I know you have a room full of older scrapbook supplies that even your local church or preschool doesn't want anymore, right? Does the Kindergarten teacher look away when she sees you coming with a box?
Maybe you don't want to scrapbook anymore (I still do) but you're looking for something different? Or maybe you're just stuck?
Why not visit your local animal shelter, meet a homeless dog, cat or other pet and make a small page for them. Help them get noticed. Help them find a home.
Stay away from the puppies and kittens, they'll be adopted.
Stay away from the dog and the cat that have been there the longest. I can guarantee that if you ask ANYONE that works or volunteers in the shelter, "Which one has been here the longest?", they can point you to the longest resident. I bet they'll be so excited that you asked and they will walk you over to their kennel. Even my husband, that has set foot in the shelter ONCE, can tell you which dog has been there the longest.
Find an animal that is older, marked BITER (in most cases, the bite happened during the time they were picked up as a stray or a child wasn't be properly supervised and they're still awesome dogs) or find an animal that maybe isn't the cutest, like Hennesy (below) who has scars and hair loss and is just brown. She doesn't have any specials spots or stripes or special descriptions like brindle, merle, redtick or bluetick.
She's just brown.
And she is a Pit Bull.
How many second glances would you give to a dog that looks like her?
I think she's cute as a button but that's because I "know" her.
I just met Hennesy a couple weeks ago. When I looked her up on the internet, I was surprised and saddened to see that she has been in the shelter since January 28. I thought she was new. What were you doing on January 28? Do you even remember? It was so long ago that I can't remember what I was doing. Imagine what two months is like for a homeless pet that only live 15 years (if they're lucky). I had never seen her before mid March.
That's a LONG time to wait.
When I walked Hennesy, the first thing I noticed was that she was a little jumpy and anxious when I got her out of her kennel. She scared the heck out of my daughter to be honest.
I have learned that living in a shelter is not something all dogs can do. Some make it longer than others and some go kennel crazy. The small walls, the constant barking, the lack of friendly human contact and the strange people that stare or poke them with needles get to some animals more quickly than others.
Hennesy freaks when she is being taken out of her kennel. The SECOND you get her outside, away from that confined and noisy area, she is fine.
She is so happy on our walk that she actually jumps and prances a little. A butterfly flew by and she tried to pounce on it. She didn't pull on the leash and she knows how to sit.
When we sat for "cuddle time", she sat down beside me for me to pet her and for her to give me big slobbery kisses.
If you were walking by a kennel and saw that someone had taken the time to make a little page about a dog or a cat would you stop and take a second look?
I would!
Would you think a little more about this brown dog with scars and hair loss if you knew she liked to chase butterflies and give kisses?
I would!
Do a little something for a homeless pet. Even if you do one a month, you're helping a pet, that most people would walk by and not pay attention to, get noticed.
and you'll feel good about it, too. I promise.
Thank you.
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