I'm So Sorry (A Minnesota Post)

I know that postings have been infrequent and the updates... well I'll be the first to admit they've been pathetic, BUT I have an excuse: I'm not even in Canada anymore!

Now I'm back in my home state, Minnesota. Most likely for the next year or so. And even though I grew up here, I'm feeling a little bit like a fish out of water.

For one thing everyone here is really, really nice. Like when I'm walking down the street people make eye contact, smile and exchange pleasantries with me! And they don't even ask me for money afterwards. Weird, huh? Or in the grocery store if they reach in front of me to grab a can of beans they always say they are "so sorry". Not even just a mumbled sorry, they are emphatically so sorry. And I think they mean it!

In fact, my fellow Minnesotans seem to be sorry for everything they do that might be the slightest inconvenience to others. If I ever have to take a step back so people can walk through I'm hit with a barrage of "I'm so sorry"s. Or if I get into one of those awkward little 'you move to the left, I move to the left' dances when passing someone in the hall the person is usually so sorry you'd think they had ripped my first born from my arms and devoured it in front of me.

I don't know. All this sorry business is freaking me out. I think I miss the asshole-yness of Montreal already!

But, when in Rome, do as the Romans.

So I offer you, my dear blog readers, a sincere and heartfelt apology for being so sporadic with postings and updates this month.

Hopefully I'll be able to update about Sophie's Dog Adoption's new intakes (look to the right to see all the new cuties!), successful adoptions and all the other stories that go along with rescue work much more often.

In the mean time I hope you'll know that I'm so, so sorry!

WIN $200 FOR SOPHIE'S DOG ADOPTION!!!

(Or any other animal rescue group of your choice!)

A Place to Bark is a Tennesse rescue that is this close to winning a $50,000 grant from Network For Good and Parade Magazine.

The grant is rewarded to the four charities that get the most people to donate through their Six Degree badges. The goal is to get the most people to donate, not to necessarily raise the most money.

So in the spirit of helping A Place to Bark reach their goal and helping local rescue efforts I'm offering a $200.00 raffle prize.

To win the $200 bucks for Sophie's Dog Adoption make a $10 tax-deductible donation to A Place to Bark through their Six Degrees badge above.

Simply enter "Longfellow Donation" in the "Donation or Gift" line. When the challenge is over on Thursday I'll draw from all those who entered the raffle and make a $200 donation to the animal charity of your choice in your name.

So please, help two amazing rescues out by throwing $10 dollars towards A Place to Bark and win $200 for Sophie's Dog Adoption!!!

Spread the word to your friends and family because you can only enter once, but they can enter the raffle and donate the winnings to SDA too!

The contest runs until 3:00PM EST Thursday January 31st!

Bakesale for Sophie's Dog Adoption!

While our friends over at A Place to Bark are competing for the big bucks, we here at Sophie's Dog Adoption are going back to our humble bakesale fundraising roots!

So come support local efforts to ease the suffering of homeless and unwanted dogs and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time!

Lots of yummy treats! Many decadent, delicious vegan options!

SATURDAY JANUARY 26th & SUNDAY JANUARY 27th

11AM-5PM

Naturalanimal & Pawtisserie

4932B Sheerbrooke Street West.

Westmount

We still need people to donate homebaked goods! Contact me if you can help!

Helping Our Friends! Make $10 become $50,000!

Today I was going to write about the burnout, frustration and depression that can come with dog rescue and that I've been feeling lately, when I logged onto A Place To Bark and became so inspired and hopeful I remembered just why it is that I love rescue work!

A Place to Bark...and Meow has been a huge inspiration to me. Bernie is a truly tireless and selfless servant to others and has found a way to rescue over 500 dogs a year by herself!

And now, we have the chance to win her rescue and all of the homeless dogs in her area $50,000!!!

Here's how it works:
A Place to Bark is a registered charity with a Six Degrees Badge, which people can make donations through. The four charity badges with the most unique donations (meaning the most individuals donating) through America's Giving Challenge will get $50,000 for their cause.


