Working on behalf of animals can often hurt the heart…
there is so much suffering and so far to go. But every once in a while, a stretch of days comes along that gets the heart pumped up again and practically shouts, “HOPE! PROGRESS! POSSIBILITY!”
That’s been the case in my world the past week or so.
First, the rallying cry of “Save Them All” from the 1,300 people gathered for the No More Homeless Pets conference. “Save Them All” is a positive way of saying “no kill,” and it reflects the philosophy of Best Friends Animal Society, the conference organizer: be positive, because we can do this. We can stop the millions of deaths in animal shelters each year.
Want to help? Adopt, foster, volunteer, advocate for spay/neuter. All are key to making it happen.
For the Best Friends folks, saving the animals is not just a cause, it’s a calling – to which they’re devoting their lives. As co-founder Francis Battista – whose sense of purpose is matched by his sense of fun – put it, “The spiritual expresses itself as kindness and the most basic expression of that is kindness to animals.”
Tampa Bay Vegfest celebrates kindness toward all animals, from farm to family room. Sponsored by Florida Voices for Animals, Vegfest is a day during which you can soak up info on why a vegan diet is good for both your health and the environment, along with the animals. You can learn in the
speakers’ hall, via videos, or handouts from a plethora of organizations. But perhaps the best testament to the joys of veganism is the bountiful selection of delicious dishes served under a
sunny sky in a downtown park. It was one of those autumn days that feel more like August in the sunshine state but people lined up to sample and savor the culinary creations. Yum!
And finally, it’s always a good day when Lucy Miracle gets to step out as an ambassador for companion animals. She did so for the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, one of our hometown organizations working to Save Them All.
Together, we can. I believe that together, we will. And it doesn’t hurt to hear it every once in a while from a few thousand of your fellow believers. Thank you.