Petopia

Please Tell Ten Friends: Click Button to Feed Rescue Animals -- Really?

Here's the text of a recent email that I received today:

Subject: Please do this for the SPCA - literally one second of your time!

Hi, all you animal lovers! This is  pretty simple... Please ask ten friends to each ask a further ten today! The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily so they can meet their quota of getting FREE FOOD donated every day to abused and neglected animals. It takes less than a minute (about 15 seconds) to go to their site and click on the  purple box 'fund food for animals for free'. This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising. Here's the web site! Please pass it along to people you know.  

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

Being the skeptic that I am, I always turn to my favorite Urban Legends site to check out emails of this nature. This time though I was pleased to see that the link to site appeared as the last line of the email message -- it read: "SNOPES  = http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/charity/animalrescue.asp"

I thought that was a very clever addition, probably saves a lot of these emails from just being deleted outright. If you visit Urban Legends you will learn that some version of this email has been circulating at least since 2003 and that yes, this claim is true -- you can help donate food to abused, neglected, and abandoned animals by clicking a button on the web site. You can also check out this email at the Hoax-Slayer site article: Animal Rescue Site Email Forward.

So, if you'd like to help a worthy cause, go ahead and click over to The Animal Rescue Site and click on the "Click Here to Give" button. Return to the site daily, pass this information on to your friends and shop in the Animal Rescue Site store for maximum impact.

Holiday Cards and Gifts that Benefit Animal Charities

These days e-greetings are becoming increasingly popular. I think that's due to several reasons: e-greetings are convenient and easy to send, they save money and they are ecologically responsible. But they don't quite live up to the pleasure of sending and receiving a printed card -- in my opinion. If you like to mail your holiday greetings you can buy cards that benefit worthy animal non-profit organizations.

There are many animal charities that offer dog- and cat-themed holiday and Christmas cards. I recently wrote about Puppies Behind Bars Cards: Holiday Gifts That Support a Cause. I also suggest that you read Holiday Cards That Help, a great article at Guidepost that profiles 5 groups that offer cards: ASPCA, Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Canine Companions for Independence, Humane Society of the United States, and The Animal Rescue Site. Also, I just got notice this morning that the ASPCA store is offering an additional incentive with 20% off their entire online store, December 9 through 16 -- plus free shipping!

All these groups depend on financial support from the public and this is an important time of year for them to raise some much needed funds. So when you're planning your holiday mailings and gift list, consider giving with a cause this year.
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Related reading: The Animal Activist's Handbook: Maximizing Our Positive Impact in Today's World and also Kids Making a Difference for Animals

World Wildlife Fund Gift of Life: Adopt a Polar Bear

Here's a great gift idea for a child (or any animal lover): adopt (symbolically speaking) one of 100 species of wildlife through the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). It's a simple as choosing the animal that you think the child would most like and then choose the amount of donation you'd like to make. For example if the child loves polar bears, you could make a $25 contribution and the gift would be a formal adoption certificate and a photo of a polar bear. For a contribution of $100, the gift would also have a frame for the photo and certificate and a plush polar bear, all in a gift box.

Polar bears are the world's largest terrestrial carnivores. With sea ice melting earlier and forming later each year, polar bears have less time to hunt and their survival has become threatened. WWF remains the primary international conservation organization protecting wildlife. What child wouldn't love knowing that they were helping save the beautiful polar bears?

If you don't know which of the animals to choose, send a gift adoption card. The recipient can use the card to select whichever animal he'd like to adopt. Either way the child will be delighted and will take great pride in knowing that he is helping protect and care for these animals.

This is a gift that can help lead a child to a lifetime of caring about and loving animals. It's a gift that helps instill a reverence for nature and an interest in conserving wildlife. And isn't that a wonderful lifelong gift?
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Related book: The World of the Polar Bear

Gift idea: ASPCA Christmas Tree Ornaments for Cat or Dog

The holidays are approaching and gift selection anxiety is rising. Gifts that help support a cause make both the giver and the receiver feel better about the whole exchange. The ASPCA "works to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws and share resources with shelters nationwide." Read more about the ASPCA. Buying items at the ASPCA store helps support the organization.

