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The HairBear that almost wasn’t

April 29th, 2011

Hairballs. We’ve all seen them. We try to ignore them. But not anymore!

Today is Hairball Awareness Day. This annual event was started by the National Museum of Health and Medicine of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (NMHM) to showcase hairballs and other ‘ball’s (called bezoars) found in the stomachs of cats, cows, humans and other animals.

Romeo the cat (love him!) is the spokescat for the FURminator Hairball Awareness Day. I interviewed Romeo’s staff, Caroline Golon, to learn more about this campaign and to help spread the world.

Caroline is also the genius behind the Amazing Hairball Creatures idea. I love the FURminator tools, and this year’s “long hair, large cat” model is my favorite so far. The hairball creatures just added to the fun.

Here is ‘my’ entry, also found on PeoplePets:

I say ‘my’ because it was a joint project between my daughter and I and several pets; some of whom had some naughtiness that almost brought this project to a screeching halt. CoughQuincyandPurlCough

Here’s how it happened

Honestly, I didn’t give my creature creation much thought. I figured I would do the requisite brushing for my review of the tool, then smoosh the hair around until it looked like something recognizable, sprinkle a few beads around, and call it good.

Then I mentioned the project to my 11-year old daughter, the real arteest. She is a huge fan of Romeo and was on fire with the idea. I told her to “think of stuff” while she was at school, not expecting too much. I mean… it’s hair. We have tons of pet hair here on a daily basis.

After school, my daughter had a concept, name, and sketches for this project. She was serious. Ok, let’s do it.

Being the arteest that she is, she wanted to have full control of the project, including procurement of the materials. I wasn’t so sure about this, but hey – the pets always need brushing, so OK.

Barnie’s hair was the focus. My daughter excitedly carted him around, getting everything ready. Barnie: not so happy. Then she decided she needed to lay down a towel to do the brushing and hair collecting. More carting around to find a towel. Barnie: getting irritated at this point.

By the time the brushing commenced, Barnie did not want anything to do with this project. I intervened. Got hair. Then I had the idea that the other pets could play, too. Quincy, Sophie, Argos and Purl all loved their massages, and my daughter loved the new expanded hair color palette. Everyone happy. HairBear V1.0 complete.

The next day…

It was Saturday, and instead of getting up at 5:30am as usual, I thought I would sneak a little sleep-in time. After the early morning dog turnout (dogs don’t get the sleeping in thing), I noticed Purl either chewing on something or trying to spit something out. Turns out, it was both. I assist. To my horror, I find HairBear. Unrecognizable now, ruined.

My daughter, as per her usual, didn’t put HairBear away in a safe place the night before. Quincy the night owl kitty found it, and had a great time running around the house and ultimately abandoning HairBear in the laundry room where Purl found it. Uh oh. It was bad enough that it was ruined, but eventually I would need to tell the arteest about it. I grumbled to my husband about kids not putting things away, and tried to go back to sleep.

I figured I would have a few more hours, since it was Saturday after all, and the kids love to sleep in.

Not this Saturday.

Inexplicably, my daughter was up at the crack of dawn and stormed into our room, furious about HairBear. (Why was she up so early? How did she find HairBear so quickly?) She was done with this project. Stoopid pets.

I had to work to convince her to create HairBear V2.0, which included grooming the pets all over again. Barnie: are you guys crazy?

But I did. And she did. And the pets helped. And here we are with HairBear V2.0. Whew!

Check all of them out!

Lots of fun and creativity to be found in these hairball creatures!

Posted in K9 Care, K9 Fun, K9 Health, K9 Stories | 3 Comments »

Do you adopt? Or … rescue?

April 6th, 2011

Today more than ever we know that “words have meanings.” Words may be used as powerful tools to empower, create, and change the world around us.

Two words that I have used fairly interchangeably have been “adoption” and “rescue.” I can point to differences in these words, but hadn’t give it much thought. That is, until my rescue group brought this up on our email list.

