By now most if not all animal lovers know about the infamous Mary Bale, dubbed the “Cat Woman”. She tossed a sweet tabby cat named Lola into a trash bin. Apparently she has now lost her job at a bank where she has worked for many years. The video below has gone viral on the internet over the incident. Leave it up to the Brits to inject some humor. There even is a fake Twitter account, @CatBinLady which has been created. And yes there is a Facebook page as well, Cat Lady should do time in a bin.
The most important message in all of this is that animal cruelty of any form is wrong and inappropriate behavior. So please be vigilant in observing such acts and immediately report it to your local rescue or shelter. PLEASENOTE that the @CatBinLady Twitter account’s web address is the RSPCA. They along with the SPCA do incredible work to support and protect animals…..MANY THANKS!
Aren’t these kittens adorable?! With it being the 1st of July the annual Adopt a Cat month of June for this year has now passed. But unfortunately that has not ended the urgent need for cat adoptions.
The weather is heating up across the country and kitten season is well underway. Adult cats come out from hiding and reproduce. On average, female cats that haven’t been spayed have two or three litters per year, with one to eight kittens per litter.
Shelters have limited space and are overwhelmed. This is compounded with communities suffering from natural disasters. And with the economic downturn people are unable financially to keep their pets.
Creativity is the operative word for how shelters are trying to reduce number of cats/pets waiting to be adopted:
low cost spay and neutering to reduce number of kittens
Not sure that I was as mature as Ciara at 12 years old. She is certainly a role model for other kids her age and for us adults too. As with anyone who has a pet, Ciara had the good fortune to grow up with a Golden Retriever, named Dakota. When Dakota passed there was an incredible void in her life. Instead of withdrawing after losing Dakota she volunteered at a local golden retriever rescue, Rescue a Golden, of Arizona.
But Ciara’s passion for animals did not stop there. She started a non-profit charity called Pennies For Pups.
“Pennies For Pups was founded to help raise awareness, money, medication and food for sick, injured and abandoned dogs in local animal shelters and foster care.”
Through Pennies for Pups she has established:
Annual weekly fundraiser at her school, Desert Arroyo Middle School.
Annual Book Sale and Dog show
Annual Four-Legged Food Drive
Yikes…..all at the ripe young age of 12! She most certainly is “a voice for the “bark” less”. Think she has a lot of MOXIE too…..”energy, nerve, courage & spirit!”
I got my haircut this past Friday at my local hair salon, Radiance Aveda. And was watching video, “How to Make a Hair Boom” from Matter of Trust, the environmental charity making headlines. Low and behold at 36 seconds into the clip I notice that Radiance Aveda is one of the salons donating hair clippings….WOW….YEAH!
Matter of Trust collects hair and fur from salons and pet groomers to create hair stuffed containment booms with recycled pantyhose, which are then sent to areas that suffer from oil spills. Most recent of course in the Gulf of Mexico. These booms are laid out on beaches and are magnets for the oil.
Facts & Figures
Since April 20th 5,000 barrels (210,000 gallons) daily is escaping from the BP rig in the Gulf of Mexico.
On average there are 2600 million oil spills annually.
On average 726 million gallons of oil are spilled annually.
363 million gallons of motor oil are washed into ocean annually.
1Quart of oil can contaminate 1 Million gallons of drinking water.
(My town was one of communities in Boston area a couple of weekends ago that did not have ready access to drinking water due to pipe bursting. A minor inconvenience for a couple of days. But what a wake up call with respect to not having access to clean, drinkable water long term.)
Are you ready to open your home to a new, furry family member? If you plan to adopt, choosing a rescue group is just as important as choosing your next pet. Consider this: When you enter into an adoption contract, you are legally bound by its rules for the life of your animal. As with any long-term relationship, it is best to start off on the right foot.
Examine Your Needs
The first step is to honestly assess your situation. Think about “a day in the life” of your perspective pet. How will you manage vet care, exercise, obedience, etc.? Do you have a fenced dog yard? Will you leash walk? Will your cat be indoors or have outdoor access?
