Blogging and Social Media

Paws for Japan

March 17, 2011 by kathi

The deep feeling of relief that my family and friends in Hawaii and on the west coast of the United States were not affected by last Friday’s tsunami was soon overwhelmed by the horrible news and images from Japan.

I don’t talk about it very often here, but I am of Japanese ancestry. I’m sansei (third generation, or second generation born in the United States) and way more American than Japanese. I speak very little of the language and I’ve only visited Japan once. But there is still a real connection for me, as I believe everyone has with the land of their ancestors.

Many years ago, my brother and uncle were looking into our family tree. As it does for many Japanese-Americans, some of our branches break off with the records lost in Hiroshima during WWII. It is sad to think that there is a part of my past I’ll probably never be able to find, but the records were lost so long ago, long before I was born. It doesn’t even compare to the man I saw interviewed on television earlier this week. This Japanese man has been living and working in the United States for quite some time. He saw the village where he is from completely destroyed. He said he doesn’t believe he will ever go back, as he wants to remember it the way he last saw it. I can’t even imagine how it would feel to lose my hometown like that. Nor can I truly imagine what it would be like to be separated from any of my family members, two- or four-legged, in such a devastating natural disaster.

That brings us to today’s Paws for Japan, spearheaded by Pawcurious and BlogPaws. Human lives are important (and yes, I am donating to help people as well). But because animals are important to so many of us humans, the animal rescue teams now in Japan need our help as well. Please consider donating to World Vets to support that goal.

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The Saturday Pet Blogger Hop | Project 365

January 15, 2011 by kathi

My Project 365 is going pretty well so far. I haven’t improved much as a photographer yet, but we’re only two weeks into it. I haven’t missed a day yet, and I’ve been making an effort to use and learn more about my DSLR. Here are the pet-related photos from the past week:

Click photos to go to the blog posts

It’s that time again: Saturday Pet Blogger Hop time! As always, a big thank you to Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers, and Confessions of the Plume for bringing us all together every weekend!

Blog the Change for Animals: It’s the little things, too

January 15, 2011 by kathi

Sometimes I wish that my twentysomething self would peek her idealistic head into my fiftysomething life, and tell me that I really can change the world, that all I need is faith and hope. I am no longer sure that is true. It can be very disheartening trying to raise awareness about topics such as breed specific legislation, puppy mills, and breed rescue and then…

your neighbor hates and fears your dog just because he is a Rottweiler
your coworker buys a puppy from a pet store after you have offered to put him in touch with breed rescue and some ethical breeders
your friend buys a cross-breed “designer dog” from a so-called breeder for more than you paid for your well-bred show dog… or your first car

And there is the unfortunate truth that awareness does not necessarily equal change or even concrete support. But I can’t quite bring myself to give up. My twentysomething self would be even more disappointed in me than she probably already is. What I do to keep myself sane is to try to remember that little things count, too. I may not be able to effect great changes in the world, but I can make life better for a few animals in it.

Right now, I can’t be very actively involved in breed rescue. I can always spare a few hours on a weekend every so often to help with transports, though. These usually involve moving a dog from a high-kill shelter to a rescue or foster home, or from a foster home to a forever home. As an experienced dog owner with a minivan that’s set up for traveling to shows and trials, it’s something that is a good fit for me as a way to contribute. I may not be making a big difference in the world, but I know I am making a difference to my canine passenger.

Between work, The Total Rottweiler Magazine, and the newly forming breed club I’m involved with, I’m on the computer a lot. One little tiny thing I can do while stuck behind the keyboard is to click to help. Not just donations, although I do that, too, while going through my favorite pet blogs. When you can’t make donations, you can still click (and shop) at The Animal Rescue Site and Freekibble.com to donate food and care to shelter animals.