Sadly, too many of these high-energy pets end up in shelters, abandoned through no fault of their own, because the owners weren’t aware of this simple issue: high energy in pets, just like in kids, must be managed/burned off first in order for the pet to be able to focus, listen to you, and behave. Without this simple management tool, you fail your pet and put his life in jeopardy if you end up surrendering him to a shelter. Shelters typically classify high-energy pets as unadoptable and end up euthanizing them. So listen up – the fix is simple and immediate and makes everyone’s life better!

It’s so simple and easy to manage your pet’s high energy, if you understand the difference between “suppressing” your pet’s high energy and “burning it off.” Consider this — have you traveled on a really long flight, and well into the flight you find yourself getting antsy? Your legs begin to twitch, your feet tap, you constantly shift position in your seat? That’s built-up energy, an actual physical thing, not a made-up saying. Can you convince yourself to ignore the twitching and just sit still? Of course not. Built-up energy needs to be managed, not ignored or suppressed. You have to get up and move around, shake it off, literally burn it off, before you can go back to your seat and sit quietly, comfortably, and focused.

Look at young kids – without regular exercise and physical activity, they get antsy, wiggly, and what happens then? Well, if the parents just order them to “sit still” or “be quiet,” they can’t. The kids begin to act out and get into trouble. It’s not because they want to get into trouble; it’s because they are being controlled by pent-up, unmanaged energy. It’s actually not their fault. It’s the parents’ job to help manage/diffuse their kids’ pent-up energy. And, generally, drugs are not the answer. It’s a simple biological issue — just get them active and burn off the energy. Likewise, for pets, it’s the owners’ job to manage the pets’ level of energy to keep the pet in a better state of behavior, focus, and comfort.

The body’s energy cannot be just ignored; the body continues producing more and more energy, and the energy keeps piling up inside, energy on top of energy. The ONLY way to eliminate all this increasing energy is to physically work it off. It’s the same with animals; except animals can’t rationalize that, so it’s all on the owners to take charge of this issue.

Regular small bursts of exercise is the answer. One or two or more times a day, 20-30 minute bursts of activity are all that’s needed to diffuse excess built-up energy. With the excess high energy burned away, you and your pet can both relax and de-stress better. Your pet becomes more focused and trainable, and you become more at ease and patient.

Another benefit of managing your pet’s energy is that, once the built-up energy is diffused, your pet will be able to focus better on you and actually hear you and absorb training. You’ll have an infinitely better behaved pet if you make exercise a regular part of your routine. And not just a leisurely stroll down the driveway or a quick pottie break in the back yard, but an actual 20-30 minutes of vibrant activity – a run around the block, fetch with his favorite kong toy, swimming in the pool, etc.

Or, if weather prevents you from getting outside, you can still play inside – tag up and down the halls, wrestling on the bed, tug of war with a rope toy, climbing up and down the stairs, etc. Get creative – whatever gets his heart rate up and circulation going for 20-30 minutes will help burn off the energy. One, two, even three or more times a day depending on your pet’s energy level. No big marathon runs or workouts needed. You’ll find these daily little bursts of activity are lifesavers – you and your pet will both be so much happier and relaxed. Burning off energy also burns off tension, stress, and anxiety. Everyone wins!

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008.  Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post Take Control Of Your Pet’s High Energy appeared first on BareFootPets.

Especially not the pets locked away on death row in high-kill shelters, with the clock quickly ticking, and not the rescuers trying to figure out how to save them. You must adopt a mind-set to act quickly and figure out details later, such as possible behavior issues, medical issues, etc. Sadly, high-kill “shelters” still operate all over the country; so, as a rule, you don’t have time to think about rescuing a pet, like I thought I did with Ramona (see earlier post “It Should Not Have Ended This Way”).

You need to act first and figure it all out later–learn to power rescue.

A Rose by Any Other Name?

Don’t be fooled about “shelters.”  Too many of them are anything but.  “Shelter” is too often code for “killing machine.”  People need to be aware that way too many shelters in our country are still high-kill and operate under old, close-minded protocols, using euthanasia as their first choice to manage animal population.  They extinguish precious animals’ lives, and justify the murders by blaming fake reasons, such as lack of kennel space, lack of people willing to adopt, the animal has behavioral issues, the animal is fearful, etc.  Of course an animal is fearful — look where he is!!  The chaos, the smell of death in the hallways, fear of all the strange people and other caged animals around him.  But take him out and away from those halls of hell and watch him blossom.  Sadly, “shelters” still exist that won’t be bothered to give animals in their supposed care such a chance.  In these cases, the shelters aren’t shelters at all–they’re killing machines.

Whose Job Is It, Anyway?

Another thing “shelters” do is put the responsibility and blame on us, the public, whether the animals live or die.  They assign animals an arbitrary 72 hours to live, then pretty much just sit back and wait.  If no one steps up to adopt or rescue him within the 72 hours, the “shelter” feels justified in killing the poor animal–as if they had no choice, they were forced, it’s not their fault. The beautiful mama lab in this photo, ironically named Hope, and her newborn pups–every last precious one of them–were murdered by the shelter.  Instead of protecting them and finding homes for them, in the way that “sheltering” means, the “shelter” decided it was easier and more cost-effective to just get rid of them.  Even though rescue organizations were standing by, offering and begging for the lives of this innocent family, the “shelter” took the shameful way out, and killed them, all of them, one by one.

