A Different Way of Thinking - Oreo, Part II

I have been following the information being presented on Pets Alive website about their attempts to rescue Oreo, and I think that it is very commendable that they are sticking up for what they believe in by using mostly very factual information. While some of their tactics, or methods of communication may be socially questionable (clearly their emotions are involved), I think that it's completely acceptable for them to "point the finger" at the ASPCA and support them in the decision to do so. Unfortunately, euthanasia has progressively become more humane, rather than just accepted, and because some organizations drill it into our heads all of the time that it is the "humane thing to do", we sometimes are lead to believe that this is the only answer. I will agree that in some circumstances, and in some shelters, this may be a better alternative for the animal at this point in time. However, it is absolutely necessary to change this, and to be effectively working toward changing that mindset, and the array of options that are available to a dog that has behavioral issues, which I would solely blame on Oreo's previous owner in this case. And I DO feel that because this option has become so accepted among the animal loving community, and because we have all been lead to believe it is humane, it has become a much easier way to sweep the underlying problems under the rug.
Not that I feel the need to redeem myself, but I have volunteered at various different shelters, as well as personally rescued dogs who have had behavioral problems, and I find it interesting that certain comments would automatically assume that I do not have the proper "credentials" to speak on this topic without even knowing me. I am one person, and I do everything I can to work toward what I believe in (much more than the average person). I point a finger at the ASPCA not because I am too lazy to do anything about it, but to raise questions, and to get people to ask themselves if this really is the only way, or if we've been wrongly lead to believe that it is the only way.
From my personal research, I feel that the ASPCA made the wrong decision, and I absolutely will stick up for that notion. People sometimes hear about things, and they are told that it’s the right way, or the only way, so they don’t know any different than to agree with it and go along with it. Maybe if more people really did stick up for themselves and their beliefs, things would be different.
Maybe shelter life is worse than being killed in some shelters, but definitely not all shelters, and definitely not in shelters the way they should be. I am not simply saying that shelters are awful and they do everything wrong, and I am not trying to “call anyone out”. I know that many, many people who work in shelters are extremely overwhelmed, overworked, and underpaid, and have personally worked together with these employees to help with some of the load. I have worked with many shelters, and I know this for a fact. I know that many of us are just doing the best we can, and I would never discourage anyone from doing that. I know that only in a perfect world would all shelter life be pleasant, but it's definitely something that is worth working toward. I know that a lot of people keep saying that shelters aren’t doing enough, and I know that that is very discouraging to hear, when most shelter employees work harder than the average person. Many of the shelters clearly just need help. They need direction, and volunteers; I am not denying this. While some of them, in my opinion, are simply being run by parties who do not know any better, or simply do not care.
Generally, when a shelter relinquishes a dog to another rescue, the liability goes with whoever is caring for the dog. While I’m sure the ASPCA would not have wanted to seen damage to a person or another dog after relinquishing Oreo regardless of where the liability lay, I think that Pets Alive provided more than enough credentials and positive track records to take her in.
I recently was granted the pleasure of meeting some of the Vicktory dogs, as well as many previously aggressive dogs, housed at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Some of these dogs have since been adopted, while some of them are court ordered to stay at the sanctuary for the rest of their lives, which was their alternative to death. These dogs were all happy and healthy, and I absolutely believe that they are living a better life than they would be dead. They get walks, exercise, human interaction, toys, top-notch medical care, and they are all treated and cared for as individuals. Not just because they are high profile dogs, but because of where they are. They are my proof that it is possible. Obviously I do not think that a lab animal has a happier life than if they were dead, but I do NOT think that we, as humans, have the right to take them out of that horrific environment only to kill them, when we have the ability to do something better.
I know that not every shelter is Best Friends, and I know that we don't all have those resources right now, but isn't this a wonderful thing for us to work on and focus on achieving? We might not always have the ability right now, but we do have the ability to work toward it, and make change so that dogs who are behaviorally challenged, or maybe even are just having a bad day, aren’t being killed and forgotten about by the millions; especially when there is someone there willing and able to help. Just because the ASPCA could not handle Oreo, does not mean no one could, and just because you’ve never seen something, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Best Friends literally worked themselves from the ground up. They were a group of 20 people in the 80s who decided that killing wasn’t the only answer, and surely wasn’t the best. They decided to stick up for the animals, and now they are making absolute history by saving the lives of countless animals that would have otherwise been “humanely” killed. They started literally with nothing other than a can for change, a card table, and a phonebook. If you decide that I have not had enough experience to advocate for these animals, and for working toward a true humane community, you do not have to read my blogs, or agree with anything I say, but I would seriously challenge you to just think, for one second, that maybe there is a better way. I surely don’t have all of the answers, and I don’t claim to. I’m just trying to get readers to think of different ideas, and different possibilities, because one thing that we can all agree on, is that there is a problem, no matter what you think the solution might be.

