Thank you, UUCC Glen Allen!

We were chosen as the Charity of the Month for April and received a generous donation from the congregation of this small church. On April 1st, I said a few words to those folks about our organization, and even got to bring an RDR dog with me. Gretchen was SO good and everyone just loved her. But then again, what's not to love about a pittie-ful face?  :)

http://uuccglenallen.org

AbsolutTwilight: All for a GREAT cause

AbsolutTwilight: All for a GREAT cause: I am hoping you all follow most if not all the "twilight" actors and actresses, if you don't well shame on you. ;)  If you only follow one ...

What is GFYS?

GFYS originally began as a practical joke using a naughty word. GFYS4Charity emerged as a movement for good.

GFYS4Charity’s mission is to identify and assist under served,local non-profit organizations, focused on services for children or animal welfare, through publicity and fundraising for the organizations.

Metro Richmond Pet Savers Celebrates Two Years of Saving Lives

(Richmond, VA) – On April 14th, MRPS will celebrate its second birthday with its biggest ever adoption event at the PetSmart on CarMia Way (1276 CarMia Way, Chesterfield VA, 23235). This month’s event, which begins at 11 and concludes at 3, will include music, cupcakes from Carytown Cupcakes, the Richmond International Raceway pace car, and activities for kids. As always, the centerpiece of the monthly Adopt-a-Thon will be the over 100 adoptable animals from more than a dozen rescue organizations who will attend the event in the hopes of finding the perfect family.

Metro Richmond Pet Savers (MRPS) held its first adoption event two years ago this month. With the goal of increasing pet adoptions and ending unnecessary euthanasia, animal rescues across the area banded together to form Metro Richmond Pet Savers; approximately 1,800 pets have found their forever homes through monthly adoption events held at local PetSmart locations.

MRPS is a collaborative group of animal rescue groups and shelters who take part in large, monthly Adopt-A-Thons in the parking lot of Richmond area PetSmart stores. The goal is to accelerate the adoption of cats and dogs from county/city shelters that may otherwise be euthanized.

Questions and rescue organizations and shelters interested in joining Metro Richmond Pet Savers should be directed to metrorichmondpetsavers@gmail.com.

300 pit bulls saved from Philippine dogfighting arena

Philippines said it helped police bust a South Korean syndicate operating a massive dog fighting ring and rescue 300 pitbulls.

Two South Korean nationals and several Filipinos were arrested in the Friday raid at a two-hectare farm in the city of San Pablo just south of the capital Manila, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society said.

Many of the dogs were severely injured, with ripped ears and tongues, including 20 that needed to be euthanized, it said.

"This appears to be a large operation and these South Koreans need to be punished," PAWS program director Anna Cabrera said.

Those arrested were part of the same South Korean group whose operations were busted in December in a nearby province and who later posted bail, PAWS said. About 240 dogs were also rescued in that raid.

"Too many animals have already suffered, and criminals are becoming bolder, taking only two months after arrest to get back into their illegal operations once they have posted bail," the group said as it urged tougher laws to protect animals.

Those found guilty of animal cruelty can be jailed for between six months and two years, but suspects can go free on bail as the often-lengthy legal process continues.

PAWS said many of the dogs in the latest bust were not properly fed and sheltered, and showed scars and wounds from recent fights. The contests are broadcast online to a betting audience.

A picture released by PAWS on its Facebook page showed one emaciated dog chained to a tree in open grounds. In the background, steel drums were used as dog kennels.

Police were not immediately available for comment.

Copyright 2012 AFP Global Edition

Tell United Airlines not to discriminate against 9 dog breeds

United Airlines -- of the famous "Fly the Friendly Skies" slogan -- just got a lot less dog-friendly. The biggest air carrier in the world recently decided that some dogs can’t fly with their families, because United doesn’t like the way they look.

United is now the only airline in the U.S. to have singled out nine different breeds of dog as "dangerous" based on their appearance, barring them from flying.

Jessie Huart discovered the policy when she was trying to book a ticket to travel with her family's dog, a 10-year-old pit bull named Slaw. She was told by the airline that because he's a pit bull, Slaw couldn’t travel. But Slaw isn't just a pet -- he's a member of the family, so Jessie started a petition on Change.org to ask United to treat all dogs equally, regardless of breed. Click here to add your name to Jessie’s petition.

Misconceptions and dangerous legislation banning some breeds of dog are being challenged -- and overturned -- all across the U.S. Public officials are starting to listen to the outcry for more effective, breed-neutral policies, knowing that breed bans result in the deaths of thousands of innocent dogs. Just last month, the country’s only statewide breed discriminatory law was repealed in Ohio.

But since Jessie's petition launched -- now signed by more than 30,000 people -- United's only response has been to remove the word "dangerous" when describing dog breeds on its website, but those breeds are still unfairly singled out. And canine profiling in a major company like United could turn that tide back against the dogs.

If thousands of dog-loving United customers sign Jessie’s petition, the airline will have to listen -- sending a strong message to other companies and lawmakers that breed discrimination isn’t the way to go.

Sign Jessie’s Change.org petition asking United to make the skies dog-friendly by dropping its breed-discriminatory policy.

Thanks for being a change-maker,
- Stephanie and the Change.org Team