Certainly not all shelters are this cold and ugly, but sadly too many still are.  Truth is, it should be squarely on the shelters to advocate for the animals–it’s their job–to set up new programs that pro-actively prepare the shelter animals behaviorally and health-wise so they have the best possible chance at finding caring, responsible new homes; and to create public and media outreach programs that make more people aware of the pets needing homes, and encourage those folks to foster and/or adopt. Nathan Winograd, founder of No Kill Advocacy, has a regular blog that addresses the failure of shelters nationwide to show compassion toward the animals they have charge over.  Nathan created the No-Kill design that truly saves the lives of shelter animals, not kills them behind closed doors.  Visit these links to learn more.  I’ve spoken about Nathan and the No Kill Advocacy in previous posts.  Their efforts have resulted in profound improvements nationwide in sheltering.  Because of them, “a no-kill nation is within our reach.”

Learn To Power Rescue.

To anyone who considers getting involved in pet rescue, know this: You Must Be Prepared To Go All-In. There is no halfway. Prepare yourself to act quickly so that situations like poor Ramona and Hope don’t happen should you hesitate. Prepare yourself to be flexible because you typically will not know the behavioral or medical history of most pets you will rescue, so you’ll be dealing on a daily basis with many unknowns.  Learn ahead of time what you can to be best prepared to handle tough situations.  You’re going to need every bit of emotional, mental, and physical strength you can draw upon.

Above all, prepare your heart.  Rescue is an extreme labor of love that will change you from the inside out.  Once you commit to saving and protecting these vulnerable lives from those who would hurt them, and experience the power in this simple act of love, you will never be the same.  And, while it will hurt like hell, that’s a good thing.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post Learning To Power Rescue. appeared first on BareFootPets.

Pretty much everyone has that one challenging person to gift at Christmas.  It may be your neighbors whom you don’t know all that well, your pastor, a far-away grandparent, even your wealthy boss who needs nothing you could possibly afford.  Or maybe you want to acknowledge people you don’t really know but who provide services throughout the year that you’d like to thank them for:  your grocer, postman, etc.

Make It Truly Count.

Whenever gift-giving seems frustrating and impossible, here’s the ideal gift solution:  Make a charitable donation to an animal welfare organization on behalf of that person.  This way, your money is put to use for the greatest good for animal welfare instead of being wasted on something the person probably doesn’t need or even want.  They will be honored that you’ve acknowledged them in such a kind and thoughtful way; you will get to claim the gift as a tax deduction; and the animals will receive the desperately needed benefit of your support.

Need Some Ideas?

Here is a short list of some very worthwhile animal welfare organizations that can really use your gift for the best of the animals.  And remember — every dollar counts, no gift is too small.  Once you’ve made your donation, all you need to do then is send your person a Christmas card letting them know a donation has been made — in their name — to the animal welfare organization you chose.

Mercy For Animals  (www.mercyforanimals.org)

Milagro Senior Pet Refuge  (www.milagropets.org)

American Wild Horse Campaign  (www.americanwildhorsecampaign.org)

Soi Dog Foundation  (www.soidog.org)

Alley Cat Allies  (www.alleycat.org)

No Kill Advocacy Center  (www.nokilladvocacycenter.org)

There are many more outstanding organizations advocating for animals. This short list can help get you started.

Merry Christmas and God Bless Your Giving!

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post Christmas Giving To Bless Us All. appeared first on BareFootPets.

“The fidelity of a dog is a precious gift demanding no less binding moral responsibilities than the friendship of a human being.  The bond with a dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth can ever be.”

~  Konrad Lorenz

… The Cat Says Ditto.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post The Fidelity Of A Dog. appeared first on BareFootPets.

God created the heavens, the earth, and the animal world first (Genesis 1:25).  Then He created man and assigned us dominion over the animal world (Genesis 1:26).  Nowhere in these verses does God mandate cruelty, neglect, exploitation, slaughter, torture, and extermination.  Think about it — God created man in His own image, which means we were born of love and compassion.  There is no evil or cruelty or malice or indifference in God; therefore, neither was there evil or cruelty or malice or indifference within us at that moment, because we were made in His image.  So God’s Word implies that our dominion over the animals would follow God’s example of love and compassion.

God’s Intention.

Sadly, we perverted God’s intentions for the care of the animal world.  Shame on us.  God intended us to watch over the animal world with kindness and compassion, just as He watches over us.  If we are to fulfill God’s word, then we would act with love and compassion toward all things, human and animal both, as He first intended. During the Creation, God did not instruct us to kill and eat animals or treat them for sport and exploitation.  Genesis 1:29-31 reveals that God never intended animals to be our food source.  In truth, He provided the original garden with all the food and water we needed (Genesis 2:8-9).  All that we needed grew from the earth — herbs, seed, fruit, etc. (Genesis 1:29-31), and probably it never even occurred to us at that point to even look on animals as food.  God says nothing about butchering the animals He had created.  It was Man who distorted God’s intentions, causing the ultimate fall from grace that changed everything.

Our Failure.

Since our fall from grace, we have become a species that spoils everything we touch with rabid and greedy indifference for the suffering it brings.  We have become the animal world’s biggest enemy, no longer its watchkeeper as God intended.  Torturous farm agriculture, hideous and unspeakable live meat markets, shameful egotistical trophy hunting, useless and heartbreaking lab experiments, cruelty for sexual perversion, dog fighting, cock fighting, bull fighting, poaching, ambushing innocent dolphins and baby seals, rounding up sacred wild horses and shipping them off to Mexican butchers, slaughter for fur and vanity, puppy mills, hoarders, roadside zoos, using euthanasia for population control, careless commercial fishing practices, irresponsible and outdated pet sheltering policies, and the list goes on ad nauseum.