Please note that this blog is also posted on dognewsisgoodnews.com The references to "comments" are from that blog, not from this site.

Happy Holidays from Pack Life. Look How Far We've Come!

Although it seems like an eternity ago, it was just a few short months ago that we decided to establish an organization to work with and educate our community and help protect dogs all over the country. Although we never thought our efforts would grow this large this fast, our first year as an organization has been a very special and effective one!

In March, we raised over $2500 for Best Friends Animal Society, and traveled to Kanab, UT where we volunteered at Dogtown. This money will directly help the no-kill nation in establishing and implementing standards in shelters all over the country to find an alternative to killing "unwanted" dogs. Through this initiative, we were able to meet many of you, and hear your moving stories about how a shelter dog has changed your life, or how Best Friends has affected you in some important way.

This summer we traveled throughout Maine to different dog-related events and got the opportunity to meet many more of you and establish wonderful relationships. We also successfully raised money for local animal welfare organizations, and interacted with the public to help educate about important issues like spay/neuter, adoption option, dog enrichment, and more.

This October we traveled back to Best Friends to attend the No More Homeless Pets Conference. We learned more valuable information that we are using to help our local communities. This time, we traveled with over $2000 worth of dog supplies for the residents at Dogtown, many of whom we had met on our previous trip.

And today, we have helped to successfully facilitate a transfer of two dogs who had a very uncertain and dark future. Thanks to all of you, Quinton & Xander are once again safe, and slowly working their way down their road to recovery, into their forever homes. They are currently being housed at Animal Refuge League in Westbrook, ME, where they are receiving their heart worm treatment. The staff at ARL are also working with them on their behavior to ensure that they will make a great family member for the right home.

As we look back at the things we have accomplished in the past months, we reflect on how all of these things were made possible. We would like to thank all of you, because without you, we never would have been able to climb this mountain and begin to make a difference. You are the friends and family members that believed in our passion, and even more so, the strangers who had faith in the two of us, to begin to build an army who will stand up for the dogs, and do their best to bring us to a time where there are No Dogs Left Behind. Thank you so much!

We are currently accepting donations for Quinton & Xander. Heart worm treatment is generally very expensive, and we are very grateful that ARL was willing to take on this expense, and give these two dogs the second chance they deserve. To see pictures of Quinton & Xander, or to make a donation, please visit our website.
Thank you once again, we sincerely appreciate your undying faith in our mission, and your ongoing support. We wish you and your family very happy holidays.

