Baby, It’s Cold Outside! Jim Beam Ad.

If you want a prize and a reminder to do your clicks each day, there is the link: http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/subscribe.faces?siteId=3&subscribeTo=reminder service

It was too cold to let the cats out on the screen porch again. Here is Bobcat waiting for the sun to shine on ‘her’ porch, so that she can ask to go out there. It didn’t happen, it’s been gloomy all day. I should have turned on the electric log heater for the picture!

This morning, my daughter called from 35 miles south of Houston, and asked me if it was snowing here, as it was there. I said no, but a little while later I went outside to check the size of the MH tires, and there were very light snowflakes which melted as soon as they hit the ground. I saw that my bird feeder was empty, so I filled that up, they need to eat more now, too.

Even though I have a radiator which is set at 70 deg. in the dog room, when it is very cold, I have some heavy insulated shades that I pull down at night. Three windows, all N to NW makes it chilly in there, even though they are double paned, it does save on electricity. Normally the foster cats are on the kitty condo or in the cat bed, but they don’t stay in there when it is cold, they go into the middle room, where there are no outside windows. There is a big window looking into my living room so they like to watch me from there, when they are not in the house. The window behind them goes into the front foyer (“'for-yer-get-in”)! You can just see that there is another patio door from the living room going into the foyer, too.
Winter tips from: http://animalwelfare.change.org/blog/view/ways_to_help_animals_through_the_winter
“If you live in a cold weather region, like I do, then you know there will be days ahead that take the wonderland out of winter. We humans have the luxury of turning up the heat and pulling on our puffy coats and mittens, but how do other species manage? In theory, surviving chilly weather is part of life. But since we've taken domestic animals away from nature, and we've taken nature away from wild animals, getting through the season isn't what it used to be. Here are a few things to keep in mind during the chilly months.
Coats are more than just a fashion statement: Most dogs aren't built for extreme temperatures, especially the shorter haired varieties. A jacket can make a big difference in your dog's comfort when going for walks or taking care of basic outdoor needs. Wipe snow and ice from your dog's fur and paws when she comes inside. On very cold days, limit your dog's time outdoors to prevent frostbite. If it's not safe for you to be out there, it's not safe for your animals.
Cats are more effective heat seekers than any missile technology can build: When conditions get tough, the cats get creative. It's an all-too-common occurrence for cats to get caught in engines. They climb in to soak up the warmth of a recently running car and stay the night. The next morning, they're still there when it's time for you to go to work. Give the strays a wake-up call by pounding on your hood and/or honking your horn before starting the engine (and keep your own cats indoors).
Cold weather conveniences aren't so convenient for animals: Antifreeze is lethal, even in very small doses, so don't store it anywhere your dog goes and keep a close eye on her around cars and parking lots. The salt used to melt ice on sidewalks and roads can irritate your dog's paws and is harmful if licked off. Animal-friendly substitutes can be found in pet stores. While these are less likely to cause external pain, the ingredients of many of these products are unknown, so you still want to wipe off your dogs' paws before they take care of it themselves.”
Not Netflix Animals from: http://animalwelfare.change.org/blog/view/animal_welfare_is_not_for_rent

Animal Welfare Is Not for Rent

by Stephanie Feldstein Photo credit: Randy Son of Robert
“There's a Jim Beam commercial where men line up to rent puppies as a gimmick to pick up women. It's not like the commercial is promoting puppy rental -- the men come off as idiots and the rental booth is a lemonade stand caricature -- but the way advertising affects people, I'd rather not see animal welfare as part of the punch line. The creative team probably thought it was such an absurd idea that it could be funny without raising any animal welfare hackles. Maybe they forgot about the failed Flex Petz venture from a couple years ago.
Flex Petz sprouted in several major cities in 2007, offering pets for rent -- as if transferring the Netflix model to animals was an inevitable idea that had just been missing the right entrepreneur. The last thing that should define pet ownership is "flexibility." Pets are about commitment and trust, on both ends of the leash. Anyone who has worked in a shelter can tell you how damaging it can be on a dog not to have a family to bond with. I can only imagine how tough this was on the dogs bounced around every few days like a popular New Release on DVD.
Flex Petz claims that was not the case, that they were an innovative new model for adoption. Except their website says that "where possible, Flex Petz dogs are rescues or in urgent need of rehoming." When has it ever not been possible, in any community in the country, to find dogs in urgent need of rehoming? And, for those dogs, this so-called new concept has existed for ages: it's called fostering, and many local shelters already have such programs in place.”
We are the voice for the voiceless, please make sure that you report any animals that are in need of food or shelter these cold days.