Thank you from The Whiskers Syndicate- our DEC COTM

nominated by Nicole of Brizel4TheAnimals 

Text & Photos courtesy of TWS

As days became weeks, and advanced us towards the end of the month and year... we'd like to say that we've been carried away by the rush of the festive season, and especially for us, for me, this one Christmas had brought us to a higher plane.

We are so grateful to have been nominated, and chosen as EFA's December Charity Of The Month, during which we were given the chance to experience a higher level of the Spirit of the Season.

In such a drive to raise the urgent fund for our sanctuary, which was damaged by recent storm, EFA also started a separate emergency fund raiser (for two more holding cages) which reached its goal in just one day, and continued to grow… the excess funds were transferred over to the general repair PitchIn fund raiser – thank you so much !

Never in our lives we saw a response so quick, and with such compassion that members literally shifted from their currents and rushed to our aid.  Never in our lives we experience such bond in which the whole team is no longer individuals that move toward the same goal, but as a band of brothers, or sisters in our case, that stand and fall together, as one. It is at that moment that we can feel how powerful, united, and grand Team EFA is.

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas- 

this year, the star of Betlehem is you.

And so at the end of this season, as we embrace the New Year with the hope of better fares in our lives... as a person, as a member of our community, and overall as part of society, please allow us to humbly bow our gratitude to all of you. Each of the donations that were Pitched In are golden rays of the newly born sun to us as we too continue our journey.

The path we have to take is still long. Our fund raise is still far from done... and even today, stray, feral, abused and neglected cats (and several other animals) that called our sanctuary home are still seeking heaven's approval for a better place to stay. While we will no longer have the privilege of being EFA's COTM, we invite you to share the remaining of this journey together, as your time permits. 

We hope that the spirit with which we are showered this month can be carried over to the new Charity of The Month, and that every laughter, tears, loss, and gains during this magical season stays in all our hearts for a long long time.

The Whiskers' Syndicate is a private animal/cat sanctuary, they are the first, and only one operating in the breeder capital of Indonesia... a country without animal welfare, where even vets are backyard breeders.

ViSiT their WEBSiTE
LiKE their Facebook
MAKE A DONATION...

Thank you for your consideration 

your time and help are truly appreciated !

EMERGENCY Weekend Fundraiser for The Whiskers' Syndicate

EMERGENCY

Weekend Fundraiser for

The Whiskers' Syndicate

written by Nicole of Brizel4TheAnimals 

Photos courtesy of TWS

Good day EFA peeps and cat supporters worldwide.

I have a special announcement & mission relating to an *emergency* fund raiser that I'd like to put forward today. It relates to an expense for a much needed item that our COTM recipient, The Whiskers' Syndicate is in need of rather urgently.

If you havent already had a chance to familiarize yourself with our Charity of the Month and the challenges that they are facing at the moment... you can view our second COTM blog feature outlining their specific difficulties in detail.

The short of it is… that the residuals of the typhoon that hit the Philippines last month caused excessive rain storms in Bandung, Indonesia where The Whiskers' Syndicate is located and as a consequence- the roof to their cattery was damaged. Estimated costs of repairs on fixing that and getting this unique cat sanctuary back on their feet is $5600. As of today, the PitchIn for this specific fund raising event is at $890- so they are only 15% there with 85% yet to be donated.

I'm sure you will all agree that Christmas Miracles are much needed at this time.

Apart from the roof repairs, part of this $5600 budget is/was to purchase four large cages to help keep safe those felines that have fallen ill with all the original flooding and from further recurring flooding issues since the roof remains un-repaired. The grounds are so saturated- drainage is slow, if at all existent and all new incoming rain compounds the problem further.

The Whiskers' Syndicate is home to forty felines and with a very small sized main house- all forty of them are having to seek shelter in it. Due to these stressful conditions- some of the cats are having behavioral issues so a time-out space is also needed. There's half a dozen reasons I can give you why having these cages are essential right now: sick cats, pregnant strays, misbehavin', healing from injuries, shy newcomers, safe haven from roofers are six good reasons right there.

The EXCiTiNG news is that Ace Hardware is having an end of year sale and two cages have already been acquired at a 15% discount. Another two are on order and should be arriving within the next 24hrs. So inspite of only having 15% of the fundraiser in, so far, the four cages that were on the budget list will have been purchased at a discount and their benefits put into action right away.

