you are my star even without it!" and she gave me a hug right there in front of everyone. As we left she offered me free biscuits that were available at the counter and out the door we went. They had a water dish on the sidewalk so there I stood for a minute or two while I took a nice long drink. Suddenly this lady appeared and put a large bag at my paws. "This is a "thank you" Emma, for a job well done." ? ? ? If my Human was a dog her head would have been titled sideways. Excuse me ? was all that she was able to say. And the stranger responded: "I can tell that your donation dollars don't put biscuits in your dog bowl and you should be reward yourself for what you do." She gave me a pat on the head and smiled and told us thank you again and walked off. I think my Human was on a stay command? Because she just stood there. In the bag was that beautiful green collar in large with silver stars on it and some fish sticks from some great stinky fish!!! We are really use to doing things for others, for giving credit to all those who help along the way. It is not to often and much harder to accept when someone does for you when your use to it being the other way around. We were the victim of someone who paid it forward and it has touched us so much today. It is a good thing to do for others and now we know how it feels... Thank you stranger. Lady with the long white and blue dress on and the yellow hair. The big smile, the kind heart and the giver of a wonderful gift! Emma Zen and her Human

Emergency Exit

This morning on KTLA 5 news in LA I heard a story about a woman in a building that was on fire. She took her Grandfather and her dog and went "looking" for the emergency exit. Looking for it! How many times have you seen this sign?

We walk by them, we sort of glance, we may even look in the direction of the arrow. But were all so busy assumping that 3 minutes it takes to actually follow the path my somehow interrupt our plans. When is the last time you studied the exit plan on the back of your hotel room door?

I stayed in a hotel last year with someone who was an flight attendance for years. We go into our jammies, watched tv, surfed our phone and said goodnight. 2 seconds later she was out the door? I must have had a strange look on my face because upon her return she said, "so you've never bunked with a flight attendant have you?" They are trained and her training kicks in everywhere she goes. She went outside to "feel" the doors. I never thought about this, if there was a fire could you get there with your eyes closed? She knew it was down the hall to the right and then down the stairs but she needed to know how many doorways she would feel before the stairway would appear!

Then today another twist as I listened to the segment being presented on the news channel this lady not only was having trouble finding the exit but once she got there she found out it was locked! I don't know about you but this now brings up a whole new line of questioning I plan on asking. It takes being present that is all. The time it takes to review an exit an honest look or walk down a corridor. I am not as obsess with safety as one may think, considering we run a pet safety organization but I am "aware and present!" I walk into a new room or hotel and look at my surrounds, where would I go in case of an earthquake, fire or other emergency? Then I proceed to enjoy my time just as you would. It doesn't take minutes away from my day if anything it adds to my enjoyment at that time. That's what safety is peace of mind!

To Swerve or not to swerve

To swerve or not to swerve that is the question we posted on facebook with an overwhelming response leaning towards swerve. Do anything to avoid hitting the dog was the theme heard over and over again. I know this song; it plays in my head every time I see a pet heading towards the street. But what rings as loud is my father’s voice teaching me that as much as I do not want to be the one to run over a pet, you are not supposed to swerve. Swerving can cause an accident, injure other human life and even if there was no one around swerving can cause your own vehicle to roll. I can hear my father’s voice telling me as I learned to drive, you kill the animal not yourself. Now before all of us pet lovers get in an uproar. I am not suggesting you go running over pets. And if you can stop remember that intermediate braking gives you more control as slamming on your breaks can lock your wheels and your ability to control your vehicle. See how easy it would be to lose control. It’s something to think about what to do in an emergency situation. So that when that time comes your response may be a little bit more automatic. Today I saw such an accident we were in the left lane on the Harley with the sidecar and a driver of the van was in the right. A little Benji type dog with a collar and bandana runs heading for the street. We saw it and then the next thing we saw was the van up in smoke slamming on its breaks and coming right towards US! Scared the piss out of me, I don’t mean to use language but I know my Human thought we were dying to. We were so lucky, the van straightened out and yes hit the dog and a human tragedy was avoided. The van did not pull over, but we did. We pulled the dog out of the street and over to the side of the road. We got a baby blanket out of our first aid kit and covered it up. We took the number off the collar and called the owners. She was hysterical. We told her it was really really bad and let her know if she couldn’t deal with it or didn’t have someone who could to call the animal control. By then there were others there and we left them in the hands of people they knew. OVER WHELMING this day was. But that is how it goes. Life is not always kind. It does not always make sense. But it is reason must be for a greater good than we can see. It made me want to come home and tell our story and bring up a very touchy topic, because today someone’s fuzzy baby is gone. But my Human and I are still alive. Don’t swerve. Emma Zen & Debra Jo