While my husband and I more than meet the typical adoption criteria, our 2 dog doors pose an interesting issue for cats. Knowing that many agencies require adopted cats to remain indoors, we could not promise ours wouldn’t learn a way out. Cats are smart. Cats are crafty. And cats are persistent. Realistically, rapid-fire water blasts rarely deter instinctive quests for the natural environment.
Find a Contractual Match
The next step is to research your local rescue organizations for a good fit. Understanding your contractual responsibilities will expedite your connection with the new friend you are meant to have.
We found an amazing cattery with an truly holistic approach. Respecting the life that each cat has previously known, indoor cats seek indoor adopters, barn cats from bad situations seek responsible barn owners, and so on. This seemed like the place for us.
Find Your Perfect Pet
Once you find the perfect place, it’s time to choose your new friend. If you still have questions, find somebody in the know. Then find your new friend.
Although I assumed this organization was a good fit, I explained our circumstances to the woman in charge. She appreciated our honest concerns and happily accepted our application. Because we were all on the same page, our adoption experience was perfectly positive.
Let the Love Fest Begin
I am proud to introduce you to our new boys, Jackson and Jed. You can see their heartwarming adoption day in the video below. We sincerely wish you the same success and incredible joy that we’ve experienced through this process. The love these animals give is well worth the little bit of investigative work it takes to place the right one in the right situation.
With “Stamps to the Rescue” being officially available today, April 30th another campaign is following on its heels, “Letters for Pets”. The effort is to continue momentum regarding the ongoing need for awareness of shelter pets and “to encourage the adoption of shelter animals across the country”.
“Our goal is to send 1 million messages to the White House asking for a presidential proclamation to declare April 30th National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day”.
Kudos to the national pet magazine Tails, Jane Goodall Institute’s youth organization Roots and Shoots which is promoting the letter writing in elementary schools. And Halo which is continuing the rallying cry from “Stamps to the Rescue” by donating 5 meals to shelter pets for each picture uploaded to the Tails’ Facebook fan page featuring your stamped letter.
How can the plight of a pug, named Puglet help make a difference in the lives of other pugs and pets that are homeless? Easy…..Puglet inspired his mom to share him with the world via post. The project helps bring awareness to people that “recycled” pets are just as good as “non-recycled” pets.
According to his mom, and fellow recycled K9, Dutch (the Dalmation) “Flat Puglet started out as just something to write about on the blog (Daily Puglet). Thought it would be cool to visit some of Puglet’s “followers” in other parts of the country”. As “the Flattie prototype” gained traction in public the light dawned that the “Flat Puglet might be able to do some good”. To date there are now 65 flat Puglets “getting around”.
I know I posted yesterday about Earth Day (April 22, 2010), but how can one resist a most engaging and adorable pug? Here’s to “recycled” pets and recycling….
There are so many ways to “GO GREEN”:
Spay and neuter.
Rescue and adopt.
Shop locally for pet supplies and research products.
Buy pet items made from natural or recycled materials.
Look for pet foods with “FDA Certified Food Grade” stamp of approval for the long term health and well being of your pet.
Purchase non-clay based cat litter.
Buy biodegradable poop bags for your pooch’s poop.
Remember EPA findings regarding spot-on flea and tick control products and purchase natural treatments.
Have you pre-ordered your “Animal Rescue: Adopt a Shelter Pet” stampsyet? On March 17th, commemorative postage stamps, “Stamps to the Rescue” were introduced on The Ellen Degeneres Show. “This campaign will increase public awareness about sheltered pets and our hope is that it will encourage pet adoption and promote humane and responsible pet care”, said Postmaster General John E. Potter. Degeneres, co-owner of Halo, Purely for Pets is donating one million meals to rescue pets. And is very close to exceeding that goal even before the stamps are officially introduced.
