HoundsGood: Chronicles of a Virtual Volunteer

No, Gladys Knight is not involved in this venture, but Midnight is and Georgia is.  Midnight is a sweet little kitten with a severely broken leg.  While the sweetie doesn’t seem to be in much pain, the leg needs to be broken and reset or amputated, depending on if the vet can save it.  A rescue has agreed to take this kitten in, but a ride needs to be arranged.  The journey is far, but if everyone drives just a little bit, Midnight will be transported from the county pound to a rescue, where medical treatment can occur and a good family an be found.

The following are the legs of the journey needed.  Check back for updates:

The journey will occur on Saturday, July 24, 2010 from Franklin, GA to Hattiesburg, MS.  A volunteer form the Maine Coon Rescue will meet the last person on the transport. Are you on this route? Can you help drive just an hour or two? Contact details are below. Contact my friend Emily to help out.

THIS POST WAS UPDATED 7/21 at 4:58 PM

View Larger Map

SATURDAY July 24, 2010

15 minutes has been added to each leg for handoffs
All legs are flexible!

Leg 1 Filled – Thanks Heather!
Depart: Franklin GA 8:30 am EDT, 7:30 am CDT
Arrive: Oxford AL 9:45 am EDT, 8:45 am CDT
1 hour 15 min

Leg 2 Filled- Thanks Kris!
Depart: Oxford AL 9:00 am
Arrive: Birmingham AL 10:00 am
1 hour

Leg 3 Filled — Thanks Debbie!
Depart: Birmingham AL 10:15 am
Arrive: Tuscaloosa AL 11:15 am
1 hour

Leg 4 NEEDED
Depart: Tuscaloosa AL 11:30 am
Arrive: Meridian MS 12:30 pm
1 hour 30 min

Leg 5 NEEDED
Depart: Meridian MS 12:45 pm
Arrive: Hattiesburg MS 2:15 pm
1 hour 30 min

End of Transport – Foster will drive to rescue

TRANSPORT COORDINATOR:
Emily Cherry Goff (cherryharley)
cherryharleysavinganimals @ yahoo.com
(334) 744-5590

PLEASE PROVIDE:

Day and Leg(s) you are offering to take
Name
Address
City/State
Home #
Cell #
Can you receive text messages?
Email
Do you have email access after 5 pm and on weekends?
Emergency Contact phone #
Vehicle Desc
License Plate #

THIS POST WAS UPDATED 7/21 at 4:58 PM

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Kissimmee Tourism. All opinions are 100% mine.

While families are still doing things that matter to them, money is tighter than usual for some families I know. However, instead of forgoing the long-planned family vacation, they are just doing it more frugally.  They are selecting hotels that cater to pets rather than having them stay at the pet resort and they are not staying as close to the attractions. Of course, some pets are better off close to home, but the social butterflies love to come along. Disney is packed in some of the hottest months when kids are not in school. The hottest deals for peak times for rooms is actually in Kissimmee. Just a south of Disney, the hotel selection is plentiful.

When people book, they only think of Orlando, even though some parts of it are far flung from where they want to be. Surprisingly, many hotels in Kissimmee are closer to park gates than their Orlando counterparts. You are also not so immersed in the park that you forget about nearby beaches, and other attractions such as Cape Kennedy. . If you book a pet-friendly hotel, you can relax at night with family and pets and then, at some hotels with walking services, you may leave your pet behind during the day, or take your pet to a Disney Kennel. They are located at the park entrances at several of the parks.  They are reasonable and clean and you return to take your dog for bathroom breaks.

Some friends of mine were looking for some portland oregon hotels. They are flying into Sacramento, and then driving up to Oregon. Since I have written about hotels that accept pets, they called to pick my brain. The top three hotel amenities, to me are:

1) Permitting pets, which goes without saying.
2) Permitting pets to stay in your room unattended. Of course you are NOT going to just leave your pet, but there are times when you need to run out for n hour or two to get dinner, or go somewhere the pet cannot, such as the grocery store to stock up. Some hotels are very reasonable about short absences, but others are not.
3) Hotel computers. I don’t like to bring my computer along and sometimes when I do, the wireless internet doesn’t work correctly. In-room or at least in-lobby computers fill the gap.

