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Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 1, 2024


CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 

[Nyerges is the author of several books including “Self-Sufficient Home” and 
“How to Survive Anywhere.” He also leads wilderness classes every weekend. 
He can be reached at School of Self-Reliance, Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 
90041, or www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com]

CASEY AND SONNY

Bonded Brothers Age 6

These two charming brothers 
are a dynamic duo. They, along 
with their mama and sister, 
have faced a tough time after 
their owner sadly passed away. 

Their owner’s loyal friend, 
along with a dedicated foster 
caregiver, have been tirelessly 
searching for a forever home 
for them, but time 

is running out. Casey, with his 
playful spirit, and Sonny, with 
his gentle demeanor, are inseparable and complement each other perfectly. Both have inherited 
their mother’s stunning orange fur and are a joy to watch as they explore and play together. 

Casey is shy, but once he trusts, he loves tummy rubs, being in the catio, playing with food 
puzzles and toy wands. Sonny, aka Mr. Purr-sonality, is very confident. He loves a good massage, 
and to rub on you, playing treat hockey, being in the catio, being first to the food bowl (he’ll 
remind you when it’s time), and sleeping under covers on top of the bed. They might be shy at 
first, but with patience and love, they’ll soon show you their affectionate sides. They are fully 
fixed, chipped, vaccinated, and current on all medical needs. They even come with a special swag 
package to help them settle into their new home. 

To adopt, see www.lifelineforpets.org/orange-family.html.


LIVING WITH OUR ANIMAL FRIENDS

 

“THE CHARACTER OF A NATION IS DETERMINED BY 
HOW ITS ANIMALS ARE TREATED” GHANDI

 

Perhaps it was Memorial Day that got me thinking also about all the close animal-friends 
I’ve had.

 

Popoki was a very friendly cat, and though the dogs didn’t like her at first, she held her own, 
and eventually would squeeze in when the dogs were eating and eat out of their dish! That’s 
no small feat, considering how jealously most dogs guard their food, and will often snap if 
another animal gets close. But Popoki often would be seen eating with Cassius Clay, who 
was a stout Staffordshire terrier, also known as a pitt bull. 

 

Out back, Otis our pot-bellied pig had his own yard, and in the winter, Popoki would go out 
there and sleep in the straw with Otis. When it was really cold, Otis would burrow into the 
thick layers of straw, and only his back or belly would be sticking out. Frequently, we’d all go 
out back to see Popoki sleeping on the warm little patch of Otis’ big body that was sticking 
out of the straw. It was quite a sight, but we all thought that the two of them became good 
buddies. We only had the one pig, and the one cat, and perhaps the two odd fellows stuck 
together.

 

We also had a snow goose for the 17 years of her life. Blue Girl was pretty much a loner, 
but she too would warm up to Popoki during the spring when she was laying eggs. And 
occasionally in the early morning, when the roosters got going, she would attempt to crow 
along with the roosters, which gave her the nickname “Gooseter.”

 

By the way, I had all these animals when I was living in Highland Park, and wrote about 
animal and food raising, and recycling, and gardening, and self-reliance, in our book called 
“Extreme Simplicity, Homesteading in the City.” It’s a great book, and I still see copies of it 
for sale on Amazon and Ebay.

 

In addition, we became so close to most of our animals that we conducted funerals for nearly 
all of them. In other words, they were not mere “pets” or “livestock” or “animals.” They 
were part of our family, sentient beings who shared our life and to whom we experienced 
mutual upliftment.

 

When Cassius Clay died on Easter Sunday of 2008, I remember that same feeling I get when 
anyone close to me dies – the feeling of hopelessness, emptiness, experiencing the void, and 
a sense of inner darkness. I spent a week being with Cassius mentally, and preparing a 
gathering where I would honor our life together. It didn’t matter that some people would 
laugh and ridicule. Nevertheless, I invited several friends, and prepared the site where I’d 
buried him.

 

On the Saturday after he died, I was a bit amazed that over 30 people showed up and sat in 
the quickly-dug outdoor amphitheater. I talked about the high lights of my life with Cassius, 
and felt a great joy that there were others I could share this with. And each person present 
shared their experience with Cassius, or something about their own personal pet.

 

The overall experience was more moving than many of the people funerals I’d been to. There 
was a little music, some soft drinks, and then everyone got to plant some herb or flower over 
Cassius’ grave, and then water it. 

 

In death, my close canis pal had brought so 
many like-minded people together. It was a real 
blessing.

 

[By the way, my experiences with the dog funerals 
is described in great detail in my book, “Til Death 
Do Us Part?”, available from Amazon]. 


Pet of the Week

 Blue (A462656)Meet Blue, a strikingly 
handsome 5-year-old Siamese cat with 
mesmerizing blue eyes. He will surely capture 
your heart at first sight. Blue is a gentle soul who 
loves to bask in the sunlight, often found curled 
up in the coziest spots of the house, enjoying a 
peaceful nap.

 Blue loves interacting with his human friends, 
but it can take him a little bit of time to get 
to know them. His shyness can be quickly 
overcome with a tasty treat or two, so with a 
patience and time, he’ll be your BFF before you 
can blink.

 Blue will thrive best in a calm and loving 
environment where he can feel safe and secure. 

 If you are looking for a loyal, loving, and beautiful companion, Blue is the perfect addition 
to your family!

 June is Adopt A Cat Month, and thanks to a generous donor, Blue and all other adult 
cats at Pasadena Humane can be adopted at no charge throughout the month! The normal 
adoption fee for cats is $100. All cat adoptions include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-
appropriate vaccines.

 Walk-in adoptions are available every day from 2:00 – 5:00. For those who prefer, adoption 
appointments are available daily from 10:30 – 1:30, and can be scheduled online. View 
photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.org.

 New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal 
Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet. 

 Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone 
calls or email.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com