Happy Mother's Day

Being a mom doesn't just mean you're a mom to your children. You're also a mom to your pets! Everyday is mother's day to your pets too! If your pets are anything like mine, they love and appreciate each and everything you do every single day. My puppy Aspen is always there for me. When I woke up at 1 A.M. after having a tooth pulled the previous day I was in extreme pain. She must have known because instead of getting up to play with me, she got up, curled up at my feet, and began licking my feet. It's like she was trying to say, "I know you're hurting mama. I'm sorry." Each and every night my cats jump up on the bed with me and love on me before going to bed as if to say, "thanks for a great day mom. We love you!" Even my bunny will snuggle up to my face and cuddle to me to show me he loves me. With the right care and love everyday, your pets will adore you each and everyday. They will return that love as well. They know when you're hurting, when you're sick, when you're sad, or when you've had a bad day and they care! So make sure you return their affection by remembering them on holidays too. You're not just their owners; you're their parents! :)

300 Stray Dogs Turn to Cannibalism

This story broke my heart. I wonder if there were other methods of getting rid of the dogs. I'm not sure of the laws Malaysia but I'm hoping they reach out to help these poor animals. Read the story here and see if you can come up with ideas on how to help.

Why Care?

I have been asked over and over again why I care so much for animals. The truth is, I'm not sure why I care so much. I have compassion for animals. I always have. I don't want to see a person suffer nor do I want to see an animal suffer. But, the difference is, most people can tell you how much it hurts. Most people can tell you to stop. Most people can tell you they don't want to be treated badly. Animals, however, cannot. If no one steps in and says it's unethical to hang a bunny up by it's feet and slit it's throat so you can have a fur coat, how will we stop it? If no one brings attention about how badly animals are treated on factory farms, how will the animals find peace?

I have learned that animals not only have feelings, they also have emotions and connections with certain individuals. Animals love their babies just as we do. Animals cry like we do. Animals have fears like we do. Animals bleed red, just like we do.

In a sense, we are animals. We hunt, build our shelters, take care of our young, and live to survive. Animals do the same things. But because we are stronger with our weapons, we take advantage and abuse those smaller than we are. Can anyone tell me why you need to kill a leopard in the wild to stuff him and have him in your living room? Why should the leopard die because you have poor taste in home decor? Why should rabbits be bred so you can have a tacky fur coat? It simply is not fair. We are supposed to take care of the animals. Not use them for decorations.

Would you wear your dog? Probably not. Why? Because you love your dog and don't think it's fair for them to die for such a petty desire. Think about that and put your dog in the place of other animals.

Europe takes a stand for the seals!

Way to go Europe! They are banning the sale of seal products! Check it out and continue your efforts! They are paying off!

Ask Canada to Stop the Seal Slaughter

Hey guys! Go here to ask Canada to stop the seal slaughter! Thanks for the support! You're all heroes!

Rescue Me

There's a reason pets retrieved from animal shelters are called rescues. Because any owner who gets their pets from a shelter is a hero. The American Humane Association has released information that approximately 9.6 million animals are euthanized in the United States every year. That's a huge number. These animals would not have to die if there were more people willing to adopt them.
The big problem lies in many false beliefs about animal shelters. Many people believe that shelter dogs are going to be problem dogs. The reason for this belief is that some shelter dogs come from abusive situations. Although this is the case with some shelter cases, it is not the case with all of them. This can be easily avoided by questioning the shelter about your potential pet to find out what type of situation this pet was in when it was brought to the shelter. Most of the cases in animal shelters are simply strays or pets that were given up by the owner due to certain circumstances such as a pet having babies or having to move and not being able to bring the pet along.
Another false belief that many hold is that they will not be able to find pure breeds at a shelter. This is not true. There are pure breeds at shelters, however, you may have to search for them. Try looking for a pet online. Many shelters have pictures of their pets online. Try Pet Finder.
Another problem many shelters face is adoption fees. While I understand that adoption fees are expensive, it is important for one to understand why these fees are so high. First of all, your shelter pet will be "fixed". In other words, your shelter pet will be spayed or neutered. Your shelter pet will also be up to date on their shots. Some shelters will only give rabies shots so it is important that you know what vaccinations your pet will receive before adoption. It may be up to you to take your new family member to the vet to catch up on the rest of their shots.
Finally, it is important for you to remember that if you purchase a pet from a breeder, you are taking away the chance for a shelter animal to find a home.
Next time you decide to get a new pet, please go to a shelter. You will be a true hero in the eyes of your new pet. You will also share a bond that no one else in the world will have with you.

