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If you’ve come here on purpose, I salute you, if you didn’t – welcome! We’re here to help the helpless and showcase our humanity the best way we know and can. Even small acts of kindness count. We hope that one day many more people will become more conscious about these things and shift their attitudes towards the better. Welcome, you are among friends.

If you want to welcome a new furry friend to your home but aren’t sure if you should adopt it or pay money for it, don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place. If you’ve never owned a pet before, it’s normal to be confused and uninformed. Below, I will give you some reasons why you should adopt your pet instead of buying it, and hopefully, I’ll help you make an informed decision.

1. You get to save a life. This is an obvious one, but probably the most important. Shelters and pounds are constantly overpopulated with unwanted pets and many of them then have to be put down because of this. Moreover, these pets have already experienced severe trauma, so the shorter their stay is, the better. They can’t be “repaired” in a matter of minutes like watches can be. They are living, breathing things, who feel emotions, and they will take a while to adjust to their new life after the abandonment, but will love you forever for it and be grateful.

• You’ll help to stop animal cruelty in pet-breeding facilities. This is one of the foulest things in the world. People who do this for a living are disrespectful to animals and nature, and no to mention unethical. They’re making money out of innocent creatures. These poor animals suffer abuse and are usually kept in cages without human companionship or love. They live in poor conditions and are treated badly. Adopting a pet instead of buying it means you don’t participate in this cruel money-making chain.

• You’ll support charitable communities and save some money. Pets shouldn’t have a price tag. Especially when they’re your friend. Communities that care about animals are usually non-profit and when you adopt, you support them. It’s an ethical decision. And not only that, but you also set an example for others to follow.

Humans are thought to be superior to animals because of their reasoning capabilities, but that also means that there will inevitably be people who will fall on the dark side of the spectrum. Choose the other side, be humane.

If animals are your priority, you are a kindred spirit and have come to the right blog. It is all about focusing attention on the proper care and treatment of animals so that they thrive and continue to populate the planet. Everyone can make a difference, and millions are trying. There are vast numbers of pet owners. However, there is still animal cruelty and abuse. There are abandoned newborn cats and dogs. Then there is the huge problem of endangered species. We must address this issue before it is too late. Media attention, word of mouth, advertising, blogs—whatever works. If you consider the size of the earth, so many animals are in jeopardy. You can support the preservation of these creatures with monetary donations or you can volunteer for organizations that care. For today, I am going to stay close to home and talk about fostering animals.

We have all heard of foster parents of children in need. There are also foster homes for animals as well. You house a pet for a short period of time until they find a permanent, forever home. Sometimes you adopt them yourself, but it is not mandatory. It is a good way to “try out” a new member of your family, especially if there are other pets present. I can’t tell you how rewarding it is. I can tell you this first hand, having hosted many cats and dogs. I once took in a pet that just had surgery to remove an infected hind leg. The pet adoption placement agency needed someone to help a female cat learn to walk and eventually run. She came to me skinny as a rail and weak overall. In a month, she was leaping and running about the house. It was easy for her to jump on the bed, her preferred place for napping. She was sweet and adorable and my sister eventually gave her a home. I love a story with a happy ending.

When you foster an animal, you are responsible for its feeding and care. If you have never owned a pet, you learn fast. You find out what it is like without making a long-term commitment. If you want to be well prepared, you should read online about the breed and what typically to expect. The animal agency or shelter will surely help in this regard. You need a bowl for water and one for food, the kind recommended. You can usually select the brand. I also find a small cordless portable vacuum is handy to get rid of any shedding hair whenever you want to do a Pet Hair Clean Up.

You never know what you will get once you volunteer, and it could well be a long-haired breed. Some pets lose hair seasonally so you might not know for a little while. I encourage you to be open to this inevitable chore. Even a small, but powerful, appliance can do the job with the right attachment. Get several tools (they come with most units) and try them out.

