I have rescued hundreds of animals. Most of the time, I just took them to the vet and requested then to be fixed and treated. I lost a few that might have been saved if I had trusted myself and the healing powers of the body itself. I know now that humans and animals have the ability to heal themselves if "the causes of disease" are removed and if given "the conditions for health." The will to live - or will power - also plays mightily in this getting well paradigm. And such will to live - or will power - just comes about naturally for us humans when we find out "the truth" about how to get well and stay well. For animals, this just comes about naturally through their instincts. As their conditions improve with healthy healing, so too, does the will to live.

We humans could learn a lot by observing wild animals when they are sick. There are no hospitals for these animals to go to. Many often even need surgery but heal in the wild by their own nature.

My mother use to have feral cats she fed. One day a pack of dogs came and tore up her 2 feral cats bad. She had tried to call me for a trap to get the one into a vet because the cat's injuries were so severe she wanted the cat to be put down. I was out of town, so the cat ran off on its own along with the other cat, who was badly injured. My parents figured they went off to die.

Two months latter the one cat appeared looking and acting back to normal. Yes after three months the badly near death cat miraculously appeared. Both these cats were healed by the power of their own body. They fasted I am sure. Something we humans could do and save a lot of lives and money. Maybe one day we will trust ourselves and our wonderful body to be healed. Healing is believing.

Pepper was terminal and given no hope to survive his disease. From the start when I rescued Pepper and I realized he had been set on fire and survived that he was a fighter. I knew if I gave him the chance he was strong enough he would fight to overcome his illness. He did just that.

Today, three years later, Pepper is one amazing dog. He only weights around 12 pounds and he will stand up to 100 pound dogs. He is top dog around here with the other 6 dogs and 2 cats. His attitude and will power has taught me to survive the odds.

When I feel bad I look to Pepper to give me strength. Even last year when I was campaigning for a larger animal shelter for the City of Dallas, I would think at times there is no way the city is going to spend another four million for a larger shelter. I would look at Pepper and know he came from there and that others like him end up there and I had to keep fighting.

Our dream came true in May 2003 the City of Dallas agreed along with 57,000 voters to build a 57,000 square foot animal shelter. Did we manifest 57,000 or what. Yes, the City of Dallas will have a state of the art $12 million animal shelter. Thanks to Pepper, who gave me the courage to go against the odds and ask for the biggest. It was not easy and at one point the majority of the city council, architects, Humane Society of the United States and the animal commission board all wanted the city to build a 41,000 sq. ft. shelter. My vision was bigger and it paid off.

In the end people put down their egos and opened their hearts. Healing is believing.

Sincerely,

Tawana Couch