-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A request
The reason for this blog is to help get specific dogs adopted from TAS but equally important is to try to normalize the idea of shelter dogs being just as good and just as desirable as any other dogs including those which are regularly merchandised by backyard breeders, puppy millers and those few remaining pet store owners who still feel a need to sell live animals. The single greatest stigma shelter animals still face is the belief that shelter animals are substandard animals. Anyone who has had enough experience with shelter animals knows this is untrue but the general public hasn't had the same experiences you've had. They see a nice dog photo in a glossy magazine and too many of them would never think of associating that dog with a dog from a shelter. After all, no one abandons perfectly good dogs, right? Unfortunately, as we all know, perfectly good dogs are abandoned all the time.
The public still too often associates shelter dogs with images of beat up, sick, dirty, severely traumatized animals and while we definitely sometimes see victims such as these, they are certainly not the majority and, regardless, even the most abused animals can very often be saved and made whole again.
Pound Dogs sometimes discusses the sad histories some of the dogs have suffered. For the most part, though, it tries to present the dogs not as victims but as great potential family members. The goal is to raise the profiles of animals in adoption centers so that a potential pet owner sees them as the best choice, not just as the charity choice.
So, here's the favour I'm asking. Whenever you see a dog picture on these pages you think is decent enough, I'd like you to consider sharing it on Facebook or any other social media sites you're using (I know many of you do this already and thank you for that). And when you share it, please mention that the dog in the photo is a shelter dog like so many other shelter dogs waiting for a home. If we can get even five percent of the pet buying public to see shelter dogs differently, to see how beautiful they are and how wonderful they are, and to consider shelter dogs as their first choice for a new family member, we can end the suffering of homeless pets in this country.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It makes me wish there were more months in the year: how do we order?
Ignore the last part of the comment -- I stumbled on the mouseover. Might want to explain that to people like me -- clueless.
GAH! April + September <3 I must order one! Amazing job, Fred.
Btw, I think you should keep the name, even if there happens to be a turtle in the 2013 calendar.
Funny-a few days ago, as I looked at your cat (wonderful) photos -especially the ones where they roamed the desks-I thought this :"These could be note cards." ...I would buy them/bet others would too , your photos are always so expressive, they could be a money maker for TAS... But I never made the comment because I know the work involved. This is a great idea, the photos are perfect(love Sept. ) and you could go with the less than perfect "pound pets" (sounds awful?) next year. Or, go really high concept and intersperse next years calendar with images of this years pets, happily in their new homes with their family. I am mulling over the gift idea as it is the perfect thing for all those friends and family who got their beloved dogs or cats from pounds and have had their lives filled with love ever since!
Wah, Chanel is December!
This is awesome news! And I laughed out loud at some of the dog's expressions! I I love the name Pounddogs, reminds me of Elvis! More dogs though (no cats! they should get their own calendar, made by some equally besotted cat owner).
I will definitely be purchasing one (via another person since my husband doesn't believe in buying on-line!)
Oh my, I need one if only for September's picture! Hahahahahaha!
Hi Fred, wonderful.
Is there a way to buy without having to give all this info to a (I assume) Quebec company? I"m not stumbling over the french, but want a company that shows me the key security firts! and then just wants mailing address, credit card etc., not email, password, personal questions.
also, using more secure work address, site bounced me back from checkout anyway. help.
Are your fans getting through?
a devoted reader.
Hi Anon, if you're landing on a French site, you may have ended up at the wrong place somehow. Lulu, is American, I believe, and everything I've seen has been in English. When you click the shopping cart, it should take you to an order page where you can specify the number of copies you want. Proceeding from there, they request your delivery address and payment method and so on. No one else has mentioned anything difficulties (yet). Hope that helps.
Crumpet made it! I wanted to adopt Crumpet! Such a gorgeous idea and such gorgeous photos!