#RememberMeThursday: #ShineALight on Adopting or Fostering an EpiDog!
Today is quite the day! It's not only #RememberMeThursday, it's also my birthday! So, my gift today is to share awareness about the importance of today for shelter pets, and adopting and/or fostering dogs with seizures. Pictured above, is my inspiration and heart dog, "Gibson." Having developed seizures shortly after his third birthday and being diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy, we embarked upon a journey that brought us to become ambassadors for dogs with Canine Epilepsy. Gibson had such an amazing zest for life and never let epilepsy stop him from enjoying life and his pack mates. So, in his memory, for today's #RememberMeThursday, I'm going to be featuring two beautiful dogs with Epilepsy (Epi-dogs)—a Siberian Husky named "Sage," who is available for adoption, and a Samoyed named "Mishka," who is in need of a foster.
#RememberMeThursday
For me, an author and long-time blogger, I create/write to save lives, my advocacy has always been two-fold: 1) to promote the adoption of homeless Huskies and all breeds/mixes in shelters and rescues; and 2) to advocate for all dogs with Canine Epilepsy.
WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?
According to RememberMeThursday.org, "Remember Me Thursday® is a worldwide social media awareness day created by President and CEO of Helen Woodward Animal Center, Mike Arms.
Mike Arms wanted to create a day that would unite people all around the world, in one united voice, to remember the orphan pets that didn't get a second chance, but shine a light on orphan pets who need homes right now.
"Now going into its twelfth year, Remember Me Thursday® aims to unite individuals and pet adoption organizations around the world to be an unstoppable, integrated voice for orphan pets in need of forever homes."
Arms notes that “Over a million beautiful, adoptable pets will lose their lives in 2024. We all come from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds, but together, we can raise our voices and share one life-saving message and literally save millions of pets on this one day.”
FOSTER & ADOPT
With the plight of beyond-over-crowded-rescues, I developed my FiveSibes #BreedEducate2Relate initiative (check out my post on "It Takes a Village to Help Huskies in Need"). My goal is to help educate others on the special needs of the breed so
they are well-informed prior to welcoming a Husky in their home so that
Husky will become a forever member of a loving home, and not wind up back in a shelter because people did not understand the breed's needs. This extends to all northern breed dogs and dogs with seizures.
CANINE EPILEPSY AWARENESS
Epilepsy is not picky. While there are many breeds that may have a predisposition to seizures, any dog of any breed or mixed breed, anywhere in the world, can have Epilepsy. And, while genetics can play a role, there are many possible triggers. Therefore, there is not always a clear cut cause, thereby being labeled "idiopathic epilepsy."
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| Click on image to read my article. |
As a hu-parent of a gorgeous wooly Siberian Husky (my beloved now furangel, Gibson) who was diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy shortly after he turned three, I understand the fear and what it is like to live with a dog who has seizures. Gibson inspired me to become a Purple Day® for Epilepsy advocate since 2012, and to create the #LiveGibStrong initiative that I eventually grew into my FREE #FiveSibes #LiveGibStrong K9 Epilepsy Online Resource Library and #Paws4Purple.
#Paws4Purple is in collaboration with PurpleDay® Every Day/The Anita Kaufmann Foundation - the FIRST human organization to welcome info on Canine Epilepsy and chose my #LiveGibStrong to deliver that info. Something I am so very proud of as it gives a much wider global audience to find us and know help is just a keyboard click away. Through my #LiveGibStrong, I aim to help others understand, care for, and hopefully adopt an Epi, or to have information so they can care for their own and not surrender them to a shelter.
These two initiatives of mine aim to help support and educate others who find themselves on this journey called Epilepsy with their dog. Seizures can be genetic, as a result of an injury/illness or one of many other possible triggers, or it can be "idiopathic," meaning it cause is unknown.
Please Note: If your dog experiences a seizure, it is
important to have your dog checked out thoroughly by a vet. Then
together, you can develop a treatment plan to hopefully manage the seizures, whether
through medication, diet, holistic therapies, or a combination.
#ShineALight
Meet "Sage" the Siberian Husky!
According to Husky House Siberian Husky & Fellow K-9 Rescue, "Meet Sage! An owner surrender, due to her being epileptic, Sage is looking for her loving, forever home. She is very sweet, playful and gets along well with other dogs. Sage's epilepsy is managed with daily medication & a specialty diet. Her medical diagnosis does not hinder her ability to be a normal happy-go-lucky pup, nor her ability to love her humans. She is good with other dogs and she has not met a human that she hasn’t liked! Please no homes with small animals or cats. Birth Date 09/10/2019 (may not be exact)
Sage was also featured as one of my #EpiStars during November's Epilepsy Awareness Month (#NEAM). You can read all about this sweetheart in HERE.
Interested in adopting Sage?
Please visit www.huskyhouse.org today to fill out an application.
Meet "Mishka" the Samoyed!
If you are not in a position to adopt, you can always foster! Fostering saves lives by making space for another dog to be helped. To apply to be a foster hu-parent, check with your local rescue!
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| Click on image to go to the #LiveGibStrong Online Library |
And, yes, dogs can—and do—live happy full lives with Canine Epilepsy, with special care and lots of love.
Entering Is Easy! Per their website:
- Submit your pet’s photo and story directly to the contest page.
- Or, post a picture of your best friend on social media using both the hashtags #RememberMeThursday and #ShineALight.
- Encourage your friends to enter, too!
1st place – $5,000 monetary prize, 1,000 pounds of Blue Buffalo pet food, and 100 pet toys (Sponsored by Fetch Pet Insurance)
2nd place – $2,500 monetary prize, 1,000 pounds of Blue Buffalo pet food, and 100 pet toys (Sponsored by Naturally Fresh Cat Litter)
3rd place – $1,000 monetary prize, 1,000 pounds of Blue Buffalo pet food, and 100 pet toys (Sponsored by Blue Buffalo)
*Food prizes are sponsored by Blue Buffalo
In
addition to the Top 3 entries selected by our panel of judges, the
public can cast their vote, too! The individual chosen as the People's Choice Winner
will receive Remember Me Thursday swag, in addition to a gift basket
filled with your choice of cat or dog gear, toys and accessories.
That’s so sad, it sounds like Miska’s owner really didn’t want to give him up.
ReplyDeleteHappy homes for everyone would sure be a most wonderful thing. Happy Birthday from all of us! Thanks for joining Angel Brian's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome thing you do for Epi-dogs and sharing your knowledge and love for them. Happy Birthday Dorothy! Love Mark, Patty and Chevy ♥.
ReplyDelete