Advocates for Women

I have been back in the hospital now for two weeks. Three blood clots on my lungs, breast cancer was ruled out and ovarian cyst to be determined. Without housing, how can I get better?  Sleeping upright in my car night after night, my legs swell and blood clots develop in my legs and travel to other parts of my body and basically could kill me.

 

I want to create a nonprofit called ADVOCATES FOR WOMEN, the mission is to create, build or find housing for women 50+ who are displaced and have dogs since no one else is doing this and too many tell the women to give up their dogs.

What would happen TO HUNDREDS OF DOGS IF EACH OF THE WOMEN GAVE AWAY THEIR BEST FRIENDS, COMPANIONS, and FAMILY MEMBERS???? (Not to mention what would happen to the women sleeping on the streets or in their cars without the protection of their dogs) ?

HOW WOULD GIVING THEIR DOGS AWAY SOLVE THEIR HOUSING CRISIS EXACTLY SINCE GIVING UP THEIR DOGS WILL NOT SOLVE THEIR ECONOMIC WOES.

As the Big Sur Sobranes fire burns hundreds of acres nearby, there are all kinds of fundraisers going on to help the people who have lost their homes due to the blaze. These people deserve the resources that they require. Yet this highlights and proves what i have been saying all along that where there is a WILL THERE IS A WAY. When people actually WANT TO DO SOMETHING,THEY DO IT.

For the past two years since I have been without a home, except for when I had a camper to live in and roommates, I have met numerous women of the hundreds of women also without homes and been displaced due to ECONOMICS. I have NOT seen the community come together in the same way, doing fundraisers to build, create or find HOMES FOR single women without children, women who are not mentally ill, not drug addicts, not alcoholics, with low income, not working or cannot find work, with dogs, many over 50 years of age, some illl and who’s health has deteriorated without having shelter.

We want to create CARETAKERS VILLAGE,  Land or a lot can be utilized to place SHIFTPODS, yurts, RV’s, campers, trailers, tiny mobile homes, etc. to CREATE a village for women over 50 with dogs who need HOMES ASAP.

WILL YOU HELP US ????  it takes a village…to get this DONE.

thanks.

https://www.youcaring.com/celiasue-hecht-594952

 

Cici has been with Mark Anderson again at the Monterey County Weekly, now for two weeks.

 

This week, she turned 10 years old and Mark gave her a big bone to celebrate.

 

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Senior dogs need Grrrreat sendoffs

In with the new, out with the old… well, while we are on the subject of old and new, let’s talk about older dogs.

Senior dogs. (Do senior cats count, too?) Of course they do silly. If you know me, you know that. Once upon a time, I was living in a place in the LA area and a neighbor cat was skinny, too skinny and was going around asking for food. It seemed that the cat was homeless. And I fed the cat every day. In a short time, I found out from other neighbors that they were feeding the cat, too. Yet, the cat remained skinnier than skinny. Bones and fur.

It was suggested to me that I maybe should take the cat to a vet to see what was up and I did. I found a vet who took a few looks and tests and delivered a heartfelt decision. The cat had late stage cancer. Nothing could be done to put the cat out of her suffering. There were expensive treatments but in the end none of it would prolong her quality of life. I cir, the vet cried and suggested that I take the cat to the Pasadena SPCA. Thinking back, do not know why the vet didn’t do the euthanization right there but maybe she would have had to charge me for it and I would not have been able to pay. Plus, I was not the owner.

Nevertheless, crying all the way, I proceeded to the shelter. There, they let me spend a few minutes alone with the cat to say goodbye. I did and did a prayerful meditation seeing the cat going up into the light and being greeted by friends, and surprising some of my relatives. Then, I handed the cat over to the technicians and they put her softly to sleep.

I cried all the way home. And a few days later, I ran into a woman neighbor who i got was the cat’s owner. She asked about the cat and I told her what happened. She cried softly and thanked me over and over again for doing what she could not do for the cat. Apparently, her daughter had a baby and they did not know what to do with this cat that they had for 18 years. So they threw the cat outside to fend for itself. An indoor loved cat thrown out onto the mean streets. That poor cat suffered for a year or two for no reason other than her owner did not know what to do. Imagine.

These kinds of scenarios makes me crazy. How could people possibly be so cruel. And yet it happens every day with once beloved pets. The family moves, an elderly person dies or the family has a financial loss. Or maybe they just do not want to take care of a senior pet any longer or do not know what to do so they toss the pet out with the garbage.

