150 Ways to Save the World: #3 Veterinary Care Assistance Programs

From http://awayhomeandpetcare.com

Let's face it, none of us like being sick. When I'm under the weather, all I want is a good supply of movies, lots of juice and veggie soup and a phone so I can continuously call my mom and ask her if she will fly 2000 miles to come give me that TLC that only moms can give you when you're sick. But short of a limb falling off I will pretty much wave off any doctor visits and prescribe myself bed rest and plenty of fluids. This however, is not the case when it comes to my pups. Any sign of unusual sluggishness or loss of appetite and I turn into that crazy mom shoving old ladies out of the way to get to a vet tech! (I truly wish I was exaggerating this one.)

As many pet parents will agree, the thought of our furry little children getting sick is terrifying. Not only because we do not want them to feel badly but also because we know that a vet visit will pretty much reduce our monthly budget to living off of ramen noddles. Imagine what this is like for pet parents who simply can't afford vet care even on the best of days. Too often loving families have to give up a cherished pet because medical care is just too costly for them. So what can we do?

1. Talk to your vet and see if they have a program already in place that helps defer the cost of medical care for low-income families, animals that have been rescued by private individuals (eg. a person who finds a dog that has been hit by a car), or even just assistance for pets that need a lot of medical care beyond the norm. If they already have a program like that, AWESOME! Then consider making a one-time donation or donating on a monthly basis. Even $5-10 a month makes a huge difference.

2. So let's say you ask your vet if they have a program like we just talked about and they don't. No biggie, why not ask if they would be open to starting one. See if they would be open to matching all the funds raised every month, providing in-kind vet services to match the amount raised every month, providing a reduced rate for people who would qualify for this assistance or allowing for payment plans.

3. If you're really up to the challenge, get every one talking by spreading the word far and wide. You could even volunteer to help make up some posters to hang up at the vet, your office, the local grocery store, etc. You could make a donation jar to put out at the front desk of the vet, the local gas station, your neighborhood coffee shop or any of those other great places where people are looking for something to do with that extra change. (*Note - make sure you have the go-ahead from the businesses and the vet before doing these.)

4. Knowledge is power and knowing who you can turn to for assistance can save the lives of animals and even help keep families together. You can often feel very alone when trying to help your pets so let's make sure everyone knows that they have tons of groups that can come to their aid. For an incredible list of organizations able to financially assist with everything from spaying/neutering to emergency veterinary care, follow this link to The Humane Society of the United States. Share this info with everyone you know and anyone you think might benefit from it. (As an aside, this list also shares where you can get help finding housing for families with pitbulls, groups that give out pet food, who can help seniors transport pets to the vet and much much more.)

Well, that's it for today guys. Hope everyone is happy and healthy and getting lots of yummy treats!

150 Ways to Save the World: #2 - Freekibble.com

From Freekibble.com

Age ain't nothing but a number and I truly believe that. No matter how long you've been on this planet, you always have the power to create great change around you. A fantastic example of this is Freekibble.com which was started in 2008 by Mimi Ausland. Mimi had a simple goal, she wanted the dogs and cats in her local shelters to be able to have a good meal. Four years later, Freekibble.com and Freekibblekat.com, are both in the Top 5 most-visited animal websites in the world and have generated the delivery of over 7 million healthy pet meals to shelters and pet-food banks around the country. Not bad for someone who was 11 years old in 2008! To make it even more incredible is that after hearing about what Mimi was doing, Ellen DeGeneres joined the cause, making her pet food company, Halo, the official sponsor of both programs.

Now how does this program work you ask? Very simply. Every day each website posts a new multiple choice trivia question on anything from current animal news, quirky pet tricks, pet stats and more. Simply choose your answer and right or wrong, 10 pieces of kibble will be donated. Also, remember to sign up for the daily email reminder so you'll never forget to go and do your part. So go right now and sign up! What are you still doing here, I said go!...........Have you done it yet??

150 Ways to Save the World: #1 - Spring Cleaning

From farmsanctuary.org

 It's that time of year when we throw open the windows and let the fresh spring air flood into our homes that have been in hibernation mode for the past several months. I love seeing the bright flowers peeking from the earth, all the adorable little baby animals playing at Farm Sanctuary and all the birds singing as though they are heralding the arrival of warm winds. Max and Bella especially love it because this is when the ponds thaw, mud pits abound and squirrels start emerging from their homes for romps around the neighborhood. Spring is like my New Year's celebration, a fresh start wrapped in tulips and farmers markets and what better way to begin anew than clearing all the clutter from your home and life.

