Ah, Spring. Don’t you just love it? I just can’t help feelin’ good when spring rolls around. This season always put a little more skip in my step, a little extra zing in my zippity-doo-dah. New grass, new flowers, new baby birds, new clothes, new shoes..new weight loss goals…. new fake tan…..oh wait, I’m getting off track here.
This year, spring brought us a new family member. Her name is Cricket. She’s a pound puppy. Cricket is like no other dog I’ve ever had; she’s little. I’ve always had big dogs. Dogs that can pull you down the street on roller skates, or who can swim through a big wave while chasing a stick. My dogs have always been able jump into the car without help, and see over the dashboard from the front seat. Not Cricket, she’s just a little bean. A lap doggie. An ankle biter.
In the 10 days we’ve had her, our little wiggly Cricket has been just a joy. She’s always happy to see us, adores her big lab brother, Riley, and puts up with all the rough love the kids can dish out. This week, we’re starting a class together – a good canine citizen class. Hopefully, we’ll learn not to growl at folks walking by our front porch, chew on the laptop power cord, and chase the cat. [Keep your fingers crossed for me, *sigh*.]
This year, spring brought us a new family member. Her name is Cricket. She’s a pound puppy. Cricket is like no other dog I’ve ever had; she’s little. I’ve always had big dogs. Dogs that can pull you down the street on roller skates, or who can swim through a big wave while chasing a stick. My dogs have always been able jump into the car without help, and see over the dashboard from the front seat. Not Cricket, she’s just a little bean. A lap doggie. An ankle biter.
In the 10 days we’ve had her, our little wiggly Cricket has been just a joy. She’s always happy to see us, adores her big lab brother, Riley, and puts up with all the rough love the kids can dish out. This week, we’re starting a class together – a good canine citizen class. Hopefully, we’ll learn not to growl at folks walking by our front porch, chew on the laptop power cord, and chase the cat. [Keep your fingers crossed for me, *sigh*.]
Though this little doggie has a new lease on life, the whimpers and sad eyes of the dogs we left behind at the shelter still haunt me. I wish I could open my own Dog Town and save ‘em all but instead, I guess I can do my part by parading my pint-sized pound puppy around at the dog park and encouraging folks to adopt a new best friend of their own from the local shelter.
The number of animals needing homes is really quite staggering. And, the sad reality is that, as the number of foreclosed properties in California swells, more and more animals are abandoned when families move to new locations that don’t allow pets, or when they find their financial situation too dire to continue caring for them.
So this spring, while you’re out tip-toeing through the tulips, ponder the myriad of ways to help an unwanted animal find a new life. Can’t adopt? Then consider coughing up a little dough to a favorite animal rescue (see my favorites below), or offering up a few volunteer hours to a local shelter. Or, maybe just help spread the good word of Bob Barker to spay or neuter pets. I promise it’ll make you feel good, and it’ll probably even put a little extra zing in your zippity-doo-dah too.
My Favorite Animal Rescues:
The number of animals needing homes is really quite staggering. And, the sad reality is that, as the number of foreclosed properties in California swells, more and more animals are abandoned when families move to new locations that don’t allow pets, or when they find their financial situation too dire to continue caring for them.
So this spring, while you’re out tip-toeing through the tulips, ponder the myriad of ways to help an unwanted animal find a new life. Can’t adopt? Then consider coughing up a little dough to a favorite animal rescue (see my favorites below), or offering up a few volunteer hours to a local shelter. Or, maybe just help spread the good word of Bob Barker to spay or neuter pets. I promise it’ll make you feel good, and it’ll probably even put a little extra zing in your zippity-doo-dah too.
My Favorite Animal Rescues:
http://www.theanimalifarm.com/ Animali Farm rescues horses who are a by product of the Premarin industry. Premarin is a drug prescribed to women to counter the effects of menopause. When these horses (usually a draft or draft-cross breed) can no longer be bred, they are sold at auction and often end up at the slaughter house. Although they are located locally in Santa Maria, they will help get your adopted horse anywhere in the world. An amazing couple of ladies run this rescue.
http://www.bunssb.org/ If I was a homeless bunny, I would want to hop hop hop to BUNS.
http://www.fetchingcompanions.org/ If you are a lab lover, you'll love Fetching Companions!
http://www.asapcats.org/ We found our Belle kitty at ASAP.
http://www.sbwcn.org/about.shtml The Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network cares for the injured wild animals in our area. From baby birds to orphaned sea lions, their volunteer crew does amazing work.
Yay for you! All my babies are rescued pets. And our last is Dakota, a parti-colored Pomeraniam, AKA ankle biter, growling at every passer byer, thinks he is ever bit as big as our big dogs! He LOVES our 120# Bluetick Counhound Riley, as well as the 60# shepard mix, Bandit. He has "had" us for a year and he is such a sweetie, even though I can't break him of bad habits. Because he was abused in a puppy mill, we can not dicipline him (or even the others in front of him) with the methods you do most dogs. But that is okay. We love him as is. He so deserves being spoiled after the frightful start of his life!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you posted and shared how others can help. Spreading the word is the best way to get people educated and rescue!
Happy Spring & Love to Ms Cricket!