How my pets found me

My beloved pets came to me in a variety of ways. One example: Greta the cat. Our tech brought her in on Halloween, having witnessed her get hit by a car. No collar, no microchip. She needed immediate veterinary care. I say I adopted her, but maybe I rescued her instead? Did she accidentally escape from a loving home that Halloween night almost 19+ years ago, leaving her people distraught? Or was she a stray that fended for herself? She wasn’t underweight, but she was in pretty bad shape when I found her.

We will never know. And in this case, she went on to have a life of luxury – love, food, toys, companions. No one came looking for her.

So what is the big deal?

I felt that “adoption” and “rescue” are good words; something positive. Turns out, not everyone has that view. Some feel that if the animal was saved from a horrible situation, that animal was rescued. If the animal was placed in one situation and then another, that is adoption. But there are many gray areas.

The definitions of “horrible,” “acceptable,” what constitutes “neglect,” or what is “better” for the animal may depend on who you talk to. More words.

For organizations (“rescue” groups, shelters, etc.) and individuals who have had to face the difficult decision to part with a pet, these words matter. The perception that the animal had to be “rescued” implies that it was in a terrible state. Maybe, maybe not. This point is argued by animal lovers everywhere.

Shelters who take in animals to adopt them out, receive animals from a variety of situations. Organizations such as Greyhound adoption groups, receive large numbers of dogs retired from racing, breeding, or those that are not entered into training. Unfortunately our group has also had a lot of owner surrenders lately, too. Loss of job, divorce, or loss of a home have necessitated finding new homes for dogs.

If the animal wasn’t adopted, what kind of life (or death) would it have? Are we rescuing it from potential future events?

When all is said and done

In the best of circumstances, pets find loving homes with lots of attention and good food. What is your opinion of rescue versus adoption? Do words matter finding homes for pets?

Posted in K9 Care, K9 Rescue, K9 Stories | 2 Comments »

5 Fabulous Reasons to Foster

March 15th, 2011

I wrote about Adopt the Internet last week. The focus of the PetFinder Adopt the Internet is on adoption. As it should be – PetFinder has helped place over 17 million animals in their 15 years.

For this post, I am focusing on the sidekick to adoption; fostering.

Fostering is providing a temporary home to an animal waiting on their forever home. It may be because their time has run out at the shelter, the animal is declining or in poor health in the shelter, or the rescue group does not have the facility to house the animals they take in.

Fostering is a great service to that animal, making them ultimately more adoptable. Fostering is also a great way to “test out” how a particular animal or breed of animal will fit in your household. If it works out, you “fail” fostering and welcome a new adoptee!

5 Reasons To Foster

1) Help a pet out of the shelter
Most shelters do the best they can, given the facilities and funding on hand. Even in the best of circumstances though, a shelter environment isn’t a home environment. Lots of animals, smells, and noises can make even most outgoing animal shy or overly attention-seeking.

Offering a stable home environment allows for close observation of that animal – personality, health, and behavior – to ensure that the animal is healthy and provide accurate information to prospective adopters to ensure the best possible match.

2) Watch them bloom
Even though both of our fosters (adopted pets, too) had radically different personalities, they all “bloomed” after getting settled in. That first tail wag, play bow, or silly smile makes it worth getting over little houstraining accidents or ‘mistakenly’ chewed up item.

Meeting other household pets must be done with care and caution – to protect both the foster and the resident pets. Gradually allowing more freedoms and interactions as they get to know each other keeps the peace.

3) Basic training
Each new foster is a big question mark – are they already housetrained? Do they know basic obedience? Can they walk on a leash? When fostering, you may not get all of the background info you would after reseaching a potential adoptee.

Don’t be intimidated – use this as a great opportunity to brush up and practice those basic skills. If you need help, reach out to your foster coordinator or others who foster. Most will be happy to offer tips and advice.

