HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer

Wishing you and ALL of yours a blessed Easter from HoundsGood.com

Dogs Deserve Better has once again mounted a Valentine’s Day Campaign.  There is still time to volunteer. Many people, including many children are meeting to create Valentines and stuff envelopes and send them to homes that have chained or penned dogs.

Last year, 12,113 Valentine’s were delivered to homes all over the country (plus to some areas of Canada and Australia).

They are asking for three things:
1) People to make Valentines

2) People to send in discount coupons for dog treats and donations for Valentine postage and materials.

3) People to send in addresses where they know a dog is chained up outside or penned. Last year there were more cards than addresses. This is so important.

At first I was skeptical, thinking that an owner of a chained dog would just throw out the card, and maybe some do, but response from the previous years has proven that some people take it to heart:

From Bobbie (2009 ):  On Valentines day a woman called me and said she received our Valentine again this year. She had received them in previous years and called the police to report harassment. I sent one again this year. And she called and said “come get her.” Not because she was angry with us, but with her family for wanting to keep the dog chained. Her daughter has severe allergies which is why Mackenzie was out there in the first place. She did the brave thing and went against her familys (sic.) wishes and surrendered the dog to us. Now we need to get her out ASAP. She told her husband and children “how would you like to be chained?” She read the brochure and looked at the website and she now believes that chaining is cruel and inhumane and is going to try to teach her family. Mackenzie is about 9 years old spayed, submissive with other dogs. She comes when called off-leash. We took her for a walk but I have 9 dogs and 4 cats here. Regan got adopted and was returned after 4 days or I would have been able to take her. We can help transport almost anywhere.
Thanks,
Bobbie and Terry, Greencastle PA REPS

From PA Rep Tena Emerson (2008), “Two dogs, a chocolate lab and a terrier mix have been taken inside by their owners after getting their Valentines card. I have been working with this family for some time. The husband was all for bringing in the dogs and wife not…she told me ‘that Valentines card just did it, it pushed me to the yes’. Her husband said he was very happy when she said ‘bring them in’ with tears running down her face. Well, after getting their valentines cards, the dogs are happy inside and groomed. I have let them know I am here if they need anything…

From Martha Honus, North Carolina: “I am a volunteer with Carolina Poodle Rescue. One of our members lives in your area and gave us information on your organization. I sent a neighbor’s dog a valentine. It is a beautiful brindle dog that is tied to a tree with a piece of loose tarp for a house. I found out their name and address and sent one of the Valentines to the pup. On February 16 the little dog had a little barn house and is not always tied out there now. Thank you so much for the valentine.”

Ohio Rep, Marla Dakes, reported her first Valentine Success Story. Harley is a beautiful long-haired German Shepherd who spent his life living in a pen. As a Valentine’s Day gift of love – His caretakers called Marla, and released Harley to rescue. On 2/24/08, Harley was delivered to his forever home in Canada! Marla drove many of the miles from Ohio north herself. She is Harley’s rescue angel.

Sometimes its a little message that someone reads in private that makes all the difference.

Some people look at their dogs and say “they have dog food, they have a water bowl, and there’s an awning in case it rains,” and they think that they are fine. Well, a dog is a “pack” animal and being seperated from their “pack” (YOU!) is torture to a dog. It can cause loneliness, behavior problems, and more. Some may justify this because they go out and pat the dog a little each day and then refuse to bring the dog inside because the dog jumps and acts crazy when they are paid attention to. You would act desperate too if you were stranded alone somewhere and saw a chance at being able to be with family again. In a “Pack”, you walk together, you eat together, and you sleep together. Now, I am not saying that every dog has to sleep in a person’s bed, but a dog who is not allowed in the “den” and is forced to live a part has a lonely and unhealthy life indeed.

If you can make Valentine’s, provide addresses of chained dogs, or can help in other ways please go to Dogs Deserve Better’s Valentine’s Day 2010 page http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/Valentines2010.html

I was cleaning out the crawl space with Mom and Dad this week and found an important family relic that used to be brought out around Christmas.  Although we were looking for Halloween decorations, we found the most talked about Christmas item.

A bunch of years ago, Target stores did an It’s a Wonderful Life promotion or theme, and hung giant cardboard Christmas balls from the ceiling.  Each was emblazoned with the image of George Bailey and the children after he comes back from his ordeal.   Somehow, my dad ended up with one of them.  It may have looked rather demure hanging from the ceiling of a big box store.  In a regular home, it was a big over the top.  My parents live on a corner, and a major road runs along the side.  It’s not really all that major, but its major for the town.

Passersby for many years saw the big window in the living room almost completely covered by what had to be the king of the large Christmas ornaments in all of its cardboard glory. Of course, when my younger sister was the last of us to be living at home and thought it was embarrassing, it was moved. Jimmy Stewart was moved to the den, and then not to be seen.

Since my Dad likes to do Christmas big, I wondered what there could be besides lawn deers that would make as big of a statement as he was accustomed to.  We were not “that weird family with the mutantly large Christmas decorations. Just one was fine.   I recently stumbled across these fantastic jumbo sized ornaments at Outdora.com and they would definitely be up Dad’s ally. They remind me of something Gimbel’s or Hudson’s would have had in their stores. Maybe it wouldn’t be all of their stores, but just the big ones downtown.  They were probably a fraction of the size, but to me as a small child they were parade float size.

The spiral ornaments are 53″ tall, so would probably give the actual Christmas Tree a run for its money.  Of course, Dad may wonder whether the measurement includes the loop and string or is it just the actual ornament.  No matter what, it doesn’t make them any smaller.  An idea would be to put one on each side of a door or fireplace.  Less is more in this case.  They are not inexpensive, but could definitely be a family heirloom.

Does your family have an unusual Christmas decoration, or do you have that one neighbor whose house is used as a landmark when giving directions because of their large Christmas decorations?  I always love to hear stories like that.