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A pet portrait may seem like one step away from idolatry to some, but with 6 million+ homeless pets euthanized each year in the US, the potential to alleviate suffering is huge.  

COCKTAIL FACT

Genghis Kahn, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, and Hitler all suffered from ailurophobia (hatred of cats).  Apparently world dominators don’t like little, furry, non-submissive animals…

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home ›   tip library ›   Pet Charities

Think you love your pet as much as Jen adores her pooch?

The Bite

Pet lovers, read on. There are now more ways than ever to channel your pet karma toward the greater good of the animal kingdom.  Commission a portrait of your pet and the profits go to support animal welfare organizations. (This is a follow up tip to Your Pooch & Picasso, which was originally published in July 2005 before Cricket had her portrait done.)

The Benefits

  • Preserve your pooch’s posterity, help other pups down on their luck, and support small artisans when you commission pet art… Just look how fabulous Cricket’s portrait turned out.
  • Make donations to animal charities in your pet’s name - all donations made to non-profit, 501(3)(c) groups are tax-deductible.
  • If you’re considering getting a pet, check with your local animal shelter or humane society.  Adoption costs are low and include spaying or neutering.

Personally Speaking

At first Heather thought the idea of pet portraits was a little nutty, but now it’s all starting to make sense.  Cricket is to Jen what Heather’s garden is to her.  Then again, she still thinks it’s kind of nutty.

Wanna Try?

  • Painting 4 Paws – commissioned portraits of your favorite four-legged friend.  Up to 25% of proceeds go to animal rescue and welfare groups. (This artist painted the Cricket portrait.

  • Animal Charities of America – make easy, online donations to national and local animal charities.
  • 1-800-save-a-pet.com – search by zip code, breed, age, even color to find a homeless dog or cat looking for a new home.
  • PetFinder.com -  same idea as the above, but more animal types available. (Jen goes often to look at goat and horse photos in the hopes of doing another adoption soon). 
  • Tales of Devotion - a new book that explores the bond between people and their pets. 100% of the proceeds go to non-profit animan welfare groups.

Mar 03,2006


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OTT?  (Over the Top)

Five Reasons Animals Rock

If you aren't an animal lover, wait! We all may seem OTT to you, but here are 4 reasons we are so enamored.

1. Animals are pure. (Think about it.) The exception to that is usually when a human interferes and make them bad through abuse or abandonment .

2. Animals connect us. They are not human, they are not earth. But they are this living breathing entity that exist, somewhere between humans and earth.

3. Animals don’t hold grudges. (Okay, unless we are talking about cats, skunks, or donkeys. Those three animals are known to hold grudges. I think it makes them more intelligent, but some would disagree - especially when they come home from vacation and their feline friend immediately urinates on the luggage.)

4. Animals can make you laugh. And laughing is oh-so-good. Like on my daily walks with Cricket and her bunny butt bouncing up and down in front of me on the trail . . . it could bring a smile to every the most downtrodden.

If you were a Biter back when this tip originally aired, thank you for voting on the picture to turn into a portrait. (See both the original and the portrait in Cricket's album, down on the right side here.) Maybe this it OTT, but it is better than being OTT with other things like picking at my face or binge drinking!

Off to give the Crick's nub a little a rub (her nub is her docked tail, you dirty birdies!),

Jen


Biter Comments...
Ah, i have to admit i got a dog because i had a toddler and it was all too cute - i never expected to LOVE HIM AS MUCH AS I DO!!! And I do, which is why i researched the pet food industry (which is abysmmal) and feed him Newmans Organics pet food, and Three Dog Bakery human-quality treats. Yes, its more expensive. As a matter of fact, by determining to have an organic household, i've had to make all sorts of other changes (some difficult, some quite easy) to keep the economic impact under our income, but I love that i have a little organic dog who's happy and healthy and bouncy and pouncy, that he's not eating ground up pig bones, formaldihyde, antibiotics and chemicals. If you met him, you'd know, he deserves the best! Plus, he's an altruistic little guy, and didn't want to harm the planet or other animals in any way...

Posted by: lisa | March 03, 2006 at 06:33 AM

I'm not quite sure why an article about pets belongs in an environmental newsletter. Pets are human created, often could not exist in the wild, and are not a product of natural selection. Housecats in the suburbs dessimate bird populations. And, the search for inexpensive food for dogs and cats has, for example, wiped out entire fisheries. We spend more money on our pets than small countries spend to provide basic sustenance to their starving populaces. Dog waste gets packaged in plastic grocery bags and later becomes a huge problem for landfill management. Sure, there's a problem with pet overpopulation and abandonment, but that a problem that humans created! The unconditional "love" (dependency) that pets provide has become a substitute for developing meaningful human relationships--and a healthy respect and appreciation for the non-domesticated animals that exist in the natural environment.

Posted by: J. Nichols | March 03, 2006 at 11:17 AM

Yes, pets are a concept humans have created, but it is done and there is no going back now. I love my 7 dogs and 3 cats (all rescues, I won't buy one!) they eat "pets promise" dog food made with free range chicken. As a dog and cat groomer I've helpe educate many about the benefits of spaying and neutering. Personally, I haven't met too many people I care to have a meaningful human relationship with.

Posted by: lara | March 03, 2006 at 12:06 PM

I think this is an awesome link! I love ALL the pics of Cricket. And I think it is very important to have animals in your life - be it pets, or the birds outside that you feed, or the deer that you see wandering through your yard. I just wanted to say THANKS to Jen too for posting the book "Tales of Devotion" - the nonprofit I work for is a recipient of some of the funds. The place I work is called PAWS - Pets Are Wonderful Support - and you can read about its mission at www.pawssf.org Thanks again Jen!

Posted by: Amanda | March 03, 2006 at 09:11 PM

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