When I was a kid in Kansas City, my very masculine LTC military dad saw a poor dog left out in the sweltering Midwest heat, chained to a shadeless tree with no water. It was 98º and 100% humidity – suffocatingly unbearable in the relentless sun. Dad was absolutely beside himself. He was all hard-nosed discipline, honesty and duty (instilled in his daughter) extended to family. He was a mushball when it came to aminals. He passed it on. This was about 45 years ago. He called 17 agencies till he got someone off their dead butt to help this poor dog. I never forgot his perseverance to save this animal and it is one of his many legacies of how to live a clean life. Father to daughter.

Somebody gave me the rake-over because I didn't mention about storing food and water for pets in my latest article. It wasn't about that. Find newly listed archives (orange tab, top of page, middle) for 90 more Holly original articles. I just hadn't gotten around to posting them over the years. Didn't think it mattered…

Anyone who has followed our site for ANY amount of time or read Dare To Prepare knows animals are top most in my heart. They have no one but us people to take responsibility for them, which includes not wearing their coats on your back.

I roamed over emails, sifted through them and can not, for the life of me, find this person to respond to privately. So I am making this statement publicly for any who might have missed the message.

BE SURE to store food, water and meds for your animals. They are your best buddies, your stress relievers – and above all, when you took in that animal(s), you became his or her guardian in front of God and humanity. Take care and provide for them accordingly. God gave us dominion over animals, which requires us to treat them kindly and humanely. They are not 'things'. If people don't treat pets right, they should not have them. Double ditto for 2-legged children.

Photo: Our 4-legged kids…

Two months ago, I turned in a couple in the neighboring town who left their dogs to survive in a screened-in NOT insulated porch. Who – does – that? Certainly no one in our circle of friends. This made us see red.

My hairdresser shared about this situation as he was responsible for the dogs' care while the owners went on vaca. When he went over to feed them the next morning in the middle of one of this winter's polar vortexes, he was beside himself when he found one puppy had frozen to death in the night. This little tiny baby dog no more than 4 inches long was cold-dead. He was hysterical with grief. Couldn't even cut my hair right. Went home with a weird hair cut, but that isn't the point. I asked why he didn't take those doggies inside these people's home and he said they were never allowed in. He didn't have a key so the dogs had to lump it. Survive on the frigid porch or die. They didn't. They died.

These Mexicans (who can't speak English and we think they are illegals, which is a whole other issue) thought it was all-good to have a great vacation, do whatever in the heck they were enjoying, but not fret over their pets' welfare or let them inside where it was warm, not even during the worst weather conditions. There are no words…

My hair dresser of more than a decade who is Spanish (Hispanic) and gay, simply could not summon the courage to turn these people in for canine neglect. Well, grow a set. I had zero compunction about doing so. Did it in a heartbeat. I promised not to dob him in – and didn't – so he gave me their address. He knew I'd keep my word. He thought, as worried his immediate neighbors, there would be great retribution and didn't want to stir the pot. We had no such worries. Gave Animal Welfare my name, phone and address. Turned them in quick-smart. It took Animal Welfare two back-to-back visits to these heartless people's home and they rescued the remaining parent dogs and 1 cat. The rest of the puppies died from neglect. So yes, we are all about being responsible for the care of those in our charge. Two-legged and 4-legged.

You see something wrong and do nothing, you own it. Fix it. Never do what you can't face the next day. —Holly, with an itch to get back on board..