My Prayer.

My prayer every single day is that God will change our hearts and bring us back to the beginning.  Yes, that’s a big ask.  But I pray it anyway.  I know God can, and I believe that He will.  In the meantime, good people continue to advocate for the animal world and more benign, protective oversight; and slowly the pendulum is turning.  Every single life saved is a victory and a sign of hope and prayers answered.

As I stated on the home page of my Milagro Senior Pet Refuge website — “Lord, bless these precious lives you’ve placed in our care, and please be especially loving to those who never do find help in this life.” ?

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post The Genesis Of Animal Welfare. appeared first on BareFootPets.

Some very unfortunate writings have come to my attention, writings by authors who appear to be politically motivated students of socialism, attempting, unbelievably, to insert a slanted racial bias into the realm of shelter pet rescue, of all things.  Having read enough excerpts from each of these books to soundly reject their precepts, I feel compelled to comment on my own behalf in defense of animal welfare and shelter pet rescue.  I make a deliberate point of not naming the books and their authors’ names here so as to avoid giving them “free advertising” on my blog in light of their discriminatory opinions.  [More detailed discussion, if desired, can be found on Nathan Winograd’s >blog<.  Mr. Winograd is the founder of No Kill Advocacy, which exists to dispel outdated and barbaric shelter programs that still choose euthanasia as a primary tool for pet population control.  He is infinitely more qualified than me to speak directly to this important issue.]

Following is my very personal and cautionary response.

Educated Guess.

As I begin this response, I acknowledge that I cannot know what is in the authors’ hearts on this subject.  I can only respond based upon my interpretation of their writings.  I perceive they write with distinct social and political bias, so I will tailor my response accordingly.

You’re Kidding Me With This, Right?

In a nutshell, the authors suggest that low-income minorities are incapable of caring properly for pets because of apparent oppression, white supremacy, and racism; and thus should be given a pass when they abuse, neglect, and even kill their animals.  This mindset is horribly skewed.  It is this kind of divisive thought, purposely perpetuated generationally on low-income minorities, that blocks any chance for positive opportunity and change.

Let’s Break It Down.

The beautiful and simple basis for my response is this:  animal welfare and pet rescue are driven by the goodness in people’s hearts, the fundamental compassion naturally born within.  Pure as the God-given gift of love.  But these authors conspire to undermine the primary thrust of animal welfare movement for their own vanity, much like abortionists.  They promote a hateful ideology, and not only forgive the actors who embrace it, but cheer them, in order to beat down inherent, organic good.  The authors themselves even admit to socialist bias and a complete inability to be impartial.  Their words, not mine.

Indoor, well cared for pets are not the product of only privileged, white homes as claimed by the authors.  Well-cared-for pets are a reflection of love and care, in whatever race or community the pets’ family exists.  And abused, neglected, or surrendered animals are not victims of only impoverished races/people.  They are a result of ill programming such as found in these authors’ books.

Anyone can be taught to care lovingly for their pets.  That’s one of the reasons the No Kill Advocacy, among many benevolent organizations, exists – to educate and encourage.  Compassion and kindness and mercy are not unique to only white-privilege neighborhoods.  Everyone, of all races, has the capacity to love and be kind – and to be taught how to show such love and kindness to their pets.  These qualities are inherent in every human heart – until folks like these authors make it their mission to denigrate.

People who rescue do it with compassion, mercy, and kindness – qualities that the human species is inherently born with.  To be able to embrace these authors’ perspectives, the natural God-given qualities of compassion, mercy, and kindness would first need to be deliberately stripped from one’s psyche, from their very fiber.

Educated For Show.

These authors’ perspectives admittedly serve only to perpetuate a hate-filled narrative of racism which, in even the broadest analysis, has no bearing whatsoever on animal welfare and shelter pet rescue.  One of these authors, specifically, by her own admission in her book, acknowledges point-blank her personal prejudice and socialist agenda.  She is in essence, then, simply spewing venom upon a mission of mercy that has nothing to do with social academics and political persuasion.

People are not born racist and cruel – they must be programmed — by environmental and/or generational influence, but also certainly by people who continually perpetuate division and contention between races.  In the absence of such propagandists putting forth divisive hatred, no one would see another’s skin color.  No one would push for euthanizing shelter pets when life-affirming measures are in place and readily available — because the natural and inherent first impulse of the heart is to love.  Kindness is in our DNA.  Love does no harm.

Love Is More Than A Four-Letter Word.

Love is a universal action word.  People dedicated to animal welfare and pet rescue act out of genuine love to save animals – no more, no less.  No ulterior agendas, nothing political.  Authors with politically-begotten degrees attempt to impress people with their education, when in fact all they do is degrade goodness.  All it takes to save an animal’s life is a kind heart — simple as that.  It does not take a college degree or political persuasion.  And a kind heart is not unique to white-only citizens in affluent communities.  All human races are born to love.  No book and no critical analyses are needed.  It’s just love.  To try to cast animal welfare and shelter pet rescue in a politically or socially complex light, or any other misleading light, is fraudulent, even abhorrent from truth.