Here's the rub: the truth is… four cages arent enough but funds cannot be diverted for another two needed cages since they are not on the budget. That doesnt mean they are not essential- it just means that saving for the roof work must come first despite the compromised day to day situation.

Ace Hardware will only be receiving 6 cages THIS weekend- & two of those have already sold to The Whiskers' Syndicate. I would like to propose a separate fundraiser to purchase two more cages *within the next few days*. Their cost is an approximate $240 but only if we can urgently snag two more up at the discount *right away*. This is not a pressure tactic- this is simply the reality check on achieving our goal this weekend. 

The emergency situation at this sanctuary makes everything a 'make it or break it' deal. You simply cannot imagine what its like to do rescue work in Bandung, Indonesia. Many would have given up by now, but not Josie, so please - can you spare some of your dollars for this ? or if you prefer, donate to the bigger goal of getting the roof repairs done ! It looks so bleak at the moment… but if everyone puts in a little- it would help a lot.

THANK YOU
WE DID IT ! 

(For this cage fundraiser… You can click on the PitchIn above to make a donation… 48 people donating $5 each would make another two cages a much needed reality… or 24 with $10 to spare would be just grand too. less or more ? Great- whatever works for you… we cant do this without you.) YAY WE DIT IT - WAY TO GO !!!

You can find the main PitchIn for TWS in the left hand column of this blog under TWS' logo… if you dont see it but see the image of an electric saver plug instead- click on that for it to load. That's the PitchIn for the cages. If you want to donate to the roof repair- click the logo above it instead.

The Whiskers' Syndicate is a private animal/cat sanctuary, they are the first, and only one operating in the breeder capital of Indonesia... a country without animal welfare, where even vets are backyard breeders.

ViSiT their WEBSiTE

LiKE their Facebook

Thank you for your consideration 

your time and help are truly appreciated !

ANiMAL PETiTiONS by Alicia of WoodsEdge

Presented by Alicia of WoodsEdge

1. Stop Predator Hunting Contest in Idaho

Idaho for Wildlife has caused outrage with plans to sponsor a wolf and coyote killing contest right after Christmas, involving cash and prizes for the biggest wolf and most coyotes killed along with a youth category for children between the ages of 10-14. This contest is an offensive, indefensible and reckless waste of wildlife that isn't about wildlife management, or even hunting, it's about killing for fun and personal gain.

Please sign the petition asking the Idaho Department of Fish and Game to shut it down. 

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/760/885/315/stop-wolf-hunting-contest-in-idaho/

More info from Project Coyote:
http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/567808/7d9b2dc9f8/1557503015/f83ea7032f/

2. Tell Ralph Lauren to Stop Using Fur from Angora Rabbits

A recent undercover investigation exposed violent horrors inflicted on angora rabbits whose fur is used in fashion. After learning of the cruelty involved in angora production, a number of prominent retailers have announced they would stop using it. 

Please ask Ralph Lauren to join compassionate retailers and designers who have taken a stand against animal cruelty. 

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/215/579/302/tell-ralph-lauren-to-stop-using-angora-rabbit-fur/

3. Tell Congress to Support Service Dogs for Wounded Warriors

The recently introduced Wounded Warrior Service Dog Act of 2013 would establish a program will award competitive grants to legitimate service dog training programs that train and place service dogs with members of the military and veterans who have special needs. Not only will this benefit soldiers through providing companion animals and the many benefits they bring, but it will also help rescue dogs from shelters and give them a second chance at life. 

https://awionline.org/action-ealerts/wounded-warriors-get-help-service-dogs-tell-congress-support-program

PLEASE 
TAKE 1-2-3 ACTiONS 

ON BEHALF OF

THE ANiMALS TODAY

THANK YOU !

How Long is it Safe to Leave a Cat Home Alone ?

How Long is it Safe
to Leave a Cat Home Alone ?

Written by Josie of Whiscraft
Owner of TWS, our COTM this month

One of the perks of having a cat is that they require less daily "maintenance" than dogs. They don't have to be walked two or three times a day. If you have cats and you are running late at work, you don't have to worry about being late for their walk. You know the cats will be fine. This is NOT to say that cats should be ignored or "left" for long amounts of time. 

During my recent visits to the vet, which always seem to turn into an impromptu vet tech job, I saw the vet treat a terribly ill cat who, as it turns out, was left home alone for two weeks. 

