Rich people have been ruining dogs for over 100 years and no one is stopping them

Source: http://twentytwowords.com/rich-people-have-been-ruining-dogs-for-100-years-and-no-one-is-stopping-them/

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

No leash, no responsibility?

So what part of this sign is it that people don't seem to understand? Well, I guess it's not actually a lack of  understanding, but more of a "you can't or won't make me" attitude. I just had this very conversation, with an older gentleman, outside my office building yesterday. He said both dogs were under vocal control and therefore, didn't need to be leashed. Really??? So when you're on the phone, and your dogs are nowhere in sight, is that still okay for using vocal recall? I think not! And of course, the guy wasn't picking up after them, which is even more frustrating for those of us unfortunate enough to be the poop finders! Can anything be done about this? How about rewarding people for their good behavior? Seems kind of silly, but we do the same thing with our dogs, so why not? If anyone has some thoughts on this, I'd love to hear them!

November is Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month

10 Reasons Senior Pets Rule:

1. When senior pets are adopted, they seem to understand that they've been rescued, and are all the more thankful for it.
2. A senior pet's personality has already developed, so you'll know if he or she is a good fit for your family.
3. You can teach an old dog (or cat or other pet) new tricks: Senior pets have the attention span and impulse control that makes them easier to train than their youthful counterparts.
4. A senior pet may very well already know basic commands anyway!
5. In particular, senior pets are often already housetrained, or can be more easily housetrained than a young pet with a tiny bladder.
6. A senior pet won't grow any larger (well, height and length-wise :), so you'll know exactly how much pet you're getting.
7. Senior pets are often content to just relax in your company, unlike younger pets, who may get into mischief because they're bored.
8. Speaking of relaxing, senior pets make great napping buddies.
9. Senior pets know that chew toys (not shoes) are for chewing and scratching posts (not furniture) are for scratching.
10. Senior pets are some of the hardest to find homes for -- so when you adopt a senior pet, you're truly saving a life.

We Are Their Heros

We Are Their Heroes

by Jim Willis (c) 2001


If you worry that you have not made a difference, you have,
for only those who do not worry about it have not.
If you feel overwhelmed, if the weight of problems is too heavy to bear, remember it is a shared burden
and the strength of numbers can accomplish much.
If you think society and government are blind,
it only serves to remind that we need to change one mind at a time, one law after another.
We effect change by cooperation, not by isolation.
If you consider that we cannot save them all, and what difference does one make?,
you ought to know the joy of the one who is saved.
Mourn those we cannot save. It is a eulogy to their being.
Do not let their loss be in vain.
Be kind to yourself, remember your needs and those of your family and friends of every species.
If you give everything, what will you have left for yourself, or for them?
Strive to be happy and healthy. You are needed.
Achieving balance in life is a lifelong struggle.
We who help those who do not have all that they need should be among the most grateful for what we have.
Be proud of your accomplishments, not your opinions.
The quality of your efforts is more important than the quantity.
Forgive your own deficiencies - sometimes your caring is sufficient.
Everyone can do something, it is up to you to do the thing you can.
A kind word and a gentle touch can change a life.
If a seething anger wells up within you, because people are the problem,
remember your humanity and that people are also the solution.
Concentrate on specific needs, pay attention to the individual -they make up the whole.
See beyond the unlovable, the unattractive, the impure and the wounded - see that their spirit is as deserving as the rest. Help them heal.
Their eyes are windows to their soul and the mirror of your sincerity.
All species, all beings, share this Earth in a chain of life.
Care more about what makes us alike than what separates us.
Policies, rules and regulations are not infallible.
Apply them judiciously, interpret them wisely.
No decision based purely on money is ever the right one.
Listen to your heart. Sometimes we have to do that which we are most afraid of.
Be true to yourself and your beliefs.
Family may abandon you, friends may disappoint you, strangers will ridicule you.
People shun what they do not understand.
Help them to understand - kindly, softly, gently.
Those who do not respect all life are to be pitied.
Often the wrongdoer is as in need of help as his victims.
Forgive, then teach by example.
Educate yourself or you cannot hope to teach others.
No action based in hatred is ever right and anger drowns out wisdom.
Yours may be a voice crying in the wilderness, make it a voice to be respected.
Listen more than you talk, be courteous and reliable.
Learn to ask for help. Never waiver from the truth.
Know that it takes a lot of strength to cry and with every defeat, we learn.
All Creation celebrates that which is in its own best interest.
The Children are our hope - nurture them.
Nature is our legacy - protect it.
The Animals are our brethren - learn from them.
Your rewards will not be material, but they will be meaningful, and the courage of your convictions can survive anything.
We are small boats cast adrift on a cruel sea, but someday
the tide will turn toward a safe harbor. No matter how dark
the storm clouds, or deep the pain of heartbreak - never forget:
We are their heroes.

the Richmond Daily Beast Launches!

April 19, 2010


The Richmond Daily Beast officially launches!

What do you do when you find a stray dog with no collar or tags? How do you spread the word that your own dog is missing? Where can you go to adopt a homeless dog or cat? Where can you find a list of animal rescue groups in the Richmond area? What's the best thing to do when you rescue an injured bird?

Navigating the many local lost and found pet listings, animal rescue web sites, and myriad other animal-related resources could be easier. That's the purpose of Richmond Daily Beast(http://rvadailybeast.com), a new, centralized, one-stop community portal for pet and animal related resources in the Richmond metro area. The Richmond Daily Beast provides original content, animal-related news and information, and, most importantly, convenient access to comprehensive local resources. Our goal is to make it easier for people to find what they need:
help locating or re-homing lost or stray dogs and cats; dealing with feral cat colonies; finding a petsitter, dog park, or local vet; or volunteering at a local shelter. You will also find current information on upcoming local, pet-related events, and can even post and publish your own.

The site has a number of regular features: our Rescue Pets of the Week, a calendar of
community events, and daily, original content. There are also two features that we think will beespecially helpful: the Resource Directory and the Lost & Found.

• The Resource Directory includes an extensive listing of area animal shelters and rescue organizations, veterinarians (including mobile vets), low-cost spay and neuter clinics, trap-neuter-return programs, dog parks, pet-sitters, and other professional services. It will be updated regularly and kept current. Itʼs our goal to provide everything local pet-owners or animal rescue advocates might find necessary or helpful.

• The Lost & Found feature(http://www.rvadailybeast.com/classifieds/lost_found.php)of
the Richmond Daily Beast allows anyone with a missing or lost animal to easily post a
notice about their pet to the site. The process is simple: just upload a photo, fill in the information prompts (contact info, relevant animal details, etc), and in a matter of minutes, the lost and found listing is live on the site. One more click turns the listing into a readable, professional-looking flyer ready to be printed and circulated throughout your neighborhood.

At the Richmond Daily Beast, we want to help improve the lives of our local animal population. We believe one important way to do this is to make it easier for people to connect to the information they need -- to streamline the search. You can also find the Richmond Daily Beast on Twitter and Facebook.

The Richmond Daily Beast is operated by Richard Sebastian and Allison Titus, with technical assistance from local teacher and blogger John Murden, who runs the popular Church Hill Peopleʼs News blog (http://chpn.net).

For more information, contact Richard Sebastian or Allison Titus at rvadailybeast@gmail.com.