ben

Fran is my little Crossfit puppy named after the women’s workout Fran! She is my spastic sweet girl who loves the dog park and cuddles in the bed! She is a real crowd pleaser with that floppy ear!

Abbott was found as a itty bitty kitty hiding in the axle of my daughter’s car tire! She nursed her back to health and she has been a loving, smart, and sweet girl in our family ever since.

Blanchita was found in a kill shelter in 2008. Her favorite game is magic carpet, where she sits on something and we fly her around. I aspire to be more like Blanche as she is pure love and loyalty.

Little Cow lives at Burleigh Manor Animal Sanctuary and Eco-Retreat in Ellicott City, Maryland. She was the only cow not sent to slaughter when the farm she was living on closed down.

Flossy was liberated from a battery cage where she suffered immensely. She had a respiratory infection that needed veterinary care and medication. Here she is in a warm coat in the sunshine. Isn’t she pretty?

I found this baby and her mother living in the grounds of a stately home I was visiting. Watching them forage in the bushes and listening to the sounds they made was delightful.

Once while paying a credit card bill over the phone Alex was talking nonstop and the representative asked, “Oh, is that your son I hear?” I said, “Yes, and he just happens to be a parrot.” Alex is 11.

I’ve worked as a lookout observer at a remote fire tower for seven summers now, and each year Maggie has come by for a visit. I wait for her to arrive and miss her when she leaves.

A group of swans is called a “lamentation.” This is a photo of one of my lamentations here in New York.

Every year a garden spider or two lives near our front door. We didn’t realize what this was at first… hundreds of tiny babies taking their first steps.

An older cat appeared on the stoop of our apartment building last winter, emaciated and freezing. We named her Shprintzel, which is a Yiddish name meaning “hope.” Now she is plump and happy!

Vanessa (foreground) had been taken to the Wild Bird Fund Hospital in Manhattan to be treated for a life threatening illness. She has fully recovered and has since returned home to her new family.

Frankie is a rescue from California’s Central Valley. He wasn’t being fed adequately for a puppy, so he was frail, weak and delirious. He’s now a funny, happy, silly boy!

Lea loves to get out and see the world. She was fostered by a local rescue as a puppy until we were lucky enough to bring her home. She makes me happy every day.

This my best friend Ben. He spent the first two years of his life as a street dog in Romania and was starving in a public shelter when he was rescued and brought to Canada last December. I love him.

Guy, pronounced in the English way, and Guy, pronounced in the French manner, were rescued as they were about to enter a slaughterhouse to be turned into sausage. Yes, the French eat donkeys.

Chester loves coming to work with his adopted mom and really enjoys going on walks during lunch.

I visited with this beauty, a cow on the Ottawa Experimental Farm. She was among several grazing, enslaved, trapped. I told her I’m sorry for this life.

This is Poo; she is 19. I adopted her from a shelter when she was 9. She likes to sit on the patio with me and look out onto the Delta, reflecting on her life, or just looking for fish!

I took the picture at the Missouri Botanical Garden on May 10, 2014.©2014 Laurie Chrisco

Batman is a 10-year-old pibble with a beautiful soul that I adopted in October from Eleventh Hour Rescue. Adopt, don’t shop, and give seniors a chance – love knows no age!

A beautiful doe came to the fire pit for a visit yesterday. She just ate some clover and left my kale and lettuce alone 🙂

He was rescued as a tiny, scrawny, hungry kitten the size of a baker spud. Now he is head of security around the house and catyard and is the benevolent leader of our cat pack.

Oliver is the official mascot of the Mercy For Animals office in Chicago, where he boosts morale by sleeping all day and occasionally making the rounds for some belly rubs.

Our cousins’ dog stayed with us while they were on vacation. The sunflower garden stayed nice and cool in the desert heat!

Missy is our rescued spent ex-battery hen. Not only did she beat all odds in surviving a surgery to remove a 300-gram mass in her abdomen, but she is also a major diva and camera hog!

Koucha is a four-year-old, free range, potty trained rabbit. She came into my life after my mom passed in 2009. Koucha opened my eyes to the cruelty done to animals and ultimately made me vegan!