Basically she was left with a huge bowl of food and water. However, the water somehow spilled and ruined all the food. Vets believe this happened on day 1 or 2 so the cat had no food to eat for 2 weeks and no water. We worked on that cat from 10 am in the morning to 2 am the next morning and successfully treated the cat, but it now suffers permanent damage & the vet bills cost a pretty penny to the owner. Luckily, the owner's mother loves the cat enough that she kept the cat for herself after that, otherwise the vet and I were sure that the cat would either be sold off or worse, thrown to the street.

The vets said that the longest someone should leave their cats is about 24 hours. Maybe 36 hours. In extreme circumstances 48 hours, but honestly, my preference is no longer than 24 hours. Cats can get sick and no one is there to give attention, and it can be a long, agonizing death.  There are more than one occasion where I heard crying patients in the lobby with stories of how they come home from a vacation to a dead cat.

I'm sure lots of cats are successfully left for periods of time without incident; but because cats (and other animals) are “some one” not “some thing” expendable, I would prefer that their human check on them every day to make sure the cats have proper food and water, clean environment, and to check if the cats are safe and healthy. 

Ideally, I prefer my “pet sitter” (can be anyone actually)  to also spend a little time playing with them or sitting around – even if that means watching a movie, reading comic books, or just being "around". If I come home to a dead cat - I'd have serious issues with that ! 

Boarding vs pet sitting

There's also the option of boarding your cats. The pros are that you don't have to let a stranger into your house, and if the boarding house knows what they are doing, they'd be taking care of your cats well enough.

The cons are that, you'd never know... One thing for sure, is that cats easily stress out because they dont adapt easily to new environments. And it's not easy to find trust-able boarding. I also get a lot of clients complaining about their cats getting fleas from boarding... worms, scabies, even fatal sickness like upper respiratory infections or other viruses. Boarding house is not the owner of your pet, so they dont always care about 'maintenance' issues. Your pets can be given different food or miss out on their vitamins or medications.

If you hire a pet sitter, however, you have someone checking your house, getting your mail and making your home looked "lived in" whilst you are away. If you are lucky, you can sometimes find someone who is willing to stay at your home. A pet sitter that stays at your home can give your pets plenty of attention. However, you have to find the right person. Office and staffs at veterinary clinics can make good candidates for this job. They are animal-people and are trained to detect medical problems should they arise. Your cat is in his own environment which is generally less stressful and most importantly, your cat will eat his own food and have his own routine. I am sure we all know that a change of food or an addition of treats can sometimes induce gastrointestinal upset, or hard-to-handle allergies. Unfortunately if you hire a wrong person, they can invite unwanted people or event into your house when you are not around. Plenty to worry about !

Whether you choose a kennel or pet sitter - make sure to provide clear instruction on what food your cat should be fed and any required medications. A good kennel or pet sitter will often play or sit with the cats several times a day. Give clear instructions on what you expect of his activity, playtime and interaction to be. Also, ensure that you provide good contact information in both instances in the case of an emergency.

If you are not planning to go away this holiday? That's great, just make sure your pets stay safely inside the house.

Happy Holidays !

The Whiskers' Syndicate

ViSiT their WEBSiTE
LiKE their Facebook

MAKE a DONATiON

CHECK OUT WHiSCRAFT

SHOP TEAM EFA COTM

- click HERE -

for products that benefit

this Charity of the Month

THANK YOU 

for supporting

our COTM Program !

ANiMAL PETiTiONS CORNER by Alicia of WoodsEdge

Presented by Alicia of WoodsEdge

1. Tell United Airlines to Apologize and Pay for the Dog it Nearly Killed

Janet Sinclair trusted United Airlines' PetSafe program to keep her pets safe while she moved to Boston to San Diego. Unfortunately, the airline almost killed her greyhound, Sedona, and her cat, Alika, while she watched in horror as their crates were left out on the hot tarmac in above 90 degree heat and Sedona's crate was repeatedly kicked by a worker. Sedona almost died of heat stroke and spent days in intensive care. The airline offered to pay close to $3000 in vet bills, but only if she kept quiet and signed a nondisclosure agreement. Sinclair refused and is trying to raise awareness about what the airline did to her animals so other pet parents know what happened. 

Please sign the petition asking United Airlines to pay for Sedona's vet bills, apologize and improve their pet transport program. 