The benefit? Our fosters have eagerly and quickly taken our advice – they have trained quickly and it is gratifying to see the results – and their self-satisfaction at a job well done.

4) Good cardio workout
This is a dual meaning for me, and a little tongue in cheek. With our latest foster, Burro the Greyhound, I am getting a lot of strength training because she is terrified of our non-carpeted floors. She is getting better at this, but for ease/quickness, I often carry her to carpet for good footing. Lucky for me she is small and easily carried.

The second part of the cardio work out is the happiness, then the sadness, then the happiness when a foster finds their forever home. It is definitely a good feeling, but I did feel the tinge of ‘what if’ with our first Greyhound foster, Hammer. It was short-lived though, because the photos and emails from his new family proved that everything turned out as it was meant to be.

5) Give them foundation, then wings
Before Hammer came to our family, we had a big sit down meeting with the kids. What fostering is, how it helps the animal, and what our role is. The kids “got it” better than I anticipated. They did great and it was a good learning experience.

Fostering provides a solid foundation of health, behavior, expectations and basic training for the newly adopted dog. This is the main reason I foster – knowing that they dog is a little more ‘polished’ and ready for a home. Less worry about a return or  adoption gone wrong if more of the variables are known.

After Hammer found his home, we had several phone calls and emails about his personality, little quirks and other Hammer humor to discuss. It is a great way to make new friends.

Never Say Never

I used to say never. I could never (ever!) foster. I would surely adopt every single one. But if you view fostering as a service to that animal and the adopters, it makes it easier. PetFinder.com also has some great tips and resources all about fostering.

Posted in K9 Care, K9 Fun, K9 Rescue, K9 Stories | 5 Comments »

Adopt the Internet

March 8th, 2011

Pet adoption and rescue is a topic I visit often. I live it.

I am not one of the super heroes of the rescue world; those who rescue countless animals or work tirelessly in shelters or situations of abuse or neglect, but I do what I can.

Every little bit counts.

Many of us are familiar with this quote:

“Saving just one pet won’t change the world
but, surely, the world will change for that one pet “

It is easy to feel overwhelmed — not only at the sheer numbers of animals being euthanized (killed) each day because time for them has run out but also the numbers of animals waiting in shelters and rescues.

If the time isn’t right to adopt now, the overwhelm-guilt is even bigger. That is why I focus on the quote above. It makes things more… attainable. Doesn’t fix everything, but it is a start, and hopefully times are changing. Hopefully, some day, we can change the bigger picture.

Sometimes the process still feels too slow. It is easy to be impatient. To feel powerless. We have many pets, how can we help one more? One thing my family has  done is to foster dogs awaiting their forever home. I never thought I could – it would be too “hard” and would it really help anyway? Turns out it did.

First we fostered Hammer. Now we have Burro (pictured in the photo with her mentor Argos – more photos here). Hammer was a sweetie, but needed a little refinement in the manners department. He was an energetic teenager dog who shined after a little polishing, and found a fabulous forever home.

Burro is the complete opposite – she is afraid of her own shadow. At times immobile from fear. We have only had her for 3 days, but she is already blooming out of her scaredy cat shell. She is discovering that walks are fun, there’s lots of yummy food here, and cats aren’t scary (most of the time).

Fostering has not only helped the dogs, it has helped all of us to have more patience with dogs who aren’t quite yet “pet-ready” yet and the power of a nicely matched adoption success.

For now, let’s Adopt the Internet

PetFinder.com is a household name these days. Fifteen years of hard work and 17 million pet adoptions later, it’s time to party. Time to celebrate each single pet who found a home (Sophie and Argos) because of this web site.

It’s a party and you are invited! Fun prizes, cute photos, and more.

