Giving Back - 2009 (printable version)
Dear Friends:
It has been months since we produced a newsletter. Our intentions
were good but life has been bumpy. We hope you will understand.
This fall we said goodbye to our special dog companion, Rosa. She was a rescue from the beaches of Mexico. She looked into our eyes on that blazingly hot day and we were smitten. Even mangy, nearly hairless, and bitten up her beauty shown through. She came back with us and has been the light of our home for 9 years. Rosa was diagnosed with a fast moving cancer in early October and 6 weeks later she was gone. Her absence from our life is everywhere.
Rosa's simple narrative: being abandoned, being rescued, and then giving unconditional love to a new family is part of an even larger story-one personally familiar to many of us. Dogs and cats can come to us with stories of loss and fear. They were alone or hurting and then they joined our families. Being part of a family who will love and care for them is its own kind of miracle- for both the pet and the family.
Just a few weeks ago we got a newsletter from a rescue in Pennsylvania- the Hillside SPCA. One of their stories really hit home. Albert Schweitzer, a gentle shepherd mix had been abandoned. Malnourished and covered with fleas he also appeared to have a broken leg. Sadly they found he actually had bone cancer with severe lung involvement. They could do nothing more for him and gently let him go. This poor dog most probably never felt the deep love of a family and was left to suffer on his own until Hillside rescued him. Now here is a story worthy of tears.
I am constantly amazed by those who fight on the front line for homeless and abused pets. They have the courage to process the sad stories and the hope to develop and bring forth the happy stories. They have earned our deep thanks and ... our support. In these last few days of 2009 consider firing off a check to a pet rescue organization. The world is full of dogs like Albert who deserve so much more!
Hold fast to those you love. Happy Holidays!
Pam Wheelock
Owner, Purrfectplay.com
219-926-7604
Each year we dedicate a full 5% of retail sales to no-kill and rescue organizations. These are some of the places we gave the 5% we generated in 2009.
Show-Me Vizsla Club showmevizsla.homestead.com/Rescue.html
Tree House Humane Society treehouseanimals.org
Chicago English Bulldog Rescue www.ebullymatch.com
Paws and Claws Humane Society pawsandclaws.org
The Anti-Cruelty Society anticruelty.org
SPCA Wildlife Care Center wildlifecarecenter.org
Animal Protection League www.apl-shelter.org/DotNetNuke
Central Indiana, trap/spay/return of feral cats, colony management indyferal.org
Spay-Neuter Services of Indiana, Inc (SNSI) www.spayneuterservices.org
Great Pyrenees Rescue of Greater Chicago gpcgc.org/rescue.htm
Newton County Emergency Management newtoncountyin.com
Dogs Deserve Better, Illinois Chapter dogsdeservebetter.com
Heartland Animal Shelter heartlandanimalshelter.net
Adopt a Husky Siberian Rescue adoptahusky.com
Harmony House hhforcats.org
Furry Fun Walk of Ruston, LA www.ruston.org/adult_rpar/#q4027
Best Friends Sanctuary-Lint Roller Party- Hollywood, CA bestfriends.org/lintrollerparty/index.htm
Humane Society of Atlantic County www.hsacpet.com
Poplar Spring 5K Run www.animalsanctuary.org
Independent Cat Society www.catsociety.org
Love your Pet Expo/Charity Auction Event loveyourpetexpo.com/charity.htm