I understand the authors’ likely desire to gain notoriety and profits from their college degrees, but I respectfully caution readers to be very, very discerning about following such self-described experts who maliciously undermine the basic goodness of animal welfare and shelter pet rescue in order to exalt personal egos.  At the end of the day, saving lives is simply about compassion, kindness, and love, in its purest form.  I would encourage these authors to examine your hearts and, if you truly believe the system does not work effectively for minorities and low-income pet owners, then please find a way to put your college degrees to better use by setting aside your prejudices and racial bias, and instead support us in shelter pet rescue to make a better way for the animals.  We can always use the help.

I also respectfully recommend the Bible in contrast to those books discussed above.  It is intended for Everyone equally.

• A righteous man regards the life of his beast.  Proverbs 12:10.
• Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings and not one of them is forgotten before God? Luke 12:6.
• Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love boasts not itself, is not puffed up; love does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; rejoices not in injustice, but rejoices in the truth; love bears all things, endures all things; love never fails. And now abides faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.   I Corinthians 13:4-8, 13.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

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The post Pet Rescue Is Neither Racist Nor Political. appeared first on BareFootPets.

When we talk about animal rescue, most of us think automatically of cats and dogs – kind of the way it’s always been. But animal rescue also includes birds, lizards, bunnies, ferrets, tortoises, trout, and so on. And still it’s even bigger than that!

Old McDonald Had A Farm.

We give our domestic pets a safe, comfy place in our homes with us, a soft clean bed, grooming, fresh food and water, exotic treats, and we lavish comfort and love on them as our own family members. But have you ever wondered this – who watches out for Farm Animals? Farm Animals – cows, pigs, chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep, horses, donkeys, etc. – the poor souls who lose their lives so we can eat them – are the most horribly treated animals on the planet. Why do we treat them so differently?  There was a time when Farm Animals enjoyed at least some quality of life before being shipped off to slaughter. But now we have big farm agriculture that inflicts unspeakable horrors on poor animals, carefully hidden away from public view because what goes on behind their doors is so profoundly ugly and unforgivable.

Every day, millions of Farm Animals are tortured, mutilated, murdered by the most evil, unspeakable means, to end up on our plates as food. Even though Farm Animals give their lives (unwillingly) for our benefit, we give them no compassion or regard in return.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Have you thought about where certain lush human comforts come from and what the cost?  For instance, leather, fur, wool?  Animals are actually “farmed” to give their lives so that we can enjoy such comforts. Mink and Fox are raised in disgusting conditions and horribly slaughtered so we can arrogantly and selfishly wear their furs.

Consider for a moment where the leathers come from that make up the designer purses and luggage we carry, or our shoes and boots?

Tigers, Rhinos, Giraffes, and more are hunted and killed for certain body parts that are thought to have medicinal and aphrodisiac qualities. Murder for old wives’ tales.

Trophy hunting is another shameful act against live animals. Trophy hunters simply enjoy the sport. Kill a magnificent exotic animal so I can hang it on my wall and brag. A life is extinguished to stroke a fool’s ego.

Hiding Behind Science.

Also consider animals imprisoned in testing labs: Golden Retrievers, mice, monkeys, cats, kittens, the list goes on. After decades of torturing innocent animals in labs across the country, it is now confirmed that no benefit to human science or health has been achieved that would remotely justify the horrors inflicted on those poor souls.

Illegal Dog Fighting, Cock Fighting,…

It goes without saying that this form of animal abuse needs to be done away with completely once and for all. Strides have been made in animal welfare laws and seeking out offenders, but prosecution and appropriate sentencing still has a good way to go. We need to keep pushing for enforcement.

Animal Hoarding, Neglect, And Abuse.

We still hear stories of animal hoarders, abusers, and extreme animal neglect. None of this is okay. If you have more animals than you can afford to feed, please get help, or please, for their sake, find them other homes. Don’t hide behind closed doors, forcing the animals to suffer against their will. If you have anger issues to the point you hurt your innocent pet, then you should not own a pet. Pets aren’t punching bags to hit. Pets aren’t lawn ornaments to ignore. Pets aren’t collectibles to pile up.

Beasts Of Burden.

Roadside circuses, trail rides, carrying loads of bricks, plowing hard ground–these are the daily travails of working animals, especially in third world countries. Poor animals are pushed beyond their strength, given little care or regard. Suffering under unimaginable demands every day from sun-up to sundown, nothing at all to look forward to in life.

Scourge Wet Markets.

With the COVID epidemic of late, a critical spotlight has finally been shone on the vile wet markets in Asian countries, not to mention some even here in our own United States. If you’ve seen even a video of what goes on in those environments, you’ll probably have a hard time just keeping your lunch down. It shocks the heart and sensibilities of compassionate people around the world.

We know from our familiarity with traditional pet ownership that all animals, including even fish, feel joy, love, comfort, loneliness, suffering, fear, trauma, and pain, just as humans do. Why, then, would we treat Farm Animals, Wild Animals, Lab Animals with any less care than our beloved pets?

It Is Time.