If you love animals and are concerned about helping those who are in danger and cannot help themselves, you have found the right site. We are passionate about doing all we can to help endangered species and we know that we can make a difference…one animal at a time. Every problem has a solution. This includes cruel testing of cosmetic products. It is not exactly endangering a species, but it is anathema to animal lovers nonetheless. You can do something about it by writing to your congressman or congresswoman and creating a petition to seek support for your cause.

You can also talk to representatives from the big companies that do the testing and let them know how the public feels. I personally have researched alternative methods of finding out whether a cosmetic product is harmful and it can be done. We don’t need to kill a million rats to find out how to market mascara. It is also important to make sure that products are carefully labeled so buyers can know which are the vegan and cruelty-free items. This goes for lipstick, foundation, makeup, hand cream and even eyelash glue removers. If, on behalf of the animal kingdom, we boycott the offending products, we will change the face of the industry. It can then trickle down to others and we will have far-reaching effect.

Many vendors have recognized the importance of this issue and only stock products that are not tested on animals—yes, even eyelash glue. You can find anything you want at a store like Whole Foods. There are also specialty beauty shops that stock vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics. You won’t have a problem finding what you need. You can feel less guilty about using self-improvement products including soaps and cleansers. Some farsighted manufacturers have stepped up to the plate. There are people out there who care more about animals than the profit motive. Thank you for your concern; it is much appreciated.

People like me are often accused of being over sensitive and caring about pests like rats. Lab rats are grown specifically for scientific purposes. Proponents say that testing saves humans a lot of grief. We need to know if a solution will burn the eyes or cause allergic reactions. I understand and it is, indeed, a dilemma. Since there are cruelty-free products, I see that some companies have gotten around the problem. I have never visited a testing lab and do not know exactly what happens to the subjects. I assume it is not good. Meanwhile, we can fight the old-fashioned people who are perpetuating old methods of assuring the safety of things like cosmetic products. I am as concerned as anyone about applying these items to the face and eye area. I know that this can engender reactions. It is rare these days, however, and women who know they are hypersensitive simply avoid using certain products. In effect, the problem corrects itself.

We’ve all heard of the Endangered Species Act, where animals and other creatures can have hope of being protected from an untimely demise.  When we hear of the endeavors to save these poor critters, what comes to mind is the elephants of Africa and Asia, Polar Bears and the likes, but who will be there to save the Tecopa Pupfish?  Sadly, no one was.

Before we can answer the question of who could have and should have saved the Tecopa Pupfish, we must first answer the question, “What IS the Tecopa Pupfish?”

The Tecopa Pupfish lived in the Mojave Desert in the outflows of water in South and North Tecopa Hot Springs.  The males were bright blue and females were striped.  They were small and ate larva. The fish was heat tolerant which was a good thing given the area in which is lived in.

The fish was first brought to the public eye in 1848 by a man named Robert Miller.  He had studied the fish for seven years.  Along with the Tecopa Pupfish, he had discovered other subspecies of it as well.

The pupfish is of the genus Cyprinodon, or pupfish, which is thought to have diverged in the lakes in the course of the past 10,000 years.  One thing that hurt the species was the drying up of the lakes in the region.  Another thing was when non-native species were introduced to the area which is often the cause of trouble.

In the 1950’s bathhouses became popular in the area which boasted hot springs that people flocked to in order to enjoy a nice soak.  The springs were wildly popular in the 60’s as well.  The spring pools were enlarged to accommodate those who came to enjoy them which lead to outflows of the water.  That caused the fish to be pushed downstream.  The currents were much swifter and  the waters were colder.

The Tecopa pupfish became extinct in or around 1970.  The last sighting was on February 2, 1970. There was a large search that went out to find even one fish but nothing showed up in the search and no one has seen one since.

It was later deemed that the extinction was totally avoidable.  The lesson was one that did bring attention to the fact that we as humans are responsible to save the creatures that we cause endangerment to.  It was further stated that if the projects which led to the fate of the fish would have been more carefully planned, the fish would still be gracing the waters it once lived in.  The Tecopa pupfish became the first ever animal that was in the provisions of Endangered Species Act that was later taken off the list because it was…extinct.