What you may not have realized is that this cleansing can help out a lot of little critters in your area. This year when you are making that pile of clothes (why did I buy pants that are obviously too short and not in a good capri way?), extra dish racks (seriously, how many does 1 person need?) and dog toys (we could open our own Pet Smart with this amount of inventory!) why not use it all to hold a good ole garage sale with all the proceeds going to your favorite shelter or rescue. Even better invite friends and neighbors to participate to make it an even bigger affair. When you are sorting through everything, remember to clean all the items prior to your sale (who wants to buy a shirt covered in dog hair?) and throw away items that are ripped or damaged. Also, if you have any sheets, towels or pet items like beds, bowls, leashes, collars (all in good condition of course) that you were looking to get rid of, save them for the shelter, they are always in desperate need of extra ones.

Another good idea is to let your charity of choice know that you are having a sale in their honor. They will help spread the word and may also have items they wish to donate or volunteers that want to help out. Have brochures and information about your charity where people pay and also on a nice display at the front so everyone attending the sale can learn about the cause. You could even put a donation jar at your cash area for those that want to help even more. For even more fun, see if the shelter is willing to send some volunteers with a couple of little ones looking for homes. Who knows, maybe someone might fall in love with your New Kids on the Block cd and that beautiful 8 yr old shepherd looking for a home. Now, that would be a great day! Just remember to have shade and lots of water bowls around for your furry guests and patrons.

Happy cleaning!

A New Beginning

Dear Readers,

For a while now I have been searching for just the right voice for Sit.Stay.Speak Up! As you may have noticed from the many lapses in time between posts, things weren't working out so well. Too often it felt depressing and too much like work. How can that be? Helping save lives shouldn't feel like it's dragging you down. Changing the fate of animals for the better is something that should have you singing in the rain (oh, how I love Gene Kelly)! So, after some good soul searching and clarification on what I truly want to accomplish with this blog, I have found just the right voice - mine! Ha! Ha! It was right here all along but I just wasn't listening to it. Well, that has changed and I am revved up and excited to bring you the first major series on this blog which will detail all the fun ways to bring change, be it to your neighborhood or to a land far, far away. Another major difference you will see with the blog is that while the majority of the focus will remain on our canine buds in need, there will also be wolves, bats, dolphins, dancing baby goats and tons of other wondrous creatures making guest appearances. So just don't be surprised when I start talking about products made of elephant poop (the best journal I have ever had!), you have been duly warned.
My unshakable belief is that EVERYONE, each individual person on this planet, is absolutely able to change the world for the better. The simple truth is that to change the world you need only change your own actions, be they little or big. One simple act of kindness can bring an animal from scared to comforted, beaten down to confident and even from the brink of death to full of life.
So without further ado I (re)welcome you to Sit.Stay.Speak Up! and to our first major series - 150 Ways to Change the World and Get Lots of Sloppy Kisses Along the Way!

Most sincerely,

Sarah
World Changer

We're helping Noble find his Forever Family. Is it you?

My friend just recently did an amazing thing and rescued a dog from an abusive situation! Woo hoo! Now we're on a mission to help find this super handsome guy his forever home.  And trust me, this guy is HANDSOME,  she gets stopped on the street all the time so people can tell her that. :)  Please help us out by sharing his story. PS - transport can always be arranged, so if you're interest just email or call and we will get it all figured out. So without further delay, here's Noble!

