Lost and surrendered dogs are being adopted by the University of Michigan for trauma testing.

I was alerted by PCRM (Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine) and I am beyond sick over it.

I have written emails and letters but am hoping that members of this group will also take action. It's so upsetting!

If you choose to write letters too, please be polite.

Here is the info: http://www.pcrm.org/resch/atls/michigan/index.html

Please cross-post.

Thank you.

There is finally an update on this terrible, heartbreaking story: Although I am glad he is being punished, I certainly don't think that losing his job is enough. How about some jail time? Or being thrown off a cliff? I'm all for an eye for an eye when it comes to how animals (and babies, senior citizens, and people in general) are treated.

A few weeks ago, I went with my friend Jill to pick out a dog at the Brooklyn branch of the NYC Center for Animal Control. My heart broke into a million pieces and I highly doubt it will ever recover. Ladies and gentleman, this is no ASPCA. This is the lowest of the low. Dogs, Cats and Rabbits are shoved into tiny cages, no blankets, no toys, a bowl of water and little hope.

After 7 days of being posted, if no one adopts or claims them, off they go to Animal Heaven. 20,000-30,000 adoptable, healthy dogs are euthanized every year in NYC alone because of overcrowding. I don't even want to know what the total number of animals (including cats, rabbits, etc.) is. The whole thing is truly wretched.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about them. I have to do something to help. I've decided to give as many animals as possible a little trinket to play with or a nice place to snuggle while they are in the shelter system.

This is where you come in.

Every month, I'll be collecting gently used blankets, towels and new toys for any of the above animal types and will be dropping them off at the Brooklyn branch. I will be donating at least $25.00/month or more to the cause and will personally drop off anything I collect.It's not a lot but at least it's something.

If you are interested in helping, please comment back and I will email you with my mailing address so you can send whatever you would like to donate. I will post pictures or a note from a NYACC rep to prove that it's all going to this new cause I'm on.

I'm calling this initiative the Furbaby Blanket Fund and will be creating a separate blog to post updates.

Thanks for reading this--and thank you in advance for any blanket, towel, toy or donation you send.

My last post was sad. My past month was terrible. I couldn't stand being the only heartbeat in my house anymore so on Saturday, I picked up a new rescue friend. Meet Oliver!

Ollie was rescued, along with 3 brothers and his mama from a wonderful lady in NJ who started and runs My Way Home Rescue. He is a miniature wire-haired dachshund. He will be 2 in June and it was lover at first sight for both of us. He is settling in nicely.

Things we are going to work on:
-Walking on a leash
-Being nice to men
-Doing business outside while on a leash
-Knowing that when the phone rings on TV, it's just on TV and nothing to be too alarmed about

We start puppy classes in a few weeks. I hated gong to work today--but I really can't wait to get home.

Check out his awesome mohawk in this picture...his hair has a tendency to stand up on end after a good nap.

A few more parting shots for today...more to come...I'm sure!

Um people...this is too much. Please take 10 minutes to watch this. You won't regret it and will be quite amazed.

 

 

 

 

As most of you already know, I have been gearing up for a few months for a trip to Utah in February. I am really excited to go, because I will be volunteering for 4 days at the Best Friends Animal Society--the largest no-kill animal shelter in the U.S. The staff works tirelessly to place the animals in adoptive homes, or if necessary, the animals live out their lives in a beautiful setting where they are well taken care of and loved. There are many things I love about this place--but one of the biggest, is that the funding they receive goes towards making sure that every animal there gets the medical attention it deserves--no matter what the cost.

I am pretty beside myself to go--I can't wait to make an impact and utilize the empathy/love I have for animals in a way that really makes a difference.

The shelter announced today that the Michael Vick dogs have arrived and are doing well in the beginning stages of rehabilitation. I'm not sure if a first time volunteer will be given access to them, but if I can do anything while I am there to help them, I will.

In more Best Friends news, National Geographic also launched a new series "Dog Town" about the dog portion of the center that you can catch on Friday nights. It's truly inspiring.

You can make a donation if you wish, by clicking here

I'll post pictures when I get back (if I am allowed to take them!)

Would you classify this as cute or sad (to steal from Cute Overload)? I think it's a bit of both but my stomach won't stop hurting because I want to squeeze these little things so much. *dying.melting.dead.*

From "The Daily Mail"

Orphaned hedgehogs adopt cleaning brush as their mother

Four tiny orpahned hedgehogs are snuggling up to the bristles of a cleaning brush - because they think it's their mother.

T he four inch long creatures are being hand-reared by staff at the New Forest Otter, Owl and Wildlife Park in Ashurst, Hants.

Workers say Mary, Mungo, Midge and Slappy get comfort from playing with the centre's cleaning brush and enjoy rubbing against it.

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The smells on the brush, which is used to sweep a yard, remind the hedgehogs of their natural habitat while the texture reminds them of their mother.

Manager John Crooks, 41, said: "They are a bit like human babies - they need activities to keep them busy.

"Because they have very poor eyesight you have to appeal to their sense of smell and touch by giving them different scents and textures.

"They like natural scents and have enjoyed playing with our cleaning brushes, soil, leaves, flower pots and the like.

"They particularly seem to enjoy rubbing against the brush.

"It may sound odd but I imagine the bristles feel a bit like their mum."

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He added: "Three of the hedgehogs came to us because their mum was sadly crushed by a council palette truck at one of their depots.

"They are only a couple of weeks old.

"The fourth one is a little bit older and was found wandering around a back garden in the middle of the day.

"The home owner left it alone for a while to see if it would find its mum but after a few hours it was still by itself so she brought it into to us."

The hedgehogs will be fed until they are full-sized and then they will be released back into the wild.

John said: "We are feeding them milk powder mixed with kitten food - but they don't like fish flavour - they prefer nice meaty chunks.

"When they get older they will move onto proper cat food and will occasionally be given slugs and snails as a treat.

"There has been a real surge in slugs this year because of the wet weather so hopefully that will mean a good year for hedgehogs too.

"I would urge people not to kill garden slugs with pellets because the poison will be passed on to hedgehogs and a build up of poison could be fatal.

"If the weather is good they could be released in a month or so, otherwise we will feed them over the winter so they do not hibernate and then relase them in spring."

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He added: "They are quite a handful and each has their own character.

"One is quite snappy and another fairly sleepy."

This is so sad. It's like a bad dream come true. *Sigh. Teared Up*

Outlook Bleak for Polar Bears

Polar Bears Collapsing from Heat Exhaustion

Not only did this video make me happy but the reporter guy is totally cute. The eyes on him are amazing. Jeesh. I'm blushing. No wonder why the CNN reporter made an idiot of herself and told him to have a happy Mother's Day.

The cuteness could kill...beware:  Cute Baby Animals Video