No Food Stamps for Dog Food

I had no idea a person in need cannot use food stamps to purchase dog food. I asked folks at work whether they thought someone should be able to purchase dog food with food stamps and again was surprised that most said no. One even went far enough to say if you can't afford to feed your dog then you should give it to someone who can.  I was greatly saddened by the lack of compassion to say the least. (I don't place an animal's life above a human's life - if Kirby and a child were both drowning, I would send a prayer for Kirby as I reached to save the child.)

I've been where many are now. When my children were young, we went through roughly ten months where I received assistance with food stamps.  I had a full time job plus a part time job and still couldn't pay for the basic needs. Humiliated but determined, I applied for food stamps and reduced school lunches for my children. I never purchased steaks and fine foods but learned how to flavor and stretch cheap cuts of meat with lots of seasonings and veggies. I ate a lot of rice with butter so they could have the nutritious food. I'm not complaining because I lost a lot of weight so it turned out to be a good diet of sorts, however, I really can't recommend the "Stress and Rice Diet"!  

During this time we had Sugar who was a ten pound Maltese/Peke mix.  He was a dearly loved member of our family and  the thought of letting him starve, abandoning him at the shelter, or giving him away was never an option I considered. A person who doesn't love dogs would never understand what he provided to us, especially during such a stressful time. A small bag of dog food lasted him more than a month as he filled his belly with mostly table scraps. We survived, he survived, and things got better.

Today those in need of help for their beloved pets can turn to the Pet Food Stamps Program established to help the more than 50 million Americans on food stamps.  Recent statistics say seven million pets are surrendered to shelters each year due to the inability of pet parents to pay for food, with four million of those pets put to sleep. 

The Pet Food Stamps program, due to the generosity of contributors and patrons, are able to eliminate that heart-wrenching decision by making sure these pet owners are given free monthly home delivery of all necessary food supplies to maintain the health and vitality of their pets.

Due to the tremendous amount of applications we receive, it will take at least 6 weeks to receive a response. We ask for your patience.

Once you are a verified and approved member of the Pet Food Stamps program, our staff will transmit your pet food order to www.PetFlow.com, based on the amount awarded with your application approval and your pets' needs.

PetFlow.com is an independent online retailer and has been chosen as the exclusive provider of pet food for the Pet Food Stamps program.  PetFlow carries approximately 200 brands of pet products and has been chosen based on their ability to offer discounted pricing and free shipping, direct to home.

I'm not here to judge those who have chosen to give up their pets but I've thought about what it would take for me to give up Kirby and the answer is nothing short of my death. His unconditional love and loyalty have gotten me through some extremely dark days so I could never give hm anything less than my love and loyalty. I also believe scripture so I know God has a great love for these animals he created and entrusts us humans to provide for those he places in our care and those who cross our paths. 

If you know someone struggling to keep their pet(s) please tell them about this program. If you are living the good life with a little to spare, I would ask you to consider a donation with the confidence you are not only saving an animal's life but helping a family in need.  Anyone can make a one time donation or recurring monthly donations by going to this link where you can use the Paypal secure donation buttons or the address listed to mail a check.

We also have many recipes for healthy meals in The Canine Chef's Cookbook using ingredients found at your local grocery store which can be purchased with food stamps. I would encourage anyone struggling to consider homemade dog food. It does take some time but batches can be made and frozen for individual servings. Be sure to provide a daily pet multi-vitamin and add 1/2 teaspoon of ground egg shells to each pound of meat for calcium.

The 13 Project

Our friends, Serena and Soda from Pretty Fluffy, are on a mission with "The 13 Project", a Pretty Fluffy initiative that involves performing 13 acts of kindness towards animals before 2013. They have thrown out the gauntlet which we are more than happy to accept! 

Fostering is something we are compassionate about so this project touched us deeply inspiring us to do even more in our endeavors to help homeless, lonely anipals on their journey to furever homes.

So here are our goals so far for the 13 Project: 

1. Continue to foster one dog at a time in our home.
2. Go through all of our old or unused towels and linens & donate them to our local shelter.
3. Share and repost a rescue dog’s profile on this blog and Kirby's Facebook Page. 
4. Send a letter to my local representative asking them to ban the sale of animals in pet shops.
5. Set up a charity box at my workplace for the local animal shelter.
6. Continue to support ASPCA with a monthly donation.
7. Write about the benefits of pet adoption.
8. Continue to educate about puppy mills and adoption.
9. Remember Lennox in the ongoing fight against BSL.
10. Spread the word of The 13 Project!

The idea is to encourage individuals to take part in their own initiatives for the next 13 weeks. I know many of you already help in so many ways so consider this as another way to encourage more people by sharing and pooling ideas of how to help. Maybe someone will list an idea someone hasn't thought of yet.

The 13 project is about making a commitment, whether small or large, that we can do before the year ends. Don't have the time or resources for 13 items then choose just one or two things you can do. Every little thing done starts a ripple which can become a waterfall of amazing blessings for anipals pleading for a second chance.

So join us!  Pick an item on my list or add an item to my list! Just do it because you may not change the world for all animals but you will surely change the world of one animal!!