The Legacy of Oreo

I am prompted today to write about a soulful little pit bull name Oreo, who was tragically killed last week at the hands of the ASPCA. I had received an email from the ASPCA last year triumphantly telling Oreo’s story and how they bravely rescued her from her abusive owner. After Oreo’s extremely sad demise, I am thinking about what “humane euthanasia” is, and what it means to different organizations. I touched on this subject two weeks ago when I wrote about the “no-kill revolution”, and I will bring you back to the notion that a “no-kill shelter” means different things to different people, as does “humane euthanasia”.
Oreo was “rescued” last year by the ASPCA after being thrown off from a 6-story building by her extremely abusive owner. She was around one year old, and suffered two broken legs and a fractured rib. Her story was paraded around by the ASPCA and she was deemed the “miracle dog”. It was a very touching story of a dog that had suffered so much, and her upcoming road to recovery.
Last week, after determining that Oreo, at the age of 2, was deemed “too dangerous and unpredictable around people” the ASPCA decided that she could not possibly live a safe and fulfilled life, and they killed her via “humane euthanasia”. While this has outraged many (including myself), it brings many questions to the table by many different parties: What was the evaluation process that determined that Oreo was “too dangerous” and could not be rehabilitated? How much pain was she still in after recovering from her injuries, and had she been given enough time to recuperate and re-learn how to trust humans again? Had she ever even had the opportunity or reasons to trust a human at her young age? From my research, I have not been able to find any reliable information from the ASPCA giving any details of her evaluation, which they describe as “guarded information”.
I know I talk a lot about Best Friends Animal Society, and I do so because I honestly feel that they set the most wonderful example that a real animal welfare organization should display. Being so close with many different aspects of this sanctuary, as well as the employees that work there, I feel that I can speak knowledgably about some of the incidents there. I have seen so many examples of unbelievably aggressive dogs, among other extreme behaviors, being rehabilitated, that I personally have a very hard time believing that there was nothing further that could be done for Oreo. I do not believe that every dog in the world can be rehabilitated from past experiences 100% and be placed in a home, but I do strongly feel that they can be rehabilitated back into a state where they are living a happier life than they would be in the ground, if given the chance and the right expertise. Don’t we, as a society, owe it to dogs like Oreo? Considering the fact that it was our humane race that put her in the situation she was placed in in the first place? I for one am not convinced that Oreo was given a fighting chance, and I don’t believe that many dogs are in the shelters, because it is simply too easy to just kill them, and call it “humane”. Sad of a fact as it is, no one is help accountable for the deaths that occur in some shelters, and many times, are overlooked or even commended.
Despite what your personal belief on humane euthanasia may be, (I don’t believe common ground will ever be reached on that one) sometimes, especially in animal welfare, we must agree to disagree. I believe that in animal welfare there are 3 types of people. One group, the group who makes the right decisions and is currently bringing us closer to a day where there will be no more homeless pets, another group who wants the same end result, but has been educated wrongly or misguided and makes decisions that bring us further away from this goal, and then one who is just in this business for the wrong reasons. Ed Sayers, the President of the ASPCA, earning a $500,000 salary, falls into the last category for me, not solely for that reason…
Pets Alive, a no-kill sanctuary in New York offered to take in Oreo, and rehabilitate her to a point where she was living a quality life, and not threatening those around her. Last week, once they learned of Mr. Sayre’s plans to kill Oreo, they called and emailed him, as well as every other person listed on the ASPCA website. The ASPCA flat out either denied their help, or did not return their calls, or simply hung up on them. How in the world do we ever plan to fix our problems if we cannot work together, or at the very least rationally listen to each other? Are we really all that self-righteous that we cannot even consider accepting the help from someone else? Did they even consider it? If they did, they have not made any notions that they did, and why they did not accept the help.
My point is, no matter which group you are from above, you have to, as a person, accept the fact that you may not always have all of the answers, and sometimes, you might have to seek out help from other sources, because at the end of the day, we are in the business to help the animals; not to protect our image, or earn revenue, and if you are, then you sadly fall into the third group, and should seriously consider a career change.
This was a wonderful sanctuary in New York who was ready and willing to take all of the baggage that came with Oreo, simply because they wanted to SAVE HER LIFE. We are not doing these animals a favor by pulling them out of abusive homes and killing them. We have to find a better solution than just killing them and thinking it’s ok. If you don’t know the solution, then ask someone else who might. Instead of researching ways that they can prevent this from happening again, the ASPCA is busy posting letters of support from PETA, and defending themselves, while blindly throwing jabs at nearly everyone credited for the no-kill revolution.On the other side of the fence, there are 2 people, New York Assembly Member Micah Z. Kellner and State Senator Thomas K. Duane who are planning to introduce a law to ensure that this does not happen again. “Oreo’s Law” will prevent organizations from killing an animal when there is another shelter or rescue that is willing and able to take them in. It is modeled after a similar law, Hayden Law, which was voted into California State with overwhelming acceptance and success in 1998. I encourage you to research and support this law, and the thought of never thinking you are too big, or the politics are too messy to help out our animals. At the end of the day, you will be judged on whether or not you did the right thing, and this killing, to me, was not the right thing. Whether you agree with me or not, keep your mind open and keep your best interest in the right place.

What the Heck is Pack Life?!