Charitable organizations are rising up to advocate for the wellbeing and humane treatment of Farm Animals. It’s time. We cannot call ourselves civilized when we treat vulnerable living beings with such ugly indifference. There are many ways to support Animal welfare. Becoming vegetarian or vegan is a scary thought to lots of folks, especially those of us who were raised on bacon, beef stew, chicken wings. It took me years to fully commit, but my heart was committed, and I couldn’t give up. The clincher for me was, I thought for a moment about the last moments of a poor farm animal’s life – absolute terror coursing through its veins as it screams and fights uselessly for its precious life. Do I really want to take that into my own body and call it nutrition?  Couldn’t do it.  Never again.  Maybe you’re not ready to make that shift yet; but you can still make a difference by supporting the organizations who fight for animals.

Who/Where Can I Support?

Here are a few organizations on the front lines of animal welfare that you can support. Please look into at least one and offer your support in whatever way you are able. It’s a start to making this a more compassionate world for vulnerable, innocent animal lives.

• Mercy For Animals (https://mercyforanimals.org/) (saving Farm Animals)
• Live Shackle Slaughter.com (https://liveshackleslaughter.com/) (advocating to end inhumane slaughter methods)
• Slaughter House Survivors (https://www.harbinshs.com/) (Americans in China) (rescuing dogs destined for the dog meat trade and wet markets)
• Soi Dog (https://www.soidog.org/) (Thailand) (rescues street dogs of Tailand)
• Animal Rahat (https://www.animalrahat.com/) (India) (advocates for beasts of burden – donkeys, bullocks, etc.)
• Farm Sanctuary (www.farmsanctuary.org) (rescues and advocates for Farm Animals)
• White Coat Waste Project (https://www.whitecoatwaste.org/) (advocates for animals used in unspeakable lab experimentation)
• Toronto Pig Save (https://torontopigsave.org/) (battling for welfare of Farm Animals)
• American Humane Organization (http://americanhumane.org/) (fighting for the wellbeing and welfare of animals)

There are many more organizations, just a Google search away – these will help get you started.

What Can I Do?

Most importantly – start somewhere. If you’re not ready to go vegetarian or vegan, you can still donate to any of these organizations to make your mark on turning the world into a more loving place for animals. If you can’t afford large donations, then give your pennies. Every dollar counts, so don’t feel embarrassed if your gift seems insignificant.  It’s anything but.  If you can’t give money, maybe you can volunteer, as an advocate, a rescuer, a foster, a networker, an activist, a teacher, a blogger like me, etc. Use your imagination. But Start.

The animal world is suffering unimaginable horrors, and needs all the help it can get. So look around, find your niche, and jump in with both feet. Precious animal lives are counting on you. If everyone saves even only one animal, that’s a huge blessing. God will see your efforts and your heart. Remember – when God gave the human race dominion over all the animals, He didn’t mean for us to harm them … He meant for us to watch over them.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post Animal Rescue ~ So Much More Than Just Cats And Dogs. appeared first on BareFootPets.

In an earlier post, I talked about the “It” factor — that moment that can sometimes happen in pet owners’ lives when they stop calling their beloved pet by its name and start calling the pet “It.” That moment when they begin to shift away from their bonds with the pet and instead start planning a future with the pet no longer in it. Here I’ll talk about several scenarios that way too often threaten pet owners’ commitment to their pets, and suggest ways to overcome those feelings and how to push through to keep your commitment to your pet–that promise of a lifetime together. Remember back to the beginning–you made a promise to your pet–you and me forever? Don’t lose sight of that promise when the bonds are tried.

If or when that commitment is tested, here are some tips to help you stay on track and stay committed to your promise to that pet who loves and trusts you and has total faith that your love is in fact everlasting and will never betray him. He knows in his heart you would never ever ever leave him behind. Let’s honor that absolute faith he has in you.

Betrayal Is Not An Option.

A promise is a promise–it stands the test of time. Forever–not just when it’s convenient. Are you true to your word? Is your love unwaivering? Let’s say your pet could understand your words–do you think he’d nod in agreement when you explained to him why you’re leaving him behind? Truth is, he wouldn’t be able to take it, not for a minute. Animals are capable of unbreakable bonds that I don’t think humans can even grasp. We give up when things get uncomfortable–animals are in it for the long haul. We could learn a lot from them about unconditional love.

“My New Fiance Doesn’t Like Animals.”

This is an issue that requires you to look ahead and plan accordingly. If your pet is your family, your sidekick, and you can’t imagine life without him, then don’t lose sight of that when you start dating. It’s on you to make sure a new person knows that you and your pet are a package deal. She needs to be in agreement with that all the way, no hesitation. If you sense that she’s just tolerating your pet even a little, then you’ll be smart to reevaluate a long-term commitment with that person.

Because there’s a good chance once the vows have been spoken, you may then find out she has other plans for the pet’s future with you. Now you’ve invited a contentious standoff between you and the new spouse, and guess where that leaves your beloved pet?  Probably at the shelter. Wrong and unfair. But sadly, too common. Don’t be the one who breaks his word and his pet’s heart because you let someone come between you and talk you out of your commitment to your devoted and loyal pet, who’s been by your side all along, the last one in your life who deserves to be let down.

Be sure to have the hard conversation before any commitments are made. Be sure you both are very clear about your intentions for the pet. Don’t leave any questions unasked or unanswered. Your pet’s future with you depends on it. And also think of this–it takes a very selfish person to split up a pet from its owner. If someone expects you to walk away from your pet for them, what else might they take from you?

“We’re Moving.”

