Syd and Goose

Howliday Gift Guide (Part3)

One of the best gifts that can be given to yourself and those in need is the gift of your time. Every city and town have animal shelters that are usually desperate for volunteers. An online search will provide numerous opportunities to help make a difference. The Humane Society lists the following ways to help:

• Give a little bit- donate food, old blankets, towels or other needed supplies.
• Lend a hand- volunteer your time. Bathe or groom the animals, walk the dogs or play with the cats. Stuff envelopes for a mailing. Help publicize an event.
• Find that special someone-choose your next pet from a local shelter, which has many wonderful dogs and cats, in different shapes and sizes, all waiting for a permanent, loving home.
• Help spread the word-tell your friends about the shelter's services. Promote animal safety and responsible pet ownership.
• Be a responsible pet owner-keep current identification on your dog or cat at all times. Spay or neuter your pet. In addition to the basics- food, water, veterinary care- give your pet lots of love and affection.
• Vote for the animals-support legislation to protect animals. Contact government officials and urge them to support pro-animal legislation.
• Be a hero-report animal cruelty and neglect. You may prevent suffering and even may save a life.
• Teach your children well-instruct children in how to care for animals properly and how to treat them with kindness. Set an example by doing the same.

Happy Howlidays!

Howliday Gift Guide (Part 2)

While online, I discovered Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary a few years ago and was thrilled when they started their very own blog. The ranch is a sanctuary for disabled dogs, cats and horses, many  of which are blind, deaf or suffer from other issues such as muscular dystrophy. Steve Smith and Alayne Marker founded Rolling Dog Ranch in 2000 and have turned 160 acres into a loving sanctuary for the animals who are the least likely to be adopted and the first to be euthanized in traditional shelters.

"The sanctuary's disabled residents are remarkable animals. They are happy, energetic and loving. Many of our visitors can't believe the animals they see romping with each other and running around are blind or cope with some other kind of handicap. There isn't a single animal here who feels sorry for itself. Each and every one of them loves being alive. Despite their disabilities, they want nothing more than a chance to enjoy life. And that's what they get to do here."

Their is a special section on Rolling Dog Ranch's website where you can meet the animals. Their stories are really heart warming and inspiring and help me remember what is truly important. The sanctuary is a non-profit charitable organization supported entirely by private contributions. By donating to the Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary this holiday season you will help spread love and compassion to those that can teach us a lot about living.

Howliday Gift Guide (Part 1)

There are a lot of great holiday gift guides out there in blogland but I wanted to include a holiday gift guide to help the millions of animals in our country that are treated poorly and neglected. Instead of giving a gift that may eventually be broken or forgotten, why not give the gift of compassion and reach out to help these organizations that work tirelessly day after day to improve the lives of animals who are so dependant on us.

Pasados Safe Haven is located on 80 acres about an hour outside of Seattle Washington. Not only do they provide sanctuary to cows, sheep, horses, pigs, llamas, donkeys, cats and dogs, they vigilantly pursue cases of abuse and neglect, offer humane education classes, and operate a mobile spay/neuter clinic which has performed over 17,000 spay and neuters for free. Pasados Safe Haven is home to AARFF(the American Association of Retired Felines and Fidos) in which,"the old, the incontinent, the blind, deaf and arthritic...finally find a forever home..." Old cats and dogs are the first animals to be euthanized in shelters and millions are abandoned at shelters each year. "The sanctuary seeks to fill the voids left unanswered by other shelters...and brings the grey-muzzled and arthritic home to live out their golden years."

There are several ways to support the animals at Pasados Safe Haven which has received the highest rating from charity navigator(a non-profit watch dog group) for two years in a row. You can donate items from their Wish List which include items like warm dog beds and Petsmart and Costco gift cards. Or, you can sponsor one of the rescued animals and receive a color photograph of your "adopted" animal, a biography of their rescue, an invitation to visit and a certificate of "adoption". This sponsorship will help provide food and medical care and will help make a real difference for only $25. This is one of my all time favorite gifts to give or receive.