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Noble. I am a neutered, two and half year old Rottweiler mix. I am up-to-date on all my shots, I have a microchip and I have my whole tail! I love to give kisses galore and have lots of fun (except when I’m modeling, I’m very serious about my modeling career). Right now I think snow is about the greatest toy ever invented. I am also pretty small for my age and only weigh 66 lbs. Most importantly, though, is that I am quite a handsome chap. I know self - praise is no form of recommendation but my rescue mommy says this all the time, so it must be true! I am a very active dog and I enjoy structure; it keeps me balanced.
Boy do I love the outdoors! So many smells and new experiences, it keeps a guy like me wanting more! I really wish I had a yard, it must be amazing to just be able to run freely for a long as I wanted. I do have a fascination with these little furry black things that scurry up trees. Foster mom calls them squirrels but never lets me play with them – what a party pooper! My foster mom says I’m really smart and in a few short days I learned how to walk nicely on the lead. I occasionally will get a tug but that’s only because she doesn’t seem to understand I just want to leave my scent everywhere – sheesh.
Right now I am totally living the good life but I have not always had it this good. I was in a shelter and when I thought I found my forever home I was passed off to someone else. I have been severely neglected and when my foster mom found me I was not being properly fed, I hadn’t been to a vet in a couple of years, and my foster mom and the vet figured out that I was beaten. I am not a fan of other dogs – I feel really insecure and guarded but only because I have never been exposed to them so I get scared. I was never properly socialized which my rescue mom calls a “tragedy” – wonder what that means.
All I know is that I have to have hope. I dream of the day I find a dog savvy pup parent who can build my confidence and show me how to be respectful because truthfully I really do want to have friends. I really want to trust but I am scared. Since I spent a lot of time in fear during my old life and I am insecure because I do not know what to expect. I am not sure if I will get a next meal or be hit – I just am not sure how to act sometimes but I'm learning super fast. My foster mom says the funniest thing I do is that I hide my treats. Getting treats is something so new to me that I like to hide them under shoes and between the couch cushions. I’ve never gotten such amazing snacks like this before – what if I want one next Thursday! I do have some manners that I am very proud of – I can sit, lay down, stay, up, shake paw and I can take treats you hold in your teeth! Typical to my breed I am highly intelligent and aim to please. I am very, very loyal and want more than anything to find a special someone to appreciate me. I have huge crate but am a bit of a Houdini – can’t hold a guy like me down! I want to feel the wind in my ears! I would be great in agility and am always eager to learn I just need the right person to show me the way. I may not be perfect but I can promise you this – I will ALWAYS try my best and do whatever it takes to show you I am devoted to you – please give me a chance. Just remember, to the world you may be one person but to me you would be my whole world.

With lots of sloppy kisses and a whole heaping bunch of love,

Noble xox

If you would like to be Noble's family, please email zeroggirl@gmail.com or call 613.709.6025.

Saturday Smiles

I do not think you could ever find another dog who is more in bliss than Casper is right now! I wish Max and Bella loved baths this much.

Does your dog love something that most dogs don't like?

Give a Dog a Bone

Alllllmost got it.  Courtesy of Agilityfusion.com.

When it's cookie baking time at our house, Max and Bella camp out in the door to the kitchen anxiously awaiting the ding of the timer. My little monkeys have quickly learned that when the timer dings, good things suddenly appear out of the big white box in the kitchen. My guys get treats and they get them often but for many dogs, treats are a distant memory or a completely unknown concept. Not all shelters have treats to give out or are able to keep enough around to give them more than every once in a while. If you love to bake, want a great family project or are just looking for some instant and slobbery gratitude, bake a bunch of cookies and visit your local shelter or animal control facility. You will become an instant rock star to all those waiting for their forever families.

To get started, there are tons of simple and yummy recipes that you can easily get your hands on. Most book stores and libraries carry dog cook books but even quicker is to google "dog cookie recipes" and you'll have enough to keep you going for 6 lifetimes. I'll even eliminate that step and share this one for Homemade Carrot, Date and Oatmeal cookies recently featured in PETA's newsletter.

Vegan Carrot, Date, and Oatmeal Treats
1 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/2 cup instant unsweetened oatmeal
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup finely chopped or grated raw carrots
2 Tbsp. pitted and finely chopped dates
1/2 cup natural unsalted peanut butter (I'm going to use almond butter.)
1/2 cup filtered water

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, and baking powder. Make a well in the center.
• Place the carrots and dates in a separate bowl with the peanut butter and water.
• Add the peanut butter mix to the well in the flour mix and stir until combined.
• Flatten the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is approximately 1/4-inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut the treats.
• Arrange on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 14 to16 minutes, or until dry.
• Let cool for 30 minutes before serving.
• Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 40 servings

I'll be trying this one out tomorrow and will let you know whether they get two paws up.

Victory for Romanian Stray Dogs

Back in May of last year I wrote about the Romanian stray dog situation. In a misguided attempt to cull the numbers of strays, dogs were being horrifically killed by clubbing, poisoning and electrocuting to name just a few of the methods. Rightly so, the Romanian population was angered by this and was asking the the courts to put an end to this terrible practice. I am happy to report that after millions of people signed petitions asking the courts to address this issue, the Romanian Constitutional Courts have announced that under Community Law the current practice of euthanizing stray dogs is illegal. What is even better is that this decision is final! This means that groups like Romania Animal Rescue will be able to continue stepping up their community education and spay/neuter programs which will help save countless lives. So far their programs have helped spay/neuter over 16,000 animals including almost 4,500 last year. Let's help them double it this year! Donations can be made online through paypal or you can send a check to one of the following addresses.

From Romania Animal Rescue, Inc.

RAR US
Nancy Janes
c/o Romania Animal Rescue, Inc.
8000 Morgan Territory Road
Livermore, CA   94551

RAR UK
Gill Silversides
c/o Romania Animal Rescue, Inc.
9 Brooklyn Road
Larkhall, England
BA1 6TF

A New Leash on Life

If your family is anything like ours, you probably found more presents under the tree for the four-legged family members than the two! :) We love to give presents to our furry kids and often that includes new leashes and collars. Their old ones are still in great condition but it's just nice to have a little change - something new to start the year with. So what to do with the old ones? Any gently used collars and leashes will eagerly be snatched up by any rescue, but there is one in particular that I am boxing up mine to send to this year.

Save A Sato is an incredible organization in Puerto Rico that rescues satos (street dogs) from their very rough and often cruelty filled lives on the streets and finds homes for them through partner shelters along the east coast of the United States. This is truly a group filled with love, who make a huge difference in their country. Did you know that in 10 years, this no-kill shelter has saved over 16,287 dogs! As I mentioned before, this group is important to me. The reason, you ask? Well, it's 47 lbs of pure love and ears! My little Max!

Check out those ears!

I am so grateful every day for the work they do! So if you are looking for a way to help them out, gather up those gently used collars and leashes and send them to Save A Sato at one of the following addresses.

Save A Sato Foundation
P.O. Box 37694
San Juan, Puerto Rico
00937-0694

Yvette Pina
P.O. Box 0737
Chicago, IL
60690

If you want to help gather even more gently used leashes and collars check with co-workers to see if they have any they were planning on getting rid of, check out thrift/second hand stores, or go to Dollar stores (if you live in Canada like we do, Dollarama is truly mind blowing in the amount of leashes and collars they have).

Saturday Smiles - Toy Pick Up from the Dog's Point of View

Ok, I'll admit it. I have watched this video about a million times and I'm still laughing my head off! Now I know why my guys always look at me like I'm crazy when I put their toys away. Enjoy and I hope it makes you smile on this Saturday morning.

Toy Pick Up from the Dog's Point of View

And if that just wasn't enough, how about this INCREDIBLE program going on with Best Friends Animal Sanctuary right now. The first 20 dogs and cats adopted from the shelter will get free airline transportation to you!! Additionally, all adoption fees are waived for senior animals! I cannot think of a better time to bring home a new family member. Just look at these faces. How can you say no to these guys?

Specks

Hollie

Specks and Hollie are just two of the many amazing senior doggies hoping for their Holiday Wish of a loving forever family to come true. If you would like to adopt one of them or to check out all the other little ones currently at Best Friends, click here.

Dogs in North Carolina Need Your Voice TODAY! ------UPDATE

UPDATE
Thank you to all of you who have signed the petition and shared it with friends - WE'VE WON!!! When I first heard about this story and added my voice to the issue, there were just under 1500 people standing together. As I write this update, this petition has gone viral and is now over 58,000 voices strong!! Yep, that's right, I said over 58,000 and still growing every second! What amazing things we can accomplish together.
As I had mentioned in the original post, the Animal Control Advisory Board was meeting Monday evening. After being overwhelmed with tens of thousands of emails and hearing testimony from trainers, bully breed owners and rescuers the Board moved to dismiss the 72-hour kill plan in favor of better vetting of potential adoptive families. For coverage of the meeting, please read Gregory Phillip's story for the FayObserver.

While this win is incredible, there is, however, one point that I would like to make. Last year, this shelter took in 7,112 dogs - 3,196 never left. And while this 73% euthanasia is beyond staggering, this is sadly not even remotely anomalous.
I would just like to leave everyone with one thought - look at what you have all accomplished here in just two short days and all it took was a minute of your time. Just think of all the amazing change you can bring if you give a minute or two every day. Sign a petition, help get corporate funding to provide low/no-cost spaying and neutering in your area, tell friends who are looking to add little furry ones to their families why adopting from a shelter is so important or visit dogs in the shelter and show them that they matter to someone. The list is endless. The point is - do something.

"Be the change you want to see in the world. " Mahatma Gandhi

________________________________________________________________________

In the world of animal welfare, BSL just might be the most despised word imaginable. BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) are laws or ordinances enacted by governing bodies that pertain only to specific breed types. Most notable lately have been the laws targeting pit bulls ranging from rules stating that they must be muzzled whenever they are out in public to families with pitbull family members being unable to find homes and apartments to rent to the complete ban on pit bulls being allowed in particular cities, states and provinces. These laws are based on wildly and grossly inaccurate presumptions and stereotypes and result solely in the mass discrimination and murder of animals. It completely ignores the fact and fails to hold accountable the irresponsible guardians who beat, abuse, neglect, etc the animals who tragically end up in bad situations. If we humans were to follow that same logic, it would be the like saying that since a person named Jason was just responsible for a crime, all Jasons in the state must be rounded up and put them in jail. Pretty ridiculous isn't it? Well, enough of the background, let's get to the matter at hand.

