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??

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

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?

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.

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?

Wanted: A Forever Family

Every Friday Sit. Stay. Speak Up! will feature some wonderful little ones who are in search of their forever families. These dogs will be from around the country and come from rescues, shelters and animal control facilities. This also means that some of these animals unfortunately are up against a clock. Most of us don't like to think about this, but just over 5,500 dogs are put down EVERY DAY in the United States so every extra opportunity of exposure can help save a dog's life. All dogs will be listed with their picture and a link to the site where all their information is. If those puppy dog eyes draw you in and you would like to adopt but are hesitant about them being in another state, please do not let this detract you from adopting. Transportation is actually extremely easy and in some cases (such as on Pet Pardons) there are people willing to donate towards transportation and adoption fees. I am working on putting together a list of groups, volunteers and companies that assist in pet transportation and I will post that next Friday. If anyone has worked with any groups or has recommendations, please let me know so that I can make sure they get on the list.

Without further ado, here are the lovable adoptables for this week.

This is Libby, a 2 year and 3 month old lab mix, available for adoption from the Black Dog Animal Rescue. She is absolutely brimming full of love and energy. Her story and adoption information can be found here: http://bdar.org/adoptable_animals.html

This is Trucker (named this after being thrown from a semi-truck at a truck stop) and he is a 1 year old lab mix. He is very friendly and loves everyone. He can be found on Karma's Black Dog Rescue page at this link:
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17820219

Geisha is our Pet Pardons featured dog. At this time her PTS (put to sleep) date is unknown but it could be at any time). She is a 2 year old lab mix with one blue eye (so beautiful!) and all her information can be found here: http://apps.facebook.com/petpardons/pet-view/id/2920

Our final featured dog is Kira who is a 9 year old pure bred husky. She has had a hard past which consisted of spending her entire life up until now chained outside in the woods in New York state. She is very laid back and just enjoys watching everyone while snuggled in her bed. She is also a huge fan of anything remotely connected to bones. If you are interested in learning more about Kira, please follow this link:
http://www.blackdogsecondchance.org/animals/detail?AnimalID=3003785#animalOtherPictures

Thank you for taking the time to look at these little ones. If you have any friends or family that you know are looking for a new family member, please share these guys with them and always suggest that they adopt instead of buy.

If you know of any dogs that you would like to see featured, please send a picture, brief description and/or web link to bringhearttotheworld@gmail.com.

Celebrating Mothers of all Kinds

It is a very good bet that come this Sunday morning, May 8th, there will be many moms waking up to breakfast in bed, bouquets of flowers and cards that always make them cry (in a good way). What people usually don't think of is the connection of Mother's Day to pets. Isn't it funny that we spend all year showing off pictures of our "kids" and talking about how they "did the funniest thing yesterday" to everyone we can corner in an elevator, office, store or coffee shop, yet on this holiday we fail to celebrate this relationship? A couple of years ago I suddenly realized, and by that I mean my incredibly creative and amazing sister came up with the idea, that pet moms should get some love too on Mother's Day. You may never have to worry about them asking to borrow the car but your dogs look to you the same way human kids do. Are there snacks in the fridge? Do we have to go to bed yet? Why I am not allowed to put that in my mouth? See, totally the same. So this Sunday when cards are being handed around don't forget about all the Doggie Mommies that you know. Why not send them an e-card thanking them for all the treats, walks and belly rubs and sign it from their pet. My favorites are hoops & yoyo. Ok, they aren't the classiest or most sophisticated cards but if you really want to make someone smile, this is the way to do go. http://www.hallmark.com/online/hoopsandyoyo/

And while we are all showering (most deservedly) our mom's with gifts and love, please take a moment to think of the all the actual doggie mommies in puppy mills around the world.
(Photo from www.flushdoggy.com.)

Bred every single cycle from the moment they are able, these mommies spend their entire lives cramped and often unable to even stand or move around in metal wire cages exposed to all of the elements. Once they have worn out their usefulness in the eyes of the miller they are then killed often in horrific, inhumane manners. In coming articles there will be much more on puppy mills and what you can do to end the era of pet store puppies. For now though, give a Mother's Day gift to them by asking eBay to discontinue animal sales on their classifieds site. In 2005 when the company announced plans to include a live pets section the public outcry caused them to discard the idea. With time however, this decision has been reversed yet again and eBay has launched the live pets section in their classifieds section making this an ideal location for puppy mills to operate from - and they do. Currently this petition is closing in on 100,000 voices speaking up for puppy mill dogs.
Speak Up! and add your voice here: http://www.change.org/petitions/ebay-classifieds-stop-selling-live-animals