The Larkspur River Place hotel has a pet policy, but doesn’t list fees or stipulations on its website. I dialed them and here is what their rep had to say:

1) Pets are permitted. There is no restriction on type, but inquire if its anything unusual.
2) Size is limited to 75 lbs per pet in the residential suites. Other rooms have no restrictions.
3) 2 pets are permitted per room.
4) A $50 cleaning deposit per stay.

So, if you are visiting the area, add this one to the list of those with verified pet policies.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you been thinking of a romantic getaway this Valentine’s Day, but have run into a little snag? Aunt Matilda will take the kids, but she and Uncle Chester are a bit iffy when it comes to taking care of your cat, Bertha, or your beagle, Ginger?  A little while back, I discovered that the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing will let Bertha and Ginger settle right in. It might not sound too romantic to have the “kids” glued to you at all times, but a crate fits in the bathroom, or you can always get a suite to have private grownup time away from the furkids.

There is an icon on the site that indicates the hotel is friendly, but the website doesn’t give all the details. I am sure that things have not changed dramatically since I called, but you may want to verify when making a reservation. Dogs are required to be kept on a leash at all times when the dog is outside of your room.  There is a $75.00 fee per room that is a deposit against pet damage. The front desk will give you a special hanger for the door that will tell staff that there are pets in the room, so they do not disturb them when they are alone.

As far as the number or size of the pets, they allow pets up to the size of 75 lbs.  While this is good news in general, it is bad news for owners of the giant breeds.  However, typically those whose lifestyle includes an XXL companion, they have learned to adjust that their dog will not be welcomed everywhere. There are some great pet resorts that you can take your friend to while you are away if that is the case.

The hotel’s sister property, Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, seems to have the same rules and regulations. It is such a relief to be able to find a luxury property that offers a spa and restaurants that accepts our four legged friends as guests.  To me, the deposit is a very small price to pay for having a best buddy around, and certainly is a savings over a week at the kennel.

There are many hotels and motels that are pet friendly. However, just because they allow pets to hang out does not mean it is a home like situation. Some hotels allow you to leave pets in your room while you get a quick bite to eat, but others do not, and require you to be with the pet at all times. Of course, if you are just crashing for the night, it is easy, but if you are staying for a number of days, it becomes a challenge if there is now way to cook in the room and there aren’t any outdoor cafes where you can eat with your pet. Of course, in the winter time, that would be a little chilly.

That being so, luxury vacation rentals seem even more out of the question. However, I stumbled across Masterpiecerentals.com. Not all of the accommodations are mansions, some are more modest, but they are all private residences or condos. You can rent a house out for a night or for a few weeks with no worry about cleaning staff coming in and out of the room and potentially stressing your pet. Not all properties allow pets, but a very fair amount of them do. While in some cases, it is more expensive than a night at a hotel, when you stay for a week and way the expenses you would have dining out, it is obtainable. Also, many of them can sleep more than two people. Just doing a spot check, I saw that many slept six. Some large homes and cabins sleep up to 16. There is a great potential to go with a few family members and save a lot of money.

For this Thanksgiving and Christmas, if there are numerous relatives out of town, or if no one lives in the same city, what about all meeting at another location and having a few days of togetherness? Maybe its not for everyone, but there would be room. Of course, you would have to see how many bedrooms the arrangement had to determine if there were privacy or it was a case of fold out sofas.

Whatever you decide, I think renting a home would be a great way to include the pets during the holidays across the miles.

