[Vision2020] It's Caturday, Again

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of Stuff (New Zealand) at:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/cutestuff/3586854/Gentle-Been-pays-it-forward

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Gentle Been pays it forward

A dog who survived being shot in the head three times has fully recovered,
and now spends much of his time playing doting dad to a litter of kittens.

When Been was found, he was 10 kilograms underweight, but now the mongrel
weighs a healthy 27kg and enjoys tending to four kittens who are being
bottle-fed after being rejected by their mother.

After the three-week-old kittens are fed, Been licks them clean. If they
are not locked up at night, he picks them up and puts them in his basket.

"He's just a big sook," says his new owner Jaine Reynolds, a Nelson SPCA
administrator.

Been may have been alone for days before being found in Marlborough's
Wairau Valley by a pig hunter in February with bullet holes in his head.
The only thing that reflects his sad past is a small pink scar.

Ms Reynolds said she fell in love with Been after taking him home to
recover from an operation to fix the large wound. He quickly slotted into
life with his new family, becoming great mates with Ms Reynolds' other dog
Max and her two adult cats.

"He's just a big gentle boy and doesn't do anything wrong. I was surprised
with how quickly he bounced back and how trusting he is."

Been is deaf, but Ms Reynolds believes he was born with the impairment.
She said nobody had contacted the SPCA to claim him, and he had no
microchip.

It is unclear what the circumstances around the shooting were, but Ms
Reynolds said it was likely that Been was shot after his previous owner
got sick of him or their circumstances had changed.

After he was found and taken to the Nelson SPCA, the obedient pooch gained
his name because he had "been very lucky".

Ms Reynolds said Been was a beautiful pet with a very gentle nature. He
loved chasing rabbits, playing, sleeping in his basket and going for
walks.

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TO HELL AND BACK: Shooting victim Been the dog is self-appointed dad to
four motherless kittens, bathing them and putting them to bed.

http://static.stuff.co.nz/1271293025/070/3586070.jpg

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown