Craig Street Cats

This October, we raised funds to support Craig Street Cats, a rescue organization that helps protect and reduce their local stray cat population. There are estimated to be more than 100,000 stray cats on the streets of Winnipeg, where winter temperatures are consistently below freezing. Sadly, many of these cats do not survive the harsh months. Through spay/neuter programs and their no-kill shelter, Craig Street Cats volunteers are working persistently to combat the heartbreaking plight of the stray population. Every donation that goes in enables them to make an even bigger difference, so we were ecstatic to be able to send $952.22 ($1043.83 Canadian) to support their programs! Below are some of the hundreds of cats for whom this organization has found lovely homes!

Mercy For Animals

In September 2014, we raised $825.23 for Mercy For Animals, once of the nation’s leading farm animal advocacy organizations! MFA’s undercover investigations, corporate outreach programs, social media campaigns, and other creative forms of activism have contributed significantly to our society’s understanding and increasing rejection of factory farming conditions. They are repeatedly making headlines and appearing on national and local news networks to expose cruelty within the animal agriculture industry. To get a sense of their 2013 accomplishments, please check out this video:

In addition to their groundbreaking investigatory work, MFA also promotes cruelty-free eating through their website www.chooseveg.com. They provide an abundance of ideas and resources for compassionate consumers who want to make a progressive change in their diets.

I’ve long admired the heroes at MFA, so I’m thrilled to be able to contribute to their success!

ColoRADogs!

Today we donated $1061.80 to ColoRADogs, a Colorado rescue group focused primarily (but not exclusively) on pit bull type dogs. Colorado is unfortunately known for being pretty inhospitable to pit bulls, with breed bans starting to pop up in more and more cities. In addition to rescuing and rehabilitating these misunderstood dogs, ColoRADogs also actively campaigns against the discriminatory BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) that has condemned so many sweet, healthy dogs to death. They are also currently raising funds to purchase a trailer, which will be used to distribute food and other necessary pet care items to homeless, financially struggling, or otherwise disadvantaged animal caretakers. This small but strong group of committed advocates is making a huge difference in the lives of not only the dogs in their care, but also in the lives of all humans and dogs that benefit from their outreach and compassion.

Below are the faces of some of the exceptionally lucky dogs they’ve rescued! You can learn more about this organization (and apply to adopt one of their beautiful pups!) at http://www.coloradogs.org.

Last Chance For Animals

In July, we donated $555.69 to Last Chance for Animals, a multi-faced, international animal protection and rescue organization. It’s tough to sum up what this incredible organization does, because they are constantly working on so many projects! From investigating puppy mills to organizing fur protests to informing the public about animal testing to campaigning for the release of elephants in captivity to providing emergency care for animals impacted by natural disasters, it’s safe to say this team has had their hands in just about every issue facing non-human animals! For the past 30 years, LCA has been steadfastly committed to direct action, exposing the truth behind cruelty-laden industries, and uncompromising compassion.

Below are some images from a small sampling of their recent campaigns. I encourage you to learn more about their work at http://www.lcanimal.org!

Building a Sanctuary for Esther The Wonder Pig!

This past June, we were able to contribute to the fundraiser for Esther The Wonder Pig’s Farm Animal Sanctuary! If you’re unfamiliar with Esther’s story, I fully encourage you follow her adventures on Facebook and Instagram.

Esther was adopted by her human Dads, Steve and Derek, in 2012. At the time, they were told she was a “micro pig” and would stay tiny. As months went by, it became very clear that Esther was on her way to becoming a full grown, 600 lb pig! Through photos and videos shared by Steve and Derek, Esther’s online popularity grew rapidly. This year, inspired by the world’s love and compassion for Esther (which started inspiring her “fans” to make big changes in their diets), her Dads decided to open a farmed animal sanctuary near Ontario. This sanctuary will become a permanent, loving home for farmed animals that have been abandoned, abused, or neglected. Thanks to a fantastic month of sales in The Tree Kisser shop, we were able to donate $1,060.54 to this project!! I can’t wait to see  this sanctuary become a reality over the next year.

Animal Rescue Corps (Part 2!)

(photos by Amiee Stubbs)

Hello All! I apologize for how long it’s been since I updated this blog! I promise to be more on top of things in the future. Throughout the day, I’ll be sharing details from the projects we were able to support over the summer. Starting with May’s fundraiser for Animal Rescue Corps! You may recall that we donated to ARC back in 2013 after a brief holiday fundraiser, but I decided to help them out again (they are always in major need) now that The Tree Kisser shop has grown and is bringing in more donations.

When we launched this fundraiser, the ARC team had just completed Operation Delta Dogs, a rescue mission at a suspected dog fighting site in Mississippi. They were able to remove 12 abused and neglected dogs from the property. Because most of these dogs experience horrific cruelty at the hands of their criminal captors, it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to rehabilitate them. I’m so grateful that we were able to send $1,143.23 to support their heroic efforts!

I’ve shared a few photos from this rescue mission below, but I encourage you to view the full Operation Delta Dogs album here!

Animal Aid Unlimited

On April 19, thanks to sales from The Tree Kisser shop and generous donations from other supporters, we were able to send $1500 to Animal Aid Unlimited, an animal rescue organization in Udaipur, India. Animal Aid Unlimited was founded 15 years ago by an American family that saw a massive need for help. In Udaipur, it is common for dogs, donkeys, cows, and other animals to run loose in the street, a cultural norm that sadly doesn’t mesh well with increasing automobile traffic. Because of this, many of the animals taken in by Animal Aid have severe injuries from being hit or run over by cars.

Since their creation, Animal Aid has saved tens of thousands of animals who otherwise would most likely have died slow, painful deaths. We are so honored to be able to support their vital work. Please take a moment to check out their fantastic organization on their website or on Facebook!