I have a completely different travel style than my parents do.  Of course, I take my dogs along, which is different, but the pace is different too.  When I was a kid, my dad was Mr. Itinerary.  We crammed so much into a four day weekend.  In fact, I don’t know quite how we saw the highlights of four different states in a weekend once.  These weren’t New England states, either.  All I can remember is petting some horses and then being cranky and tired the rest of the time.  When I go on a trip, I build in plenty of time to rest, or to spontaneously discover a few things along the way.  It is not uncommon at the end of the night for me to end up back in my room, flipping around on the television to unwind.  I don’t watch much television, but that is one of the times when I do.  The pool usually gets ignored while I decompress.

In Hong Kong, there is a show called Professor Paws Pet Cadet, featuring the Dr. Dog program, where well mannered and well trained dogs act as ambassadors for their species, as well as animals in general. Since the SARS outbreak, and the way pets were treated, they need all the human friends that they can get.  It is supposed to be a fascinating show.   Of course, we can’t see it over here, but if I was sitting in a hotel in Hong Kong I could.   I was just sort of joking around about it, but at a party this weekend, my cousin who has traveled the world told me that Hong Kong is a great place to visit if you have never been to Asia. Of course, she speaks three languages and has traveled the world, so she can always find someone to chat with.   When I read that the Accor Hotels 3-Day Super Sale Asia Pacific was going on, she was really pushing me to go.

I still shook my head, but I did then read that I could potentially get a hotel room for less than less than what I would pay here.  There are hotel rooms available for as little as $84 a night in Hong Kong, and for as little as $30 in the other Asia Pacific localities. Where have you heard of Accor hotels before?  The own Motel 6, among many other properties.  There don’t appear to be any Motel 6 locations in Hong Kong, but the sale makes you sure think you have snagged a similar bargain at their other properties.

My cousin went on to say that if I was nervous about going to Asia because of the language barrier, and didn’t want to be insulated within a tour group, Hong Kong was definitely the place to go.   In some ways, the laws are more similar to home, and there is enough international business where if I got really lost or stuck I could probably find someone who spoke English.  Of course, I always try to learn the language of where I am at, enough to get around, but sometimes you have an unusual situation far beyond your knowledge of asking to be directed to the bathroom or airport.

Who knows.  If I go, and am lucky, maybe I can go to a taping of Dr. Dog, or to lend a hand some how.

I better hurry, because today is the last day of the sale.

There was a 25 year gap in visits to Disney in my life. The first was when I was in first grade. Maybe I am dating myself a bit, but Epcot wasn’t even open yet. It was under construction. You could see the big dome in the distance, but the park wasn’t open yet. In fact, I was there a mere several two months before it was open to the public. Great timing, huh? I am not sure if myself and my three year old brother would have quite appreciated Epcot when we were given the choice between the big dome and the mad teacup ride. Don’t forget the flying Dumbo ride.

It was a big deal to some kids to go shake hands with Mickey Mouse. At the time, Bernard and Bianca, the mouse stars of The Rescuers were a bit more important to us as the movie had just come out in the past few years, and we had seen it every time the library showed it. In retrospect, I should have had a sit down with Pluto and Goofy, as there are burning questions. Is Goofy a dog? If so, why does Pluto act like a dog, and Goofy acts like a person (sort of). What does Pluto think about that, or does it not dawn on him? Perhaps Goofy was a genetic mutation or his Grandma was Little Red Ridinghood’s Granny and his Grandfather was the Big Bad Wolf. Heck, Kermit and Miss Piggy got married, so why not?

When I went twenty-five years later, I took my own five year old with me. My dog! Believe it or not, Disney is friendly to dogs. In the front of all or most parks, there is a kennel. You can leave your furry kid there during the day while you explore the park. The kennel was very clean and the dogs were all kept inside. The set up was more like a vet’s office bank of cages versus a kennel with runs. The dogs are not allowed to stay overnight. The opening and closing of the kennel coincides with park hours.

