Kitty Cats, Puppies, Pet Lovers and Charity - A Rare Post by Leal

Growing up with Zoie (aka. Gilliauna) as a mentor in my life benefited me in many ways in my youth as well as in my adulthood. Not only did she introduce me to the creativity and enjoyment of jewelry design, but she also introduced my twin sister and I to the joys of being a pet owner.

When I was young, Zoie had the most magnificent, awesome dog. Her name was Koko and she was ultra energetic and super friendly, not to mention just a little pushy. She adored Zoie completely and you could see this in every interaction between them. Zoie was also the only person she would listen to.

I can't necessarily see Zoie as a dominant personality type, but she definitely had established herself as alpha dog in Koko's eyes.

Ever since meeting KoKo at the age of 9, I've wanted a dog. Not a little dog or a toy dog, but a "real" dog. A big dog. I don't live the life that's conductive to that kind of a pet, though. So as much as I've always wanted one, I've resisted.

Then a couple years ago, I was "saddled" with a cat. My sister's cat, to be exact. Now, let me tell you something about this cat. This cat has attitude. Her name is Meanie. (Okay, it's actually spelled Meenie like "Eenie Meenie Minie, Mo" but "Meanie" is far more fitting.) She's very, very persnickety. And yet, I've somehow come to like her anyway. Love her even.

The moral of the story? Adopt a pet.

I know it's a round about way of getting there, but that -is- the point. Pets enrich your life. They give you love and devotion people can't and fill a part of your life that you might not even realize needed filling.

I know that there will be a day in my life at some point where I WILL have a dog of my own. It's a plan that hasn't been fulfilled yet, but it's one I have every intention of following through to fruition. And when I do, I'll be adopting.

Why adopt instead of purchase? Because there are millions of abandoned, mistreated and stray pets out there that need a home. Reputable humane societies and animal rescue centers can clear these pets for adoption, ensuring they're healthy and ready to come into your home. Many know the animals in their shelters well enough they can even give you an idea as to the energy level and personality of the pet you're considering adopting.

So consider adding a pet to your life, and while doing so, take a stop by your local shelter/s. You might just fall in love.

The shop that provided the pet loving jewelry pictures in this post is Beaded Tail, ran by Sharla on Etsy. Beaded tail is filled with beaded jewelry for animal lovers with a portion of ALL sales proceeds benefiting animal awareness causes.

These causes include the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Humane Society for the United States, Dogs for the Deaf, Alley Cat Allies and Chintimini Wildlife Rescue. In 2008, Beaded Tail's donations came to $407.00 and in 2009 it grew to $686.50! They are a terrific shop and if you're an animal lover (or know someone who is) you'll want to stop by and take a look around.

YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURES ABOVE TO VISIT THE BEADEDTAIL ON ETSY AND TAKE A LOOK AROUND OR, IF YOU PREFER, CLICK RIGHT HERE.