Cumberland County Animal Control is planning to enact a 72-hour kill plan any day now with a hearing being held tonight, Monday, December 5th. If this plan goes into effect, all Dobermans, Rottweilers, Chows, German Shepherds,  Great Danes, Pit Bulls, Mastiffs, Akitas and Huskies that are picked up as strays will be held for the mandatory 72 hours and then immediately euthanized. They will NOT be given any opportunity to be adopted. If any of the above breeds are brought in as an owner-surrender, they will immediately be taken back and euthanized. That means dogs like my Bella (below) would not even stand a chance.

Bella, a rescue from a South Florida shelter, would not even be given the chance to be adopted at Cumberland County Animal Control if the 72-hour Kill Plan goes in to effect.

This proposed regulation comes about because Cumberland County does not want to be held liable for these breeds which could be rectified with a simple liability waiver instead of the mass extermination of dogs.
Please take just a moment to Stand Up! and let Cumberland County know that this proposition is not acceptable and that discrimination and mass extermination is misguided and wrong.

Click here to sign the petition.

All the wonderful dogs of Cumberland County thank you for being their voice!

Help Save One, Inc. Needs Some Holiday Magic

When asked what organizations deal with animal welfare, most people will respond with the names of large national groups like the Humane Society and SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), but around the world there are countless small groups working just as hard to help make a difference in the lives of animals. One of these groups is Help Save One, Inc. whose idea was that changing the life of one animal can make a difference. What makes them especially unique is that they focus mainly on finding death row dogs in gassing shelters loving homes. How could you not love these guys??!!
And while Help Save One, Inc. does so much for all those adorable little ones that are in need, they are now finding themselves in that situation. Their transport vehicle has recently broken down making it very difficult for them to fulfill their rescue trips. The repairs for the vehicle will be costly, but in the meantime, someone has stepped up and offered to sell them a much newer vehicle with a lot less mileage for the extraordinary price of $2500.
So let's show our appreciation for the amazing and selfless work that they do by creating some holiday magic for them. Big or small, every donation makes all the difference in the world not just for Help Save One, Inc. but the dogs, cats, puppies and kittens whose lives literally depend on them.

Help Save One, Inc. New Vehicle Chip-In Link - Click here to donate.

Little ones like this senior Chihuahua who was part of an abuse/cruelty case are counting on us.

Photo courtesy of Help Save One, Inc.

Love Across the Rainbow Bridge

To my dear little Shadow,

It still feels like just yesterday when I first saw you - so handsome, your eyes full of hope. There was no doubt about it, I would not be leaving the shelter without you. When we left, you jumped right in the car and sat straight up in the middle of the back seat, so excited about all the wonderful days to come. It was the best Valentine's Day I ever had and I had found you - the little, furry love of my life. You didn't have a name, at least for the first couple of days. Not that we didn't try, but nothing seemed to suit you. I wanted to give you a name like Jack or Max but you had better ideas. So you mimicked my every move, following just inches from me everywhere I went. You knew your name was Shadow, you tried to tell me but I wasn't listening closely enough. So you patiently waited until you made sure I finally understood what you were trying to say. The minute the name left my lips there was no doubt, you were my little Shadow and you wagged your tail like crazy, congratulating me on finally figuring it out.
You taught me what it was to love and care for someone other than myself and I showed you that most humans are very nice even though the person you had been with before had hurt you very much. You became our little warrior, so proud and protective - telling everyone and everything that this was your family and you better have good intentions or you'll have to deal with me. You developed such a sense of humor and relished in clowning around with dad who seemed to love to put things on your head. You would just smile the biggest smile and wag that fluffy tail, asking "did I make you smile, did I?" Looking back now, it is almost like you knew you had to live a lifetime in just a few short years. You never ever wanted to leave our sides always pushing your head up under our hands and looking at us with those soulful eyes. Man, you sure knew how to play us! You would run with pure joy and abandon through the woods and streams, diving through bushes and leaping from rocks. You knew what it was to be truly free. And you relished in being a brother. Never leaving Sage's side, melting his grumpy facade and becoming his bonded buddy.
There are still days that this just doesn't seem real. There is no possible way you could be gone from us. But the real truth is that you are still here, we feel your spirit with us everywhere and someday we'll all be together again. You will always and forever be our little Shadow and not a day will go by when we won't think about you. I want to say thank you for all the incredible joy you brought to our lives and though I could fill a thousand books and still never be close to finishing, here are a few of my favorites.

