Cat Blogosphere

Different cat bloggers around the cat blogosphere do fund raisers for friends, for their own cats, or for rescue groups. We think that’s a great thing. What a generous group!  That always blows me away. It always has.  Where else would you find such a cool group of people and cats? Especially one who’ve almost none ever met in person!

Unfortunately, there have been some issues about fund raising over the years and they’re cropping up more and more recently with the current economic climate. As Chief Crabilator and Bad Guy, it’s my job to get that straight. 

As always, this is brought to you courtesy of people overwhelming ML and KC, and the CB for money. There is very little anyone can do around here that ticks me off as much as people hurting ML’s feelings, especially by putting her in a position where she wants to help but it’s unreasonable or inappropriate to. So I’m stepping out of the background again to make all this very clear again. Here’s the straight shooting.

As much as this great group likes to help friends, we cannot help everyone, and we cannot help anyone all the time.

So here are the guidelines for fund raising stuff on CB. They’re not new per se, but in our desire to help, things have gotten out of hand again, especially in the background here.

• If you’re not part of the CB cat blogger community, visit these resources for help. This post today was prompted by the last straw of yet another request from someone who’s not a CB cat blogger at all for us to help their cat. ML and KC get several requests like this a week, though! We concentrate on our community. We cannot help everyone. But we have listed these resources for ways anyone can get help even if they’re not a CB cat blogger.
• If someone wants to offer to raise money for you, that’s great! They should put the fund raiser on their blog and we’ll be happy to post brief news about it at the beginning and end of the fund raiser, plus a link to it in the sidebar. Y’all are also welcome to post about it on your blog every day and put that in the autolinkies.  And visit these resources for more help.
• If you need to raise money for your own cats, put it on your own blog and put it in the daily auto linkies. And visit these resources for more help.
• If you want to do an auction for anyone, do it on your own blog. ML is swamped with personal crises that would knock many people to the ground completely. It’s really unfair of us to try to send all our stuff to her to deal with. She and I are both glad to give you suggestions and tips on how to do it so that it’s easiest for everyone. But she is not endlessly able to deal with the stuff for 200 cat bloggers, nor am I, nor anyone else I know of. So we each need to do our own bit to help raise money for friends.

And please keep this in mind, whether it applies to you or another friend: Not everyone has money to pitch in, and nobody has money to pitch in all the time. That is OK.  The Cat Blogosphere is about community and friends and fun. If and when you can help, go for it if you want to. We need our cat blogger friends as friends, not as wallets!  We need cats blogging for fun things to read, to teach us, to make us laugh, to make us grin and sigh and have silly contests for badges, and to just be there. You don’t need to have money to belong. We each do and give what we can, and that makes it work.

*cheezy human imitation purrs*
Robyn

Momma ML needs some serious purrs everyone.  She really hurt her leg & needs some fluffy lovin’ – so please go visit.

Thanks, Sophia

Sara has hers…

I’ve gone mine…

Do you have one???  You can for only $2 – visit here to bid! Wouldn’t you like your own hand-made snuggle?

Big V-E-T bills for kitties or for woofie furrinds can be overwhelming.  Here are some resources where you can apply for (and hopefully GET) help with large veterinary bills for your cat or dog.  We’ve listed as many as we can to try to help out as many people and critters as possible, but please be aware that each program has its own rules and regulations.  All links open in a new window so you can find the list again easily.
 

Low Cost Spay and Neuter Assistance nationwide (US)

• Friends of Animals 800-321-7387 http://www.friendsofanimals.org/
• SpayUSA Stratford, CT 800-248-SPAY http://www.spayusa.org

Special Credit Programs for Veterinary Care

• Care Credit (US) www.carecredit.com
• PetCard (Canada)which is a Canadian subsidiary of MediCard – like CareCredit in the US. http://www.petcard.ca

Raise Funds

• Do your own online auctions or raffles on your blog.
  We will be glad to put a notice on the Cat Blogosphere (CB) for any cat bloggers or other pet bloggers raising funds for their pet or pet-related cause.
• Use Fundables to raise money.

