Black Cat Appreciation Day

I've gone black for Black Cat Appreciation Day! Mom did some touching up and this is what I would look like as a fluffy black Ragdoll cat!

There's a great article on the Animal Planet website about Black Cat Appreciation Day HERE. 

Not only are cats discriminated against because of the bad rap they got back in the day with that whole Salem/witchcraft/Friday the 13th/bad luck stuff, but they're just plain harder to see in a shelter cage. Maybe we should all help our local shelters and rescues lighten up or brighten up the insides of cages to show off the animals inside to their best advantage. What do you think?

My name is Boo. Adopt me, please.
If you can't do that, could you help me with a
scholarship to Kitty Bungalow Charm School??

L.A.'s Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Cats has a Financial Aid Program which folks like us can participate in to contribute to the care and education of their kitties. There are different levels of scholarships, but since it's a little lean around here right now (and Im a little lean right now, too) I just donated a $10 Preschool scholarship for Boo the black kitten (above). 

I encourage all my readers to adopt a black kitteh today! Or to donate toward the care of one, or to join this blog hop, or to go to all the blogs in the hop and leave encouraging comments. ; ) 

At least spread the word that black kittens need love, too! 

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

Hope For Paws at BlogPaws!

Eldad & Audrey Hagar

Most of my regular readers and pals know about Eldad and Audrey from Hope for Paws. Mom interviewed them at their home, helping me with an article about them for The Anipal Times in 2010. 

At that time, they had just rescued a now famous little blind dog named Fiona. You've probably seen her video. It's completely viral - tons of newpapers, magazines, and TV stations have picked it up and run with it the last few weeks. I'm such an insider - I had such a jump on Fiona's story, her video wasn't even ready in time to be included in the article - but I did talk about her!  ; ) 

Eldad, Audrey and Fiona

Eldad showed Mom a video he was editing of a little dog he'd just rescued. She didn't realize until he mentioned it halfway through, that the little blind dog in the video was sitting on her lap. If Fiona's video affects you, imagine watching it with a clean and happy, but still blind Fiona licking your face. 

I was Editor-in-Chief of The Anipal Times, and we organized a Twitter Party (#ATPawty) with Hope for Paws as its beneficiary. We raised over $2000 in 24 hours towards Fiona's eye surgery to restore her sight in one eye. Yay!

Now, as a Special Projects Manager at BlogPaws, I'm very excited to have arranged for Eldad and Audrey to be at this year's BlogPaws Conference in Salt Lake City in June!

Eldad will be joining My Favorite Pup Jasmine and Paige the Border Collie (and their moms) in a presentation about "The Power of YouTube."

Lauren Girard and Paige the Border Collie

My Fave Pup Jasmine and CJ Jackson

And this is just ONE session of One day. Check out the conference program for info on all the awesomeness that is this year's BlogPaws!

You won't have a better (certainly not a more fun) educational or networking opportunity if you're in any way involved or interested in animals, animal products, or pets in social media - or even if you just want to hang out with us wild and crazy animal lovers and meet all your online pals!

I'll even make it even easier for you -- > Use this code for a 20% discount on your BlogPaws registration: BlogPaws2012-Cokie

And you can bring your pets! 
It's a no brainer. See you there!

Cokie