Good Dogs

My friends Glen and Kelly were both laid off from their respective corporate jobs at various points in this recession. 


But they were good savers and planners, and had enough to start a business of their own. 

Both animal lovers (and volunteers at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay), they opened a Home Buddies franchise. 


Most people would rather work for love than money, and I'm so happy Glen & Kelly were able to find both with their new gig! 


Recently they took in an abandoned (and very skinny) dog, Heidi, and her 10 newborn puppies. 


When the puppies are just a bit older and Heidi a little healthier, all will be up for adoption. You can follow their progress on their blog Heidi and Her Pups. 

Bark in the Park

Our happy dog Jamaica, former Humane Society orphan

This morning while I was waiting for one of my interviews to show up at the radio station, I looked in on Duncan Strauss, live in the studio with his show Talking Animals. 

He was chatting with a couple of ladies from the Humane Society of Tampa Bay about their upcoming fundraiser Bark in the Park, this Saturday morning at Al Lopez Park. 

They had a Siamese kitten and two puppies, all adoptable. It wasn't long before random WMNF'ers closed in on the puppies, wondering if their spouses would mind one more. (Okay, so maybe it was just me.) 


For the entire month of March, The Humane Society of Tampa Bay is having a half price special on adult cat adoptions. See their website or call 876-7138 for more info. 

Our cat Angel, rescued by my husband from a gas station in St. Pete

Be the Change

To paraphrase Gandhi, if you wanna see change, you've got to make it happen.

My latest story is on the health benefits of volunteering. I interviewed two great volunteers, Ms. Ligon and Ms. Hunziker, who serve their church and school, respectively. But they weren't the only folks I chatted up.

There was also a 40-something from the Junior League of Tampa, a 20-something at the Grace House in Clearwater, and two retirees giving their open days to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay and Moffitt Cancer Center. Yet I had space for just 700 words, which is never enough to give the whole story.

I could fill a book with all the joys and trials and tribulations of volunteering that I've witnessed.

There are so many worthy organizations out there that need your help, and not just during the holidays (as noted in the profile I did last year of Metropolitan Ministries).

Helping others often requires you to step outside of your comfort zone and into the world as it really is: a place with so much suffering buried beneath the thin, superficial skin of pop culture and material possessions.

Consider giving a little time and hands-on effort to someone in need in your community.

(Furry) Babies in Need

I had an NPR Driveway Moment the other day as I pulled into the Humane Society parking lot. I was there bright and early to interview animal-loving volunteers on why they work away their lives for free.

The NPR story began with weekday host Steve Inskeep interviewing weekend host Scott Simon on his new book, Baby We Were Meant for Each Other.

The lives of both men have been touched by adoption, and Simon was choked up throughout most of the interview as he talked about his young daughters. (Part of the driveway moment experience, I think, is wiping away your own tears before interacting with humans outside of your vehicle.)

I immediately saw the juxtaposition of being at the animal shelter, and was anticipating the next 45 minutes of meeting and petting furry babies also up for adoption.

Animal lovers are dogged in their attachment to their pets. They care for their four-legged children as if they had given birth to them themselves.

Some important things I learned at the Humane Society:

• it's a no kill shelter, meaning unlike the county and other shelters, they do not euthanize to make room for more.
• there are plenty of small, pure breeds waiting to be adopted due to the recession.
• in an average year the shelter adopts out 5,000 dogs and cats. In this past year, they adopted out 7,000.

Click here to see free ranging kitties in the Human Society's "Real Life" room, courtesy of Fox 13's Kitty Cam.

Tampa Bay is blessed to have such a great shelter. Not only does it place all those animals into safe, loving homes, but they often have room to take animals ("literally out of time," according to volunteer coordinator Ben Moehnert) from the county shelter on Falkenburg, another kill shelter in Alabama, and as far away as Puerto Rico.

If you're interested in volunteering at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, check out their website or call volunteer coordinator Ben Moehnert at 774-4344.