America's Giving Challenge runs only until January 31st.

A Place to Bark's Giving Badge

Donate:
Please donate by clicking on the link to the badge above to make a $10 tax deductible donation. Once you click on the badge, you'll have a bunch of options on how to pay including through PayPal. But, in order to get the grand moola you have to make the donation through the Six Degrees Charity Badge.

We need the most people possible to each donate $10 to A Place to Bark. In order to win the grant we need to have the most amount of donors, not necessarily the amount of money donated.

It gets better:
All donations made to A Place to Bark's Six Degrees Badge, will be matched by the "Zoline Foundation" up to $25,000.00!!! So your 10 bucks automatically becomes 20 dollars that goes straight towards rescuing dogs! All donations up to June 1st will be counted for the matching donation from the Zoline Foundation.

We're So Close:
I just checked the Top Ten Badges page and despite starting 3 weeks into the competition, A Place to Bark is now number 6! They only need to rise 2 spots to receive a $50,000 grant! Help make it a reality! Your $10 tax-deductible donation will immediately become a $20 matched donation. Plus if we get enough people, we could help earn all of the dogs at A Place To Bark $50,000.

Sometimes rescuing dogs from heinous, horrible, near death situations can wear you down. I've been lucky enough to have a fellow rescuer to turn to in those times. Her wisdom, her love and her kindness have always helped me see through my own hardships to the real struggle those who can't defend themselves have.

Now I have an opportunity to help Bernie help more homeless dogs! I hope you'll make a donation. And maybe next year, when Sophie's Dog Adoption is a registered charity, we'll have a shot at that $50,000!

Meet: Two Very Lucky SDA alums

I received this absolutely brilliant photo and caption from one of our very dedicated adoptive families. I know the feeling guys. Keep up the good work!

"Maya (chin in Ben’s hand) listens carefully to instructions that she will forget immediately, while Demon waits to eat the book."

2008: The Year of the Dog

Admittedly, 2008 is not the official year of the dog. But for all of us here at Sophie's Dog Adoption we've got big plans for Montreal dogs in the New Year.

We will be not only working to better serve the dogs and families that come through our rescue, but we'll be working hard to help ensure greater safety for all the dogs in Montreal.

What's on the docket:

Education, education, EDUCATION
As a tiny grassroots rescue with incredibly limited resources we can only help the tiniest fraction of the dogs in need. In 2008 we estimate that we will place 80-100 dogs with their forever homes. But so many more will die needlessly because of widespread overpopulation and an attitude of "disposablity" when it comes to companion animals.

Our hope is to start and implement an educational program in order to prevent the proliferation of pets, encourage people to work with their dogs instead of giving up on them and to make people aware of the commitments of dog ownership before they take on a dog.

We'll be tackling issues like spay and neuter, positive training and companion animal care.

Registered Charity Status
For 2008 we are keeping our fingers crossed that our application for Registered Charity Status will be approved!

With the ability to solicit tax refundable donations we hope to have more resources to draw from with the ultimate goal of creating broader outreach and education efforts.

Adoption Pamphlet
This is a little something I've been working on: an adoption pamphlet that each adoptive family will receive before or during their adoption. It's full of great information for first time and seasoned dog owners alike and covers everything from when to feed your dog to preventing and correcting problem behavior.

I'm so grateful to everyone who has helped me with this project, especially Alex my positive dog training guru!

Hopefully we'll have the pamphlet available on the website for general use as well! Keep your eyes out, it should be done within the month!

Spay & Neuter Programs
This is a long term goal, but Montreal desperately needs an affordable spay and neuter program and Sophie's Dog Adoption wants to help provide it!

It will take a lot of logistical work and relationship building, but if we can help 10 people spay their dogs in 2008- that could mean 60 less dogs searching for homes in 2009!

Affordable and accessible sterilization is the only way to curb companion animal overpopulation and end the needless deaths and sufferings.

So Happy New Year everyone! Here is to the Year of the Dog and all the positive changes our best friends deserve!