Brummet's Conscious Blog

Why Adopting A Pet Is So Rewarding    *Today's article comes from passionate animal advocate Samantha A. Ray, who is joining us to share reasons why adopting animals from shelters is such a powerful thing to do... for you, your family, friends and neighbors, and for the world. I am the owner of some of the most loving animals in the world. Some call me a crazy cat lady because in the past few years I have adopted three cats from animal shelters. Each one has its own personality and temperament that make them unique and interesting. Every day I think "What if I hadn't adopted them? Would they be out alone in the world? Or worse?" I believe that they are grateful that I saved them, and I know that I'm grateful that they were there to be saved. Adopting an animal is so much more rewarding than purchasing one from a store, and here is why: 1. When it comes to dollars and cents, adoption is cheaper. Buying a pure-bred animal can get v...

-- Quote of the Day --  "There is something about the presence of a cat...  that seems to take the bite out of being alone."  ~ Louis J. Camuti  -- Gratitude for furry friends --  I came across the quote above and it got me reminesing on all the wonderful fur-children that have blessed our lives. Pets really are such a blessing, they comfort us, cheer us, get us playing and giggling on the floor. They hug us, kiss us, cuddle us and love us. They are, like us, animals - and as such have instincts that come with their species and breed, however each of them has their own unique personality. I was inspired to write this open letter to all the animals who had a direct impact on my life simply with their presence. Thank you to:   Sadie , my best friend on a farm - not just a milk cow but a play mate, a source of comfort and solace. Angel , the pure white kitten with two different eyes who sadly was never really ...

 -- World of Writing --  * Today we have the pleasure of hosting an interview with author H. Alan Day - a rancher and cowboy for most of his life. He and his sister, Sandra Day O’Connor, co-authored the New York Times bestselling memoir, Lazy B, about growing up on a southwestern cattle ranch. In his new memoir, The Horse Lover: A Cowboy’s Quest to Save the Wild Mustangs , released this past March by University of Nebraska Press, Alan shares his story about creating the first government-sponsored wild horse sanctuary and caring for and training 1500 wild mustangs. Alan’s website is www.TheHorseLover.com .     Q: What have you learned about working with your co-writer? I’ve now co-authored two books and they have been different experiences. For Lazy B, Sandra and I agreed that I would write my stories about growing up on the ranch and send them to her. She did some editing and that was about it. For The Horse Lover, which I co-a...

* Yesterday I posted an article written about a beloved dog we miss to this day - and I thought it would be interesting to share some brief articles here about the 3 dogs and 1 cat that have shared our home since that fateful day some 7 or 8 years ago. Onyx   * Written by Dave Brummet in 2009 Onyx, a two year old Border Collie/Chocolate Lab cross, rescued by the SPCA, had been abused most of his life and had a deep distrust of people. They had deemed him practically un-adoptable due to his aggressive behavior - towards men in particular. It turned out he was never what is termed an ‘aggressive’ dog, he is what is considered as ‘reactive’ in that when something reminds him of his abuse, he reacts by barking and fretting. When we first brought Onyx home he had skin rashes from extended kennel life and was very thin of hair and muscle. We discovered scars on his chin and three shattered teeth that might have been caused by a kick in the face. We could ima...

  * Today's article was written about 7 years ago after the passing of one of our dogs. I am so passionate about adopting animals from rescue shelters and hope that sharing this story means as much to as it has to me . Skylo joined our family after spending a lot of time with the SPCA (6 months) and periodic stays with temporary homes. He was about 18 months old at the time and was about to be put down because no one wanted a dog that constantly ran away. No one seemed to realize that the poor thing was incredibly restless, unstable from the lack of a secure home and didn’t know what he was supposed to do. We soon realized the beautifully marked dog was not only strong willed and yet willing to please, he was also full of energy and intelligence that made training a pleasure. Skylo quickly became more than a “dog”.   During his 6-year stay with us, he was also a therapy for me, helping me deal with an anxiety disorder simply with his comforting and pr...

-- Brummet's In the Media -- https://damesofdialogue.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/puppy-love-by-lillian-brummet/ I was invited to submit article on the benefits of adopting animals from shelters, sharing my experiences over the years with our furry-kids. You'll find that I've also shared several photos of some of the furry-kids that shared and brightened our home.  Please do feel free to leave a comment on the Dames of Dialogue blog or drop a line here to let me know what you thought of the article and to share your own thoughts, resources or experiences with other readers.    -- Positive News --    --> I received a press release about a fantastic program starting up by the Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Section @ the County of San Diego… Apparently up to 50% of the volume sent to their landfill is organic materials – a valuable resource that when used properly actually can, according to Michael Wonsidler,  “improve ...

-- Quote of the Day --  “I had the misfortune of a stroke and then cancer – one of the things that happened to me was that I couldn’t find a job, and I was quite discouraged. We found Max and adopted him, and he really ‘recycled’ me. …What I’ve come to realize that while maybe the things I did seemed important – I was totally replaceable. But when I walk in the door and Max looks at me – I know that I am not replaceable. …The human companion gets so much more back than what we can give to the dog. …We believe there is a connection between a person who litters or people who don’t think about their animals is that they leave their mess for someone else to clean up. …5000 dogs a day in the US alone are euthanized; the good news is that there is more awareness about this problem and more organizations and tools available. …The majority of dogs and cats that are put down is simply because there are not enough resources and they don’t have a home. …A puppy mill might breed a son and...

Help us in this fantastic campaign to feed animals in shelters... This morning we received a very inspiring email from Michele Hollow, an online friend of ours and former guest on our radio show: "I am hosting my annual Comments for Pet Food drive. All you have to do is leave a comment here:   http://petnewsandviews.com/2012/11/your-comment-equals-50-bowls-of-pet-food / and your comment will feed 50 shelter cats and dogs. That's it. Nothing else."  How inspiring is that?  So of course I went over to the URL this morning and left a comment. Such a small thing, took only one minute, and I was able to help feed 50 meals to animals. Rediculously easy! - Be sure to scroll down the page when you get to that URL to find that comment form. Not having pets when in my childhood, I embraced having cats as companions (despite allergies) right up to just a few years ago when the older cats passed on. As a couple, Dave and I have had rescue and adopted (from shelters) animals...

-- Quote of the Day --  “ Humankind has not woven the web of life.  We are but one thread within it.  Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.  All things are bound together.  All things connect. ” ~ Ted Perry -- Conscious Discussions Talk Radio -- Award winning author, animal and environmental enthusiast, Dyan deNapoli - of Massachusetts, USA – is here today to speak about the devastation of oil spills, and how the impact a penguin rescue volunteer experience changed her for life. She’ll speak about her book, The Great Penguin Rescue , and the lectures she’s given since this experience.  Access the live (10-11 AM Pacific) or archived show:  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/consciousdiscussions/2012/03/20/penguin-rescue Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blog, and more at: www.brummet.ca * Support the Br...