During the day, you yourself go and walk your own dog outside of the park. It easy to plan your jaunts around various parts of the park to three to four hours at a time. I found that seeing my pup was a welcome break, and it helped me beat the fatigue of running around. You will need to bring your dog’s blanket and any desired toys or food with you. They don’t supply them, which is no problem. It is better to have the comforts of home anyways. I think it also keeps the facility extra clean, and keeps the staff’s eyes on your pets versus the laundry. When I picked up my dogs for the final time that day, he gave the lady at the desk a big kiss.

You can pay per day, or you can buy a package where you dog can “park hop” right with you. After you buy your Disney Tickets (I found some great package prices at orlandofuntickets.com), be sure to call the kennel a few days before to make sure they have room. It was relatively empty when I went, but I am sure it will catch on.

I have gone to Texas once for a corporate training, but never really got to see anything but the inside of a conference room. Wandering around online, I found some local websites, like the Hill Country Visitor, about attractions and businesses in Boerne Texas, and surrounding areas.  I wish I would have found them before I went.  I could have found far more exciting things to do than staring at the ceiling at night, or counting the cars on the busy highway to and from the airport.

Typically, websites such as this give you the basics of where to stay and what to do, but they don’t really give you an idea about what kind of outreach or charity work that is being done in the area.  For me, that would certainly lead to some writing fodder.  Through cruising around, I saw a listing that was titled “Equine Assisted learning.” I found that there is a group in the area, Caballos de Milagros, that targets “at risk” children and folks with mental health related issues. Through learning about horses, they learn boundaries, peer negotiation, and confidence.

While it doesn’t appear the program is a non profit, they do use rescued horses.  It is believed that someone who has gone through trauma can relate to a horse who has had a tough time as well.  Their story may cause someone to connect and open up when they otherwise may not have.

I am very intrigued by this, and am going to have to check them out, as well as a few of the 22 wineries I am very surprised I am in the area.  Have you been to the Boerne area?  If so, write and tell me what you did!

When I am traveling with my dogs, I know that Econo Lodge is one of the chains that welcome them, and also is accommodating towards last minute reservations. Sometimes there is a pet fee, but it is very nominal. Right now there is a econo lodge hotel contest for a chance to win some great prizes.

Enter to win Travelin’ Tunes, the econolodge road trip music sweepstakes and you might just find yourself at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or the Country Music Hall of Fame. The grand prize includes airfare for two, three nights at the appropriate Econo Lodge, $1,000 in spending money, and a VIP tour of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

I researched a little, and found that the VIP package at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame usually costs $500, and I believe that is per person.  You have the opportunity of looking at items that are in the vault that are not on public display as part of your in depth tour.  There are items that are sometimes rotated in to ever changing exhibits, but I am sure there are some items that are not.  After the VIP tour, you can wander around the museum at leisure.

As for the pets, you can crate them in your room and then go back to take them to a walk around town before dinner.  They would love it.  If your pet is 17 lbs or under on airlines that accept them, they can ride in the cabin in their carrier under the seat in front of you.   If your pet is bigger, you might want to take them to the pet resort for a vacation of their own if you win, or forego the plane and drive.

Good luck!  If you win, let me know what your pets do, too.

If you are a small nonprofit and have volunteers that buy supplies or drive vehicles, you may find that you need to reimburse them.  One may say volunteers should donate things, but if a group specifically needs items to keep their office or kennel running, money needs to be outlayed. Good volunteers are hard to come by and not everyone can donate both time and money.   One way to skip the process of needing to approve and cut a check is to ask people to donate gift cards in small denominations.  This way, when a volunteer needs to fill up the rescue transport vehicle or pay a bill for the group, a trusted volunteer can.

I just discovered that there are prepaid cards, like the Vision Premier Prepaid Visa, that offer direct deposit.  They act in lieu of a bank account and the money gets placed right on the prepaid Visa instead of going into the bank. I always was curious as to why someone would not want to have a bank account. Are they running from the law? I recently discovered there are other reasons why you might want to cash checks somewhere else.

If you are a student away at school, you may not have a local branch of your bank near school. It also has benefit to people who spend months traveling by RV. You don’t have to worry about someone being at home to deposit your checks, and if you cannot find a bank branch on the road, you can still have instant access to your money. It you lose the card, no one will have access to your nest egg because it is entirely separate, yet you will still have the funds from your check available on it.

I am wondering if the prepaid cards would work for the purpose of tithing.  I am wondering if someone could set it up where part of their check gets deposited to an organization’s card.   That might be too complicated and there would be too much of an exchange of personal information, but you never know.

The most common travel horror stories that you hear have to do with either traveling with pets or young children.  For the most part, the trips are uneventful, but occasionally it is the one ill prepared person that sours the idea for travellers around them.  How many times have you heard about someone seeing dogs panting in a car while someone with out of state plates dined, or how many times has your seat been kicked on a plane by a child?
Little Jeffrey.  I remember his name, not because he said, “I’m four years old,” but because Jeffrey’s mother said his name all 2500 miles of the trip.

- Bill Cosby, Himself

Just like the immortalized “Jeffrey,” one rotten apple can spoil the whole bushel.  Unfortunately, hundreds of children and pets who travel well, and the adults who make it happen, go unnoticed. Instead, many people think that the world is made up of Jeffreys.  I have covered pet travel frequently, but baby travel is something equally, or even more important to consider due to the amount of planning involved.  If you follow these tips, your trip will be more pleasant for your family and those around you.

Young babies are often excellent travellers, because they often sleep through a plane or car ride. To prevent a baby from crying when he or she feels a pressure change on the plane, be prepared with a bottle. Feeding the baby alleviates pressure in the ears, just like sometimes swallowing or chewing gum does for us. In fact, there was a well prepared couple on my last trip, and I didn’t even notice the baby was there!

Babytravel.com, a site that rates hotels for child safety and amenities, had a great suggestion.  Always bring masking tape with you when travelling with a baby or a toddler.  You can easily use it to baby proof a hotel room. Of course, a child should never be left unattended, but it is possible for a parent to miss something.  The tape can be safely used to cover electrical outlets.   An additional use is to tie up the cords to window blinds safely out of reach, without damaging hotel property.  Corners of glass tables can also be made just slightly safer as well.

Young children can sit on a parent’s lap on the plane.  However, if your child is a squirmer, please pay for a seat and bring their car seat if it is the correct size for the plane.   It will help the child relax.   There is even something called a Travelmate, which turns a car seat into a wheeled piece of luggage.  BabySafeTravel.com shows handy items like it on their site as well.  You can wheel a toddler through an airport.  It saves money and bulk because you don’t have to rent a car seat at your destination and is much easier to navigate through a crowd.  Also, you can leave the stroller at home, too, depending on your destination.   It is okay for inside but doesn’t suit the purposes of an all terrain journey.  They have stroller rental at theme parks, of course.

Another bulky item that you may also want to leave home is the baby gate. If you are visiting a relative whom you plan to visit frequently, purchase one at a local store and leave it at your destination for pets and kids.  Leave the baby gate at home, versus struggling to fit it on the plane.

By thinking ahead and making the proper calls and making the right decisions, a trip with a young child doesn’t have to be something to cry about.

If you are thinking about going to Branson, Missouri for one of the many festivals, I just learned that the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing is pet friendly. On their site, there is a little icon indicating that the property is pet frendly, but it does not give further details. So, I gave the hotel a call.

I spoke to a pleasant woman named Michelle, who read the pet policy to me. There is a $75.00 room deposit for pets against any damages. You are required to keep dogs on a leash at all times outside of your room, and they are not allowed in the dining areas, which is pretty standard. Cats are allowed, but most likely will not leave the room. There is a special “Pets in Room” door hanger that you can obtain from the front desk that will alert hotel staff to not enter the room just so kitty won’t run out, or your dog won’t be surprised.  If room service should come in, you are required to be present with your pet(s) for everyone’s safety and happiness.