To close, I would like to wish a very Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there of human and animal kids including my sister who is mom to Piper, my sister-in-law who is mom to Java and Meeko and new human arrival Aurelia, and all my family and friend mommies around the world. An extra special "I Love You!" to my own mom, who has raised me, my brother, my sister, Sailor, Sage and Shadow and who taught me that every dream is possible and that you should never talk with your mouth full. You taught me everything I know about kindness, helping and everything else! I love you mommy! :)

Speak Up! of the Week

Welcome to our first Speak Up! of the week. Every Wednesday you will have the chance to bring real change with the power of your voice as we feature a petition focusing on a current event, legislative issue, court case or a situation where those who need us most need us to Speak Up! Signing petitions is a great way to dip your toes into the animal welfare world as they require only a couple of minutes (at most) of your time but make a huge difference when your signature is added to thousands of others around the world who care just like you.

Created in 1915 by American Humane, Be Kind to Animals Week (May 1st -7th) celebrates our relationship with animals and all the ways we can ensure their humane treatment. In honor of Be Kind to Animals week we will feature a petition sponsored by the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) supporting the passage of the Pet Safety and Protection Act.

As the ASPCA states, "The U.S. Pet Safety and Protection Act would provide a much-needed safety net to ensure that beloved family pets aren't stolen or acquired under false pretenses for sale to research laboratories.

The act would prohibit Class B Dealers -- people who make their livings selling animals to the research industry -- and unlicensed individuals from selling dogs and cats to research labs. Currently, under the Animal Welfare Act of 1966, these people aren't held accountable for where they obtain their animals.

This is a problem because dealers sometimes acquire them through illegal or unethical means -- such as responding to "free to a good home" ads in newspapers, falsifying records to keep the animal's true origins unknown and stealing pets kept in outside yards.

Passing the Pet Safety and Protection will ensure that stolen pets and animals acquired illegally or unethically won't end up in research facilities. Tell Congress to pass the Pet Safety and Protection Act today."

Speak Up! and add your voice here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/714/448/113/ 

For all my Canadian friends, I have not forgotten about you. May 2nd through the 8th in Canada is Puppy Mill Action Week. 

As the Humane Society International: Canada writes, "Because of inadequate laws, puppy mills have proliferated throughout Canada. An estimated 2,000 of these unethical mass breeding facilities operate in Quebec alone. Puppy mills are large scale operations that force "breeder dogs" to produce litter after litter to support consumer demand for purebred pets. These puppies are sold to pet stores across the country and directly to the public over the internet, through newspapers and at the mills. Hidden from the public is the suffering, disease, malnutrition, and loneliness of the breeding dogs confined in the puppy mills. Moreover, puppies produced in puppy mills often suffer from genetic weaknesses and disease, leading to unanticipated, substantial veterinary costs for the unsuspecting purchaser.

BUT YOU CAN HELP: Please join us in writing to your Member of Parliament to demand a strong federal law to stop puppy mills now."

Speak Up! and add your voice here:

http://e-activist.com/ea-campaign/clientcampaign.do?ea.client.id=104&ea.campaign.id=1745 

 

I Must Do Something

"I must do something" always solves more problems than "something must be done." - Unknown

You only need to glance at the world events to see that change is in the air and in the area of animal welfare this is no exception. Beginning early this year, in January, China issued a total ban on animal shows and circuses as well as putting regulations into effect to protect animals from abuse in their 300 state-run zoos. While advances steadily move animal welfare and animal rights in the right direction, there is still a long way to go even with regards to one of our favorites - dogs. Though they are man's best friend, our family members and our cherished four-legged children or siblings, many people are shocked to hear about the horrible issues facing our canine buddies including overpopulation, puppy mills, hoarding, BSL (breed specific legislation), dog fighting and chaining. In fact, the mere thought that those we love so much are vulnerable to harm is downright frightening.

But as the quote above says, we get more done when we go out and take action. Even something as simple as signing a petition can entirely change the course of how animal welfare is handled in a community. Many of us are aware of the mass killing of 100 sled dogs by Outdoor Adventures Whistler in British Columbia, Canada which occurred in April of 2010. But did you know that within days of the story breaking, several hundred thousand people from all over the world signed petitions calling on British Columbia to reform its anti-cruelty laws? The result: British Columbia is in the process of introducing the toughest animal cruelty laws in Canada and the reason is because people stood up and asked for it. Single voices that one by one joined together to form one large chorus. Your voice does make a difference. Whether you sign one petition a week or you teach school children how to safely and properly approach dogs, every bit changes the futures of dogs around the world for the better.

So with my voice I will bring you this blog, filled with information on the issues, opportunities to Speak Up!, ideas for supporting your local shelters and rescues and much, much more. My challenge to you, dear reader, is that you find a way to Speak Up! So stayed tuned and educate yourself so that you can educate others.