Thursday, April 14, 2005
SOFT-30
Today’s SOFT post will be a little bit different. I want to put the spotlight on the “Featured Adoptable Pet” over there on the sidebar. I periodically look through the website and it’s hard. It’s actually harder for me than it was actually volunteering at the animal shelter. At least when I was volunteering, I knew I could give the dogs a couple of moments of happiness each day they were there as I took them out to exercise and play around or just let them be outside for crying out loud and be a dog. Looking at this site sometimes I think, “I can’t save them all” and it physically makes me hurt.
Well, I like this quote I’m pulling from this site:
"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do." ~ Helen Keller
I can’t do everything but I can try to do something. Posting a link to the Petfinder site is one small thing I can do. Discussing the absolute horror of animal abuse and how we really must take it seriously is another thing I can do. Posting photos of animals every Friday in hopes that we learn to appreciate them more is yet another thing I can do. I’m also going to look for another shelter to volunteer or work in around here.
But how do I reach people? How do I spread the word? By focusing on pet adoption for a day. We may not all be able to adopt a pet or another pet but that doesn’t mean that we still can’t do something to save at least ONE dog or cat or other animal from kill shelters. We can always donate. We can always give money to our local shelters or give them some of the goods they need like blankets and dog or cat food or other animal food or leashes and bowls and collars or pay for an animal to be spayed or neutered. We can also donate money to save an animal from a kill shelter to be placed in a no kill shelter. Sometimes the cost is as little as $33. We’ve all spent $33 on stuff...couple of CDs, some movies, dinner out, new clothes, gas for the car, etc. Can you imagine if we all were able to give $33 to an organization or animal shelter to help save the life....the LIFE of an unfortunate animal whose only crime was having shitty owners?
I encourage each of you who gives a damn about animals, who has had a favorite dog or cat or other critter in their life, who wants to do something good but doesn’t know what to do, to donate some money or other needs to the shelters in their area. It doesn’t even have to be in your state. You can donate to this site: Adopt A Rescue Pet or any other site out there on the web that helps animals who are in need of good, quality, loving, permanent homes.
I really have a hard time seeing precious animals like this:
This just isn’t right. This is not how this dog should be spending her life. She is supposed to be outside and playing and being part of a family. She should not be in this cage. This is not acceptable. You can’t adopt her? You can still help her or others like her with a small donation. Even if you only have $5 or $10...trust me, as one who worked at a shelter, every little bit helps.
Maybe you can think of her while you are out this weekend, out, free, going places, doing things, playing and having a good time. You see, this dog and so many more like her, cats, birds, rats, all kinds of animals, will be spending their weekend locked in a cage with cement floors in a shelter not knowing when and if they will ever get out and get to be free again.
Surely you have a couple of bucks you can spare.
