Author: Dana

Valentine’s Day is upon us and you remember what that means, don’t you? It’s time to show the world just how loving and wonderful adoptable shelter pets are! Join us on this Friday, February 14th for Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Second Annual Pooch Smooch and Kitty Kiss. Here’s how you can join: Pull out your camera phone and snap a photo or two (or ten!) of your adopted pet in the midst of doing what she does best – showing you love and affection! Post your favorite Pooch Smooch and Kitty Kiss photos to Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Facebook page on Friday, February 14th and be a part of the kiss felt around the world. You can also share those photos all over the social web with the hash tags #PoochSmooch and #KittyKiss. Be sure to tag @AdoptaPetcom! Let’s show potential pet adopters what they’re missing and why they should adopt!

We’ve heard all of the untrue and often downright, absurd stereotypes before. You know, “shelter pets are aggressive” or “shelter pets have all been abused.”  It’s enough to really scare off some adopters not only from saving the life of an animal that really deserves a chance, but experiencing the tremendous gifts that rescue animals have to give. As it turns out, by and large, shelter pets are soulful animals that have been known to pay back adopters tenfold with gratitude and love.  They are fun-loving, silly, and loyal. Shelter pets are just like any other pets. In an effort to help spread awareness of how terrific shelter pets are, we’re asking those of you on Facebook to click on this link and “SHARE” the image with your Facebook following, and the rest of you can share this post by using the share options below! Because the truth is, the ONLY thing wrong with shelter pets is that they are in a shelter!

While it’s no surprise that we believe every pet deserves to be safe and cared for, sometimes we’re touched by a story that is especially inspiring and serves to reminds the world of exactly how amazing animal rescue is.  Tessa’s story does just that. You remember Tessa. She was a blind and without the ability to walk. But with a little tender love and the support of this wonderful community of animal lovers, Tessa is starting a new chapter in her life.  And this chapter is one that is destined to be filled with happiness, as Tessa has officially been adopted into an awesome family that is just as thrilled to be a part of her life as she is to be saved.

Here’s a note we received from Annie Hart, Executive Director of Bill Foundation who spearheaded the effort to save this angel:

On January 10^th of this year, I posted on Facebook and asked for our village’s help rescuing a blind dog named Tessa from the shelter. Little did I know that this rescue would not only change the life of a dog, but an entire community.

The moment I rescued Tessa I knew there was more going on with her than just being blind. She was a shell of a dog; confused, painfully scared and she wouldn’t stand up or take even one step. We discovered that Tessa had hydrocephalus (fluid in her brain) and vertical nystagmus, which caused her to feel dizzy. Her prognosis was quite poor and her doctors didn’t think she would ever walk again, let alone regain her vision.

With the support of our village, we took a leap of faith, began medical treatment and physical therapy, hoping to help Tessa find a way to live.

Every progressive “step” Tessa took, our village cheered her on. They prayed for her to health and the celebrated each milestone.  When her video came out, they helped us by sharing it far and wide for more than three months hoping that one share would lead to that perfect family.

On May 3^rd, Tessa and I attended a “Specially Abled Pets Day” event held by our friends at Two Hands Four Paws. There we met a couple, who had seen Tessa’s video through a newsletter someone had sent them. There was an instant connection between Tessa and the woman, and not just because they had matching hair.

As they left, I turned to my friends and said, “Gosh, I really hope they fill out an application”. My friend agreed, they were amazing and might be exactly what we had been waiting for.

They did fill out the application and it was perfect for Tessa. A retired couple with 2 dogs and a cat of their own, plenty of time to dedicate to caring for Tessa, along with past experience caring for a special needs dog. So, Tessa and I began “dating” this new family and for the past few weeks we have slowly been integrating her into their home. Baby steps so that the transition is easier on Tessa.

Well, Today is the big day! Tessa will officially begin her new life with her adoptive family!

Thank you to everyone who has shared Tessa’s story and all those who donate to Bill Foundation. It is because of you that our rescues are possible. And a very special thank you to Adopt-a-Pet.com for their partnership in finding homes for abandoned animals and for helping us share Tessa’s story with the world.

While it took a village to find Tessa a home, it took a very special blind dog to bring this village together.

We are so happy for Tessa and her new family!  Thank you to everyone who helped Tessa by watching her video, sharing her story, or donating to an animal welfare organization that helps animals like Tessa be given the chance they deserve. And of course, thank you to Annie Hart for turning Tessa’s life around and for sharing a story that will inspire others!

 

If in exchange for a couple of clicks of your mouse a donation would be made to help homeless pets start a new life, would you click?  If tweeting one simple message could give funding grants to shelters and rescues to save the lives of pets in your own neighborhood, would you tweet it? Of course you would. And now is your chance! Throughout the month of May, Adopt-a-Pet.com is holding the Happy Beginnings Retweet-athon! For every @AdoptaPetcom follower who retweets our special Happy Beginnings message, $1 will be donated – up to $15,000! – to Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Happy Beginnings Fund, which distributes grants to animal shelters and rescues to fund their life-saving work! Here’s how it works and how you can easily take part:

1. Follow @AdoptaPetcom on Twitter by clicking the follow button below.

Follow @twitter

2. Retweet the message below to share this important campaign with your Twitter following. Share now. Share often!

$1 is donated to the #HBfund for homeless pets for each @adoptapetcom follower who tweets this msg! Follow & RT! www.adoptapet.com/blog/tweet-to-save-…

— Adopt-a-Pet.com (@AdoptaPetcom) May 6, 2013

3. Spread the word! Tell others to join the Happy Beginnings ReTweet-athon and let’s help more pets.

 

 

Kids say the cutest things. And when you mix kids and pets, there’s no telling what will happen!  We thought it would be fun to create some videos with our kids talking about our pets.  We came up with the following questions for you to ask your kids and video tape their answers.  You can ask any or all of these, and your pets can be in the video or not.  Then, either email the files (if they are not too big) to info@cms.adoptapet.com, or use this link to upload your video files to Adopt-a-Pet.com form your computer: https://dropbox.yousendit.com/KidsSayTheDarndestThings.  We’ll take the best videos we get and edit them together to share with the world.  What we create will not only be cute, but will show the world how cute kids and pets are together and hopefully get some pets adopted!

Here are our suggested questions:

1.  Can you do an imitation of your pet?

2.  Why do you love your pet?

3.  How do you know your pet loves you?

4.   When you are away from home, what do you miss about your pet?

5.  How does your pet play with you?

6.  If your pet could talk like a person, how would s/he sound and what would s/he say?

7.  If your pet could have a wish come true, what would it be and why?

8.  if your pet or was a human what kind of job would s/he do when s/he goes to work?

9.  If you were a dog or a cat, what would you do with your day?

10.  What do you think your pet thinks about first thing in the morning?

11.  What do you think your pet’s perfect day would be like?

12.  If your pet could tell us something about your brother or sister, what would your pet tell us?

13.  What does your pet smell like?

14.  If you were a pet in a shelter that needed a home, what would you say to people right now to get them to adopt you and take you home?