There was a time when that excuse might have been acceptable, since few landlords allowed pets “back in the day.” But those days are gone, and it’s easy now to find rentals that accept pets. As with other situations, plan ahead. Give yourself time to start the search to make sure you’re prepared when the move comes. If you do find yourself running out of time, make arrangements for your pet to stay temporarily with a friend or relative. You can go on ahead and squat in temporary digs to get started in your new job, in the meantime continuing your search for a pet-friendly home. Once you secure your new rental, go back and get your beloved pet to come join you and continue on with you in your new life chapter. Happy Happy Joy Joy!

If your issue is with the size of the pet deposit and/or a higher monthly rent payment, then same approach. plan ahead by saving extra so you can cover that cost when the time comes to move. Don’t let it sneak up and surprise you, and then use that as your excuse to unload the pet. You’ll be called foul on that move for sure. Planning ahead is usually all that’s needed to keep your whole family intact.

“I Don’t Have Time For It Anymore.”

I can start this discussion off by saying simply “you’re as busy as you want to be.” If you work long hours now and Fido finds himself sitting at the door waiting for you with a tennis ball in his mouth more and more often, then you’ve chosen a lifestyle without considering his needs. Good time to take stock of how well or how poorly you’re managing your time. If the extra hours at work are temporary, for a few weeks or months, then have a relative or friend come to your house each day to walk him, run him, play with him, love on him, all those things he’s missing with you.

If no family or friends are available, then hire a dog walker, or drop him off at doggy daycare. If you can’t afford doggy daycare every day, start off with every other day. You’re his ultimate guardian and caregiver. If you cannot fulfill that role for any period of time, it’s still on you to see that his needs are being met. He’s not a ceramic knick knack you can put on a shelf and ignore, without consequences for both you and him. Think outside the box. Whatever it takes to make sure he doesn’t become the forgotten member of your family. Remember — if you choose to start ignoring his need for daily interaction and exercise, he’ll start misbehaving out of boredom and pent-up energy. And it won’t be his fault — that’s just how nature works. And if he does start misbehaving, you’ll become frustrated and start justifying the thought of “getting rid” of him. See — you ended up sabotaging your own best outcome and his future. Think ahead, be diligent, keep his future with you in mind with a loving and protective heart.

“We’re Having A Baby.”

This is a really lame argument. A little understandable, but still lame. It’s normal for new parents to freak out with their first child. They feel the need to clear the plate so they can focus just on the new baby when it comes. I get it. But don’t flip out and make changes you can’t take back, like dumping your pet at the shelter, or banishing him to the backyard, or locking him away in a crate, no longer an intimate member of the family he loves. You do a great disservice to the baby and dog both by giving them no chance to know and love each other and to grow together. Dogs love babies. Babies love dogs. Keep your new-parent fears in check, and you’ll see. Pets and babies is a beautiful thing.

“It Won’t Listen To Me.”

You can prevent this excuse popping up down the road if you properly train your pet from the beginning. When you first adopt or rescue your pet, use your skills to teach the pet proper behavior so that down the road he doesn’t end up in the shelter because he barked too much or jumped up on you one too many times, or didn’t use the litterbox, etc. If he’s your first pet and you’re not familiar with training, then get both of you into classes from the get-go. You can find trainers everywhere for reasonable prices, or classes at Petsmart; and, if cost is an issue, there are even tons of training videos on youtube for free. Abandoning your pet because it wasn’t trained is NOT an acceptable excuse. It’s too easy to get him properly trained, unless you just don’t give it enough importance.  And, of course, we know that would never be the case.   🙂

Bottom Line ~ It’s On You.

The theme throughout this brief post is that, whatever the challenge, it’s on you, as your pet’s loving caregiver, to ensure that he is included in big family decisions and changes. Don’t lose sight of his place in the family. I know that big events are life-altering and frightening sometimes, but keep your wits about you and you’ll be fine. The pet should not be seen as a liability when life changes–that’s still the same pet you have loved and cherished all along. Don’t leave him behind anymore than you would leave one of your kids behind. Protect those bonds, protect his place in your home and family and life and heart. Think of this–if the tables were turned, your pet would never leave you. A promise is not negotiable to a pet.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post A Promise Is Not Negotiable To A Pet. appeared first on BareFootPets.

“IT” is what people call their pets when they stop loving them. When their hearts make a shift from loving their pet unconditionally as a treasured family member to feeling inconvenienced by the pet and seeing it as a nuisance, and basically wishing the pet would go away. This typically happens when the person experiences a change in their life circumstances (see list below). And the person starts feeling like the pet is in the way and doesn’t fit into the picture anymore.

Or it can be that someone around the pet owner is trying to influence them to give up the pet and is putting pressure on them, even tho the pet owner doesn’t want to give up his pet–like a new fiance or spouse, who has other plans for their life together and doesn’t want the pet in it.

If you ever notice your thoughts or conversations starting to sound like this, BEWARE. Your beloved pet’s time with you just ran out. His wellbeing is now in danger. Because, when a person starts to see their pet as “IT” and no longer calls him by his name … it won’t be long before they kick him to the curb. And they’ll be able to come up with 90 excuses to justify it. I’ve even listed some of the “usual” excuses here–the ones we in the rescue community hear over and over, every day, day in, day out, blah blah blah. Pick one.