Here are some ways you can be involved:

• Add a badge to your Web site to show your support.
• Take the PetFinder pledge that you will tell one person about pet adoption on March 15. By pledging, you’ll enter for a chance to win one of 10 Pet Hair Eraser® Vacuums from BISSELL.
• Caption a Petfinder adoptable-pet photo on ICanHasCheezburger! The photos with the best captions will be featured on the ICanHasCheezburger.com homepage on March 15.
• On March 15, donate your Facebook status and photo to an adoptable Petfinder pet. Simply replace your photo with one from the Adopt-the-Internet All-Stars gallery and post one of these messages:
  -More than 320,000 pets are waiting for homes on Petfinder.com. Help Petfinder Adopt the Internet today and find forever homes for as many as possible!
  -I adopted my pet from Petfinder and now I want to help get this pet adopted! If you want to help pets in need of forever homes, please repost this!
  -On March 15, share an adoptable Petfinder pet on Twitter with the hashtag #adopttheinternet.
• Add a link to your blog, Facebook or Twitter post to this page! (Come back on March 15 to find out how.)

So join in… in some way. Every little bit counts.

March 9, 2011 update: Just had a great question from Twitter:

When I get ready to add to my furry family, would I be able to find purebreds on PetFinder?

Answer: Yes! Check out the many dog breeds and cat breeds available on PetFinder.

Posted in K9 Care, K9 Fun, K9 Rescue, K9 Stories | 4 Comments »

Home Alone – Is Your Dog Safe?

March 2nd, 2011

More than ever, pets are being accepted as members of the family. Not just a dog who lives in the yard and goes for a walk now and then; they live with us, eat with us, and travel with us.

Businesses have become more pet friendly (when the health laws allow) and pet-specific businesses, such as doggie daycare and serve yourself dog washing places, are now the norm, not the exception.

Some work places allow employees to bring their dog to work. (And if they don’t, maybe they would reconsider for just this one day.) People who work on the road or at home also get lots of time with pets.

But what about those times you need to leave your pet? Have a little alone time? Most of the time, this is fine. Sometimes though, all of this togetherness may exacerbate separation anxiety behavior in dogs that are prone to this type of anxiety. That is a big topic for another day.

For now, let’s take a look at ways to ensure your house is safe when you are away.

Home Alone Safety Tips

1) Pet-proofing: Most of us have a “pet-proofed” home already. At least while we are in the general vicinity. Assuming your pet isn’t hungry, doesn’t need to go outside for a bathroom break, and is not bored, what will they do while you are gone?

Look around with new eyes, make sure all medications (human and animal) are safely locked away. I once left a brand new, unopened bottle of Vitamin C on the counter and went to work. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but lo and behold, my dog ate almost the entire bottle while I was gone. Why did he do it? No idea. Pets eat icky and weird things. Thankfully he was fine, but there was lots of cleaning up to do.

The same goes for cleaners, chemicals and foods, especially foods toxic to pets, such as raisins and grapes, xylitol in gum, and chocolate. Dogs can smell “inside” boxes and cupboards, and are adept at opening them, too. Same goes for cats. My cat Quincy opens drawers and cupboards with ease. Thank goodness for baby locks.

2) Baby gates: While some pets roam the house freely, never causing a problem, creating safe areas for your pet to be in while away is a good idea for many. When thinking of a ‘safe place’ to contain your pet, think of the flooring – easily cleanable, non-chewable surfaces are ideal. Any items such as shoes, laundry or rugs should be removed to prevent chewing and ingestion.

The type of gate is an important consideration. Not all baby gates are created equal. Some may be deadly. Consider how “chewable” the gate material is. Is the construction sturdy? Could your pet hang himself or be injured if the gate falls over?

3) Crates: Opinions vary on crates – everything from “love them” to “no way.” Much depends on the type of crate and the dog. Some dogs love their crate and go there if they are feeling scared/unsure. Other dogs resist crate time. With proper training, crates can be a valuable tool to keep your pet safe in the house and in other situations, such as traveling.

Chew-safe toys, such as a Kong, serve to keep your pet busy and happy when crated.

