Animal Activist? Companion Care Provider?

That's funny because I am going on vacation in a few weeks to ST. George, Utah and while I am there, two of those days I am volunteering at Best Friends in Kanab. Best Friends is one of the biggest animal sanctuary's and they invite people to take tours, adopt an animal, or volunteer. Michael Vick's dogs are there and a couple have been rehabilitated and adopted. I am also going to exhibit my Heritage Makers storybooks at a Pet Parade in May so that people can hold on to their furry babies memories forever! Have a great weekend and Happy Easter! Melissa

Hey Brandi, thanks for the question. Both Judy and I are true animal lovers and it is "one" of our huge passions.

Over the years we have given both monetary and pro bono support as well. Sometime back we helped the Seattle Animal Shelter with their newsletter, and also assisted Delta Society with promotional materials and their annual report. I could go on and on.

Another great way is to follow them via Twitter. I have a few that I follow and when they are requesting general support or a specific need, a fantastic way to help them is a simple retweet.

Here are a few if anyone is interested.

biscuitfund

HumaneSociety

PAWSchicago

SSPets

That's just a few... I would love it if anyone else follows any organizations to post them here!

Well- our little dog certainly has a voice and she communicates better than most people I know!

However, she gives a lot and receives even more. She has a cushy home, spends the day sleeping on a sheepskin, running outside to "communicate" to whoever is happening to walk by and wating for one of us to take her to the park. No stress, no bills to pay, no cooking dinner, cleaning the house or doing the laundry.

She is very cute and devoted. She's totally happy to see us when we come home and incredibly excited when we go out anywhere. It's great for us to have such appreciation. I'd say things are very balanced and we make a big difference to each other. :)

Does spoiling 2 cats rotten count? My cats, Fred and Ginger, grew up in my dance studio and are not only people friendly, but assume everyone who comes to the door are there for the sole purpose of playing with cats. Although I do occasionally lock them out of the studio for students who prefer a cat free lesson, mostly their assessment is pretty accurate. Some students have been known to sign on for extra lessons because they can't bear the fate of no more Fred and Ginger in their lives.

LaurieAnn Lepoff Social Dance for Shy People & Klutzes

I spent two years working in communications and business development in animal welfare organizations including the San Francisco SPCA, Pets Unlimited, and Second Chance for Pets. Today, I am focusing on freelance writing and consulting for mid-sized and large business, but I continue to keep a hand in the animal welfare world, blogging at http://www.thenokillnation.com, editing for Nathan Winograd, the author of Redemption, and writing an occasional column for the Latham Foundation for Humane Education.

hi Brandi - thanks for this post. I am table captain for the www.whiskercityauction.com this coming Saturday in Lynnwood - supporting member April Brown's Whisker City cat rescue mission.

As you know, April pours her heart into this and if ANYONE is interested in attending, please contact me so you can join us at our table! It's Saturday, April 18th and we are doing a birthday celebration there too. Check out the Whisker City Auction website for more info - Shelly and the Curves will be playing there too - and they are fabulous!

I live on a back rocky beach of Alki Point. For years I was called Mother Goose because I cared for the then endangered species of Canada Goose.

My duties included feeding, petting, talking to them and delivering them to and from HOWL Wild Animal rescue shelter. They were allowed to come home to me because they mate for life and the mates would stay "with" me.

It all started with one banded pair and grew to 109 or approximately 3 gaggles. The banded "MOM" would even bring me the babies to feed, bond and talk with when they first came out of the nest. It was an annual ceremony where the gaggles would all move apart to let MOM and the babies from all three gaggles walk to me for hand feeding. (This was in July)

Canada Geese are loyal friends and loved me, my care and friendship. I quit the commraderie when the government began to cut the population by poisoning them with tainted bread, Bread had been a part of their daily treats... btw... too much bread isn't good for them. Poison bread is Unconscionable.

I now watch the geese from afar, even if they come to me, but still support HOWL when ever I can.

With Eyes to their Future... Dawn

PS... they do not like raisin bread! They would actaully spit it out, especially the raisins!

I am a huge animal advocate. It just tears me up inside to see any mis treatment. In fact, I was watching Chimp Eden with my girls last night and I was just appauled of the conditions some these animals are placed with/in. I am so so grateful there is a place like Chimp Eden - I'm Thankful for you and all your hard work. I work at teaching my children about compassion for other and animals I am a proud Mom when they want to take action in helping others thrive in a more positve enviroment. Blessing Sue

I'm allergic to animals so I don't have any now, but that didn't stop me when I was a kid being in horse, rabbit, goat and dog 4H. I had mini-lops, a saunin-nubian goat, bassest hound and an adopted appaloosa colt. I just spent a lot of time blowing my nose and medicated on allergy medicine.