Thankfully, there are organizations like Peace of Mind Dog Rescue in Pacific Grove who think that these senior dogs are valuable, deserve much more than being tossed out onto the streets at the end of their lives.

http://www.peaceofminddogrescue.org/bauercenter.html

 

http://celiasue.com/2013/08/20/caring-for-seniors/

POMDR rescues senior dogs, fosters them, and finds them forever homes for their golden years. They also help senior folks like me with their pets, getting them to the vet on time, assisting at times with a helping paw donation for vet care, and/or with much needed pet food or other items (collars, cones, kennels and more). POMDR is a 5013c and raises funds in numerous ways. One of the charitable organizations that helps to fund POMDR’s great work for homeless senior dog s is the Grey Muzzle Organization .

According to their website, “The Grey Muzzle Organization improves the lives of at-risk senior dogs by providing funding and resources to animal shelters, rescue organizations, sanctuaries, and other non-profit groups nationwide. We are not a shelter or rescue. Rather Grey Muzzle funds programs such as hospice care, senior dog adoption, medical screening, and other special programs to help old dogs at animal welfare organizations across the country.”

Grey Muzzle funding supports the following senior dog programs nationwide.

• Adoptable dogs medical care programs
• Hospice and long-term foster care programs
• Seniors for Seniors adoption programs
• Keeping dogs with their owners programs
• Senior therapy dog programs
• Animal food programs
• Orthopedic dog beds for at-risk senior dogs in shelters nationwide

Thankfully folks like POMDR and Grey Muzzle care about senior pets and take care of them in proper fashion. As Cici ages (she is now 7), I want to make sure that she is properly taken care of in her golden years, too. It is good to provide a will and instructions for others to know how you wish your beloved pets to be taken care of after your demise and / or if you become bedridden and/or unable to care for them any longer. It is a relief to me to know that I can count on POMDR and Grey Muzzle to care if / when I no longer am able.

Now, here is what YOU can do to make a difference in the lives of senior dogs, too.

My fellow pet blogger, Edie Jarolim recently decided it was time to bid adieu to her beloved senior dog Frankie. And she made sure that he had a special bone voyage sendoff. She had provided Frankie with the best of care for him throughout his life, administering insulin shots twice daily, needed for his diabetes. And so at the end of his life, she wanted to do something really wonderful for him. So she fed him ALL of his favorite foods that had not been able to eat during his last 30 days.

Now, Edie wants every senior dog to have a loving send-off like Frankie did. She started “Frankie’s Fund” via Grey Muzzle.

Every contribution that is made to them via Frankie’s Fund will go to help hospice care costs. Grey Muzzle volunteers lovingly take in dogs that may not have long to live and provides them with palliative care and a loving home.

All donations will make a difference. Grey Muzzle is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) charity so contributions are tax deductible. When donating, please enter “Frankie’s Fund” in the slot under “I want my donation to be dedicated.”

Thank you.  And if you can do a donation today, it will be a good way to say out with the old 2013 and in with the new 2014.

Happy New Year !

Give an Angel a Bone

Update:    Thanks everyone for posting about and sharing Tori’s fundraising info and donating to her vet care.   they now have enough money to cover the cost of the surgery. However, Tori will need several months of after-care and continuous monitoring by the vet and lots of x-rays to make sure the bone graft is successful. If not, she may need another surgery. Any future donations received for Tori will be earmarked for her follow-up vet care.

Dear friends,

This blog post is a heart felt plea. There are many animals in need and I do not usually ask for your help. But Tori is the sweetest dog living with enormous pain (and a great foster family who want to adopt her) and she needs your help. Can you please read her story and if you can, please do what you can to help her. If you cannot donate, please share her story with others.  Thanks.

Angels usually do not need extreme makeovers. But Tori, an adorable and very sweet little 6-yr-old bichon girl, needs an extreme makeover of the pain relieving kind. Tori has everything a former shelter stray could want: a loving home with foster parents who want to adopt her, lots of toys, treats, yummy food, and a new best friend named Samantha. Tori has everything a dog could ever want – except a jaw bone that is.

Tori’s story starts out like so many others at the shelter – running scared on the mean streets of Fresno, fending for herself. Unknown at the time was the fact that she was unable to eat anything but the softest of food, which explains why she was a bony nine pounds when she was rescued.