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/952/807/581/united-airlines-pay-vet-bills-for-dog-injured-while-travelling/

https://www.facebook.com/UnitedAirlinesAlmostKilledMyGreyhound

2. Tell San Francisco Butterflies Aren't Party Favors

Last week the Commission on the Environment heard testimony from experts about the effects of releasing commercially bred butterflies for special occasions, such as weddings or funerals, which environmentalists believe is hurting butterflies and hindering efforts to protect them in the wild. From their potential to spread diseases and weaken wild populations to the cruelty inherent in shipping them long distances, there are a number of scientific and ethical reasons to support a ban. 

Please sign the petition urging San Francisco's Board of Supervisors to send a message that butterflies aren't party favors by banning the release of commercially bred butterflies.  

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/828/084/661/san-francisco-butterflies-arent-party-favors/

3. Tell Olympic City Not to Exploit Orcas

In light of the growing opposition to keeping whales and dolphins in captivity for our amusement, the host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics plans to showcase two recently wild-caught orca whales and use an endangered dolphin as a torchbearer before the opening ceremony during this years games in Sochi, Russia. 

Please sign the petition asking the International Olympic Committee and Sochi Organizing Committee to return the orcas to their families in the Sea of Okhotsk immediately. 

https://www.causes.com/v2actions/1764056-a-petition-to-thomas-bach-international-olympic-committee-sochi-olympic-organising-committee?recruiter_id=52530925&utm_campaign=activity_invitation_mailer_v2%2Factivity_invitation&utm_medium=email&utm_source=causes

PLEASE 
TAKE 1-2-3 ACTiONS 

ON BEHALF OF

THE ANiMALS TODAY

THANK YOU !

EFA MEMBER iNTERViEW… BarkingDogBlankets by Rebecca of KneeDeepOriginals

Meet Ginger of Barking Dog Blankets… 

Seamstress, Studio Manager, and Surfer.

By Rebecca of KneeDeepStudios

When Ginger Edmunds was a little girl, she used to draw pictures of mountains in the background with a body of water and seabirds, and a coconut tree on the left side foreground. “How did I know,” she wonders now, “that was where I would end up living?” But instead of mountains in the scene, there are two little islands that make up the view from their beach. Ginger has lived in Hawaii for over 30 years. Her first visit to Hawaii was for her high school graduation. She fell in love with the islands and moved there permanently a few years later. 

Her husband is a commercial photographer, and she is the studio/business manager. Her background is in accounting, so handling the business end is basically right up her alley.  She could spend eight hours a day, five days a week at the job, but she makes time to work on the pet blankets she sells in her shop, and now, during the busy holiday season, she spends much of her weekends on them.

Don’t let her accounting and sewing fool you! Ginger also has an active side… and she is water-oriented! Although she has been injured the past 6 months, she says, “Starting in December, I plan on getting back in the ocean, on my surfboard and back in the outrigger canoe. Can't wait!!”  We hope you can get back in the water and have a great time doing it, Ginger!

PETS AND ANIMAL INVOLVEMENT

Ginger and her husband currently have one pet. Mana is their little rescued heeler that Ginger began fostering when Mana was eight years old. She is now 11 and Ginger says she became a member of the family after only one day of foster. Ginger also tells of three other special pets who have gone to the Rainbow bridge: a bunny, Sweetie Pie; a chicken, Snowflake; and her special girl, Rockie, a heeler mix who was the original BarkingDog and namesake of Ginger’s Etsy shop. Ginger remembers them fondly and holds them dearly in her heart, knowing that one day they’ll all be together again.

Mana and Ginger are an Animal Therapy Team with Tails of Aloha, and they visit seniors in rest homes and hospitals. "Being a three-time surrender and two-time stray before we adopted her, Mana does not like to be alone and has become very attached to me. Because of this I have become more involved in things we can do together." Sometimes, when time allows, Ginger and Mana volunteer with the Hawaiian Humane Society and do their offsite adoptions.

Ginger says, “Because I am unable to donate my time as much as I did in the past, I continue to donate my blankets and make donations to several of our local shelters. We support the COTM for EFA and Hawaiian Humane Society, K9 Kokua, Pigs Peace Sanctuary, Red Rover, Humane Society of the United State, Farm Sanctuary, and Muttville.” There are so many needs and charities, but Ginger says what we all know is true: “Every little bit helps.”

Ginger has a dream, and she shares it with us here. “Hawaii seems to have a never-ending supply of homeless dogs, and my dream is to one day be able to educate the young children in schools of the responsibility of dog ownership and to help stop the cycle of homeless pets in Hawaii. RedRover has a program that is involved in this, and one day I would like to be active with this here in Hawaii.”