Okay, so that sounded totally judgmental, and I apologize. The purpose of this post is in fact a positive and uplifting one: to help you navigate your way through these thoughts and feelings if they ever happen to you, while still keeping your pet’s wellbeing in mind. We know that life can change on a dime, and sometimes it’s true–pets cannot always come along. But we want to show you that, with a little planning ahead and a true commitment to keep your promise to your pet, you can make the transition without betraying his trust in you, and without leaving you guilt-ridden in the wake of a failure to protect him. This is what we’ll call your “final great and loving gift” to your pet.

How Do We Keep the “IT” From Happening To Us?

Unfortunately, there’s not an easy answer to that question. Human nature is kind of out of our control. Chances are the “IT” will happen to you. There’s no guilt in that. The fault will lie in how you handle it. If indeed your pet cannot come with you for this next chapter of your life, then it’s on you to do everything in your power to get him safely placed into a loving home for the next chapter of his life. He deserves it as much as you do.

The first moment you sense or have actual confirmation that things are getting ready to change, and your pet won’t be included, IMMEDIATELY begin planning for his safe placement into a new home, even if you have months ahead to plan, because finding the perfect home can indeed often take months. And every moment during that time is a gift that you want to use wisely. DON’T WAIT A MINUTE. That’s the biggest, most fatal mistake people make–waiting till it’s too late.

Get A Jump On The Clock!

When the clock runs out and nothing has been done yet to find the pet a home is when people just drop the pet off at the shelter on their way out of town. BAD BAD BAD. Shelters are too busy to advocate for every pet that comes to them, and there is no guarantee they’ll find your pet a home, and a real good chance he’ll be euthanized when the shelter no longer has room to keep him. Even if your pet is a purebred or the cutest little pup or kitten that ever lived. Doesn’t matter–shelters operate according to cost and space. That’s it.

Enlist the help of a local rescue organization, your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, social media. Get the word out that your pet needs a new home. Ask everyone. And, if a stranger agrees to take your pet, be sure to request a home inspection. It’s perfectly reasonable–and responsible–to want to see where your beloved baby will be living and to ensure that it will be safe and sound with the new family. So get to know them and make sure the pet seems comfortable with them and not fearful. If your pet seems fearful or just doesn’t like them, DON’T leave him there. Thank the people nicely and let them know you’ll be in touch when you make your decision. Trust your pet’s instincts, even if it’s inconvenient for you.

Also, request a nominal adoption fee–even if only $25. If someone flinches at $25, then chances are they won’t buy good food for your pet, either, or give it veterinary care when needed. Again–“your final great and loving gift.”

You don’t want the precious pet you have loved to end up in a filthy, unsafe home, or left out in a back yard without shelter, or without good food and water, or basic veterinary care, or emergency veterinary care, or worst of all, without love and being part of a family anymore. These are the things you want to be sure to find for your pet before you let him go. Remember–“your final great and loving gift.”

See My Upcoming Post “Out-Strong The Excuses” Syndrome.

In this upcoming post, I’ll address the excuses listed in the photo above, to give you perspective and encouragement for finding your way through the feelings of giving up on your pet; and also, and even better, to figure out how to maybe keep your pet with you through the upcoming change. IT CAN BE DONE. Most importantly, keep your commitment of love in the front of all decision-making, and you and your pet should come through it all just fine.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge(TM) (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets(TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post BEWARE OF “IT” appeared first on BareFootPets.

I feel you. It can be tough to choose a charity when there are so many out there. You want to support one that serves its mission statement well, and know that your donation actually goes to the welfare of the animals. You can’t donate to everyone who begs your gift, so you want to choose carefully. It has taken me years to come up with my current list, and this is how I did it. This is not intended to pressure you to choose the same organizations as I list here below. Introducing you to my list can give you a reference point to help you figure out personally what you want to accomplish.

I thought about my goal for donating, and realized that I want to accomplish two different things. First, I want to support large, established, formidable organizations that make a powerful impact worldwide for animal welfare. Second, I also want to support smaller, sometimes obscure, organizations that have a compassionate vision, a noble purpose, lots of ambition, commitment to their goals, and just really need the support of their neighbors to get a foothold and grow. With these two targets in mind, I now had some direction.

Over the years I have consistently donated to ASPCA, Humane Society, Peta, World Wildlife Fund, American Humane, etc., all the well-known biggies. I was writing checks to so many organizations I couldn’t even count them anymore. I wanted to narrow my focus and consolidate my targeted organizations for giving. That involved some close review of where I felt my money would do the most good. Of the handful of organizations I ended up choosing, I made sure they all accomplish different but very important services to animal welfare, in the present, and for the future. This is my current list, and why I choose each:

MERCY FOR ANIMALS.

This organization just recently hit my radar via Instagram. I’ve looked into its Mission Statement and am definitely onboard. Mercy For Animals believes that a humane society is possible. It is committed to reducing the greatest amount of suffering for the largest number of animals. Its efforts focus on protecting farmed animals—the most abused and exploited animals on the planet—and it utilizes a broad range of strategic approaches that seek to expose cruelty, prosecute abusers, and inspire consumers to make compassionate food choices.  https://mercyforanimals.org/  

SOI DOG FOUNDATION.

Soi Dog is based in India and is a shining light for animal rescue and protection in an area of the world that gives animals no rights or regard. Soi Dog is growing and making headway despite the indifference of its culture toward animals. It is also creating outreach programs to go into schools and teach the children to care.  By creating a new, compassionate culture for its future, Soi Dog is contributing to the region’s new stand for animal welfare.  https://www.soidog.org/

AMERICAN WILD HORSE CAMPAIGN. 

