The Great Divide

Some of you may remember a while back when Kerry wrote a bit about my contribution to the Humane Society – you can refresh yourself here. While this was a funny moment, and the story of the blind dog did wrench my heartstrings and pocketbook, it was also a major turning point in my life. True, we do run a small animal shelter in our house, and I grew up with horses, sheep, chickens, and various other farm animals, but until recently I never really paid attention to the insane conditions most animals must endure. The blind dog was a window into this disturbing world and it has opened into a whole new chapter for me of learning more about what is truly happening and how to actually make a difference in the welfare of all animals.Over the next few weeks, I will be writing a series of posts to share some of the things I have learned and hopefully give you some down-to-earth information that will allow you to grow your awarness. The posts will be broken into seven sections: Pets, Farm Animal Realities, Animals in the Wild, Animal Testing, Animal Statistics, Animals for Human Consumption, and Hope for the Future.In the meantime, I wanted to share one of my favorite new blogs with you, The Humane Nation written by Wayne Pacelle, the CEO and President of the Humane Society. I think he does a great job of spreading helpful information without sounding too preachy – take notes, PETA – and I love that he posts everyday about relevant issues. According to the Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, animals come into our lives to teach us things about ourselves. When we adopted our third dog, Lucky, I told Kerry there was a reason that would make becoming the crazies on the block worthwhile. Each day I look down at him, and I realize that he has taught me to always remember that we have a responsibility to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.