4) Outside time: If you live in a temperate climate with a safely enclosed yard, this is a great option. I live in a definite “four season” climate, so optimal conditions are only at certain times of the year. For dogs outside, it is important to provide fresh water, shelter, and to prevent heatstroke and protect from winter cold and elements.

One note about dogs in yards - theft of pets is a sad reality. Ensure your pet’s enclosure is safe, and that proper ID is on your pet.

5) Doggie daycare: I used to wonder about doggie daycare. Who would go? Why is it needed? But a place to drop off your pet where s/he is safe, gets to play with humans and other dogs, and food/water or any medications can be given on time is a good thing. And a valuable service for the furry members of today’s busy households.

A Few More Thoughts On Pets Alone, Together

If you have mixed pet populations, keeping them separate while they are alone might be wise. My dogs and cats live in harmony, but it is a fairly common occurrence to see a paw (most often a kitty paw) take a passing swipe at a dog nose, apparently “just because.” No problems arise while I am right there, but wonder if things get out of hand? Do cats or smaller pets have a place to “escape” to if things get out of hand?

If you have very small pets, such as hamsters or guinea pigs, is there any way that the dog or cat could access the room they are in or their housing? Teeth and claws can work wonders on housing that seems safe…

Years ago, a client had three dogs, one of them an epileptic dog. The anti-seizure medication phenobarbital usually kept the seizures at bay, but now and then the dog would have a seizure. Once the dogs were alone when this happened, and the other two dogs attacked this dog, requiring sutures. Something to consider if you have an epileptic, diabetic, or other “special needs” pet.

Another scenario happened while I was at our local emergency clinic a few weeks ago. A sweet Dachshund, with a large laceration in the ‘armpit’ and a few surrounding bite wounds. This dog was not an epileptic, but was housed with two larger dogs. They were alone. No one knows exactly what transpired, but when the client came home, this dog jumped up into her lap, and the wounds were discovered.

Pets are unpredictable. That is part of the deal. (And a big part of why mine bring a smile to my face every day.) With a little planning and foresight, homecomings can be the happy reunions we always assume they will be.

Photo: Happy at Home / TravisIsaacs on Flickr

Posted in K9 Care, K9 Expert Question, K9 Fun, K9 Health, K9 Stories | 1 Comment »

And The Best Dog Is…

February 23rd, 2011

The one in your house. The one you go for walks with. The one who sleeps on your bed.

But you knew that, right?

Westminster Dogs

I just returned from a crazy busy week in New York for the 135th Westminster Dog Show. I attended this show for the first time in 2008, on behalf of About.com (my photos and coverage here) to film videos on pet care.

Even though I was very active in 4-H dog obedience and showing as a teen, I was unsure how I would fit in at a show of purebred dogs and breeders. Especially now as a vet who loves the various mixed breeds, pet adoption, and shelter medicine.

As part of my first trip research, I watched Best in Show. While a comedy, I did see some resemblances at the show(!). I also saw real life; dogs who were very much a part of their family, out on the farm, visiting nursing homes and schools, and loved like any other dog. Just like my dog.

For this year’s show, I interviewed several veterinarians and vet techs who attended, and asked if they incorporate their dog show life into their practice life. I enjoyed reading their varied answers. One interviewee said that she didn’t blend show and work because of “negative feelings” between show and veterinary people.

I get that.

But I also love dogs. All of them. I love seeing the vast differences between breeds. I love learning the history of where they came from and what they were bred to do. I love seeing them in action. The variability of size, form, and function of dogs is like no other species I know of. Amazing.

Back Home To My Best Dogs

Seeing all of those gorgeous, well-groomed and well-loved dogs makes me miss my dogs even more than a ‘regular’ trip. And there they were… Sophie and Argos, waiting for my return. I think they thought I had abandoned ship.

We quickly got back to our normal routine, and while out on our daily walk, I watched them. Argos who sees everything. Sophie who smells everything. Doing what they they do best.

