My love and passion for animals - Can I tell you how it all started back in the 1980's?
A darling Pomeranian puppy was given to me for my 30th birthday. I named him Tiamo. I wanted him to know "I love you" every time I said his name even though it was in Italian. He taught me how to love and adore animals. Even though I had adopted 2 cats a few years earlier, Tiamo was the 7 pound wonder that opened my heart.
I learned what it meant to be responsible for a Pet; the "parental" duties it took to be an awesome pet owner. The unconditional love I experienced was priceless. My heart grew bigger and bigger for dogs, cats, all pets! I started to notice animals on many levels. I even started to follow a vegetarian diet, which lead to a vegan diet....all because I couldn't eat animals because I connected with them in my heart. (**in recent years I integrated more animal protein into my diet).
Unfortunately, I needed to help Tiamo pass on when he was only 13 years old. That is on the younger side for a small dog. He had a collagen disease which compromised his cartilage; this made him age faster than normal. His body started to 'give out'. It inspired me to pay attention to the health of mine and other people's pets. Especially what was in the food they ate. Animals need our pure attention. I learned we all need to educate ourselves the best we can.
I still had my two cats and another pom (that we adopted from a Pomeranian rescue). Time moved forward and I noticed I became very involved in the animal world. Dog sitting, dog walking, rescuing, helping animals find a home, learning about better foods, how corn and other fillers were put into pet food, etc.
My caring and compassion is for all living things became more and more apparent.
I have been working massage and bodywork, since 1983. These (massage and animals) two passions seemed to weave in and out of each other. I noticed that people started to rely on me for "answers" or connecting them and building community for animals. The Holistic care of humans and animals seemed to compliment one another.
Communities started to see me as an animal activist in the early 2000's. This surprised me but I gladly opened up to it. I was just doing what was in my heart for these sweet creatures that couldn't speak up for themselves. Teaching and working in my massage and bodywork practice, I also started to personally develop a conscious touch for animals, namely dogs and cats. I thought, if I can do it with humans, why not the animals? Animals are actually less resistant and more open to the energy exchange.
Now in 2011, my partner and I have a Golden Retriever/Labrador mix who is 16 years old and a Chocolate Labrador who is 6 years old; both rescues. We adopted Moki, the Golden, when she was 7ish. That is a story for another time. Kona, the Chocolate Lab was about 6 weeks old when we rescued her from a family that couldn't keep her. We have given both of them a very loving FOREVER home. They are part of our family and consider them in all that we do.
In the past year I decided it was time for me to get out in the world more with Pets, their people and the animal world. In 2008, my partner and I moved to Southern California and needed a support team for our dogs and us. Being in Earthquake territory and not always being at home with them through out the day, we developed a PET EMERGENCY TEAM in our neighborhood, which has now expanded to the track of homes we live in Long Beach, Ca.
We are still building and creating this. Check it out.
http://www.edpehoa.org/neighborhood-pet-team.html
Announcing and Recently created, www.MyPetfirst.com there is a an offer you can follow this Pet Emergency plan for your family. Only $1.00!!! There are ideas and suggestions on how you can start one in your community. We all have un-foreseen crisis that spring up and it is wise to have a plan. Do you have a plan in order? I encourage you to do this today. We have a plastic container with extra dog food, blankets, water, water bowls, treats and meds.
Did you know that CORN and other fillers can affect your animal's skin and coat? Does your dog have allergy, skin or coat issues? Check the ingredients. Try a NO-GRAIN food. It will most likely vanish. My vet had my 1 year old, Kona, on antibiotics three different times in one year! I changed her food and the skin problem disappeared and her need for meds. Check your food and know what ingredients are in the product.
Dogs and cats are highly allergic to corn and other grain filler in commercial foods. Many Pet foods bulk it up with starchy fillers. A protein filler can be chicken beaks, chicken wings, bones, etc. Not the actual meat of the animal stated in the food. Liver is ok...as long as they are organic. If you see "animal digest" on the label as part of the ingredients, beware. This can mean there are rendered "diseased or dead" animals in there. Dead of course, but meaning that they could be pets that have been euthanized at the shelter.
My love for animals deepens every day. I help people all over the country to feel more connected to their animals, educate about Pets and even help with finding forever homes for them. A woman all the way across the continent, in CT, wrote and asked me what she could do about people dropping unwanted cats at the their barn. I gave her some suggestions that inspired her and, yes, she found them homes. That is a great feeling to be able to inspire, help people and find solutions.
Please check out the pet food that we confidently represent...it gets delivered to your door and it was formulated by Dr. Jane Bicks, a Holistic Vet.
www.lifesabundance.com/MyPetFirst