Pack Life began overnight in May of 2009, as something that had been developing without our knowledge for a long time. Chris and I have always been dog lovers, mostly inspired by our own two, Sherwood & Ace, and somehow always knew that we would end up working with dogs in one way or another. We were somewhat aware of the problems surrounding millions of unwanted and mistreated dogs, but never really realized just how bad it was. Once we began to get an understanding of how huge of a problem the nation is facing, and how many dogs are being mistreated and killed, we realized that we could not possibly live with ourselves without doing everything we could to help stop these actions.

In December of 2008, Chris bought me the Vicktory Dog wine collection for Christmas. Through this purchase, he learned of Best Friends Animal Society, in Kanab, UT. They are the largest no-kill shelter in the country, as well as the home for the Vicktory pit bulls that were rescued from NFL star Michael Vick’s dog fighting ring. We really liked the concept of a shelter where there are no dogs too damaged to help, and we began to research them some more. The more we learned about them, the more we liked. It just seemed like everything they did, it was done the right way. They share our belief that if a dog has behavioral problem, regardless of how severe, they are because of human induced behavior, and it is our duty, as the human race, to fix them, and give them that chance to live. We subscribed to their wonderful magazine through a small donation, and continued to learn more about their organization.

One day, on his lunch break; Chris got a phone call from Gabriel De Payer, one of the co-founders of Best Friends Animal Society. Gabriel was calling Chris to thank him for our donation, albeit small, he was still grateful that we took our time and money to thank and support them. When Chris called me to tell me about the phone call, I was floored. Best Friends is a world-renowned animal sanctuary that houses up to 2,000 animals at any given time, and has literally changed and developed the “no-kill” revolution in the United States. Countless lives have been saved because of them, and to think that one of their co-founders would actually call 2 kids in Auburn Maine to thank them was unbelievable to us. This confirmed our notion that this was a special organization, and we decided to invest in a little trip out there to volunteer.

If you have ever taken a trip across the country, you know that there is a lot of work and money involved. To make things a little more interesting, we thought that we could maybe save a few bucks by camping out in the desert instead of renting a hotel. We didn’t really think about all of the camping gear that we would somehow have to fit in our luggage! Once we realized how much work it was going to be, we realized that we really needed to make this trip special, not knowing when we would get the opportunity to do it again. We also decided that we could not possibly go to this place, as representatives from Maine, empty-handed. We started soliciting donations from our friends and family. Everyone thought it was a really great idea, and agreed to donate. We soon realized that we needed a little more structure if we were going to do this right. We decided to set a goal of $2500, in honor of Best Friends 25th anniversary this year. It was an extremely lofty goal considering our average donation was around $25. We realized that if we were going to reach our goal, we would have to ask everyone we knew for a donation. If we were going to ask everyone for a donation, we would need to be more than just a couple of kids asking for money. So we decided to create Pack Life, a not for profit organization that would basically do what we could to help dogs. The goal of $2500 became our first mission. We solicited businesses for product donations, and held a large raffle for anyone who donated, and ended up giving away about 25 prizes. Right before we left for our trip we had raised about $2000. We knew that after all of our hard work, we couldn’t possibly fall short of our goal. We, as Pack Life, decided to donate the remaining $500. This money came straight out of our pockets, and we were overjoyed and relieved that we met our goal, and completed our first mission. We presented the $2500 to Gabriel upon our arrival at Best Friends, and stayed to volunteer for a week.
Since returning from our trip in July, we have developed our organization quite a bit. This summer we set up the Pack Life table at various events. At these events we have raised another $500 plus dollars, which we have donated to Best Friends, and other local animal shelters/rescues. We also spend a lot of our time talking to people through these events about issues like dog retention, spay/neuter information, dog enrichment, etc. All of these ideas that we talk about, we hope in turn will help to reduce the number of dogs ending up in shelters, and the number of dogs being killed in shelters every year.
In October, we traveled back out West to attend the Best Friends ‘No More Homeless Pets Conference’ in Las Vegas. We were looking for ideas and inspiration, which is exactly what we got! During this trip, with the help of many people and organizations, we donated over $2000 worth of dog toys, treats, harnesses, and other items that were on the Dogtown wish list. We just wanted to help the dogs at Dogtown feel happy and at home during their stay.