Argos, one of the sighthound breeds, sees things way before I do, and often sees things I can’t, even with my glasses on. He runs like the wind. Sophie, on the other hand, knows how to use her nose. She is a blend – with Golden Retriever and Collie influences. When she is on the beach, she doesn’t know if she should chase seagulls or herd them, but she sniffs everything. She is happiest nose-to-ground, trotting along.

Seeing my dogs “do what they were bred to do,” I love watching them evolve to fit in with each other and family life. When we adopted Argos, walks were new to him. He would stand around looking lost on those first walks, what was this other dog doing? What was she smelling? Now Argos gets in on the act, sniffing around, sometimes pushing Sophie out of the way in the process. Here is a recent photo of Team Sniff in action.

Sophie has taken cues from Argos, too. When he sees a deer, a cat, or a piece of garbage blowing through the air, he freezes. Head up, ears up, his undivided attention gets our attention. Sophie will pause, scan the horizon, determine if the item is barkworthy, then usually resumes sniffing.

Celebrate Dogs

We have strong feelings about our best friend. Emotions run high. No breed or dog is “better” than the next. Some breeds/breed types are definitely better suited for certain lifestyles and people, though. A thorough assessment of your family and home life paired with research about a specific dog or breed will help ensure a happy life together.

We found Sophie via our local shelter and Argos via Petfinder.com. If you are looking for a purebred dog, check out the hundreds available on Petfinder. Learn fun breed facts, history, behavior traits, health concerns, and more in the PetFinder Breed Directory. Of course there are many fabulous dog “blends,” cats, exotic and farm pets who are looking for homes too.

Another great PetFinder resource: Train Fur Keeps program to ensure a long healthy relationship with your new pet.

The Pedigree Foundation has a strong presence at the Westminster show, raising awareness about pet adoption and raising funds to help shelter animals around the US.

Go forth and award your best in show dog(s) with a big hug. They deserve it.

Related: More photos of Sophie and Argos (and my various cats)

Posted in K9 Care, K9 Fun, K9 Rescue, K9 Stories | 3 Comments »

New Year Wishes and Gratitudes

December 30th, 2010

New Year’s Resolutions are so… resolute. One more “to do” that leaves me tired at the end of a busy day.

So this year I am making wishes. Wishes are a lot more flexible and it’s way more fun to have a wish come true than just saying “done” and checking it off a list.

In the style of dream big and make it happen, here are my wishes for 2011:

1. Shelters have too many volunteers – and not enough animals to go around.
2. Pets in limbo prior to being adopted find a foster home to give them more time, and a chance to learn what home living is like.
3. Dogs on chains and in pens 24/7 have the love of a family, warm in winter and cool shade in summer.
4. Families struggling with food and vet bills find a way to feed, keep their pets healthy, and… keep their pets.
5. Lost pets have their “ticket home” – identification tags/microchips with up-to-date information.
6. Horses (and other animals) neglected after the interest has worn off or the funds grew short find homes and a purpose again.

On a smaller scale – in my own home – here are my pet wishes:

1. Daily hikes – I have been pretty good at this lately. Easier than a “real” workout, and the dogs, well… Sophie anyway… figured out the walk time schedule in an amazingly fast time. She keeps me on track and up to date with this one.
2. Daily toothbrushing – I try, but it is not always daily. Argos helps out with this one – he loves dog toothpaste. MMM (dog toothpaste only! Human toothpaste not for pets.)
3. Wash food bowls regularly – instead of just pouring in more food.
4. Regular nail trims – I always wait to do this outside – then forget.
5. Do more adoption meet-and-greets, and maybe… just maybe, foster another Greyhound like Hammer.

And finally, ending 2010 and starting off 2011 with thoughts of gratitude. In the hustle and bustle of life, it is easy to overlook things. To fail to take a minute and just be grateful. This not only boosts mood, experts say that gratitude also boosts health. Can’t hurt, right?