As far as number of pets, there was no language in the regulations. I assumed if you had a pair of dogs or cats, it would pose no trouble. Michelle agreed that pets are such a part of the family, that it would be a shame to leave them behind. To me, it is so important for hotels to offer vacancy to pets. The more hotels that offer it, the more people may get in the mindset that they don’t have to give up their pets just because they travel.

Upon further digging I looked at the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, which is a sister property. I was able to find that the hotel allows pets up to 75 lbs which is good news. Both hotels have the same regulation. It may not be what English Mastiff owners want to hear, but the hotel seems to be amenable to the average dog, which is indeed good news. I find that owners of dogs of the XXL persuasion are aware of their size and make other arrangements, or have thought about a backup plan.   I wonder if they actually weigh the dog.  I am sure if your dog was 76 lbs they wouldn’t scoff, but if you walked in with a 175 lb Mastiff they may wonder if the dog would be comfortable.  I would follow the rules in that case.

A woman I recently met was telling me about her children. She has a daughter in medical school and a son in college. The son is participating in a australia study abroad program this year, while the daughter is volunteering for Doctors Without Borders. Her children are very well rounded and wildly successful, which should make any mother proud. However, they are that way despite the upheaval, trials, and tribulations, that the mother has had with her husband. I know so many individuals who had a parent that constantly threw family life in a tailspin and their lives seemed to never be able to right themselves, and here were two young people who were confident.

My new friend explained that when times were rocky, she encouraged her children. She sent them on mission trips in high school, while other kids went to the beach or puttered around the house.  She send them on to semesters abroad, or just in town to their local Habitat for Humanity build.   She would scrape and save and work two jobs to do so, but at an early age, they helped others and broadened their horizons. A outfit like Carpediemeducation.org has a lot of opportunities for individuals to go on a semester abroad, even if a particular school that you are attending doesn’t offer it.  All trips include a strong basis in community service.

Another new concept that is popular in Europe, but relatively new here is “gap year.”  It is common for students to transition from high school to college by taking a year off and traveling, volunteering, or exploring themselves in other ways.   I have known people who have taken a year off, and it actually made it harder to go to college because they were mired in a full time job and other commitments had also cropped up.  However, I would imagine if you had a structured environment, such as these programs allow, you would have greater success.  You may just find yourself, when the time comes, being a bit more narrowed down on a major versus spending your first year at college figuring out just what you would like to pursue.

The only thing that left me a bit quizzical was an answer to a question on the site, where they are asked if the program has any religious affiliation, like other “helping” programs do.   It is not, which is perfectly fine, but they go on to state, “If anything we try and expose our students to as many different perspectives as the program can provide and make every effort to be welcoming of every perspective. We believe that no amount of dogma can truly capture an individual’s relationship with the world that surrounds them.”

I was a little disappointed by their elaboration, as how can it be stated that they are “welcoming of every perspective,” make it a point of exposing students to other cultures, yet the language implies a judgment that traditional faith is automatically dogma by proxy.  It would seem to me that this statement goes directly contrary of being welcoming to every perspective, unless I somehow misread.  As for myself, I find that my faith actually enhances a relationship with my surroundings.  There is no way to compartmentalize my wonder, and for some that wonder is their inner drive to reach out and help others, or to just sit in wonder at nature.

No matter, I encourage you to allow your teenagers and college students the opportunity to reach out beyond their four walls and touch the world, and how to travel independently.  If you had a gap year between high school and college, please let me know how that worked out, and if you have ever been on a semester abroad, I would be interested to hear about it too.   Did it propel you into a lifelong love of volunteering, was it a one shot experience, or did you already have the drive before you went?