Blog the Change for Animals!

"APRIL 15: BE, BLOG AND READ THE CHANGE FOR ANIMALS! – Get the badge & spread the word! http://bit.ly/pO7dZp #BtC4A Come together to support people helping animals in need each 15th of January, April, July and October. Bloggers, write about a cause near and dear to your heart. Readers, share your comments and ideas."

I've been working the past several years to devote more of my time to working with animals, raising money for animal rescues and donating to individuals needing help caring for their own pets, raising awareness of animal related issues, and helping find fosters and homes for homeless pets.

I'm very proud and honored to be working as a Special Projects Manager for BlogPaws, which is doing so much for pet bloggers and rescues, pulling us together as a true community to effect change on a much larger scale than we could individually.

I'm excited to have my friends Eldad and Audrey Hagar from Hope for Paws coming to BlogPaws for the first time this year. They work for animals day in and day out, every day. Eldad will be giving a presentation on how he uses YouTube to raise awareness and evoke action to help homeless animals around the world. I blogged about them here last month.

If you've managed to NOT see any of Eldad's amazing (and I don't use that word lightly) extreme rescue videos, here's one, just to give you an idea of what he does and hopefully encourage you to come to BlogPaws, if for no other reason (and there are many good reasons) than to meet and get to know Eldad:

This particular dog in this video was rescued on Thanksgiving, and has recently had the pins removed from his leg. A Readers Digest contest Hope for Paws won paid for his surgeries. He's ready now for his forever home. Do you know where that might be?? You could change Little Will's life TODAY.

I'm making a new commitment today to share all of Eldad's videos, spreading the word and inspiring people to take some sort of action when they see animals who need our help. Don't just look away. Do something. Call someone. Change a life.

Kristin ~ & Cokie

A Dog's Last Will & Testament

Audrey Hagar from Hope For Paws sent an email with the prose below, saying she'd received it as a text from her grandpa's iPhone! Simply wonderful.

I wrote up this post, but then decided to re-write it as "A Cat's Last Will & Testament." When I did that, I accidentally erased this one, so this is my meager attempt at rebuilding the post. Apologies.

Mom's first and only dog Marrakesh
A border collie. He lived to be 17.

A DOG'S LAST WILL & TESTAMENT
Before humans die, they write their Last Will & Testament, give their home and all they have to those they leave behind. If, with my paws, I could do the same, This is what I'd ask . . .

To a poor and lonely stray I'd give:
* My happy home.* My bowl & cozy bed, soft pillows and all my toys.
* The lap, which I loved so much
* The hand that stroked my fur & the sweet voice which spoke my name.

I'd will to the sad, scared shelter dog, the place I had in my human's loving heart, of which there seemed no bounds.

So when I die, please do not say, "I will never have a pet again, for the loss and pain is more than I can stand."

Instead, go find and unloved dog . . . one whose life has held no joy or hope and give My place to him.

This is the one thing I can give . . .

. . .The love I left behind.

--Author Unknown