Tori’s vet exam revealed that she was healthy but in need of a dental cleaning. She didn’t want her mouth touched, but that’s pretty normal for anyone who has bad teeth. Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw on the x-rays. One of Tori’s teeth had decayed and abscessed to the point that it fractured and completely deteriorated her lower right jaw.

The excruciating pain she must have been in for so long is unimaginable. It is amazing that she has never complained or shown even one smidgen of aggression or bad temper.

Tori is now on round-the-clock pain medication, but she needs surgery. The preliminary estimate was between $3,000-$4,000. We’ve been told that with surgery her prognosis is excellent . She will live a happy and normal life. BUT WITHOUT THIS SURGERY WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HER? The one thing we know for sure is that she can’t stay the way she is.

We decided to take a leap of faith (that’s where you come in!) Tori’s surgery is scheduled for October 16, but we desperately need your help!!

We hope that you will find it in your heart to help Tori’s makeover dream come true. Whatever you can spare will help, be it $5, $10, $50 or $500 on Tori’s behalf. Your donation is tax deductible and we will provide a receipt for your tax records. K9BFF is a 501c3 nonprofit charity (ID # 26-1185144), operated entirely by unpaid volunteers. 100% of your donation will go toward Tori’s vet expenses.

Imagine how great Tori will look and feel after her surgery! Just knowing that you helped make it possible, that you contributed to ending this angel’s suffering and giving her a new leash on life will be a divine gift.

Donation info:

Credit card payments can be made via Paypal on the website: www.k9bestfriendsforever.com

Checks can be mailed or delivered to K9BFF or directly to Tori’s vet (please specify it’s for Tori):

K9BFF

8839 N. Cedar Ave. #320

Fresno, CA 93720

Waterhouse Animal Hospital

1115 E. Champlain Dr.

Fresno, CA 93720

Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!

Blog Hop time…thanks to Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume…  grab the blog hop  link

Help Pets of Homeless People

Being homeless in our society is being a fugitive on the run, a person cannot BE anywhere…it is illegal to sit on a bench or sleep in a park or public land… people cannot use public toilets and are moved from one place to another, they are not allowed to be in a shelter during the day but there is no place for them to go/be…stores ask them to leave, so do libraries… they can be arrested for loitering… NIMBY (not in my backyard) is all too often what happens.

Sticking people in shelters DOES NOT SOLVE homelessness. And many shelters do NOT allow pets.

The government is in denial, citizens are in denial, everyone is in denial so the problem does NOT get solved. Shutting down our eyes, ears and mouths, turning away, sending someone elsewhere does NOT help anyone. How would YOU feel if you suddenly lost YOUR job and YOUR home and were left to fend for yourself? Maybe you have family and friends who you could seek assistance from but for how long? And what if you don’t?

Imagine how YOU would feel being all alone without a home or food and NO ONE to turn to besides strangers.

The key to ending homelessness is adequate and affordable housing, and to help people take charge of and get help for their financial or mental instability in order to become self-sufficient.

According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, approximately 40 percent of homeless males are veterans, with many experiencing mental disabilities. Approximately 7 to 9 percent of the homeless population are under the age of 18, and 50 percent are families with children. Domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children, and approximately 25,000 homeless women and children received help from domestic violence services each year.

It is estimated by the National Coalition for the Homeless that between 5 percent to 10 percent of homeless people have dogs and/or cats.

There are different types of homeless people. Some are homeless, but live in their car, van or motorhome; others live in camping areas, and still others live literally in the streets. Some homeless people may have mild to serious emotional or mental issues, whereas others had a string of bad luck that turned into homelessness.

Read more: How to Help Pets of Homeless People | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5025227_help-pets-homeless-people.html#ixzz1jAB2Bzn7

Is The US Government Wasting Money on Homelessness?

http://www.povertyinsights.org/2011/03/28/is-the-us-government-wasting-money-on-homelessness/

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) announced that the federal government spent $2.9 billion for federal homeless programs in 2009, a dollar amount typically allocated each year.

In this season of a growing national budget deficit, where lawmakers are fighting over what sort of government spending cuts should be implemented, critics of homeless spending jumped on the GAO report.

Three billion dollars per year, and homelessness continues to soar? Critics argue the infrastructure to end homelessness is imploding. They say that with the national cost of building a home pegged at $200,000 per unit, 145,000 homes for the homeless could be built each year with this money.