Grateful for…

1. My family – they keep me grounded in what is really important.
2. My pets! They make me laugh every single day.
3. My friends – both online and in real life. Special shout out to all of the online friends who became real life friends at the two Blogpaws events in 2010.

Positive Changes for Pets: How will this year be different?

Let’s get out there and do go for animals in all the ways we know how!

Here’s wishing everyone a very happy 2011.

Posted in K9 Fun, K9 Health, K9 Stories | No Comments »

Raising Awareness for Animals 1 Day at a Time

December 23rd, 2010

Ashley Niels of the I Love Rescue Animals animal rescue site is embarking on an ambitious project – to raise awareness about a 365 different animal-related organizations and causes.

Her plan is to wear a different t-shirt for each day of 2011.

365 Days of Animal Advocacy

Niels is calling this project the 365 Days of Animal Advocacy and is modeling this after other “365 day” day-in-the-life Flickr photo diaries and YouTube videos. People like to see the transformations – of hairstyles, clothes, moods. In this case, it will be on what animal-related cause is the daily featured shirt.

The shirts can be anything that helps animals – rescue organizations, shelters, spay/neuter advocacy, events and businesses that raise funds for animal charities, getting dogs off of chains/out of pens, animal sanctuaries, anything that betters the world for animals.

The daily shirts will be posted in a variety of social media outlets – Facebook, Flickr, YouTube to name a few – with a blurb describing the shirt and linking to the shirt sponsor’s site so readers can learn more.

The first step? Get t-shirts.

According to the counter on the 365DAA page, Niels currently has 15 shirts. That is only ‘covering’ her until the middle of January. Eeeek! If you are a rescue or animal person with a cause or mission, here is some advertising for just the cost of one t-shirt.

To submit your cause, business, shelter or event, please leave a comment on this post and they will respond with postal info.

The next step – getting the word out

In addition (or instead of) shirts, Niels is asking for your help with this project. Blogging, tweeting, Facebooking, Flickr-ing, all of it.

Are you best friends with Ellen or Oprah? Got an idea for how to take this project to the next level? Contact Niels/I Love Rescue Animals and share your great ideas.

Going Forward

Niels plans to start this project on January 1, 2011. I will update this post with relevant social media links and news as I have them.

Good luck and we’ll be tuning in, hoping for a viral takeoff for this project!

Connect with I Love Rescue Animals

• Web Site
• Twitter
• Facebook

Posted in K9 Fun, K9 Health, K9 Rescue, K9 Stories | No Comments »

Social Media Goodness

November 10th, 2010

Last week I wrote about social media pressures the shift to be ‘active’ and engaged rather than just… social. So many great causes, sometimes too little time. After some fresh air walks with the dogs and a weekend of limited Internet (was router fritzing out a sign to take a break?), I am back with renewed energy!

The focus this week is the amazing amount of good that happens with social networking. There are too many to cover, but here are a few to start. Feel free to add in YOUR social media cause/event/good news in the comments.

When Online Meets Real Life
This was the essence of the two Blogpaws conferences this year — to meet up with our online friends and contacts and have some face time. Meet many more friends and contacts. Learn about some of the amazing things people are doing to help animals.

I was honored to meet several veterinarians that I have corresponded with over the last year, many of them attending and being part of the Blogpaws Vet Track.

Working Together
One of those vets, Lorie Huston DVM, applied to be a Contributing Writer for Veterinary Medicine at About.com and I am pleased to announce that she starts this week. Having the online friendship and then meeting in real life really makes working together fun. We have lots of topics planned. Learn more about Dr. Lorie.

Another vet who I first ‘met’ online then at both Blogpaws conferences is DrV of Pawcurious. What can I say about DrV? Well, lots… here was my first impression and my interview with DrV on About.com.

Since then, we have worked on fund raising blogathons, eBay auctions for Haiti victims, and sharing blogging and social media tips along the way.

Here is an example of DrV in action. Working with Iams Home For The Holidays, DrV encouraged blog comments and Facebook photo postings to earn bowls of pet food for shelters. I don’t have the exact totals, but I think it was close to a million bowls of food. Or something like that. Excellent!