Here are two Christmas tree ornaments that make great gifts for your pet or for an animal loving friend. The Personalizable Cat Ornament is a glass ball ornament with "CATS make a house a HOME" on one side and a large pawprint on the other. It comes with a marker so you can personalize it with a name and date and it's topped with pawprint ribbon bow.

The Personalizable Dog Ornament reads "DOGS make a house a HOME" on one side and has a large bone print on the other. It's topped with pawprint ribbon bow and can also be personalized with the included marker.

Each ornament is $15 which is a reasonable price for a nice gift and a meaningful contribution for a good cause. Think about how many of the people on your gift list would like one of these ornaments and start crossing off names. Can you feel your gift selection anxiety easing off?

ASPCA Announces Winners of the 2009 Humane Awards

Ten remarkable animals and people, including a piano-playing cat and the task force who participated in the largest dog fighting raid in U.S. history, will be honored for their heroic deeds at this year's ASPCA(R) (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(R) Humane Awards Luncheon in New York City. The awards ceremony recognizes animal heroes that have demonstrated extraordinary efforts, as well as individuals who made a significant impact in the lives of animals during the past year.

The ASPCA Cat of the Year is Nora, I cat I wrote about a few months ago: Nora, The Piano Playing Cat and Author. Nora was adopted from a shelter and became a YouTube sensation by playing the piano. Nora has penned several books for example My Story: A Picture Book.

The ASPCA "Tommy Monahan" Kid of the Year award is dedicated to Tommy Monahan, a 9-year-old Staten Island boy who perished in 2007 trying to save his pet from a house fire. Eleven-year-old Monica Plumb in Powhatan County, Virginia, decided to make a real difference after seeing a news story about a pet that was saved from a house fire due to the use of an oxygen pet mask. Monica launched PetMask.com to collect online donations to purchase pet masks for fire departments, and has since purchased more than 50 mask kits for fire stations in nine different states. Monica is truly an inspiration for other young people and a beacon for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Read more about the remarkable award winners in this ASPCA press release.
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Related reading: Animal Heroes: True Rescue Stories.

Rescue Ink: Tattooed Men on a Mission to Rescue Animals

It's been a year and a half since I wrote Rescue Ink: Tattooed Men Add Spice to Animal Rescue. They are still a bunch of tattooed motorcycle-riding tough guys on a mission to save animals in danger. These tough guys get tough on fighting animal abuse and neglect. As they say: "We're not a gang, vigilantes or a social organization, but we do have that certain 'in your face' style when it comes to animal abusers." They've always been a very active group and these guys are now busier than ever.

While they acknowledge they can't rescue all the animals, they do what they can rescuing one at a time. They estimate that:

In the last couple of years, Rescue Ink has saved thousands of dogs, cats, birds, horses, even pigs and chickens. Some are hands-on operations, like the “cat house” with more than 150 felines in residence, or the pig rescuer who needed help corralling a couple of enraged sows. Other efforts raise awareness, from anti-puppymill marches to caravans to help overwhelmed shelters.

Read some of Rescue Ink success stories here. Rescue Ink now has their own television program, Rescue Ink Unleashed on National Geographic Fridays 10pm and they recently published a book: Rescue Ink: How Ten Guys Saved Countless Dogs and Cats, Twelve Horses, Five Pigs, One Duck,and a Few Turtles which has gotten great reviews from readers at Amazon.

These tough guys with a heart are a delight. Good job and keep going!

Video: Suryia and Roscoe, Orangutan and Hound, are Unlikely Best Friends

Suryia and Roscoe reside at T.I.G.E.R.S Preservation Station (a preserve for endangered animals) in Myrtle Beach, SC. These two crossed paths several years ago and they instantly became inseparable. How did that happen?

One day the director and orangutan rode an elephant down to the river where they encountered a thin, stray Blur Tick hound dog. The hound dog and orangutan took one look at each other and then ran to embrace, hug and play. The hound dog followed them home to the preserve where Suryia gave some of his monkey biscuits to Roscoe (as he became known). To this day, Suryia shares his food with Roscoe. This video show them playing, running and swimming together. Their love and caring for each other is very evident -- what fun to watch!

They have gotten lots of press including appearances on the Today Show, Oprah and on the National Geographic Channel's show "Odd Couple."