Chris and I both still work full time, and that is how we are able to purchase supplies for our events. Every dollar we raise is donated directly to another non-profit organization that will put it to good use. We are a very small organization of 2 people who are just using their spare time to do what we can to help save dog’s lives. This opportunity has also allowed us to spend a lot of time with our own two dogs, as they accompany us to mostly all of our events. Although I’m not sure if we’ve ever actually saved a life, I know that our time is well spent. One day, Chris and I just sat down and thought to ourselves “there has got to be something we can do”; this is us doing it. We couldn’t go to bed at night anymore thinking about all of these dogs being killed, and NOT do anything about it. It just didn’t sit with us.

All of our incoming donations are donated to other organizations, because we are currently not registered as 501(c) 3. We donate to the organizations that we feel will be able to use the money best, and support the programs that we personally believe in. We also work non-stop educating anyone we possibly can about fixing their dogs, licensing their dogs, talking to kids about dog fighting, humane treatment, dog enrichment, and more. When we are given the opportunity to talk, we talk! We volunteer at our local shelter, and do whatever we can to help when asked for help by anyone. We are not always organized, and we don’t have any fancy structure, we’re just doing what we can.

We are working on a few events for the holiday season, all of which will be up on our website, packlife.org once finalized. I encourage you, as I always do, not to necessarily start up a non-profit organization, but take a couple hours a week to volunteer at your shelter, or write a check to an organization that you believe in. Think of any skills or assets that you have that you might be able to share. Whatever it is, the animals could use them, and will gladly accept them. Everyone can do something.
For anyone who has supported us in the past, we thank you. We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without the Pack Life nation! If you have any further questions, please leave them in the comments sections below, or email me at Cassandra@packlife.org You can also visit our website at www.packlife.org If you would like to learn more about Best Friends, you can visit their website at www.bestfriends.org

A No Kill Revolution... Or is it?

According to wikipedia.org, a no-kill animal shelter is defined as an animal shelter where animals are only euthanized if they are too sick to be treated or too aggressive to be suitable for adoption. No-kill shelters reject euthanasia as a means of population control. Although this seems like a fairly straightforward definition, it is not. A no-kill shelter and a no-kill community can mean multiple different things to any given community, and different programs can be altered to sound much more effective than they really are.

The largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the country is Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, UT. They house anywhere from 1,500-2,000 animals on any given day, and ONLY euthanize if medically necessary. Contradictory to the definition above, they do not kill for behavioral reasons, including aggression, chronic shyness, etc. They only believe in humane euthanasia if it is strictly for medical reasons that can not humanly be fixed. Other shelters classify themselves as a no-kill shelter, and they follow the guidelines above. If an animal comes in with severe behavioral problems, defined above, they are able to kill that animal and still call themselves “no-kill”. They may be killing a large percentage of the animals that are coming in and still getting away with the label because they know how to classify the killings. There might be another shelter that doesn’t have any strict euthanasia guidelines in place, but tends to have a really great kill/no-kill ratio. They might not be called a “no-kill shelter” but they might have really great community programs and such, and have really effective shelter practices as well. The point that I am trying to make, is while it is extremely important for our country to move toward a no-kill nation, it is not the only characteristic that a shelter or community should be judged upon. It is also impossible to know whether a shelter is “good” or “bad” based on this one term. “No-kill” is a term that is used very loosely sometimes, but there is a lot more to it, and a lot of intricate pieces that go along with it that must be examined.

So we have determined that while no-kill as a theory is a really good thing, as a term it is very complex. As a theory, it is important for shelters and communities to understand that euthanasia, or killing, is not a solution for population control. It has become far too easy for people, certain shelters, etc. to forget about the problems with a cat or a dog by killing it. In some areas, it is a completely commonly accepted practice. These are the overrun shelters that are simply OVERWHELMED at the influx of animals coming in. As a friend pointed out, many of these shelters are city mandated and do not have the option of turning away animals when they are brought to the shelter. It may seem that they have no other choice than to kill when they have to make room for the animals that are continuously coming in.

