Greetings. Google? Telecom? Big Brother Government? No, not in this posting. It's time for a Puppy Break! Resistance is futile.

A friend of mine found an unidentified stray dog on the street last Friday afternoon, desperately hungry and very pregnant. When I saw it Sunday afternoon, I declared (using my total absence of formal veterinary training to its utmost) that puppies could be arriving at any time.

The next morning it began. 1 ... 5 ... 9 ... 12 ... 15! All alive and kicking except one who was apparently stillborn.

And below you can see the beaming mother and children.

Of course, these turned out to be the proverbial lucky dogs -- if timing had been a bit different on Friday, she would have probably had her pups in a cold, damp alley. And if people would take responsibility for their pets in the first place, we wouldn't be faced with so many desperate animals wandering the streets.

But if you live around L.A. and are interested in a beautiful puppy or two a couple of months from now, you know how to reach me!

--Lauren--