The lighter side of Sam

1.4.13 Today we laid Sam to rest. She is my kitty and my Human has had her in her life for over half of her adult existence. Her emotions so visible on the video she made the same day she was put to sleep. http://youtu.be/eqDcIoYlDLc But there is a lighter side to Sam and aspects I think my human is going to miss, 3 of them to be exact that I can think of. One, EVERY night our Human would get in bed and laid down on her back, head on the pillow and let out a big days sigh. Ready to relax and just wind down and maybe watch a little TV. EVERY night Sam would wake up upon her arrive to the sack and walk right on top of her and EVERY night for 18 + years she said the same thing, "DAMN IT SAM, GET OFF MY NIPPLE!" :-) Funny how that tiny 6 pound cat could find the same spot to stand on a nightly basis. Two, Sam has slept in the same spot for years, right between our Humans legs. For 18 years she had to retract her legs up to her waist and then turn over and then extend her legs again. You know how it goes, God forbid you disturb the cat! Some nights it seemed almost a workout for her if she needed to turn over more than once! Funny how you Humans work, she never once concerned moving the cat! :-) Three, Our Human sleeps flat on her face and EVERY morning there she was! Sam! In what our Human called "her personal space". Typically waking with a "ugh" or and "don’t" she couldn't stand the ONE TINY WHISKER that would BARELY touch her face each more. "It's horrible" I've heard her say before. She compared it to torcher! After a few years a hand jester began to immerge. It was the thumb placed between the side of her face and the pillow, the nose gently covered by the palm of the hand and the four fingers spread over the opposite side of her face. This became known as, "the great whisker barrier!" LOL Sam started at her EVERY morning. My Dad wakes up early to go to work and he said it was absolutely hysterical how Sam would be standing there just starting at her waiting for her to blink. I think if you ever want to know anything about my Human's face. The shade, the couture, the lines, the story you should ask Sam someday if you ever met her in Heaven. I am sure she knows more about her face than anyone else ever has. She stared at her that much! When you're in a relationship there will be things that drive you nuts! Things you absolutely cannot stand. Things you so wish the other person would just stop fricken doing. These are the things you’re going to miss. These are the times you will remember. Think of that next time someone drives you nuts. The next time a pet pisses you doing the same bad or unwanted behavior. The next time a human does something you just can't stand about them. Smile, for this is what you will miss. :-) Life is funny that way. Sam, we love you! Your Humans and Sister Emma Zen

Picture This!

Today I went to wall mart and as usual I parked way out in left field as I like further parking spaces it helps me get more walking in. The parking lot is on a downward slope towards the store. It is one cold and slightly windy day and in front of me is a man pushing his cart back to the store. He is dressed in long pants and long sleeve Pendleton and he is wearing one of the kid’s hats that look like animals with long ears or tassels to cover your ears. When all of a sudden he jumped on the cart! The cart picked up speed as he rode it down the parking lot aisle back to the store. You could see him using his body to try and manipulate the directions it was taking. When he got to the sidewalk he lifted up the shopping cart and left it there and turning around I noticed something I didn't expect! He must have been 45 years old! I smiled. As I approached I said, "Nice Ride!" then laughing I continued "how long has it been since you've done that?" I haven't done that in years the man replied with the best expression on his face I have seen in a while and as he passed me he through both of his arms into the air and shout, "I highly recommend it!" I smiled, again! I know this story has nothing to do with dogs. But it's a good story, a really good story!

A Letter to Emma Zen

I don't even know how to write you a letter? A novel, now that I could easily do. Every moment of your story is so incredible, from the 5 days I spent guarding your kennel at the shelter while you were on fire hold so that no one else would adopt you. To all the miles we put together on our Harley and Sidecar to the foundation I started in your name because your presents simple moved everyone you met. I couldn't write you a letter but a movie, I could make that. Emma Zen, you and I have been together every moment of your life with me. I wonder how many people really know what that's like? I took you to work and then you became my job. I don't think you ever been alone for more than an hour since we lived with each other. I touch you every hour, kiss you every hour, and tell you I love you every hour. We see the day together, the road together the wind together our lives together. I know you will probably leave this world before me and when you do I hope I am strong. Never will I have this experience again; everything fell in place when I met you. I am so happy to be your human. I am so in love with you and I am so changed to have lived in your life.

You make us who we are

You see my Human is the President of a foundation that is named after me, a foundation that in its year and a half has made great strides in establishing safety equipment for pets in emergency situations. Great strides! There are those that tell her, Debra Jo you need to take the credit you work so hard behind the scenes doing so way more than people would ever know and while that may be true, it is not this that makes us what this organization has become. What does? Our reputation. Our ability to be where we say we’re going to be when we’re going to be there, our hard work and our honest to do the right thing and our best job. Our compassion for others and for the animals and pets they love. In other words, Our VOLUNTEERS! It is you, each and every one of you who make this foundation what it is. Well I, Debra Jo, am so proud to finally do something in my life I feel is worthy and to have that credit in my life of leaving something good behind. I have to stop and tell you that without you not only could we have not achieved all we have but neither could I have achieved what I have in my own life. We each have standards; mine are to show my best side, to be honest, to try, to put forth effort, to succeed. If we I started this foundation I realized that those attributes on this foundation would have been up to others? I would have never started it. It wasn't until time had passed that I realize how how fortunate not only this organization is but I am, to have each and every one of you represent us with the kind of quality and respect I would wish. How did we ever get so lucky? So here here!!! To the volunteers of the Emma Zen Foundation: I sit with tears in my eyes as I write so grateful for all that has been accomplished, so fortunate to be a part of it and so enriched by those that are involved with us. I love to hear the words when I deserve them, "Thank you" but when I say them to you I hope you understand why they just don’t feel enough. My forever gratefulness for your help and for having the opportunity to work with you and have you in my life as well. Debra Jo Chiapuzio / President The Emma Zen Foundation