Hi, my name is Dawn.  I love horses, use to go to summer camps, mostly because coming from a family with 5 children we just couldn't afford to buy one.  As I got older I was just to fat and heavy to put a horse through that.  I would love to hear from others in my situtation who yearn to get back in the saddle.  My goal is to loose the weight and then spend a week at a dude ranch as a treat to get back into the saddle.

I have just begun the process for getting surgery, would love to hear from others pre- and post operatively to inspire and for friends to connect with. 

Hi, I have 3 ferrets.  Loki who is 1.5, Asher who is 1, and Juno who is somewhere under 1 year (she is a rescue). 

Americans love dogs and cats. According to the Humane Society of the United States, 39% of all U.S. households have at least one dog, and 33% have at least one cat. 19% of those dogs and 22% of those cats were adopted from an animal shelter, thus it’s clear that Americans support the idea of animal shelters and the services they provide. So why don’t Americans provide more financial and other support for shelters?

Many argue that the current state of the economy in the United States has caused the decline in contributions. Yet that same factor has caused a dramatic increase in the number of pets being left at animal shelters because their owners can longer afford the cost of feeding them and obtaining the veterinarian care they need.

Animal shelters provide at least temporary homes for dogs and cats across the country. And in recent years, more and more “no kill" shelters have sprung up all around the United States, dedicated to the premise that cats and dogs that are not adopted should continue receiving shelter in a safe and loving environment instead of being euthanized.

Some shelters may go even further, actively working to housebreak dogs and striving to ensure that the dogs and cats they house will interact safely with humans, particularly children. In fact, in some rescue organizations, kittens and puppies are given to children to play with on a daily basis. Some shelters also periodically conduct adoption workshops to try to match their dogs and cats to the right homes.

Most animal shelters have an “open door" policy and will accept any cat or dog that ends up at their door. They operate on a non-judgmental basis, not categorizing their animals as “good or bad". Animal rescue facilities, on the other hand, sometimes concentrate on only one specific breed, devoting their resources to finding safe homes for them, and caring for them until they are able to accomplish that.

Because the current economy has resulted in more dogs and cats being left at shelters and has also resulted in fewer persons with the finances they need to allow them to take on the additional burden of a pet, animal shelters and rescue centers are in dire need of donations. It costs a great deal to house and feed these animals. It also costs a great deal to provide them with the veterinary care many of them require. It also requires lots of time to provide the care they need.  Thus people who love animals and can afford to do so should give to their local shelter or rescue center. Those who cannot afford to give money should consider donating their time by volunteering to help with the many tasks associated with such facilities.

 Hi,

I'm a horsey people!    I live in south western Riverside county and I have 8 horses.  That is one of the reasons I want to lose weight, because I really want to ride again without worrying about killing one of my poor babies.  Years ago (about 110 lbs ago) I had a mare who used to grunt every time I sat on her and as I held on to the horn to pull my self in to the saddle, she would pretend she was going to fall over.  My mare is gone now but I sure miss her sense of humor.  If you want, check out my webpage at www.peppertreedowns.net where I have pictures of my kids.  I am trying to breed horses but I am having difficulty getting them pregnant.  I just found out the only horse we had in foal doesn't have her baby anymore.  Arghh....

Nice to meet another horsey person, we will have to keep in touch

Pam
'

 I have Australian Cattle Dogs that I show, but my husband would like to have something a little smaller to hang-out with so our next dog will likely be a Frenchie.  I know all about the importance of getting a dog from a reputable breeder so that WILL be a priority.  I'm also interested in showing too and I expect that will be tons of fun.