 
US Animal Assistance Programs 

• Angels for Animals, www.angels4animals.org
• The Animal Foundation, www.theanimalfund.com
• American Animal Hospital Association’s Helping Pets Fund (AHMA) http://www.aahahelpingpets.org/
• Brown Dog Foundation, http://www.browndogfoundation.org/home
• Canine Cancer Awareness, www.caninecancerawareness.org
• Cats In Crisis http://www.catsincrisis.org
• Cody’s Club (Radiation treatments) http://codysclub.bravehost.com/
• Diabetic Pets Fund http://www.petdiabetes.net/fund/
• Feline Outreach, www.felineoutreach.org
• Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program, www.fveap.org
• Good Sam Fund, www.goodsamfund.org
• Help-A-Pet, www.help-a-pet.org
• IMOM Inc., www.IMOM.org
• Orthodogs’ Silver Lining Foundation (Orthopedic Cases and Service Dogs), www.oslf.org
• The Perseus Foundation (Cancer specific), www.PerseusFoundation.org
• The Pet Fund, www.thepetfund.com
• United Animal Nations LifeLine Fund www.uan.org
  

UK Animal Assistance Programs

• PDSA UK http://www.pdsa.org.uk/
• Pet Lovers Online UKwww.petloversonline.co.uk/financial.htm
• RSPCA UK (Local Branches Only) http://www.rspca.org.uk/

Canada Animal Assistance Programs 

• Pet Program (Toronto PWA Foundation), http://www.pwatoronto.org/what.htm#pets
• The Farley Foundation http://www.farleyfoundation.org/welcome.html

Breed Specific Assistance Programs

• The Boston Terrier Rescue Net, www.bostonrescue.net
• CorgiAid,  www.corgiaid.org
  
• Disabled Dachshund Society, www.ourdds.org
• Dougal’s Helping Paw (Scottish Terriers, West Highland White Terriers and other small, short legged terriers), http://www.welcome.to/dougalsfund
• Labmed, www.labmed.org
• Labrador Harbor, http://www.labradorharbor.org/
• Labrador Lifeline, www.labradorlifeline.org
• Special Needs Dobermans, www.doberman911.org
• Westimed (West Highland White Terriers), www.westiemed.org

State or Locality -Specific Programs

CANADA

• Animal Cancer Therapy Subsidization Society Lucky Moffat Memorial Fund, www.actssalberta.org/lucky/lmmf.asp (Alberta Canada Only)
• The Farley Foundation, www.farleyfoundation.org (Ontario Canada Only)

CALIFORNIA

• Actors and Others for Animals,  www.actorsandothers.com
• SF/SPCA Animal Hospital, http://www.sfspca.org/hospital/index.shtml
• Animal Health Foundation, http://animalhealthfoundation.net/

COLORADO

• Max Fund, www.maxfund.org

CONNECTICUT

• Connecticut Humane Society Fox Veterinary Clinic, http://www.cthumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=About_Fox

MARYLAND/WASHINGTON, D.C.

• Washington Animal Rescue League, www.warl.org

MASSACHUSETTS

• Alliance For Animals Metro Action Clinic, http://www.afaboston.org/clinic.htm
• Massachusettes SPCA (Provides financial assistance for pet owners receiving services at one of its three medical centers, www.mspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AAMC_Boston_Financial_Assistance)
• Angell Memorial Animal Hospital-Boston, 350 South Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02130, 617-522-7282
• Angell Animal Medical Center-Nantucket, 21 Crooked Lane,Nantucket, MA 02554,508-228-1491
• Angell Animal Medical Center-Western New England,171 Union St.,Springfield, MA 01105,413-785-1221
• The Sampson Fund,  PO Box 1756, Orleans, MA 02653, www.sampsonfund.org The fund is to benefit companion animals of Cape Cod and the adjacent Islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.

MICHIGAN

• Michigan Humane Society maintains three veterinary clinics: www.michiganhumane.org
• Detroit AREA:MHS Detroit Center for Animal Care, Veterinary Center: 7401 Chrysler Drive Detroit, MI 48211 313-872-0004
• Rochester Hills AREA: MHS Rochester Hills Center for Animal Care, Veterinary Center 3600 W. Auburn Road Rochester Hills, MI 48309 248-852-7424
• Westland AREA: MHS Berman Center for Animal Care Veterinary Center: 900 N. Newburgh Road Westland, MI 48185 734-721-4195

NEVADA

• Shakespeare Animal, www.shakespeareanimalfund.org.

