According to this article, people are more responsive to individual needs than group needs. Seeing a little girl starving to death has more impact — and solicits more contributions — than seeing a village starving to death. It seems we’re hardwired to the “needs of the one.”
So, to jumpstart my blogging on behalf of the Denver Dumb Friends League for Blogathon 2009, let me present you with Pockets:
My name is Pockets and I’m a sweet 3 year old, neutered male. I’m a buff tabby and white short hair domestic mix who loves pillows, laps and running water (I’ll help you get dressed in the morning.) I’m good with small children. I purr a lot, especially when you brush me. I’m also litter box trained. You won’t be sorry if you take me home.
Pockets is the featured Cat of the Week at the DFL. So far I have a bit over $400 in pledges (thank you!), which means that we’ve covered, for Pockets, the $300 that DFL spends per pet it places — so that kitties like Pockets (or Titan, their Lab/St Bernard mix Dog of the Week, or Caramel the Rabbit) have a place stay, to be cared for, and to be adopted from.
$300 is a lot of money. It covers the facility, the medical care, the staff, all sorts of stuff. And I can tell you from experience that you don’t pay $300 to adopt a pet at the DFL.
I don’t know Pockets’ story. Was he found, astray? Was he abandoned? Was he rescued from an abusive home? The point is, Pockets needs help, as do these others. And that help, provided by the Dumb Friends League, costs money (or matériel, but I can’t accept Paper Towels and Kitty Treats for the ‘Thon).
And that’s why I’m doing this. To help Pockets, and Titan, and Caramel, and all the other once-and-future pets at the Dumb Friends League.
I’ll sweeten the pot, so far as that goes. If you send me proof you’ve adopted a pet from the DFL in the last 30 days, I’ll donate $50 from my own pocket to them for the ‘Thon (offer expires at 7 a.m. Sunday). That means you could go to their Quebec St. shelter, or to their Castle Rock “Buddy Center,” on Saturday and make a difference in an animal’s life. And in your own.
Think about it.
Go, go, Dave!
All four of our cats (I can’t believe I have 4 cats . . .) were adopted. Rupert & Murdock were adopted from the Columbia County Humane Society. Eartha & Xena were found through petfinder.com, one from Shelter From the Storm, the other from Angel’s Wish.
There are so many great organizations doing so much with so little, I applaud your efforts. I’d have donated, but all our charitable giving goes to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. (Sorry!)
Thanks, Arty. I appreciate the sentiment. (Restrains self from saying, “C’mon … $5?)