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

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.