Learning to Make a Difference

Mom and I were really uncertain about what we planned to write about today for the quarterly Blog the Change for Animals. We have lots of causes we believe in but we have written about them before. But today we saw an article about a really neat Summer Camp opportunity for kids at a Rescue in Washington State called Kitsap. We just happened to see about it on Twitter when it was retweeted by our friends at @WineCountryDog.

Mom and I think this is an incredible idea and we hope more rescue organizations are doing programs like this. They could very well be doing them and we just don't know. Why do we think this is important? Because this planet's future depends on us teaching the youth about what is important. -- learning to give back, the value of service, helping the less fortunate. Most of the ills of society are based on selfishness and greed pure and simple.

And to bring us back to the topic at hand, mom and me particularly feel that educating young people about the plight of homeless pets, what it takes to care for them, how valuable they are to teach us about love and humanity, the importance of spay, neuter and trap and release programs, and why adoption is so critical is priceless. That's why we think Be The Change for Animals is so important.

A Kitsap Camp Volunteer from the Kitsap Blog

Thanks primarily to social media, we are finding that we all CAN make a significant difference. World governments have changed and even in this country people have made a real difference by standing up AGAINST big business and FOR issues that need to be discussed. This means that the call to action on our part is more significant than ever and we can no longer sit back and think we can't make a difference.

On this day that has been set aside to write and discuss issues that are critical to supporting animals in our society, let's remember we CAN make a difference now more than ever.

"I looked at all the caged animals in the shelter...the cast-offs of human society. I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness and betrayal. And I was angry. "God," I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?" God was silent for a moment and then He spoke softly. I have done something," He replied. "I created you." 

                               ~The Animals' Savior Copyright Jim Willis 1999

Eating Responsibly

We wanted share another great infographic from my friends at Pet365. This one is really important for our health. I know we all love our noms but hopefully our humans are careful to make sure we don't eat so much that we aren't healthy!

Pet obesity graphic produced by Matt Beswick for Pet365 - a UK stockist of dog coats, collars and accessories. Click here to view the full post.

Put Your Paw Down!

You may all recall what happened the last and only time mom tried to dress me up for Howl-oween, but it appears there are even humans who realize the injustice. For all of you pets that still suffer the humiliation, I want to share this video from yesterday's CBS Sunday Morning.




Happy Howl-oween to all - costumed or not!

Okey's Promise - the Next Project

If you remember mom went to the Shorty Awards in 2010 because her @VAStateParks twitter account was a finalist. She shared a room with Vicki Boatright, perhaps better known by her artist name BZTAT, and they got to know each other. Since then she saw her at BarkWorld Expo 2010 and Blog Paws just a couple of weeks ago. While she was at Blog Paws she found out about the next Okey's Promise project.

BZTAT discusses Okey's Promise at Blog Paws

Maybe you do not know about the first Okey's Promise project. BZTAT used Kickstarter to raise money for a mural that would be painted on a building in Canton, Ohio where she lives. The way Kickstarter works is that people promise (they call it a pledge) to donate a certain amount of money to a project and IF they raise the goal amount, the people pay their money. BZTAT calls the donors Promise Keepers which both Mom and I like a lot. You can donate as little as $1 or as much as you want. Mom was one of the Promise Keepers for the mural which was officially unveiled last month.

The name of the mural is "Safe Animals and Safe Kids."

Safe Animals and Safe Kids

Original Artwork by BZTAT

Okey is one of BZTAT's cats, one she rescued from a parking lot who had been badly mistreated. Okey has a good life now but she still exhibits behaviors related to her earlier life. Okey was BZTAT's inspiration to raise awareness about the connection between animal abuse and child abuse. Where there is animal abuse there is often children and spousal abuse. Sometimes the animal will be threatened as a way to psychologically abuse the human victims.

 Okey, photo by BZTAT

Okey's promise: Make the world a better place for children AND animals.

BZTAT has launched another Kickstarter project. Mom and I have already become new promise keepers. We think BZTAT describes the project and her goals the best in this short video:

I think this new artwork sounds like it will be amazing. Please help BZTAT take it from a concept to art that calls attention to this issue by offering hope by telling a story of survival and resilience.

What can you do?

Go to Kickstarter and become a Promise Keeper in any amount.

Tell your friends and family. Tweet it, post it on Facebook and Google+, blog about it. Okey's Promise can be found on Facebook by clicking here.

There are only eleven days left to make a difference by helping BZTAT reach the $6,000 goal.

I went to BlogPaws and spent the conference in my room

There is a first for everything and BlogPaws was a lot of firsts for me: my first hotel, my first elevator and my first experience with a lot of dogs and people I don't know. I was on sensory overload and I didn't do well.

 Sheraton Premiere at Tyson Corners -

my barking really echoed under this canopy

We tried the play room and sweet little me was over aggressive. I barked too much when I heard people in the hall.

 Here are some dogs enjoying the Play Room without me 

The first day mom stayed in the room with me because due to Hurricane Irene she had to do a lot of work telling people some of her Virginia State Parks are closed.

At least I can say the bed was real comfy

So I thought I was maybe calming down so mom had dad bring me down after the sessions to meet some of my pals' staff. I saw mom and kind of went nuts. I did get to meet some people like @tildatoo but it was back to the room pretty quick.

Maybe I need a doggie day care a few days a week.

 Dad visited the exhibit area 

 Dad met @CosmoHavanese 

Anyway mom had some good sessions about how to do better video, how to write a proposal and she learned a lot about legal stuff like copyrights, endorsements and contests.

Dad went swimming lots of times in the neat indoor pool and also took most of the pictures.

 

Hot tub 

 Pool 

Mom's favorite part was at lunch Saturday when her friend @BZTAT talked about Oakey's Promise her Canton Mural to bring awareness to the link between animal cruelty and child and domestic abuse. BZTAT talked about using Kickstarter for fund raising for the project. Mom got to stand up as one of the Promise Keepers who helped in a small way to make the project possible.

BZTAT talks about Oakey's Promise

A very talented young lady named Miah Thornton did a dance to describe the story of Oakey's rescue that led BZTAT to decide to start the project.

 Miah Thornton performs at BlogPaws

BZTAT has started a new project at Kickstarter for a traveling artwork on the same theme. We will be writing more about that soon.

We leave tomorrow as soon as we know the roads are okay after Hurricane Irene.

Snuggling with My Humans

If I had to list my absolute favorite things to do (not counting food related activities), they would be in this order:

1. Swimming
2. Fetching Sticks
3. Chewing on bones
4. Playing with toys
5. Snuggling with my humans

Okay, so this post is about #5 but since it seems to be #1 on their list, I thought I would humor them. I have found that humoring them = more of #1-4 plus food related stuff.

Even though it's #5, I have to say I love waking up every day like this:



My mom may look like she is asleep in the bottom 3 pictures but she took the pictures with her Blackberry.

Fortunately since the kitties are still scared of me, I don't have to share the bed with them, although I would love snuggling with them.