Now, I donate to Peta and Defenders of Wildlife. I still love those furry friends.

Cheers to the animal lovers! Helen

Over the last 30 years or so we've had three cats, all rescues. Our first cat, Peanut, lived to be nearly 21 years old and was found starving, dirty, and flea and mite infested in the parking lot of our apartment complex. They say each person has one special pet and for us this was definitely Peanut. She was cuddly like a dog, chirped like a bird, sweet and lovable, and more understanding than most humans. Our other cats were/are great but they are definitely not Peanut. She died in 2006 of brain cancer and we almost immediately adopted another cat, feral kitten who weighed less than a pound at the time and who we adore. She fills the void somewhat (it's nice to come home to something small and fuzzy even if she has torn up the house) but we all still miss our little Peanut.

I've been donating my web-mastering time to a couple of animal organizations for a very long time now (going on 10 years).

That, and taking care of my corgi and two bunnies. :)

I have two wonderful rescue kitties that I adore. They are ao lucky to have come to a home where they are practically smothered with love and attention! I have helped www.gingerspetrescue.org pass the word on helping dogs in need (even helped save ones life), and donate to and support www.meowcatrescue.org and www.theittybittykittycommittee.com I will donate spa packages to just about any animal cause/auction.

Great topic, Brandi. As Bob said, one of our soft spots, beside kids, is the rescue of and caring for vulnerable animals.

I think it's crucially important to teach kids, the next generation, to care about the creatures that live with us in our eco-system.

When I taught a class of 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders in Ocean Shores, we were studying local animals and their habitats. I invited a volunteer from Olympic Wildlife Rescue to visit us. She brought Fifi, an opossum whose mother had been run over by a car. Incredibly, the babies in her pouch survived.

The kids wanted to do something to help the organization. In an integrated, direct experience project I came up with, we went to the local bank and asked for a loan to start a business. Our plan was to make notecards with paintings of local wildlife, sell them for profit, repay the bank loan, and donate the proceeds to Olympic Wildlife Rescue. That us what we did.

The kids reinforced their math skills (how much do we need to sell these cards for to cover the loan and interest and still make a profit?), reading and writing (create ads and stories to tell people about our business), science (learning more about animals and their habitats), etc.

But the best part was inviting the volunteer for OWR back to the classroom and presenting her with a check for $220. (Yes, we had that cheesy big cardboard check like the ones Adam Sandler's character collected in Happy Gilmore. After all, the newspaper was there to cover the story. Perhaps I was a budding entrepreneur even back then! )

From this project, those kids learned that no matter how small you are, you can make a difference.

Sorry to go on and on here, but Brandi's topic just made me remember this story.

Hello everyone. After years of working pushing paper from here to there for causes no one cared, I finally took the plunge and just opened my own law firm focused on animal rights (www.ecostarlaw.com), as well as a blog (www.ecostarlaw.wordpress.com) which will provide news on animal law and rights, as well as news. I hope to represent caretakers whose companion has been injured or killed through vet malpractice (happens more frequently than we think), or through a willful or negligent act (e.g., your neighbor shoots or runs over your dog), animal activists who have been arrested for peacefully demonstrating, etc. I will also help non-profits, at a discounted rate, who provide goods and/or services to animals.

In the end, I hope to change the way we treat animals and provide them with a voice, perhaps even give them the right to sue in court on their own behalf. Did you know we kill 10 BILLION animals every year to feed ourselves? Did you know the Humane Slaughter Act (?) gives animals (well some, chickens for example are excluded) the right to a humane death, but not a humane life?

Jean-Pierre,

That is an absolutely amazing story. You are my hero.

Are you on Twitter? Seems like that would be a good venue to get your message out. If you are, let me know. I'd love to follow you.

I am a HUGE animal lover and both of my dogs are rescued canines. My children and I have donated to the Whatcom Humane Society (www.whatcomhumane.org/, the Elephant Sanctuary (http://www.elephants.com/index.php) and other various animal organizations.

I can't imagine my life without my pets: 4 cats and 2 crazy dogs who are all spoiled rotten. All rescues from the Humane Society, SPCA, etc. I would love to do more to help animals and I plan to figure out how!

We have two dogs (the kids). My wife and I are members of a local shelter and we go and take out the dogs that are there for walks and treats. In addition, we give to animal causes. A few years ago we were alarmed that the area where the animals are looked over for adoption was so hot it was hard to stay. So we started a letter writing campaign with another member and the whole place was renovated.

Not tooting my own horn but if everyome did just one thing it would be a better place for these poor homeless pets.