Many shelters have taken this “no-kill movement” as a revolutionary fix-all for their shelters, and have overnight decided that they will no longer kill cats and dogs unless it is medically justified. These attempts have failed miserably, leaving thousands of cats and dogs in unfavorable situations because they were not able to get a seat at the shelter. The simple fact is, that if you do become a no-kill shelter, for one, you can not do it overnight, and for two, you simply will not be able to take in as many animals as you did before, because the kennels will not be opening up as fast when all of the animals are living. This is why it is so important to support the no-kill development with programs that will work on the other issues, such as home retention, spay/neuter, financial assistance, etc. These programs COMBINED, if done right, can make for a significantly more humane community. Does it take a lot of work? Hell yes; a lot of work, and a whole lot of people. It’s not something that can be fixed overnight, and we need everyone to be on board. We need people who can help financially, politically, and all around hard workers. Why is this important to you? I don’t have to tell you that a humane community is a safe community.

I would never suggest that you completely shut off your support to a shelter who is not no-kill. If we don’t support them, they will never improve their ways and tactics. I just urge you to take it one step further. Instead of just sending a check to them, call them up and ask them what their policies are. Know exactly where your money is going. Don’t judge them on what they do, because that will not solve any problems either. Share your thoughts with them, and ASK them how your help might be best utilized. Get involved as much as you personally can.

I also strongly encourage you to read Redemption by Nathan Winograd, the “pioneer of no-kill”. I am in the middle of the book right now, and would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about the current crisis in US shelters. I also strongly suggest that you please go on his website, nathanwinograd.com and poke around a little. We had the ultimate pleasure of meeting Mr. Winograd at the ‘No More Homeless Pets’ conference last month in Las Vegas. He has a long list of impressive credentials, and has greatly impacted the nation as it pertains to the “no-kill movement”.

Volunteer at your shelters, support them as much as you can. Talk to people who are uneducated where you might be able to help; education is everything. With the risk of sounding all “Reading Rainbow”, knowledge is power, so share it. Don’t be embarrassed to sound like a know it all… Share with people what you know, you might just be saving one dog or cat, but that is one more dog or cat NOT in the shelter.

Thanks for reading!

Importing Puppies

During the Best Friends No More Homeless Pets Conference last week, there was some discussion about Best Friends newer promotion, Pup my Ride. This is a program where larger, more full animal shelters (generally in the South) ship some of their puppies up North where they will have more of a chance to be adopted. Some of these shelters in the South (and everywhere) are disturbingly horrific, conditions wise, and together, kill over 5 million cats and dogs every year, simply because they are overpopulated. Some shelters even still use gas chambers, as they are legal in 38 states (NOT Maine!).

Some of the Northern shelters have much calmer conditions, and are not overrun with unwanted pets. The demand for puppies and smaller dogs is much higher, and they have a much higher adoption rate. It makes sense to allocate these dogs and puppies where they will have a better chance of being adopted. So, Best Friends works to relocate these dogs in large amounts to other shelters where they will be adopted quickly.

It seems like such a win win situation. The shelter in the South makes more room for incoming dogs without having to kill off as many dogs, and the people in the Northern communities get the puppies they are longing for.

Every shelter has an adoption rate, and a euthanasia (or kill) rate. It's hard to determine what this rate is for each individual shelter, since they are not generally published by the shelter unless they are really good statistics, but it is a number that should be paid close attention to by anyone working for, or patronizing the shelter. Unfortunately, many animal shelters in the US have become "high kill" shelters where they do no more than take in an animal, wait a few days, and then kill it. While there are many many wonderful rescues which have a low kill rate, I am focusing on the ones that make up this high number of 5 million per year.

When other puppies come into a shelter, it is great for the community, as well as for the publicity. It seems like such a wonderful situation. But what if there really isn't enough room for these puppies? Is it ethical and right to kill the older, less adoptable dogs to make room for these puppies, because we know that they will be adopted quickly and make a great name for the shelter? When you think of it that way, it seems horrible and unthinkable.

But if you don't kill the older dog to make room for the younger, healthier pup, the puppy will likely be killed in his own shelter. Does that make it right to kill the older dog? Whose responsibility is it at this point to stop the killing?

I think that if you run a shelter, it is your responsibility to choose the volume of animals that you are capable of taking in. Once those animals are in your care, it is the responsibility of that shelter to ensure that they remain a no kill environment. No shelter can take in every animal. Best Friends generally has over 2,000 animals at a time, and they still have to refuse animals every day. They must rely on the other shelters and rescues of the country to do their part as well.