Although it is not missed by that many for not many people were even aware that there was such a fish, there still is a sinking feeling to realize that this fish is…no longer.  It will never come back.

With the threat of global warming and the exploration of oil and natural resources, poachers and predators, Polar Bears are in grave danger of extinction.

As if it’s not enough to survive in the conditions a Polar Bear exists in, man has gone in and made matters worse.  Now…it’s time to clean up our mess.

The World Wildlife Fund for Nature has nailed the antagonists.  All the fingers point right back to us, the humans who are pushing the bears right out of existence.

Polar Bears are amazing creatures.  They live around the areas of the Artic circumpolar on ice packs that are located near the coastal areas or even on islands surrounded by icy cold waters.  They have adapted through the course of time to live in the climate and have even taken on the color, for protection against natural predators.

Through the works of man, though, the Polar Bear has made its way to being proposal t be placed on the Endangered Species Act.  It takes an act of Congress, literally, to even get on the list so the news is not good for that means that the situation is extremely grave to make it for that far.

As of 2006, The World Conservation Union has made way for the Polar Bear to be on the Red List of Threatened Species. But there are miles of red tape and lots of expenses that are standing in the way.  Even the argument of whether global warming is real or not is interfering in the process.  As usual, man is in the way, yet again.

The problem lies with man and the solution does as well.  Will we take responsibility for the evils we have done to the Polar Bear or turn a cold shoulder?  Only time will tell.

Can you imagine living in a world without elephants?  Can you fathom hearing tales of elephants like we do about dinosaurs?  “Years ago, when elephants walked the earth…”  It sounds crazy but it very well could come to pass.

There are two main types of elephants in the world today.  One is the African elephant and the other is the Asian Elephant, or Indian Elephants.  Although all elephants are in trouble, the Asian Elephant is the one to worry about, first at least.  It is so near extinction, it’s not funny.

So what’s the reason behind the uncertain fate of elephants?  Ivory.  Ivory hunters are killing elephants so fast and furiously, they are close to wiping out the largest of mammals on the planet.  In the past sixty to seventy years, the population of elephants has met a steady decline.  There are under 50,000 elephants living in the wild now and only about 15,000 in captivity within the zoo or controlled environments.

It is estimated that around 700,000 elephants met their demise by the hands of poachers in the 1980’s alone.  Not only are the ivory hunters killing off the elephants, the demolishing of the forest and other non-conducive environmental actions are acts that are quickly having a devastating effect on elephants across the globe.

The statistics are staggering.  As populations grow and industry does as well and as ivory hunters and poachers continue their reckless kills, the elephants grow closer to being a thing of the past, a memory like the dinosaur.

There are actually a number of species of elephants that are extinct.  They were bigger than the elephants we have around today.  These elephants were located in most every country, aside from Australia.

Elephants are majestic animals.  They have huge ears which flap to control the temperature within their body and possibly to keep flies and other insects away.  They have tusks which can be weapons or tools and can grow very long and strong.  Their legs are huge, like pillars and can hold extreme weight.  They have long trunks that they use for multiple purposes as well.  Male elephants can weight in at 15,000 pounds at maturity.  They can reach13 feet high.

Elephants aren’t just awesome to behold, studies have proven that they have many likenesses to man.  They are mammals.  They obviously have emotions and can be quite smart as well with intelligence levels being very remarkable.   They can form bonds with humans too, just like out pets do.

There have been a number of great books written about elephants and movies too.  One of the most well-known is the Disney movie, “Dumbo”.  Elephants have been worshiped through the years too.  They have also made great team workers for men, moving large objects and assisting in heavy labor.

The time is now to act in order to save the elephants.  We must save them for the elephants’ sake but also for our own sake and for that of our children and their children.  The elephants…must be saved!  We must stop the madness.