That is a lot of homes, a lot of housed homeless people.

Is the government really using its dollars to end homelessness, or is this multi-billion dollar annual investment just another kind of pork-barrel scheme?…

…

Homelessness is a result of a broken social safety net in this country, a system that spews homeless people on to the streets from the Department of Defense, Department of Social Services, prisons, mental and physical health institutions, and foster care programs.

Throw in unemployment, spousal and child abuse, lack of a comprehensive health care system for anyone living below middle class, and this country ends up with more than a million Americans on the street. (Some even think the number is more.)

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/27/occupy-wall-street-and-homeless-evictions-cities_n_1111094.html

 …

if you would like to help people who are without a home … stop/prevent foreclosures… assist people to get housing even squat in abandoned homes… there are 4 million homeless and 40 million (not exact stats.) abandoned/vacant homes in the US…

Make affordable housing a priority in your community…Sticking people in shelters DOES NOT SOLVE homelessness.

Start a group, maybe a non-profit to address the root cause issues practically, and GIVE to the needy/homeless what they need… a Place to Rest… Housing… an Affordable Home…

if u dare… ask your church, local govt what they are doing to help people, volunteer at a food bank or homeless shelter… your eyes will OPEN… you likely will be appalled to find out that the organizations who are supposed to help the needy/homeless people too often turn people away, have VERY limited resources, are bureaucracies, are NOT places anyone would want to stay in and/or abuse/exploit the homeless for money…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/03/for-profit-colleges-recru_n_560907.html
BE KIND, HAVE COMPASSION/EMPATHY… and DO SOMETHING INNOVATIVE/CREATIVE TO CHANGE OUR SOCIETY…

you might want to keep a bag in your car to help people u see holding signs… first, talk to the people and find out what they specifically need… people are individuals and have different needs.

 http://www.petsofthehomeless.org/what-we-do/faqs.html

This is a suggestion, items are optional but often what is needed.

Keep a BAG in your vehicle. A backpack. Fill it with the following:
1. At least 2 bottles of water
2. A bag of fruit, apples, dried fruit and nuts (trail mix), energy bars, oatmeal, easy to eat but nourishing, or if u can, a gift card for grocery store

pet food… often there is a dog or cat that has been adopted and in need… that may need vet care or spay/neutering
3. A set of plastic utensils
4. A set of clothes. Shirt, Shorts/pants, sox, maybe a pair of shoes, hat, gloves
5. Travel items
Tooth brush
Tooth paste
Razor
Shave Cream
Toilet paper (yes they make travel size TP)
Shampoo
Soap
tampons
blanket
clean towel
sleeping bag/tent
prepaid cell phone or phone card

give the bag to the person(s)…

if the person(s) has a pet, or if you just would like to donate to Pets of the Homeless, please paypal your donation to prmatchmaker@yahoo.com and you will be assisting needy and/or homeless folks to feed their pets.

Thank you.

Occupy the Shelters!!!

I LOVE the Adoption Centers model… and had an idea last night… Imagine, what if there were Adoption Centers and housing for both people and pets… homeless people would have decent housing, NOT a shelter where they have NO privacy nor dignity, a job to do, get a pet ready to be adopted, gardening (grow food), adoption center jobs and more… Imagine the miracles for both pets and people… Americans Need Jobs. Americans LOVE animals.

Homeless vets, seniors, all kinds of people could become well again through the power of LOVE… pets make wonderful companions… Both the pets and people and communities would benefit.  Similar to the Pit Bulls and Parolees concept at Villa Lobos… except I see smaller houses, maybe 5 or 6 bedrooms, and/or manufactured homes on land with Adoption Centers similar to Doggie Daycare Centers plus the Rehab Centers… Win win win win win win win…

And what if these Adoption Center places also fed the pets THE BEST PET FOODS, not the cheapest, fed the community pets with the best nutrition, the Rehab Centers could have Holistic Vets on board, there could be a doggie gym for agility, a Doggie Spa, a Shop to buy goodies to support the Adoption Center, a doggie pool, and more… No more doggie discrimination. No more pit bulls being put to sleep for how they look and/or because they are pit bulls.