Speaking of Blogathons…
It is the second annual Blogathon this weekend – November 13 starting at 11 am PST and going for 24 hours. This year, 8 of us will be blogging for a variety of animal-related causes. Wow! That is a lot of blogging going on.

I will be blogging at AboutVetMed.com. I am joining DrV, Michelle Maskaly, and Dr. Finch to raise funds for a service dog for a boy who has epilepsy. The dog will be a seizure alert dog and companion for 4 year old Bradyn.

I’ll be honest –  I am a little nervous about staying up for 24 hours, but very excited for this event. I have a few handmade glass beads to add to the party. My plan is to have little quizzes – the answers to be found over on about.com – with beads as prizes. Open to ideas and bead suggestions. I may add some more beads if there is interest.

Share The Social Media Goodness
This post only scratches the surface of all that is going on out there. Check out Be The Change for Pets to get a glimpse of other pet projects. Please add your own in the comments below.

You never know who you might meet and the good that will come out of that connection…

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Socially Pressured by Peer Media

November 4th, 2010

The title of this post is a little tongue-and-cheek, but have you noticed the shift in social media? Every day I hear (or read) “Find us on Facebook!” or “we need your votes to____”

More sites to visit, more votes to click.

Social Media is Continually Evolving
At first, social media was simply social — everyone connecting, reconnecting — friends and family members keeping in touch easier. Fun. Easy. No pressure. (Well, unless you count the Farmville requests )

Then big corporations and small companies became aware of the power of social media. Some were slow to embrace it at first, but this “new technology” is the best word-of-mouth advertising money can buy, and much of it just ‘happens,’ for free. Because of this, social media has become more action-based.

Making Your Networks … Work
The other day, I saw a drawing for a chair (a chair!) on my friend’s Facebook page. It was easy, I just needed to supply my email address (uh oh). Then, when I clicked “submit,” I was met with a “thanks for that, now tell all of your friends to enter to keep the prizes coming.” Where is the Do Not Like button? I didn’t feel the need to let my friends know about this one.

Shelters and pet-related businesses are very active in social media, and who doesn’t love seeing adorable pets and reading amazing stories? I do. I learn about what is going on with animals around the country and world, too. Pretty cool.

Helping Out With Just A Click
The first site I remember using social media to entice viewers to help animals with the click of a mouse was The Animal Rescue site. With one simple little click of the mouse, you can help feed animals. There. I just did it again and earned 0.6 bowl of food for rescued animals. How can animal lovers not do something this easy to help? Seriously. You can also shop there and some of the funds go to help animals. It is so easy.

Fast forward to now. Many, many times throughout the day I am urged to click here, vote for this, comment on that to give food/cat litter/raise funds to help animals. Again, so easy… how could you not? It is almost a duty for people who love and want to help animals.

Well sometimes it is hard to keep clicking. Especially if you can’t spend one. more. minute. at your computer. Or, if you are like me, you may check in with your phone while in line at the grocery store and think “I’ll post on that later” then forget to, once the groceries are put away.

And If You Don’t Click
I realize that this is in part due to who I friend and follow, and it is voluntary. But… here is social pressure part. The very point of social media is the connectedness. So you do see who supported what cause and who… didn’t. If you didn’t, why? Too busy? Other causes to support? Not worth it to you?

Friends and fans are left to wonder.

I Love Social Media
I really do. On the plus side, it has been fun, engaging and in some ways changed the way I view veterinary medicine and my own pets. I have met fantastic people online and through “real life” events such as Blogpaws and the Vet Track at Blogpaws.

I also love all of the awareness campaigns and ways to truly help animals using social media. Seriously. And if I haven’t joined in yet, I may not have seen it, or I may not have had the time. Hopefully no one will take it personally.

I may just be out for a walk with the dogs and will be back later, clicking.

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