NEW YORK

• NY S.A.V.E Inc., http://www.nysave.org/index_2.html
• ALL 4 PETS, www.all4petswny.org (Limited to Western NY)

NORTH CAROLINA

• Ashley’s Angel Fund,  http://www.ashleyfund.org/

OREGON

• The Bearen Foundation, http://www.bearenfoundation.org/funding.htm

PENNSYLVANIA

• The Animal Rescue of Western PA, http://www.animalrescue.org/Clinic.htm

TEXAS

• Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine "The Capper and Chris Save the Animals Fund," http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/capperchris/index.shtml

Organizations Offering Assistance Programs for Senior, Disabled or Ill Pet Owners

CALIFORNIA

• Voice for the Animals Foundation, Helping Friends Program, http://vftafoundation.org
• AniMeals Helen Woodward Animal Center ,http://www.animalcenter.org/animeals/
• SF SPCA Animal Hospital, http://www.sfspca.org/hospital/index.shtml
• SHARE Marin Humane Society, http://www.marinhumanesociety.org/ProgramsServices/SHARE.html
• PAWS San Diego, http://www.pawssdc.org/
• PALS – Pets Are Loving Support, http://sonic.net/~pals/index.html
• PAWS Los Angeles, http://www.pawsla.org/
• PAWS San Francisco, www.pawssf.org

CONNECTICUT

• Manchester Area Network on AIDS AID-A-PET, http://www.mana-ct.net/Aid-A-Pet.html

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

• PETS-DC, http://www.petsdc.org/

GEORGIA

• PALS – Pets Are Loving Support, www.palsatlanta.org

HAWAII

• Hawaiian Humane Society: PALS Program, http://www.hawaiianhumane.org/programs/pals/

MASSACHUSETTS

• Phinney’s Friends (MSPCA) http://www.mspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=advo_Phinney_Friends_HIV_AIDS

MICHIGAN

• Pet Support Services, http://www.petsupportmi.org/

NEVADA

• Shakespeare Animal, www.shakespeareanimalfund.org.

NEW JERSEY

• PetPALS of Southern New Jersey, http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NJ151.html

NEW YORK

• Humane Society of Lollypop Farm, http://www.lollypop.org/orgMain.asp?ssid=&storyID=105&orgID=14&sid
• Pet Emergency Fund (Buffalo metropolitan area),P.O. Box 2846Buffalo, New York 14240-2846 (716) 883-8544

PENNSYLVANIA

• Pittsburgh PAWS (Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force), http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/natashat/PAWS/

RHODE ISLAND

• RIVMA Companion Animal Care Foundation – Assistance for low income families in Rhode Island to pay for veterinary care

TEXAS

• SPCA of Texas, www.spca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=programs_socialservices_2004#petomeals

WASHINGTON

• Pet Project: Seattle-King County Humane Society, http://www.seattlehumane.org/petproject.shtml and http://www.seattlehumane.org/foodbank.shtml

Suggestions from HSUS on other ways to pay for veterinary care.

• Ask your veterinarian to submit an assistance request to the American Animal Hospital Association’s (AAHA) "Helping Pets Fund." In order to qualify, your animal hospital must be AAHA accredited. To learn more about the program visit the AAHA web site. To find an AAHA accredited hospital in your area, search online at www.Pets911.com.

• Contact your local shelter. Some shelters operate or know of local subsidized veterinary clinics or veterinary assistance programs. You can find the name and number of your local shelter in the Yellow Pages of your phone book under "animal shelter," "animal control" or "humane society," or by calling Information. You can also go to www.Pets911.com and enter your zip code to find a list of animal shelters, animal control agencies, and other animal care organizations in your community.

• If you purchased your pet from a reputable breeder, check your contract to see if there is a health guarantee that covers your pet’s ailment.

• Check with veterinary schools in your state to see if they offer discount services to the public. You can find a list of veterinary schools in the Education section of the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) website, www.avma.org.

• Use your credit card. Ask for a higher credit limit or a cash advance.

• Call your bank. Ask about loan programs or other options they can suggest that might be helpful in your situation.

• Ask your employer for a salary advance.

• Alert family and friends and ask them each for a $25 loan.

• Consider taking on a part-time job or temping.

 
Other information can be found at:  http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/resources/local_organizations.htm.

Purrs n Purrayers can help lots too!

And please Let us know! of broken links or other resources to add!

Pee Ess. If yoo want to sponsor a fundraiser for a cat blogger, we’ll be glad to get the word out for yoo.

Thanks to these resources on the web for information on assistance for pet owners:  Frogdog Blog, HSUS, Itchmo.com

We are raffling off three new snuggles. Raffles tickets are $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00. Visit Diva Kitty and the Fluffies to get raffle tickets. Raffle ends midnight on July 5th. Winners will be announced July 6th. The raffle funds will be used to pay off the last bit of Sophia’s vet bill and all other funds will be used to buy more snuggle yarn.