So if there is a shelter who can take in an amount of puppies WITHOUT sacrificing the care of their current residents, I think that this is a great networking opportunity to save thousands of lives. It is also a great example of different communities helping each other out. However, I do think that it is important to be aware of some of the practices that may be going on that you, as an adopter, constituent, or animal lover may not know.

I do encourage you to support your local no kill animal shelters, and if they are not no kill, encourage them to become a no kill shelter. Ask them how many animals they kill per year, and work with them on some ways they could reduce that number. It can be done, it has been done, and it needs to be done more often.

25 years ago, over 17 million healthy cats and dogs were being killed in American shelters every year. Since then, the number has dropped to around 5 million. That is still over 13,000 innocent cats and dogs being killed every single day. Tell me we don't have an overpopulation problem. I encourage you to always adopt, and never purchase. At this point, there is no room to be breeding and multiplying more cats and dogs. It's simple math. I also encourage you to visit your local shelters, and see what you might be able to do to help them out. Maybe you could set up a network of foster homes, that would help save animals from being killed. Maybe it is something as simple as that that would help.

I will be happy to answer any questions on this topic, or further explain anything I didn't cover in this blog.

Dog People

Last weekend, Chris and I attended the viewing of ‘An American Opera – The Greatest Pet Rescue Ever’, a documentary by Tom McPhee about the pet rescue tribulations of Hurricane Katrina. While I knew that the situation there had been seriously tragic and devastating, and that it prompted many things to change in the way we conduct emergency rescue and such, I had no idea it was as incomprehensible as we learned from the performance. It was a devastating film to watch and surfaced many different feelings, including hate, anger, sadness, and a little bit of joy.

It made me think about the dog community, and how lucky we are to be a part of it. I love dog people. We all just seem to have a really cool way of being somewhat aloof to the little things in life. It could possibly be due to the fact that our dogs have destroyed so many things that if we tried to keep track every time they chewed a sock, we’d go crazy, but that’s beside the point. What I really love about true and blue dog people is that they are always there for you, even if they don’t know you, and that they will always step up to the plate when you need something. For the past few years, we have been raising money for various different local animal organizations, and for the past 5 months, we have turned that drive and passion into our own non-profit. Fundraising is a huge part of what we do, and this can become repetitive for the people and businesses we solicit. It can get timing on us as well, knowing the effect we are having on people. Every time we are looking for donations or support, however, different people come forward with whatever they have to offer. All of those little things add up, and that is how we are able to successfully come together and make a difference. Dog people know how bad the many situations are surrounding dog welfare, and they are willing to put in whatever they’ve got to help the cause, even if it isn’t a lot. They just get it. We know how seriously bad the conditions are for some of the world’s animals, and we come to realize that the things that are stressing us out in our own lives really aren’t that important when you measure them up. I know that the more I learn about some of the situations going on in the world with homeless, abused, etc. pets, I realize to take things a little lighter, because they really aren’t as bad as they could be.

This was the case during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. There were many people who put their own lives on hold and really stepped it up to use their voice in place of the thousands of displaced dogs. They stood up to the government organizations that wanted to shut down their rescue operations, and they treated the situation as if they were rescuing humans-as they should have. They had nothing on their mind but rescuing those dogs, and I thought that it was a pretty bold and touching operation. This was a fine example of dog people being dog people. It was a pretty amazing story. Although I would not advise everyone to watch it (some of the scenes are still haunting me), it was a very amazing tale of travesty, rescue, and learning. It was also a great display of the two groups of people in the world, the group that still feels that dogs are disposable, and one that does not.

I have seen the many ways that dog people are amazing, and I hope you know that you are just that. Don’t ever think that you don’t have anything to offer, because even the littlest amount adds up into larger amounts. Don’t feel ashamed if you can only donate $5 at your shelter’s bake sale, or that you can only volunteer once or twice a year. Don’t ever feel like it’s not even worth it unless you can contribute more. Being on the other side of things, I am just as grateful for a $5 donation as I am for a $100 donation. Just the fact that you are willing to support a group shows that you genuinely care about the cause and solution. We didn’t get this far by one or two people’s large donations; it’s a group effort and will continue to be so until we reach a day where there are no more homeless pets.