Lennox - Poster Dog for BSL

According to reports Lennox was murdered this past Wednesday, July 11, 2012, in Belfast, Ireland.  His needless death has ignited a spark that has been festering for over two years.  This "dangerous dog case" has sparked such controversy in the hearts of many setting the stage for those who would rally for his life and those who would support those who wanted him destroyed.  In any event there is no room left for nuetrality. The end of the story is this is just the beginning. Each must now choose their side as a growing storm rumbles across the lands.

Breed Specific Legislation has been going strong for some time now throughout the world.  It's nothing new.  What is new is now there is a poster dog for everything wrong with BSL.  No complaints, no bites, legally licensed as an American Bulldog/Lab. The world pleaded, celebrities and politicians joined in the protest, even the First Prime Minister of Ireland pled for his life. Cesar Millan, Jeff Coltenback, the Italian Ministers, and Victoria Stillwell, who was actually there in person that fateful day, all made earnest requests to rehome him to another country at their expense yet Belfast was committed to murdering Lennox supposedly for the crime of looking like a Pit Bull. 

For the past two years I have followed this case where a healthy family pet was taken into custody because of his measurements and detained while his family battled for his life in an undeterred court system bent on his destruction.  There are articles and posts all over the web for all to read the many details of this long court drama so I won't rehash the disturbing facts except to say, given the facts and expert witnesses, I naively thought Lennox would eventually be released.

What I want to focus on is the inhumane treatment this dog and his family suffered culminating in the most inhumane treatment a family should have to endure.  

I write this as Kirby sleeps next to me without a care in the world because he knows he is safe from harm.  Our current foster sleeps close to him. They are comfortable lying on a soft blanket in an air conditioned room.  Their bellies are full from dinner.  Toys lie scattered on the floor waiting should they want to play. I'm quite sure Lennox lived like this until two years ago when he was taken from his family and thrust into the dark legal system that would eventually take his life.  

 

The truth will eventually come out, at which time I will either be vindicated for what I believe happened or I will have to admit I was wrong. The first thing that bothers me are the pictures leaked to the web showing his living quarters and deteriorating health.  His family must have felt so wounded every time they saw these pictures knowing they couldn't comfort him or tend to his wounds.

The BCC had to be aware of these pictures and therefore had every opportunity to produce pictures showing Lennox in acceptable surroundings - a clean kennel, a soft bed, clean bowls of food and water. Before anyone says, "Have you seen how many dogs live in concrete kennels in shelters around the world?" I want to clarify that this dog had a family who, given the opportunity, would have provided these "luxuries".  I sometimes wonder if they did send these items for their Len who never received them.  Many, myself included, provide beds and toys to the local shelters where they ARE utilized for the dogs and cats in their care.

There are pictures of Lennox showing his coat deteriorating with missing patches of fur.  There is testimony of an apparent neck injury and one of his back paws being covered in dried blood.  Again, the BCC had every opportunity to show their regard for his well being in their care with pictures and reports by veterinarians tending to his health. I've read the family will be required to pay for his boarding.  I'm sure they would have happily paid for veterinary care as well.

My final dismay is his "humane" death with no final goodbye from the ones he loved even though the family begged to be with him in his final moments.  This is what truly breaks my heart.  Before all of this he was a happy, loved family member for five years.  Did he look in anticipation for a family member every time someone came to his kennel?  Did he have a glimmer of hope that he was being taken to his family every time he was led from his kennel?  Did he wonder, day after day, week after week, month after month, what he had done wrong for his family to throw him away? I've read that dogs seem to know they are about to be put down so I wonder if he gave up in those last moments knowing he would never see his family or home again. Being a dog, he had no way of knowing his loved ones were fighting for his life every second of every day he was locked away.  

There are so many dogs discarded every day by owners who no longer want them.  I know this because I foster some of these dogs.  When they come to my home they are always scared and withdrawn.  It takes time to gain their trust, time to make them understand they are safe, time for them to learn to be happy dogs again.

I am fortunate to have Kirby's help.  He is the ultimate therapy dog as he shows them how they should behave, how to play again, how to just be a dog again.  He has a calm demeanor which they quickly adopt.  Lennox also lived in a home where foster dogs came and went with never an altercation.  It's been said he was a therapy dog for the Barnes young disabled daughter.  Was he also a therapy dog for the fosters that entered his home?

The BCC refused to concede he was a dog worth saving.  They were so determined to prove him an aggressive dangerous dog which I think is why the option of rehoming him was ignored.  What if they had been proven wrong?  Then again I wonder that if in their attempts to force him to become aggressive, something may have gone terribly wrong.  Did Lennox finally snap and attack only to be beaten down?

Throughout this process I held hope that this council would admit how wrong they were.  Today I now believe Lennox died long before July 11, 2012.  I believe his body was disposed of a long time ago which would explain why the request to rehome him was denied, why the request for his body to be returned to the family for proper burial was denied, and why the request for the collar he was wearing was denied.  

I do hope there is an inquisition.  The Barnes family, and the world who fought so valiantly for him, deserve answers.  When did Lennox actually die? How did he die? Who was there with him when he died? Why did not one council member step up to say "What we are doing is not right!"

A beloved family pet with no history of aggression was murdered because the law said he could be destroyed simply because he resembled a dangerous dog breed. My soul screams this is wrong on so many levels.  I have chosen which side of the fence I am on.  Have you chosen which side you are on?