DKM makes around 100 snuggles a year for shelters. Each snuggle costs approx. $5 for the yarn and $4 for shipping. If your shelter needs some help – please let DKM know. We also donate squiggles.

Zebra Snuggle   

Strawberries n’ Cream   

Kermit   

Current high bids…

Berry Cobbler – Gabby $25
Cherry Pie – Ruis $35
Spumoni – Bogdon $30
Espresso – Luna $40
Millie – Mog $35
Latte – Latte $25

Visit Sophia the Diva Kitty to bid – Auction ends at Midnight PDT

Also – many of you have commented you’d love to have a snuggle but cannot afford to bid in the auctions… so next week we will have raffles for 3 snuggles.  Raffle tickets will be $2 – details up on Monday.

Thanks again for all of your support – your kindness is overwhelming.

Update: They stold blood and we’ll know more tomorrow.  Sophia is resting with Slick and grumbling at DKM.

Sophia needs to get some blood work done, so we were are auctioning off some snuggles to cover the costs.

One is called Berry Cobbler and comes in these colors,

One is called Cherry Pie with these colors,

One is called Spumoni in these colors,

One is called Esspresso in this color,

One is called Millie in these colors,

and one is called Latte in this color. 

Auction ends Saturday at midnight. Please visit our blog to bid.

Here are some samples of a completed snuggles.  They are 100% acrylic and machine washable.

Make a donation of at least $2.00 to the Cat Blogsphere’s Friends helping Friends fund by Easter (March 23) and DKM will send you some squiggles.  Mom Robyn, Sanjee, ML and KC will distribute the funds to our friends in need across the blogsphere. Come on, you know you want one…

Don’t miss the Squiggles.

I’s had to put this in a specshul post. We’s all been helping Churchill wif him’s biggie vet bills. Mocha is the cat already at Rhiannon an Mike’s house. She doesn’t like Church, so they’s wants to find her a noo home. Rhiannon asks mine mommie ta help.

Mommie ML finks and finks and tha furrst person who comes ta mind is Dannie (Jake’s mom). She hafn’t been bloggin in a while, wif growing kids an a jobbie. Mommie emails Dannie an splains about Churchill.

Long story short, they just finished talking. Guess what? Dannielle and Rhiannon went to high school together and was bestest furriends. Later, Rhiannon babysat fur Dannielle. They’s haffing supper together tonight, isn’t that a wonnerful Cat Blogosphere story?   Purrs, KC

pee ess: Here’s tha linkie to Dannie’s bloggie an a post about Mocha. Here is Danielle’s kitty, Jake, whom mine mommie is in luv wif.

Meet Churchill. No wonder they decided to keep him. Very handsome mancat. I’ll get more details about donations to help him, as Michael and Rhiannon are on a very limited budget and would appreciate any help with their new kitten. Will also get them to start a blog so we can keep up with Churchill’s progress and adventures once he is healed.

MICHAEL COLLINS wrote: HI. MY WIFE AND I FOUND AN ABANDONED KITTEN. IT SEEMS AS IF HE MAY HAVE BEEN ABUSED OR HIT BY A CAR. WE LOOKED HIM OVER AND HE WAS MOSTLY CLEAN. NO BITES OR OPEN SORES TO SPEAK OFF, SO WE BROUGHT HIM HOME IN HOPES OF NURSING HIM BACK TO HEALTH. WE HAD HIM FOR 2 DAYS AND NOTICED SOME IMPROVEMENT. STILL HE WOULD NOT WALK ON HIS FRONT LEFT PAW. WE ARE VERY LOW IN COME SO WE CALLED AROUND AND TRIED TO GET DONATIONS FOR HIS X-RAYS AND SO ON. WELL IT SEEMS WE HAVE HIT A BRICK WALL. WE GOT SOME HELP FROM V.S.A FOR HIS X-RAYS, WHICH SHOW HE HAS A BROKEN ELBOW, BUT NOW HE WILL NEED SURGERY AND KNOW NO ONE WILL HELP US. THIS CAT IS SO SWEET AND CUDDLEY. IT TOOK ALL OF 1 DAY TO FALL FOR HIM. IF YOU KNOW OF ANYWHERE WE CAN GO FOR HELP PLEASE CONTACT ME AT MY E-MAIL (MSC698CC AT YAHOO.CO.UK). THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YOURS TRUELY, MICHAEL COLLINS, NORTH KINGSTOWN RHODE ISLAND