Gypsy opened my heart and mind and taught me compassion for animals. When she lets you into her circle, she makes you feel extra special. I can say that she literally saved my life.

This is a young sick swan that was recently brought to the Wild Bird Fund.

I took the picture at the Missouri Botanical Garden on May 10,2014. ©2014 Laurie Chrisco

Quinn is our loving pit bull mix adopted from Sean Casey Animal Rescue at six months old after being pulled from Animal Care & Control. He is a wonderful ambassador for the breed with many adoring fans!

I took the picture at Missouri Botanical Garden on May 10, 2014.

Two pigeons (I named them Mariann and Jasmin) nesting in the window of my building’s stairwell. They flinched a little when I walked by but they didn’t dare give up their good spot!

Roxie is a sweet, powerful, trusting cat. She lies on her back to sleep and when she wants a belly rub. She especially sleeps on my papers to stop me from doing my work so she gets more attention!

During my shift as a police officer this sweet stray followed some kids home from school. Their parents brought him to the police station. I brought him home.

This was seen across the street from Anne Green and Matt Ball.

Vermont was living in a storm drain. Someone heard his cries and sought help from Carolyn, a local animal lover. Carolyn and I headed underneath the street, set a trap, and he was soon in it and safe.

Orcas in the wild are awe-inspiring, and their presence brings me happy tears! San Juan Island is a magical place since you can often see them swim close to the shore, where they often put on a show.

Hux is a two-year-old lover boy! He is eager to please and likes playtime and treats, pretty much anything!

This is my sweet Josie trying to wear her daddy’s Veganism Saves Lives Belt! She wants to spread the word, too.

Little blind Ben from South Korea loves to play with his pup brother and sister. This evening, they romped around the playground with the spring crickets and plastic ladybugs until the sun went down.

These are my twin boys. They love each other and can often be found snuggling and cleaning out each other’s ears and using each other as a pillow, like in this pic.

Romeo is a pint-sized poodle-terrier mix with a metric ton of personality. He makes our lives brighter every day with his indomitable spirit, squirrel detection skills, and superlative cuddling.

Waltzing Matilda is a spunky, nutty, lovable Rat Terrier. She is 10 and is the best girl in the world!

This seagull flew into my camera shot – making the photo all the more beautiful.

89 is a spectacular rescue pup that has changed my life. Having a vegan dog means that when you say you love animals, you mean you love ALL animals.

Rose and her brother Nicky were found as kittens starving and abandoned in Chinatown in Toronto. They were adopted and restored to health by my friend Ann who loves cats.

Both Sophie (Yorkie mix) and Maisie (Italian Greyhound) were puppy mill rescues. They have two other doggy siblings but these two have formed a special bond. They love to play and share sunny spots.

Archie’s on prescription food that the vet had dropped off, because we happen to be on his way home. These two were watching him out the window, wondering how he figured out where they live.

Hershey was at auction to be purchased for veal and was rescued by a kind woman. She took him to Green Acres Farm Sanctuary. He is five days old here.

Gwendolyn is a rescued, disabled pigeon. She has trouble walking and flying and couldn’t survive in the wild. This is a photograph of her building a nest on top of my bookshelf with twigs I collected.

We saw this bird soaring above us on our honeymoon in Victoria, Canada.

Skippy and I have been together for 10 years. I rescued him because his owner dumped him in a box at a vet’s office. He is a gorgeous, sweet and gentle Maine Coon. He has been rescuing me ever since.

Artemis the cat likes her belly rubbed for approximately 2.6 seconds, and then she reserves the right to bite you.

Mom, the squirrels are teasing me!!

I stumbled upon these beautiful babies one day as I was walking around a quarry in Pikesville, MD! They are truly signs of spring.

I met Ryan when I visited Farm Sanctuary last year. I immediately fell in love with his luscious lamb-y lips and he is now the mascot for my blog.

Boe is a senior rabbit who lives at Farm Sanctuary in northern California. Her best friend is another rabbit named Millie. She loves to be held and petted.