Our Puppy Adventure

"There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." ~ Bern Williams ~

I've been a mommy for 8 years now. I've been through scraped knees, sicknesses, hurt feelings, and plenty of scraps with my boys and more recently a broken arm of my 8 year old. So when we made the decision to adopt a puppy I was certain I was ready. After all, I'm a mommy of two boys! A puppy would be no trouble at all! I imagined my boys running around the yard with the puppy behind them. I imagined lying in my bed with the puppy curled up beside me dreaming away. I imagined watching a movie with my family with my puppy at our feet. Oh, having a puppy was going to be wonderful! What I didn't take into consideration was an eye opener from the start.
The drive to pick out our puppy was such an exciting one. It seemed like it took forever to get there. When we got there we looked around. We saw one puppy that we took into consideration until I saw her. Aspen. I looked at her and she looked so afraid. She looked helpless. She looked at me with those big blue puppy eyes and it was love at first sight. We all agreed that she was the one and after filling out the proper paper work and handing over our fees along with our left arms and legs, we were the proud owners of a new puppy. She was so good on the way home. We stopped by the pet store and purchased some products to care for her. We picked up the basics: dog food, a brush, some doggie treats, a toy, a chew bone, another toy, food and water bowls, another toy, a few bows for her fur, a leash, a collar, and even more toys. Then the fun began as soon as we got her home. Potty training was the worst. At first it was cute watching my little puppy running around sniffing and turning circles. That cuteness would soon wear off after constant cleaning up of messes. The morning times were nothing like I had imagined. I had imagined waking up in the mornings and feeding my excited little puppy her food and watching her gobble it up with greed. The mornings are sort of like that, but instead of watching her greet me and wait patiently on her breakfast I drag her down the hall while she holds on to my pajama pants, shake her off long enough to get her food in the bowl, scream in pain when she accidentally grabs my ankle instead of the pajama pants, and then watch her gobble up her food greedly and messily.
The first few nights were long as we listened to her cry. She's a crier. She cries over everything. When she's hungry, she cries. When she wants back inside, she cries. When she wants a treat, she cries. When she gets woken up, she cries. When she wants to get in the front seat of the car, she cries. We took her and put her in the bed with us but that didn't last long as she associated bed time with play time. I was awoken very early to a puppy biting my hair and jumping on my head. Getting up at 3 am to let her go potty was no walk in the park either. In short, I felt as though I had a newborn baby in the house again.
As the days went on she began to become more and more mischievious. She preferred my shoes over her toys, preferred the cat food over her food, and preferred the carpet to go potty on instead of her puppy pad. We would sit down to dinner only to have Aspen at our feet crying for a bite.
It didn't take long to figure out she was a selective hearer. She refused to hear the word "no" but always heard the refridgerator door opening. She would listen to her name being called when we had a toy in our hands ready to play but not when it was time to come in. She was going to do what she wanted to do and there was no way around that.
Even though she is mischievious, we love her. We have enjoyed every part of becoming new parents to her. It's been a journey, but she's learning as are we. Not only has she learned from us, we've learned from her. We've learned to put our shoes up when we come inside. We've learned to keep a baby gate up to prevent her from going on carpeted areas. We've learned to pick the cat food up before we go to bed. We've learned to put food away when we're not eating it. We've learned to close the bathroom door when we're finished inside. We've learned to always keep her on a leash when we're outside. We've learned to grab a towel before she comes in after the rain. But most importantly, we've learned to love even more.

Ways to Get Active

So you want to make a difference but you're not quite sure about where to start. Not to worry! I've got plenty of tips to help you make a difference in an animal's life.

Sign Petitions

Everyday there are animals who are abused and mistreated. You can make a difference by taking just a moment to sign a petition for a cause you deem worthy. Not sure where to find any petitions? You can find plenty here or here! Signing petitions and taking a moment to send a quick email about how you feel about animal cruelty can make a big difference! :)

Go Veg

Factory farms are one of today's largest meat suppliers to grocery stores all over the world. In factory farms animals are abused and mistreated all of the time. If you need help with going vegetarian or vegan check out this great site. This site offers great tips on making the transition and offers some great recipes! If you want to know more about factory farming and the abuse that goes on there please visit this site on factory farming.

Leave Literature

Purchase a pack of pamphlets from PETA literature and leave them in different places you go. Try a service station or a grocery store or simply give one to people you meet on the street. Opening the eyes of people everywhere will help to stop animal abuse that takes place all over the world.

Set up a Table at a Local Event

Contact your city hall and ask about setting up a table at a local event in your area. Make sure you get permission! Purchase literature about your cause and educate the public about your cause. Make sure you dress for the part! If you're vegan, you want to make sure you're not wearing leather or fur or chowing down on a hamburger. Educate the public on why you made your decision and how they can make the transition easier on themselves. Give tips on what helped you to make the transition. Remember, not everyone is going to agree with you so don't waste time on those who don't. We're trying to make a difference not trying to get arrested. :)

For more ideas on how to get active please visit the PETA action center. Remember, it's all about making a difference. Have fun with it and get creative!

A true animal lover at heart!

With all of the hustle and bustle about animal rights in my home, my children have learned a few things as well. Sometimes we often forget that the smallest ears hear the best! My 8 year old son, Jacob, has been paying close attention to the animal talk in our house and he's joined in on the fight to save them! He's been educating his classmates at school about animal cruelty and has even drawn pictures to send home to the parents in order to educate them too! He's raised awareness in our neighborhood by posting signs on the trees in the front yard to stop animal cruelty and to go vegan! He's brought more awareness to our neighborhood than I had even dreamed! Sometimes small hands are the best at reaching out and Jacob's efforts have paid off. Remember, with help we can all reach out to a numerous amount of people. All it takes is a little action! Congratulations Jacob on your efforts! You are a true hero!

The Canadian Seal Slaughter

Help Stop The Canadian Seal Slaughter!

Every year thousands of seals are brutally slaughtered for their skins. These seals are killed with wooden clubs, hakapiks, and guns. These seals are often beat over and over again as they fight for their lives in a pool of their own blood. To find out more information and to help put an end to this bloody massacre please visit this site. Thank you for your help!