It's true, I don't live in a barn, but close.
Over the years I have come to more comfortably accomodate more and more animals. As a part of that process, I have continually modified my house to provide for their well-being. At this point most of all the rooms, the furniture, the yards the floors, and all but one half bathroom are pretty much theirs. But John and I are eagerly invited to sit on their couches, lay on their beds, and floors, and play in their yards. They'd probably be honored if we used their bathrooms.
The following photos will show why the house is ideal, and how I have modified it for the animals
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Ideal Location. The house is back from the street and surrounded by trees that provide shade in Summer, and a protected haven from the outside world. It is surrounded on the right and in the back by a big parking lot for a mental health hospital. (Short trip if we need their services.)
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Big backyard, I had solid fences put in all around, and divided it into three yards each with corresponding doggy door to keep dogs separated who might fight. (I take dogs that are difficult to place because they are very loving with people, but can be dog aggressive.) Notice giant chew toy, the couch.
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Cat run from outside. There is a little kitty cat door to get into the house, or they just use open windows from two rooms that open into the run.
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This was the first cat run, but it was soon needed for temporary use to socialize dog agressive dogs who were later integrated with the other dogs. Behind Spanky inside the run and to the right, you can see the doggy door for this yard.
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Moses on a table inside cat run.
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Fun in the run. Moses has claimed the box, Bently the chair, and Simba the pillow
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Living dining area.
Rusty on the rug, You can see the three dog couches and the dog chair. The three dog kennels are used to separate dogs at different times for different reasons, and they like to sleep in them like caves.
You can also see the security screen door on the left. I have three security screen doors inside the house to keep certain animals safely separated.
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Living dining area
Julia on the giant couch, Apollo on the bed just before the kitchen, Buster on the floor. They are all waiting for their servant, me, to attend to them.
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Rusty and Buster resting after a rough morning of having to wait a little longer for breakfast. Worries of starvation take a lot out of you.
We have 5 couches, all for the dogs.
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Buster, "This one is all mine, and I'm not moving, not today, not tomorrow, not ever."
(I made the mistake of telling him the Rosa Parks story.)
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Peggy and Bobby in the kitchen. Buster in the back. After getting his eyelids fixed and his stamina back, Bobby was placed in a great home.
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Lambchop, Spanky and Apollo on their couch
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Peggy and Buster on back porch outside of kitchen
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This is how my bed usually looks. Notice that the footboard has doubled as a scratching post.
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Someone is trying to pass for a cat.
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On the cat tree from top to bottom, Bustopher, Lexi, Rajah, Frodo
Windows open for easy access to cat run
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12 plates for 12 cats, bowls for dogs, served twice a day. (The flattened one is to slow Rajah down when he eats so the other cats have time to finish theirs before he can steal it.)
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These cats must be fed in their own designated kennel in the cat room so they won't steal each other's food. We call this the "bad cats room." Another 4 eat in the bedroom, 1 in the hallway, 2 in the bathroom. Bunny on bottom in middle
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Bustopher eats in the cat tree in the cat room
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CAUGHT IN THE ACT!
Joey eating Lexi's food
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Simba on the sink in the big bathroom. Notice the innocent face along with the stuff he knocked into the sink.
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Apollo and Spanky sleeping on one of two couches in other dog room. This one opens onto the middle yard
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Big Brother, "Hey, how come all of these dogs and cats are in all of the photos, when we cockatiels are the only intelligent ones around? What about us?"