Tournament of Pets 2007: First Round, Cookie vs...

It's Friday morning, it's already 75 degrees on its way to 90, and I've got a lot to get done before the weekend, so the intros will be brief.

Also, I'll be unavailable next week-- I occasionally do some work-- so these two competitions are what you get until about the 25th, and voting on them will be open until then:

Today's first: The North Bracket #7 Cookie vs. #10 Daniel Striped Tiger.

Cookie.

Owner: Michele Botkin

Cookie came into my life quite my accident. I was walking my big dog, Max, down an alley behind the house when we saw a bundle of fur. I don't know what she looked like, but she didn't look like a dog. Her hair was severely matted, she was very skinny, and talk about dirty. At the time, my husband was very against any more pets. I was afraid that she would follow us home, so Max and I turned around and practically ran home. I know this sounds awful, but my husband was very controling and, if he didn't want something, it was best to live by that.

Well, Max and I got home and guess what, the bundle of fur had indeed followed. From inside the house, I saw her sitting on my back porch looking at us through the door. I opened the door and in she came. Max and her immediately bonded, he at 145 pounds, she at less than 12 pounds. I knew then and there I had to stand my ground with my husband and keep the dog. She was timid to people at first but stuck like glue to Max. I cleaned her up best I could but the vet helped me with mats that were too close to the skin. They shaved her while she was under to be fixed. She developed into a very trusting dog as I worked with her and she absolutely loved children.

After alot of cleanup and medical help, her coat came back beautiful and her personality blossomed into the best natured dog you could want. After my divorce, Cookie came with me and has been my sidekick ever since. I am so glad she followed me home on that fateful day. :)

Daniel Striped Tiger

Owner: Lydia O.

Daniel Striped Tiger was a replacement cat, meant to provide companionship for our elderly tuxedo cat after his friend disappeared. He was acquired by inquiring at my vet, who steered us to an elderly lady who had formerly raised purebred Turkish Vans. When she retired she got them all fixed (there were, I believe, a dozen) and moved them to a house at the edge of a wood. Feral cats began having kittens in her garage, and she said she took it as a sign that cats didn't need help breeding, they needed help NOT breeding. She trapped mothers and took them indoors to civilize them and their children. Mothers were fixed by my vet at a reduced rate. Mothers were sometimes adopted out, children always.

Daniel came to us with the name "Mo"--smallest of a litter that included Eeeny, Meeny, and Miney. I was carrying our younger son when he joined our house, and both cats liked to sleep on my stomach. The difference was, the baby kicked off the old cat--but not Daniel. To this day, our younger son is my nervy cat's best friend aside from me, and allowed to do everything from running around him in circles to doing taekwondo kicks over his head. The original cat we got Daniel to companion is gone now--but Daniel's still a companion for me and our younger son, his devoted staff.

Keep up the comments and keep adding points to help the Shaws. And pitch in more by going to Caring Bridge, where you can click on the "Visit a Caring Bridge Site" link and then type "mateoandmchale" into the box.

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