We shot rescues for Great Dane Rescue Of North Texas this weekend. Coco is looking for a good home. She’s a beautiful girl and very sweet.
If you know anyone that might be interested…contact Great Dane Rescue Of North Texas, www.danerescue.net.
She was a perfect model. Look for her and her foster “brother”, Momo in an upcoming Hooray For The Underdog! greeting card.
Janet Healey janet@hoorayfortheunderdog.com
Here’s a list of important numbers and website links that I put together, with the help of some my favorite, animal savvy friends.
National Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435
In an emergency every second counts. The National Animal Poison Control Center is a 24-hour manned emergency hotline. This call could save the life of your pet. My dear friend, Beverly, a huge rescue advocate, who has fostered many dogs over the years, and has had several dogs herself, told me, “I’ve called the National Animal Poison Control Center on more than one occasion, and I’m glad I did. The information they provided me was definitely informative and made a real difference.”
Pet Travel Hotline (800) 545-8732
If you plan on traveling by plane with your pet, call to this number to ensure that you are well prepared. Run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, this hotline provides travel resources, licensed pet transporter contact information, and any rules and regulations you might need to know about.
ASPCA Pet Loss Hotline (877) 474-3310
This program was created to help pet owners who are dealing with the loss of a pet. You can also call them for assistance with the decision to euthanize and advice on how to help children or other family pets who are grieving the loss of their companion.
Your Veterinarian & Nearest Emergency Veterinarian Hospital
Two of the most important numbers in every pet owner’s contact list are that of your own veterinarian and nearest Emergency Veterinarian Hospital. If those numbers aren’t already in your phone, add them now. We have ours on Speed Dial.
Spay/Neuter Helpline (800) 248-7729
SPAY USA is a national referral service that helps connect pet parents with free or low cost spay and neuter services in their area. You can also visit their website: spayusa.org
A few years back, I read Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way, A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity and started a habit of what she calls “Morning Pages.” Her suggestion is to get up early each day and write three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness morning writing. To help you be a better artist, she asks that you use these pages to rest, to dream and to try.
I have to say, making a commitment to this habit has been nothing less than life changing for me. I sincerely believe all the research on journaling and have even experienced some of these incredible benefits:
You might want to give it a try. Just think about setting aside a time and place to start your journal. Give a voice to your dreams and aspirations and a safe space for all your hurts and disappointments. It’s very powerful.
Believe it or not, as a result of this daily habit, my husband and I started our whimsical stationery line, Hooray For The Underdog!, that celebrates and supports rescue animals.
We all want to be seen, heard, loved and respected. What better way to express that to someone you care about, than through a sincere thank you note. In a world filled with texts and emails, I just love getting something handwritten in the mail. And I believe, most of the people in my life feel the same way. I was asked, how I go about writing a thank you note. Here are a few thoughts.
Picking The Perfect CardFirst thing I think about is the person I’m writing to, and pick out a card based on what they like. For me, as co-creator of Hooray For The Underdog!, it usually involves whether they’re a cat or dog person. Do they like big or little dogs? Are they into bright colors? Or do they like black and white?
Once I’ve picked the card, I start with a short opening sentence, that says thank you, without actually using those words.
For instance:
Then I add another sentence or two about the gift (or what they’ve done) and why I love it so much.
For example:
I usually close with another “Thank you.” and something that lets that person know how important they are to me.
Perhaps:
Don’t forget to review your spelling and grammar and be extra careful to spell his/her name correctly. I always write everything out on a scratch pad first. This may seem like it takes too much extra time, but it saves me from crossing stuff out on the actual card.
In the end, I concentrate on writing something sincere and straight from my heart. When it comes to thank you notes, honesty and a real effort to show your appreciation is all you really need.
SHOP THANK YOU CARDS
I just got back from the mailbox and was sorting the piles; shred, recycle, bills and wait…drop everything…a thank you note from a friend.
You would think I would be totally blasé about getting note cards or greeting cards in the mail. But it’s a personally meaningful gesture and stands out from all the mass produced, push-a-button correspondence I normally receive.
I like writing thank you notes. Really. The thought of someone getting something good in the mail and knowing how appreciative I am, really drives me. Philosophically, gratitude and focusing on the positive is something I feel strongly about. Sharing my thoughts, using my favorite pen, on an interesting card, made from really nice paper, conveys that appreciation better than anything.
Spelling names correctly is a thing I’m always careful to get right. Nobody can stand to see their name misspelled. I’m also very fortunate that my wife Janet doesn’t mind proof-reading my notes. She’s a grammatical genius.
Don’t get me wrong, I still love email and computer produced correspondence, but it just can’t beat something handwritten on an interesting thank you note.
Every month, we invite rescue groups to bring their hard to photograph dogs into the studio. I shoot a ton of exposures. Volunteers squeak toys, blow whistles, and stand on their heads. Treats flow at the rate of a fire hose. Fabulous trainers keep the dogs on set, facing the correct general direction and from having a meltdown. Janet art directs, edits to find the best poses and is a host without compare.
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A few years back I had an awful experience I thought would “never happen” to us. Joe and I were on vacation in Colorado. We left our elderly dog, Bibi, who hates to travel, with a highly-recommended petsitter. We were having a wonderful time Continue reading
Every month we invite rescue groups to bring their hard to photograph dogs in to the studio. I shoot a ton of exposures. Volunteers squeek toys, blow whistles,and stand on their heads. Treats flow at the rate of a fire hose. Fabulous trainers keep them on set, facing the correct general direction and from having a meltdown. Janet art directs, edits to find the best poses and is a host without compare.
After retouching the leashes away we create a nice advertising piece to find these guys a home. It really helps generate a ton of adoption interest and happens to be the best part of our jobs.
Except of course when cats show up!
BIG THANKS to all the volunteers Art Ortiz, Mari, Amber, from Dog and Kitty City and Rockwall Pets.
Introducing our new, note card sets, right sized and the perfect little way to stay in touch. Just $15.95 for a set of 10. We’ve left them blank inside for you to really express your appreciation or just let someone know you’re thinking about them.
All our models are certified heart breakers. And despite their rough starts, they now live in loving and caring homes.
To adopt more wonderful dogs like these, visit your local animal shelter.
10:00am Operation Kindness
12:00pm Lunch
1:00pm Duck Team 6
3:00pm Forgotten Friends
4:00pm Dallas Pets Alive.