Thank you for always doing your little cookie dance (ok, let's be honest, you did it for any kind of food or walks or car rides or pretty much anything), but it was so full of pure joy and excitement and delighted us every time.
Thank you for showing us true love.
Thank you for being so silly.
Thank you for being our protector.
Thank you for teaching Max how to be like you (he absolutely idolized you) and letting a small, overeager pup tag along with you on your adventures in the woods.
Thank you for taking care of Sage.
Thank you teaching us all your wisdom about life.
Thank you for still watching out for the pups - I know that's you! They suddenly get all attentive to an empty corner with their tails going like mad.
Thank you for letting us be a part of your life. We are the luckiest family in the world.

I miss you so much every day little one and love you with every ounce of my heart!

Love, Momma

We're Going International!

To all our wonderful Sit. Stay. Speak Up! fans,

We have missed you so much! Sorry for the break in blogging. We have been moving from our home in Central Florida to our new home in Ottawa, Ontario (that's in Canada, just in case you slept through your Geography class in high school). We are very excited to now be able to bring you the issues, exciting progress and of course, all those lovable pups looking for homes from two countries. In celebration of Sit. Stay. Speak Up! going international let's all enjoy today being International Dogs Tilting Their Heads Day and get your pup buddies at home to join in.

From Dogstiltingtheirheads.com

Just in case you're not sure what to do. Tenchi shows off his perfect form.

Have a great head tilting day and we'll see you again really soon.

The Housing Crisis and Its Innocent Victims

I want to recognize a friend of mine, Carol Borrelli, who is a wonderful voice for animals. She has just published her first article for the Orlando Animal Advocacy Examiner and I am so proud!!

Carol's first article discusses the current housing crisis and the horrible effect it has on family pets like Blake.

Blake    Credit: Carol Borrelli

To read Carol's article, please follow this link:
http://www.examiner.com/animal-advocacy-in-orlando/the-housing-crisis-pets-are-often-a-casualty

Speak Up of the Week: Palm Springs Animal Shelter

While I sign hundreds of petitions each week including animal testing, endangered species, animal welfare laws and court case sentencings the ones that truly hit me the hardest though are the ones focusing on animal shelters that are substandard (to put it politely). Despite the fact that I could have just read articles about horrible abuse of family pets or dogs who were used in painful research at universities my anger really gets going when I have to read about shelters (and I use this word loosely) that mistreat, starve, and abuse animals; withhold proper veterinary care, have horrid kennels and even more inhumane people that work there. Shelters, by definition are places where animals are supposed to be safe from the horrors of the street and people who might hurt them. They supposed to be treated with respect and care and given as much comfort as possible in what is already a stressful situation for them.

Today's Speak Up! deals with a shelter accused of failing to uphold state and local animal protection laws in addition to several other charges (and please don't think that they are the only ones....unfortunately there are many, many more out there that are just as bad and often much worse). Animal Legal Defense Fund and the citizens of Palm Springs, CA have filed a lawsuit against the City of Palm Springs, the Palm Springs Police and animal control officers and the Friends of Palm Springs Animal Shelter for "an ongoing pattern of abuses and failure to follow state and local laws protecting animals at the Palm Springs Animal Shelter, resulting in the extremely high euthanasia rates of adoptable animals, despite the shelter’s publicizing itself as a “no-kill” facility. In addition to the unnecessary and wrongful killing of scores of dogs and cats impounded annually, the shelter has failed to provide routine veterinary care to Palm Springs’ sick and injured homeless animals.

Photo credited to Animal Legal Defense Fund

The Palm Springs shelter is advertised as “the only municipal no-kill shelter in [California's] Coachella Valley.” However, a substantial proportion of the cats and dogs impounded there are in fact euthanized—more than 50% for live unclaimed dogs and over 80% for live unclaimed cats during certain periods for which requested records were made available. In addition to disseminating misleading statements about the “no-kill” nature of their shelter to the public, the shelter and other defendants in the case routinely violate local law with respect to euthanasia of shelter animals impounded at their shelter. The Palm Springs Municipal Code prescribes a 5-day mandatory holding period for animals impounded at its Shelter, but homeless animals are routinely killed prior to the expiration of the holding period. The shelter has also been violating the law by failing to keep accurate records and by discriminating against certain breeds of dogs, like chows and pit bulls, who are euthanized at an above-average rate."

