Blog the Change So I’m sitting here obsessing how I spaced out on this event and haven’t written anything and then decided to just shut up — I’m talking to you, oh accusatory voices in my head — and write something. This is, after all, a guilt-free zone and the point of this day is to raise awareness for animal issues you care about, not to beat yourself up.

Looking back on my posts for the past year or so,  I realize two causes keep cropping up: car safety and greyhound rescue. In fact, they’re connected because it was a car accident by a responsible greyhound owner — she was rear-ended at high speed by an irresponsible car thief — that resulted in the formation of the Beading Divas, a group of Tucson greyhound owners whose bracelets help support a number of animal causes. I know several of the divas — see some pictures of a celebration I took part in here — but I’m particularly friendly with Karyn Zoldan, a board member of Grey2K USA who never lets the greyhounds down.

So check out these five car safety tips. And consider buying a bracelet to support the animals (there’s a great July fundraiser going on). Something for you, something for them.

Now go add yourself to the Be the Change for Animals website.

Then get back to work. Those nagging internal voices won’t stay shut up indefinitely.

21 thoughts on “Blog the Change”

    1. Belatedly — thanks for stopping by. WordPress decided you were spam (rude! rude!). Lucky I occasionally check the filter.

      And who wouldn’t love your two little cavaliers??

  1. I’m so glad you’ve been writing about car safety. To be completely honest, it wasn’t something I ever thought about. I basically have to wedge Emmett and Lucas into the backseat of my little car, but if I ever got into an accident… could be bad. Thanks for spreading awareness!!

  2. Thanks for the plug.

    This month, the Beading Divas are donating the sale of bracelets to Mini Miracles, here in Tucson. The non-profit has miniature horses and donkeys that go out to charities and schools and foster homes where children are in need. When kids interact with these miniature animals it builds their self-esteem.

    And for the greyhounds within the past two weeks, both Kansas and New Hampshire legislatures voted to end greyhound racing in their states. While the tracks have been closed awhile…this puts the lid on the frying pan that none will reopen. Yeeee HAW!

  3. I met some rescue greyhounds for the first time at a rescue event last month- they are gorgeous animals! I met 3 or 4 and they were all so calm and sweet… incredibly gentle.

    Yeah for Blog the Change! 🙂

    1. Yes, greyhounds are sweethearts. It’s a surprise to many who expect them to be high-strung and hyper.

      And thanks for the shoutout on your blog!

  4. Great post Edie! Thanks for getting the word out there about pet car safety and about greyhound rescue. Horror of horrors that greyhound racing still exists anywhere. I’ve met so many wonderful greyhound rescues and their humans have all said to a one, what wonderful pets they are. They’re big but they’re very mellow and don’t need much exercise.

    Lisa

  5. Thank you for blogging for a Change. Car safety is such a important topic. A few months ago I was involved in a search and rescue for two dogs that were ejected from a roll over accident on a major highway. Dogs were safety recovered after 3 days of being on the run.

  6. Your tips about car safety are so useful… I don’t think many of us consider it until something happens (like my dog attempting to climb into and then falling out of the back window of my car). Now I try to remind everyone to restrain their pets in the car!

    1. Good for you! And I’d been talking the talk for quite a while, I’m embarrassed to say, before Frankie wound up in the front seat — to our mutual surprise! So now I’m walking the walk.

  7. It seems a little ironic that a greyhound rescue group would be using/encouraging the miniature horse and donkey trade – while they are the ‘cutest’ things imaginable, the dwarf animals often are born with serious health problems, not to mention, how would you like having the soul of a horse and being stuffed into the body of an animal smaller than a greyhound? I actually hadn’t given it much thought myself until I’d visited my neighbor who breeds these miniatures and then I dragged over a friend who is a life-long horse lover, assuming he’d be thrilled to see the miniature horses. He actually was very upset by the experience. it raised my awareness…food for thought…probably something that group wasn’t aware of or had thought about either…that breeding any peculiar breeds can often turn out to be, as we have seen with dogs, an exotic and yet actually cruel, if lucrative, business. just something to consider.

  8. correction; I misread in a certain way the import of the earlier post; the beading divas are raising some funds to donate to a non-profit called Mini Miracles; they are not, apparently, themselves using the miniature horses for fund-raising. otherwise, my comments to raise awareness that this ‘cute’ business is not really so cute for the bred dwarves. animals are not dolls, tho I have seen some chihuahuas who beg to differ.

    1. Hey, Diane, I appreciate this perspective. You make excellent points. I’ll alert Karyn to your comment.

  9. Diane

    Those are good points. I personally don’t always agree with every charity that the Divas support but majority rules. I was out voted. That’s part of being in a democracy and working in committee. The Divas are 7 women with a lot of beads and moxie and make jewelry to support animal charities. We’re not a non-profit. Mini Miracles charity doesn’t support animals but rather it supports children.

    On another note, Guam’s legislature just passed no more greyhound racing on that stinkin’ island. It’s now public law. Two years ago, the Guam racetrack closed and they just gave away the dogs which were badly mistreated; many died. Fortunately, for some heroic individuals and organizations, over 200 greyhounds were flown to the U.S.

  10. Car safety is so important, especially for dogs/pets that travel frequently. My dog rides to/from work with me every day and she wears a harness seat belt in the back seat!
    Happy Blog the Change 🙂

    1. Thanks for your comment — sorry it took so long to appear on my blog. My rude spam filter decided to trap it for some unknown reason!

  11. Hi Edie! Thanks for joining in the BtC4Animals Blog the Change. Car safety is such an important topic – most accidents occur within 5 miles of your home (makes sense, right – since that’s where you spend the greatest percentage of your time driving) so it’s important to buckle up every time!

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