FAVORITE ANIMAL "I love all animals but my favorites would have to be dogs and bunnies. If I could be any animal, I would be a dolphin."

TELL US ABOUT US YOUR ETSY SHOP

"I started out making colorful car seat blankets for dogs which would also protect your furniture from your pet’s fur. Then I was asked to make blankets for smaller dogs and medium-size dogs. I am always trying to use my leftover fabric, and since I love wine and coffee, it was natural to then create gift bags for bottles of wine and Chemex coffee cozies to keep coffee hot and protect hands."

8 cup Chemex Coffee Cozy
by BarkingDogBlankets

NEW PRODUCT? "I love fabric so I have to keep away from the fabric store or else I will add more fabric to what I already have!!  But I always love to make my blankets!"

FAVORITE PIECE OF WORK? "I love my car seat covers because they are SO useful.  We have one for each of our cars, and I have one for the punee (daybed) that Mana likes to sleep on. and all her beds have the smaller blankets. I use her blankets so much, and I just hope that others find them as useful as we do. I love when people email or drop notes to tell me how much their pets love their blankets,.. that is what makes me the happiest!"

Dog Car Seat Blanket
'Honey Girl' by BarkingDogBlankets

ANY TIPS FOR OTHER ETSY SELLERS? "I am amazed at all the talent in our group of EFA members and all they do for the animals. I think I would need to get tips from them!!"

ANY ADVICE YOU’D LIKE TO OFFER US? "I just feel very grateful. Sometimes I just look up to the sky and feel grateful for everything. It's a great feeling, try it!"

WHERE TO FIND GINGER AND HER BLANKETS...

www.barkingdogblankets.com

www.etsy.com/shop/barkingdogblanket

www.facebook.com/pages/barkingdogblankets/88382889919

The Whiskers' Syndicate: Rain Storm Damage Status Report from our Dec. Charity of The Month

Rain Storm Damage
Status Report from

The Whiskers' Syndicate

nominated by Nicole of Brizel4TheAnimals 

Written by Josie of Whiscraft
Photos courtesy of TWS

Had I come home ten minutes later that evening, there would be no story to share today.

I was out running errands shipping out some Etsy orders and it was already chaotic when I got home. The feline 'refugees' were on top of anything and everything high and those who had not managed this feat called frantically, demanding me to open the front door right away. When I did, there was a strong current of panicked cats rushing inside the house, like a tsunami, and with them came along much mud and dirt.

Even when we started The Whiskers Syndicate, our property was 'primitive'. What we call a 'cattery' is simply a part of the backyard that has roof, and the rest of it is green grass.

This is how the backyard looked like 

when we first moved in...

Nothing fancy, but better than bracing the cold winds of the highlands on a merciless city street without proper food or shelter !

After our typhoon inspired rain storm... the backyard had turned into a mess...

The bamboos all bent over from harsh wind 

and blocked the path



The cats looked on...

Due to roof damages, in the days that followed… even with the slightest rain we experienced multiple water leaks and sometimes it felt like we had no roof at all. 

Under such condition plenty of cats, especially small kittens, became sick and needed intensive vet care and it became a dilemma. Its impossible to be in two places at the same time... when I am at the vet downtown, I am worried about rain flooding the cattery and when I am home, I feel guilty because some of the cats should be going to the vet. We do not have vehicle so all this takes much time.

Restoration is imminent. With my experiences in the past year and the support of generous supporters who donate or send medications and supplies… everyone has pulled through and we intend to do whatever we can to get through these trials.

Peta is one of our world famous cats. He voluntarily share his fatherly love to every kitten that comes into the sanctuary. He lost his favorite tree but is still taking time to comfort others…

And life goes on, regardless...

Whiskers' Syndicate is a private sanctuary, we are the first, and only one operating in this breeder capital of Indonesia, a country without animal welfare, where even vets are backyard breeders.

Team EFA is partnering up with friends of Whiskers' Syndicate to help fundraise $5500, the estimated cost to repair damages from this typhoon inspired rain storm. Won't you lend your hand to help our cats get their home repaired ?

The Whiskers' Syndicate

ViSiT their WEBSiTE
LiKE their Facebook

MAKE a DONATiON

CHECK OUT WHiSCRAFT

SHOP TEAM EFA COTM

- click HERE -

for products that benefit

this Charity of the Month

THANK YOU 

for supporting

our COTM Program !