Please join me this week in Speaking Up! for those animals at the shelter (past, present and future) who cannot speak up for themselves and urge Palm Springs to ensure proper protection of their shelter animals.
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5154/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=6529

Saturday Smiles - The Ultimate Dog Tease

Every weekend should begin with a big smile so Saturday mornings will now feature a cute, funny, silly or otherwise absolutely adorable doggie video.

Our first Saturday Smile is a video that just recently went viral about a dog getting teased with talk of all his favorite foods. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQkPw&feature=player_embedded

Wanted: A Forever Family

I want to start off this week’s installment of Wanted: A Forever Family with great news about one of our featured dogs from last week. Geisha, the Pet Pardons dog from the Orange County Animal Services in Orlando, FL was adopted! Congratulations to Geisha and her new family!

Geisha being lazy in her new forever home.

Hopefully we can get many more success stories starting with the four little ones that are featured today.

The first doggie today, is Charlie. Charlie is a 10 year old, black and tan dapple smooth haired dachshund who was found wandering the streets of a Florida city. With a sweet personality, but with horrible teeth that needed attention, FLDR (Florida Dachshund Rescue) was notified about this poor guy. Once in the care of FLDR, Charlie had a much needed dental and only lost a few teeth, so is feeling a whole lot better and has wonderful breath now too! It’s hard to believe this guy was turned out to the streets to fend for himself. Charlie is an absolutely wonderful dog! He likes people and gets attached to a primary caregiver quickly. He wants to know where his foster mom is at all times, following her around the house. He gets along very well with all the other dogs in the household, although would do very well as an only dog as he does not really play with them. Charlie loves to go for walks on a leash around the neighborhood and also travels well in the car, curling up and going to sleep or lying quietly on his bed. He sleeps in the big bed at night snuggled up beside his foster mom or makes a nest at the foot of the bed—-he sleeps quietly all night.
Charlie is 100% housetrained if taken outside on a regular basis. Because he has had no accidents in the house, he is not crated during the day when his foster parents are out and they don’t feel he would like being crated at all. Charlie’s ideal home would be with someone who is home most of the time as he likes his humans and will bark when left alone. He would be an ideal traveler and great companion to someone looking for a wonderful, people oriented dog. He is waiting patiently for his new forever home…..could it be you???

If you are interested in adding Charlie to your family, please follow this link.
http://fldr.org/2011/03/24/charlie/

Corvin is a beautiful and sweet boy! He is a young adult looking for his forever home. Corvin is an Am Staff/Pit mix but he is a medium size boy - about 40 lbs. He has passed the Pitbull Ambassador testing with flying colors and is a very friendly guy. If you are looking for a great dog, don’t miss Corvin! He is waiting to hear from you.

To learn more about Corvin, click here.

http://www.floridabigdogrescue.com/cgi-bin/search_fbdr.cgi?page_num=4&gender=&age=&shcas=

How can you resist this face? Meet sweet TAWNEY....this pretty little beagle/dachshund mix was born 10/10/10 and finds herself in need of a new home.  Tawney is such a cutie with her short legs and long torso!  She is very cuddly in your arms and full of 'zip' when on the ground....typical puppy.  She loves her toys and other dogs but people are the way to her heart.  Tawney is almost deaf and will need a doggie friend to be her ears for her and a fenced yard to keep her safe.  Tawney is spayed, current on all shots, on heartworm preventive and microchipped.

If you would like to be Tawney’s new family, click here for all the information.

http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/19401638

Levi is a 7-month-old Sheltie/Whippet mix. He is one sweet, gentle boy. He is timid and needs socialization and affection. Levi spent the last 4 months of his life, before we got him, in a backyard with little to no socialization. He is learning to trust new people and did amazingly well at his first adoption event. We believe this shows that the more he is taken out and about the better he will be. If you would like to meet Levi, please fill out an adoption application.

 If you can’t get enough of Levi’s amazing smile, please follow this link to fill out an adoption application and see more pictures.

http://www.smileydogrescue.org/blueweb/dogs_for_adoption/dogs_for_adoption_details.asp?id=4379

For those of you anxiously awaiting my dog transporter information I will have a post next week dedicated solely to this topic as there is A LOT to share. Have a great Friday everyone!

