Sharing The Joy Of All Animals

[ozzieowl]

At some stage, most people come to realize the amazing

and very often profound effect that animals can have

on our mood and emotions and there are some pretty

incredible but also true stories of how medical scientists

are discovering some animals that can actually detect

the beginnings of disease in humans in the very early

stages of onset.

Our animals can also be trained to help and support

many of us that have disabilities, especially for those

who have lost their sight.

Animals can `feel emotion' just like we humans can,

besides loving, nurturing and caring for their own young.

So let us enjoy our animals and pets by sharing our photos,

pictures and graphics of them all,

the long, the short and the tall.

[ozzieowl]

Well you have a very spriteley and intelligent dog there,

I hope there has been obedience and socializing training -

for you, of course, lol !

[flippr 2.0]

yea,he trained me very well

he's too smart for my own good.

[ozzieowl]

I know how you feel.....lol!

[ozzieowl]

I must say though, my Robbie was a thorough gentleman,

in that he always waited for me to be seated to start my meal

before he went to his bowl (outside when it wasn't raining),

and to begin eating his - ha!

[flippr 2.0]

my last pup (buddy)was like that,a real gentleman.

[ozzieowl]

Robbie and I,

[flippr 2.0]

great dog,looks familiar.

[ozzieowl]

[flippr 2.0]

[ozzieowl]

That is a CLASSIC  - so, so very funny, 

I think I've watched it 10 times now, thanks flipper.

[flippr 2.0]

my dog makes that silly grin when he;s in trouble.

[ozzieowl]

I don't think that there will be too many crocodile smiles here,

however there is one person who feels the joy...

The Crocodile Whisperer Rather than trying to tame wild stallions, fearless Cairns fisherman Chito prefers a playful wrestle in the water with his best pal Pocho - a deadly 17ft crocodile The 52-year-old daredevil draws gasps of amazement from onlookers by wading chest-deep into the water, then whistling for his 980lb buddy - and giving him an affectionate hug.   Chito made friends with the croc after finding him with a gunshot wound on the banks of the Barron River Cairns Australia 30 years ago.. He had been shot in the left eye by a cattle farmer and was close to death. But Chito enlisted the help of several pals to load the massive reptile into his boat. He says: "When I found Pocho in the river he was dying, so I brought him into my house "He was very skinny, weighing only around 150 lb. I gave him chicken and fish and medicine for six months to help him recover. "I stayed by Pocho's side while he was ill, sleeping next to him at night. I just wanted him to feel that somebody loved him, that not all humans are bad. "It meant a lot of sacrifice. I had to be there every day. I love all animals - especially ones that have suffered." It took years before Chito felt that Pocho had bonded with him enough to get closer to the animal. He says: "After a decade I started to work with him. At first it was slow, slow. I played with him a bit, slowly doing more. "Then I found out that when I called his name he would come over to me" At one point during his recovery, Chito left the croc in a lake near his house.. But as he turned to walk away, to his amazement Pocho got out of the water and began to follow him home. Chito recalls: "That convinced me the crocodile could be tame." But when he first fearlessly waded into the water with the giant reptile his family was so horrified they couldn't bear to watch. So instead, he took to splashing around with Pocho when they were asleep.. Four years ago Chito showed some of his tricks to friends, including getting the animal to close his eyes on command, and they convinced him to go public with a show. Now he swims and plays with Pocho as well as feeding him at the lake near his home in the Lakeland river north west of cairns QLD .  The odd couple have now become a major tourist attraction, with several tour operators, including Crocodile Adventures, taking visitors on touring cruises to see the pair. On the Crocodile Adventures website it describes the spectacle as: "One of the most amazing things that no tourist will want to miss, the adventure show between the man and the crocodile." ONLY IN NORTH QLD AMAZING!!!