Friday, April 22, 2016

do something.


this post is sponsored by rachael ray nutrish but, as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

years ago, i went to visit a friend of mine. while visiting, my friend's sweet then thirteen-year-old daughter brought out three of the most precious kittens we had ever seen. the precious little balls of fur were being fostered by my friend's daughter until they were old enough to go back to the humane society to possibly be adopted. one look at those precious babies and i was hooked. my husband, who required more convincing, eventually caved as well and we ended up with two of the most precious, hilarious and random cats known to man. never did we realize that the one selfless act of a thirteen year old girl would end up adding years of pet enjoyment to our family.

since then i have grown more and more in awe of the parenting of that sweet girl. she helped mother those kittens from their infancy and cared enough for those sweet kittens that she gave up her time and her sleep most nights to make sure they were well cared for. i don't know of many adults who would do the same and my friend raised a daughter that cared that much for the needs of another creature. that's some amazing parenting.

our family's own positive experience with our rescued humane society kitties has made me more aware and more appreciative of the work that rescue centers and animal shelters do on a daily basis. one of my amazing friends is a part of an organization called "halfway there rescue." this amazing organization finds and rescues pets that have been abused or neglected. they then find foster homes for these pets with willing families and then all work together to get the animals adopted into loving families. my generous and infinitely caring friend not only is raising three kids and caring for her own three dogs and a cat, but she also houses and cares for dogs that are waiting to be adopted to their forever homes. she has had countless pets go through her home as they wait for to be chosen and she continues to help out the organization over and over again. i'm truly in awe of all her generosity.

thinking of both of these stories, i've been challenged to do something. i may not have the ability to foster animals at this point (five kids and two cats is about all i can handle right now) but i can certainly find a way to give something of myself to animals in need. here are some ideas.
  • become a foster "parent" to shelter animals. whether a rescue shelter like "halfway there rescue" or your local humane society, animal foster families are needed to care for pets while they wait for their forever homes. if you feel like this might be a good option for you, find out what it takes to become a foster family and make it happen.

this sweet pup is one of the dogs my friend fostered. adorable, right?

  • volunteer your time at a humane society or shelter. there is always work to be done at these shelters and it is a great opportunity to show your kids a simple way to give back and help for the greater good. find a local shelter and discover their requirements for volunteering.

  • give of your money or resources. there are so many needs for these shelters. a lot of the needs are financial. consider a monetary donation for the care of extremely sick dogs or give items that shelters need. they are always in need of used blankets, cat and dog food, cat litter, cat and dog treats, pet toys and other items. if you call your local shelter, they will have information on what they need most for their facility. even if it is something small, they will be extremely grateful. a lot of small donations add up to big gifts for a shelter. we can all do something.

this sweet baby is in the process of being restored to health through halfway there rescue. they are accepting 
donations to help pay for his care. 

  • consider adopting from a shelter or rescue facility. there are so many great pets out there that need to find forever homes. if you are considering a new pet, look first at a shelter to see if there is a pet there that would be perfect for your family. you can do good for you and for a pet in need. 

this is another pup my friend fostered. these sweet babies are all up for adoption.

  • purchase rachael ray dog and cat food. rachael's personal proceeds from the sales of nutrish cat and dog food go to rachael's rescue which was created to help animals in need. to date, she has donated over ten million dollars. this money has gone toward food, medical supplies and treatments for these unfortunate animals. all of the rachael ray nutrish products are available where you shop for your family's groceries, making specialty recipes accessible and convenient for every pet parent. we have been avid rachael ray nutrish fans for years now and our cats are thriving. we could not be happier with the products which were inspired by recipes from rachael ray's own kitchen. they are made with simple, wholesome ingredients and do not contain any poultry byproduct meal of fillers. i feel good buying quality food for my pets while also knowing that her proceeds go back to pets in need. if i have to buy pet food anyway, i might as well be doing some good in the process. 

rachael ray's personal proceeds from nutrish go to rachael's rescue.

whatever you choose to do, let me encourage you to find something within your abilities and make it happen. we are forever grateful for that visit to my friend's house all those years ago. the joy that our two shelter kitties have brought to our family is immeasurable. we are so thankful that someone took them in and made us aware of their needs. we can each find a way to do something...and we will all be better for it. 


to stay up to date on all that rachael ray is doing with nutrish cat and dog food and with rachael's rescue, please follow nutrish.
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