The stamps profile five cats and five dogs, and were photographed by Sally Andersen-Bruce. Their respective adoption stories can be viewed on Stamps to the Rescue. There is also a video which has an even more powerful impact I think of how these wonderful animals found FOREVER HOMES. I just love the interaction with their new adoptive families. Hopefully these visuals tug at more hearts encouraging others to consider adopting a cat or dog at their local animal shelter or rescue.
You can also pre-order the stamps by calling 1.800.STAMP.24 (1.800.782.6724).On April 30, DeGeneres will join Potter for the official stamp dedication ceremony at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in Hollywood, when the stamps will go on sale at post offices nationwide.
After watching this video of Edie before she was rescued, memories came flooding back of the time I was going to the YMCA to exercise before going to work. There was a dog cowering at the top of the stairs. When I got to the top of the stairs his owner appeared and told me to “mind my own business” and I did. To this day that memory haunts me for not having reported the incident to Marblehead Animal Shelter.
Fast forward to this past weekend in Columbus, Ohio where the first annual pet bloggers conference “BlogPaws” was held. Unfortunately I was unable to attend. But, I was glued to my computer last Saturday pining for any information attendees would share. Out of that conference emerged a movement, a mission: “Be the Change”.
A friend of mine and dog owner mentioned to me recently in conversation that anyone who does not like animals is not worth knowing. What I do know and believe is that there are many loving pet owners and animal lovers.
Shelter and rescue groups are overrun with homeless dogs and cats. Space is becoming more limited. And as a result animals are being euthanized at a record rate. “Be the Change” is a simple cause to action by fellow pet owners and animal lovers to help shelter and rescue groups save the lives of these many homeless dogs and cats.
Volunteer
Donate: Time, Pet Toys, Medical Supplies, Gift Cards from Pet Supply Stores or Supermarkets, Kennel Supplies, Office Supplies
Foster a Pet
Giveaway:
How to enter: Leave a comment on this post (one per person and comments on this post only count toward the drawing) by noon EST on Friday, April 16.
Enter to win an Eco-Tech Dog Bed from pet-super-store.com. The contest was inspired by the “Be the Change” session, so add a link and comment (if you would like) to your favorite shelter or rescue (SEO) on THIS POST to be entered to win!
PS Don’t you just love happy endings I do?! Following is video of Edie’s adoption. There is some duplication the first minute so you can fast forward. I think Edie has a lot of MOXIE: “energy, nerve, courage and spirit”. Remember you too can help “Be the Change”.
Deadline for filing taxes is fast approaching as is American Humane’s “Be Kind to Animals” Kid Contest on the same date, April 15th. I know what I would rather be doing. “Be Kind to Animals” week is May 2nd – 8th this year. The contest acknowledges those teens and children who show compassion to animals and help them in extraordinary ways.
Nominations are for two age groups:
Children ages 6-12 years old
Teens ages 13-17 years old
The winner in each age group will receive $1,000 and the runner up will receive $500. Winners will be announced during “Be Kind to Animals” week, May 2-8, 2010. Not bad winnings for such a fun and rewarding contest.
The contest is intended to instill a sense of responsibility, appreciation and love for animals. Some suggestions for helping to make a difference in animals lives yearlong:
Be an advocate for animals. Look at policies and legislation locally and nationally that have an impact on animals.
Respect and love. Show children the importance of animals in their lives.
Donate to your local animal shelter. Donations can be in time, money or needed items like blankets.
Gift of wildlife. Explore the great outdoors to really appreciate nature and know that you can share it respectfully with animals.
Report animal abuse. There have been many reports lately of how animal abuse is interrelated with other forms of abuse and violence.
Adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue group. Many shelters and rescue groups are overwhelmed with animals looking for loving homes. One out of every four dogs in a shelter is a purebred.
Take care of your pet. Pets unlike children never grow up. They require constant care and attention. Maintain annual vet visits and vaccinations. Besides unconditional love there are many rewards to pet ownership.
Nominate someone you know for the “Be Kind to Animals Contest”:
Last year’s (2009) winners were pretty impressive. So put on those thinking caps and see how you can contribute to the betterment of the lives of animals year-round.