Dreaming… Instead of coming from a mental / emotional place of Scarcity and we have to accept whatever is donated, shabby, crappy and poor mentality, this is revolutionary in concept and scope… a whole different way of THINKING and IMPLEMENTING… Something, places to BE PROUD OF, Places of Dignity and Health and Well Being for People and Pets… Imagine…

IT is TIME to CHANGE the status quo killing factories shelters into an Adoption Centers model…

Get rid of the Greed… and Hate… Eliminate the Greed and Hate…

That means WE have to change too… Not just Point Fingers and Blame, Accuse and Make Wrong… you cannot change something via hate… only LOVE makes a difference… honey works with bees,vinegar not so much… does not mean to sugarcoat, but learn compassion, forgiveness, and LISTEN…

I do NOT understand why someone would rather kill animals than find homes for them and save lives… AND I also know that when accusations are thrown at them, people resist, shut their ears, get defensive, run away, shut down…

There has to be a Win Win Win for ALL…

Am reminded of John Robbins, heir to the Baskin Robbins fortune, years ago he walked away from his family. And he had a dream about a cow. He writes about this in Diet for a New America. And what impressed me so much is how he got to go to factory farms for three whole months. He visited these horrible places where they not only slaughter animals but keep them in horrendous conditions. And he was there with an OPEN HEART and just Listened to the people who worked there. Somehow he was able to do that. Listen with an Open Compassionate Heart although he was repelled by what the people DID every day to the animals. Read the book, Get Inspired and Find Creative Solutions.

Create a Vision of the Adoption Centers you want and Make it Happen/Implement Step by Step by Step… Until It is Done… Manifest…

RIP Ace, this type of “accident”, killing the wrong homeless animal, or someone’s pet happens every day in every state in this country. Until we replace killing shelters with true Adoption Centers, where animals live happily in a healthy, cage free, communal environment and be socialized to prepare them for their new furrever homes. We can SAVE THEM ALL, not just 90% !

Please read a lot more and enjoy some videos at http://www.ShelterRevolution.Org

Let’s CHANGE this rotten system altogether by acknowledging the Past, weaknesses, corruption, and greed and HEAL ourselves and others…

Like the Fb page is http://www.facebook.com/ShelterRevolution

Shelter Revolution is the marketing effort to tell the world about the ADOPTION CENTER model. This innovative new facility plan brings ‘customers’ in with a whole new approach to displaying adoptable dogs and cats. It creates a calm, enjoyable atmosphere in a “touch and feel” setting.Introducing a new concept called “rehab,” dogs and cats not ready for adoption are sent into the care of local rehabbers to prepare them for return to the Adoption Center and placement.Read all about the other concepts that make up this whole new approach called the Adoption Center model at www.shelterrevolution.org

We need fun places where customers can go to see happy, healthy animals in large groups. Dogs and cats are SOCIAL animals, not meant to be isolated. For those animals who can’t get along, the Adoption Center model provides for rehab. The process of rehab will bring local rescuers and shelter workers together.

Watch this introductory video for a brief overview

sign this petition : https://apps.facebook.com/petitions/1/adoption-centers-not-shelters/

are you an extremist LIFE SAVER????

unreal…

http://yesbiscuit.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/killing-apologists-just-want-their-lives-back/

Rescue friends- if you have a plea that needs more attention, and exposure, pls be sure to post to the people for paws network. Thanks!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/People-for-Paws-Network/119735384716987

are you an extremist LIFE SAVER????

Are you an “extremist”? Take the quiz.

1. I want the killing to end.
2. I think it is wrong for shelters to neglect and abuse animals.
3. If other communities can end the killing of savable animals, I believe my community should also.
4. I care about animals and because I care about animals, I do not want harm to come to them.
5. I believe in democracy and engaging my elected officials to create social change.

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, you are an “extremist” according to the ASPCA. If you answered “No” to all of these questions, the ASPCA thinks you’ll make a great shelter director and they will fight to defend and protect you.

if you have not read this, please DO…

http://www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=7390

Now here the ASPCA has (not) kindly but nevertheless has a list telling us what to do Step by Step…. Are you on board?  The Patrick Movement is a powerful force to be reckoned with and animal lovers CAN CHANGE THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER.

WHAT KIND OF COUNTRY DO YOU WANT TO LIVE IN?

WHAT KIND OF WORLD DO YOU WANT YOUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS TO LIVE IN????

Are you with me???  Consider this your Marching Orders 🙂   Go Forth and SAVE LIVES !!!!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/72104749/The-Tactics-of-the-Extremist-Agenda-ASPCA