Speak Up! of the Week: Romanian Stray Dog Situation

Imagine being forced to give up your home and move into a small apartment that does not allow pets. While this may sound like a story from our current economic situation, this is what actually occurred in Romania during a Communist regime lead by Nicolai Ceausescu in the 1980s. During this time, farmers were forced off their land and made to move into Communist bloc apartment complexes which of course did not allow animals. With no other choice, tens of thousands of people had to leave their pets behind and thereby, as many believe, causing the huge stray population that currently roam about the cities in Romania.

Stray dogs in Romania. Credit to Romania Animal Rescue, Inc.

Estimated in 2000 by the city of Bucharest, there are said to be over 200,000 stray cats and dogs roaming urban areas with that number continuing to exponentially grow. For these street dogs, life is terrible if not downright scary. In misguided attempts to control population dog catchers have tried to cull the numbers, often through horrific means such as clubbing, poisoning, electrocuting and slashing their throats. In some cities such as Harsova, citizens are encouraged to kill dogs, cut off their ears and bring the ears to the city for a reward. This only adds to the trials already facing streets dogs such as abuse, illness, starvation, cars and freezing temperatures (during the winter). To get an idea of the stray situation, watch this video: Romanian Stray Dogs.

However, with so many dogs roaming free, people feel they are a nuisance and a safety risk leading to growing violence towards them. To counteract this trend, in 2007 the Romanian Parliament ratified several new animal welfare laws including a new and improved version of Romania's Animal Protection Act which bans euthanasia of animals unless there is illness. At this time, the Parliament also passed legislation to protect dogs from the violence of the dog catchers and get animal populations under control, by instituting a Catch/Neuter/Return program. While at first glance this appears to be incredible progress, the problem lies in the fact that none of these laws have been implemented. To make matters worse there are amendments now up for approval that will hand over the fate of stray animals to local officials which animal activists are saying will result in mass slaughters.

Statistics continue to show that the current method of culling the dogs is not working. When a group of dogs have been removed from an area, another group just comes in and they continue to increase their population. Groups such as Romania Animal Rescue, Inc., however, are working hard to control the animal population through education and free spray/neuter programs. They sponsor numerous Spay-a-thons throughout the country and are approaching 10,000 funded spay/neuter procedures. They need your help though and today there are two ways to Speak Up! and make a difference.

The first is to sign a petition to the Romanian Parliament asking them to implement and enforce the animal welfare laws they passed in 2007. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/do-not-kill-strays/?z00m=19973115

The second way is to help Romania Animal Rescue, Inc. win funding for much needed spay/neuter programs and veterinary training. Simply "Like" Dr, Marty Becker, the resident veterinarian on Good Morning America, at his Facebook page and post the name and city of the shelter (Romania Animal Rescue, Livermore, CA). They will then be entered to win prizes ranging from $1000-$20,000.

Have a great day and thank you for Speaking Up!

A Mother's Day Plot Twist I Never Saw Coming

Sunday started with a bang, well more a paw to the face. The minute any tiny ray of light shines into the house, my two furry, little alarm clocks wake up and Bella, being the oldest and the only one who loves to use the stairs to climb onto the bed, gets the regular duty of ensuring I know it is time to start the day. Basically this consists of pawing my head until I open my eyes. Needless to say, receiving a husky/shepherd paw to the head makes you get up pretty quick. Being Mother's Day though, I wanted to savor the comfiness of the bed and snuggle with my "kids." As they pranced around, rolled on their backs for belly rubs, gave enthusiastic kisses and genuinely couldn't sit still with the anticipation of the start of the day, it hit me that no matter what happened yesterday or what hardships their past's hold, every single morning starts in pure happiness and excitement of all the adventures the day will bring.  And as much as this day was about celebrating what I've brought to their lives as their guardian, I was struck by all that they have taught me and brought into my life and in particular this lesson of starting each day anew. We have so many wonderful things to do every day like learning to cook a new recipe, coming up with a great, new idea at work, volunteering at a local shelter or, in the case of my guys, digging a super, awesome 2 foot deep hole in the back yard. We can't let the bad stuff suck us down into the mud, it just makes less time for those things that really matter. That doesn't mean we forget what we have seen and done or the lessons we have learned. We just choose to utilize them to make things better for us and all those around us. So, even though yesterday day was Mother's Day, I would like to thank them for the honor of getting to be their Human Mom and getting to benefit from the wisdom they have to share with me.

So who exactly are these dogs that inspired such deep thoughts? Meet Max and Bella.

Max is an almost 3 year old sato (slang for street dog) shepherd mix born in Puerto Rico.

Bella is a 3 1/2 year old husky/shepherd mix found on the streets of Miami.

Do you have a lesson that your animals have taught you?