Home 4 the Holidays

It's been more than 20 months since I started this site, and in that time I've encountered quite a few people. Mysteriously, most of the folk who leave comments on my blog share the name "Anonymous". However, I occasionally receive personal emails that y'all don't see. For example, I'm always receiving marriage proposals from desperate Chihuahua's and other tiny doggies forced to live inside Louis Vuitton handbags being toted around Hollywood by vile, talentless celebritards. I also sometimes get offers to "meet under the big oak tree in the park next to the merry-go-round." No thanks... I know such messages originate from a rogue squirrel impersonating the sexy Bassett Hound who lives on the corner, and I refuse to be duped by a rodent terrorist. And I even received an email last week from Mr. Moses Odiaka, VP of the Union Bank in Lagos, Nigeria. It seems a visiting oil field contractor (and Union Bank customer) tragically died in a plane crash and left $18M in his account with no instructions for what to do with the funds. So, Mr. Odiaka contacted me to see if I wanted to split the money. In light of the recent downward spiral of the stock market, I jumped on this offer. All I had to do was send him some cash and personal information. In return, I should be receiving my $9M via electronic funds transfer any day now. Sweet!

In the meantime, I made a new friend last week. I probably shouldn't tell you her name in the event she doesn't approve of my posting. What I can tell you is that she works for Rocket XL - "...a cutting edge, full service online marketing company with a proven ability to find and engage the most influential evangelists across the internet." Who knew I was an "influential evangelist"? I always viewed evangelists as overweight southerners who hate gays and people of color. But apparently, those guys are televangelists and have no relation to internet evangelists like me. So why did my new friend contact me? Allow me to explain...

LA-based Rocket XL is working for one of the world's most successful pet adoption drives, Iams Home 4 the Holidays! This year's goal is to place at least 1 million shelter dogs, cats and other pets in loving and happy homes over the holiday season (Oct. 1, 2008 through Jan. 5, 2009).Campaign organizers are working with animal bloggers from around the world to get the message out about pet adoption and the Iams Home 4 the Holidays drive. Unfortunately, I was not asked to be the adoption drive celebrity spokesperson this year, but my favorite "Desperate Housewife" was. Felicity Huffman and her adopted dog, Tucker, are leading the charge to get the word out. Click here to see Tucker and Felicity taking part in a photo-shoot to support the campaign. And if you click HERE, you can find animal shelters in your state (or country) who are participating with the program.

As I think everyone knows, I am a Hurricane Katrina survivor. I, along with at least 10 other pups, was rescued by Aussie Rescue of Minnesota. I know what you're saying, "I didn't know you were an Aussie, Bogart." Well, you'd actually have to be a few kangaroos loose in the top paddock to think I'm Australian. The truth is we don't really know what I am (although we're leaning towards a limey English Shepherd). Regardless, love of dogs has no bounds, and the fine folks at the Aussie Rescue saved me with no thought to my not being an Aussie. They found me and 17 other puppies huddled together under a porch with no Ma or Pa dogs in sight. After being taken to a temporary shelter to get vaccinated (I'm the cute one in the cage), we were all loaded onto a big trailer heading for Minnesota. Unfortunately, eight of my comrades didn't make it all the way here. And if not for my Aunt Susan incessantly emailing Stew pictures of puppies available for adoption via www.petfinder.com, he and Momma never would have fallen in love with my beautiful mug when it finally popped up on the website one day. And let's face it, I was the cutest puppy in the world. Here's a picture of me posing at the dog shelter where Stew and Momma came to meet me.

Over the next couple months, I'll be blogging periodically to remind you about the Iams Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive. I plan to tell y'all a little more about my other adopted dog friends (and even a couple friends who support pet adoption... even if they themselves weren't rescued). And although I'm not a big fan of cats and find them to be evil, I firmly believe everyone deserves a safe home in which to live. Even cats. So, don't forget to go HERE to find a pet shelter in your area. You just might find your next best friend!