AWHC fights to ensure the future of America’s iconic wild horses and burros and the Western public lands where they roam. We work to reform the cruel and costly federal roundup program and replace it with humane management that keeps wild horses and burros wild, protected, and free. AWHC manages the largest humane fertility control program for wild, free-roaming horses in the world..  www.americanwildhorsecampaign.org.

ANIMAL RAHAT.

Animal Rahat (Rahat means “relief”) is a rescue/sanctuary in India that focuses its efforts on the working animals of India – bullocks, donkeys, ponies, etc. Animal Rahat also goes into government facilities and schools to teach workers and students how to treat animals compassionately and thoughtfully so that the future of India’s working animals will be brighter and more humane. This is a lovely little organization.  https://www.animalrahat.com/

NO KILL ADVOCACY.

The No Kill Advocacy promotes and teaches a true no-kill culture in pet “shelters” all over America. We all know that too many U.S. shelters kill nearly as many animals as they place and are in fact not “shelters” at all. No Kill Advocacy targets offending shelters, encourages and teaches them how to think outside the box in new ways and thus change their approach to pet sheltering. Oftentimes it requires changes in personnel who refuse to abandon old policies. By simply changing their thinking (glass half full instead of glass half empty) and implementing new programs, shelters are then able to become true no-kill facilities. This is a huge area of need in our country, and I wholly support the No Kill Advocacy in its efforts.   https://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/

ALLEY CAT ALLIES.

This is a nationwide organization that targets a very specific demographic – homeless and feral cats. Cats are killed by the millions in “shelters” because of the sheer volume. Being surrendered to a shelter is pretty much a death sentence for most cats. Without implementing effective adoption programs, shelters don’t generally get cats adopted out quickly and end up euthanizing them simply for space issues. To justify the killings, shelters designate the cats as “fearful” or having “behavioral” issues, etc. These designations protect the shelters from being judged for not promoting true animal welfare. Alley Cat Allies promotes the concept of TNR (trap/neuter/return) to catch homeless cats, get them altered and vaccinated, and any kind of treatment they may need, and then release them back into the neighborhood they came from. This allows them to live happy, fulfilled lives, without multiplying, and without ending up on death row at the local shelter. And thus helps prevent over-population without killing.  https://www.alleycat.org/

TERRITORIO DE ZAGUATES.

I very recently discovered TERRITORIA DE ZAGUATES (“land of stray dogs”) in an online documentary (National Geographic on youtube), and was profoundly moved by its humble existence and its level of commitment to animal welfare, against all odds. TERRITORIA DE ZAGUATES is located in the high country of Costa Rica. It runs on a shoestring budget and often finds itself under attack by the local Costa Rica government that wants to shut it down. But they are digging in and their commitment remains strong. They need all the help we can offer. You can watch a number of videos and documentaries about this magical place on youtube by searching TERRITORIA DE ZAGUATES; and here is their website: https://info.territoriodezaguates.com/index/

SLAUGHTERHOUSE SURVIVORS.

This group does an amazing work, and I’ve been following them on Instagram. They go into very dangerous situations in China to rescue captive dogs from the dog meat trade. They negotiate to buy the release of the poor animals from the people holding the dogs or driving them in meat trucks to the butcher. I discovered this group on Instagram (@slaughterhouse_survivors), and I see they also have a Facebook page (HarbinSHS).  They are on the front lines battling against the dog meat trade in China, God Bless Them.

MILAGRO SENIOR PET REFUGE.

Rounding out my list is my own local Phoenix rescue organization, MILAGRO SENIOR PET REFUGE. I started MILAGRO in 1998 and incorporated and obtained 501C3 non-profit status in 2004. This is how and why MILAGRO came to be: in 1998, I went to the county pound in Phoenix to adopt a dog. I had already adopted several senior dogs from the pound–I had a soft spot for the throw-away oldsters. There were rows and rows and rows of dogs, barking, begging, desperate for rescue and some measure of kindness. I couldn’t begin to decide–I wanted them all.

So, while I thought about it, I leaned up against a kennel that I thought was empty, and just spent awhile people watching. I soon realized the kennel was not empty. A raggedy little old senior dog shuffled up and sniffed at my ankles. What a smelly mess he was. As I talked with him and hung out for awhile, I began to focus on what people were looking for in a new pet. One thing stood out – no one noticed the seniors. At all. Every last person walked right by this little guy and several other kennels with seniors as if they weren’t even there. That’s when I realized the need for an organization that promoted senior pets.  And MILAGRO was born.

Everyone told me I was nuts, that no one cared and no one wanted old sickly animals. But I started MILAGRO anyway. And today I’m ever so grateful for its presence in the rescue community. MILAGRO has always been a small organization for several reasons. But, through networking, it has still made a big impression across the nation. Here, twenty-some years later, there are now many organizations that promote senior pet rescue. I thank God that MILAGRO was a pioneer for homeless senior pets. www.milagropets.org

So Many To Choose From – You Can’t Go Wrong.

These are the charities I’ve personally chosen to support over the years, and there are hundreds and hundreds more out there that you can choose from who also do beautiful, compassionate work. Search your heart to figure out what aspect of animal welfare matters most to you, and then do searches online for organizations that fit that purpose for you.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008. Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.

The post How Do I Choose Which Animal Welfare And Pet Rescues To Support? appeared first on BareFootPets.