The popularity of their story helps to raise awareness of and support for the Rare Species Fund (RSF). RSF was established to provide funding to critical on the ground international wildlife conservation programs. RSF receives its financing through The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species. They couldn't ask for better ambassadors. See more delightful Suryia and Roscoe photos here. Enjoy the video.

Learn more: Orangutans: Wizards of the Rain Forest.

2009 Iams Home 4 the Holidays Campaign Goal: Adoption for 1.5 Homeless Shelter Pets

Between now and January 4, 2010 Iams Home 4 the Holidays (IH4TH) program hopes to find loving homes for 1.5 million orphaned, abandoned animals. This year's campaign ambassador is Hilary Swank and Iams' project partner is the Helen Woodward Animal Center along with an additional 3,500 animal organizations from around the world. 

It's estimated that there are 8 million homeless animals in the U.S. This campaign will raise awareness about the need for pet adoption and provide resources and tips to help pet parents make informed adoption decisions. Every family who adopts a pet through the program will receive an Iams adoption kit and DVD loaded with important information about nutrition, training and proper care of their adopted pet.

As one of the most successful pet adoption programs in the world, IH4TH partners with thousands of animal organizations dedicated to finding forever homes for orphaned pets. Founded by Helen Woodward Animal Center and supported by Iams, IH4TH began in 1999 with just 14 participating animal shelters in San Diego County. Since it began 11 years ago, IH4TH - along with nearly 3,500 pet adoption centers - has helped more than 3,278,143 families experience the joy of pet adoption, including 1.2 million pet adoptions last year alone. For more information, please visit Iams Home 4 the Holidays. Show your support by helping spread the word, by adopting, volunteering, or donating.
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Related reading: One at a Time: A Week in an American Animal Shelter and the beautiful photo book, Shelter Dogs.

Montgomery Animal Shelter / Huntington Beach Humane Society Closing, Please Help by Adopting Animals -- Really?

This is just the sort of subject that grabs my attention when I scan my email. Recently I got an email alerting me that an animal shelter in New Jersey was closing tomorrow!! Two exclamation points emphasized the urgency of this message. The email informed me that people could adopt the next day for free and that all animals left without a home would be euthanized. 80 dogs and 30 cats needed homes now!!

I read this type of email with a bit a skepticism as too many of them are proven to be urban legends or myths. So I always turn to snopes.com and do a search. Sure enough I found this "story" under Gimme Shelter and they concluded that this is a false email. Please read their post for full details on how they reached this conclusion.

Even though this email was not true, it provides a good opportunity to remind everyone know that animal shelters across the country are full to over-flowing. While none are likely to close their doors and euthanize all their animals, they are in dire need of help. If you can provide a loving home for a pet, contribute money or pitch in and give them some time, contact your local animal shelter and help them out.
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Related reading: One at a Time: A Week in an American Animal Shelter.

Dogs Can Provide Therapy for People

When a young boy was depressed, only Alex, the certified therapy dog, could help. That's the touching story in a recent Guideposts article: The Boy Who Needed Alex; A young student no one could reach...that is, no person (written by Lori Shaw). Alex, on a routine weekly visit to the school, "discovered" the young boy and realized he needed attention. Read the full article for Alex's story.

Certified therapy dogs are provided by Therapy Dogs International, Inc. (TDI). TDI is a volunteer organization dedicated to regulating, testing and registration of therapy dogs and their volunteer handlers for the purpose of visiting nursing homes, hospitals, other institutions and wherever else therapy dogs are needed. To belong to TDI all dogs must be tested and evaluated by a Certified TDI Evaluator. Each dog must pass a temperament evaluation for suitability to become a Therapy Dog. Currently over 20,000 dog/handler teams are registered with TDI.

While most dogs are not officially certified that doesn't mean they don't help. All pet owners discover in time that pets are very therapeutic. If you've ever had a particularly bad day you may find that your dog shows you extra attention and gives you more licks in your face. Cats are also sensitive to human needs. My husband came home from the hospital and went straight to bed where our cat immediately curled up with him, nudging his face and purring and staying at his side. Do you have any stories to share of how your pet helps you through difficult times?

TDI therapy dogs wear a TDI bandana. If you see one, give him an extra pat on the head -- they deserve our praise and admiration.
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Related reading: Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others.