EFA: Etsy For Animals Etsy For Animals: March 2014


Etsy for Animals (EFA) aka Artists Helping Animals,

is a team of independent artists, craftspeople,

vintage sellers and craft suppliers on Etsy.com

who are dedicated to providing charitable relief to animals

by donating a portion of the profits from their shops

to an animal charity of their choosing,

and/or to EFA's featured Charity of the Month.

Friday, March 28, 2014

My Life as a Dog - a Recycled Doggies COTM Story by TheBlueWindmill


My Life as a Dog
By Lily May Windmiller

I feel like I've had two lives. My first life (obviously) started when I was born through puppyhood until I was about two-years-old and that’s when my second life (my real life) started.

I don’t remember much about my first life, but I can tell you that I still have some fears that I somehow acquired during that time... like a fear of loud noises. I also lost most of my tail. I don’t know why it was docked. I know that a lot of boxers have their tails docked, but I am also part hound, so it doesn’t make much sense to me. Toward the end of my first life, I found myself on death row at an animal shelter. I was hungry, alone, scared, and underweight. Then a rescuer came. It was Recycled Doggies!!


Soon, I found myself with a foster mom who nursed me back to health. I was still really scared because of my previous experiences, and at first, I had to be carried outside to go potty; but overtime I got better and less scared. I stayed with my foster mom for a few months while I gained weight and was a little bit calmer, then I was put up for adoption. That is when my second life, what I call my real life, began. It wasn’t long before I was adopted into a loving family with a mom, dad, and two sisters.


Now I go on walks with my family, chase squirrels and chipmunks at the park, and play with my dog pal Miya, who lives down the street. I also spend time playing with my sisters, sleeping in my favorite comfy green chair, and resting on the couch. At night, I get a nice cushy bed to sleep on and share with my sisters. I get yummy snacks like cheese, doggie treats, and ice cubes. And I always get enough food and water.


Mom and Dad recently rescued another dog pal of mine named Ruby. She’s young and little and looks up to me. Sometimes, she is a little too rambunctious and nips at my legs, and occasionally I need to remind her who’s in charge, but most of the time she is good and we play a lot.  

So that’s my story... Life is good and for that I am grateful for my life as a dog ! 


RECYCLED DOGGiES
March Charity of the Month
nominated by Heather of TheBlueWindmill


ViSiT their WEBSiTE
CHECK OUT the DOGGiES
LiKE their Facebook
FOLLOW their Twitter
MAKE a DONATiON

SHOP TEAM EFA COTM
- click HERE -
for products that benefit
this Charity of the Month
until the end of March.

THANK YOU 
for supporting
EFA's COTM Program !

Thursday, March 27, 2014

ANiMAL PETiTiONS CORNER by Alicia of WoodsEdge

by Alicia of WoodsEdge



1. Last Chance to Speak Up for Wolves

Wolf advocates and lawmakers are continuing to raise concerns about what will happen if gray wolves lose federal protection in the lower 48. Hundreds of wolves have already been brutally slaughtered in the Northern Rockies and Great Lakes region after they lost federal protection and management was turned over to the states.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires decisions to list or delist a species to be made solely on the best available science. Fortunately, last month a panel of independent scientists unanimously concluded that the proposal does not currently represent the ‘best available science.’ Because the process has been called out as flawed, wolf advocates believe the only conscionable thing for the FWS to do is to withdraw its proposal, but time to speak up on behalf of these iconic predators and get an official comment in to the FWS is running out.

The public commend period closes at midnight on March 27. 

Please take a moment to submit a public comment in support of continued federal protection for gray wolves throughout the U.S.

http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=FWS-HQ-ES-2013-0073-43030


2. Help Save Monarchs from Deadly Pesticides

The number of monarch butterflies has steadily dropped around 80 percent, or more by some estimates, in the past 15 years and scientists are now worried they may disappear forever. Unfortunately, widespread and growing use of pesticides like Roundup are killing milkweed plants - the only ones monarch's will lay their eggs on - and is threatening their future survival. 

Please send a letter to the EPA asking the agency to adopt strict new restrictions on pesticides that threaten monarchs and other pollinators.  

https://secure.nrdconline.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=3369&s_src=WBLMONPETNON0314BGAC&__utma=57662376.525094346.1395171124.1395775182.1395775222.4&__utmb=57662376.4.10.1395775222&__utmc=57662376&__utmx=-&__utmz=57662376.1395775222.4.3.utmcsr=google%7Cutmccn=(organic)%7Cutmcmd=organic%7Cutmctr=(not%20provided)&__utmv=-&__utmk=233852122


3. Protect the Future for Wildlife

Congress is about to vote on a bill that could gut the law that helped establish and protect America's most beloved national parks, which aren't just hot spots for nature lovers, but home to an abundance of species.  If the "Preventing New Parks" bill passes, it could prevent the future establishment of national parks and weaken protection for existing ones.

As humans continue to encroach on wild places, now is not the time for Congress to hurt conservation measures. 

Please send a letter to your representative asking them to vote no on this bill. 

https://secure.wilderness.org/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=521607CC9065292AABE5218416B720FE.app337b?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2675


PLEASE 
TAKE 1-2-3 ACTiONS 
ON BEHALF OF
THE ANiMALS TODAY


THANK YOU !

Friday, March 21, 2014

ANiMAL PETiTiONS CORNER by Alicia of WoodsEdge


by Alicia of WoodsEdge


1. Tell Nevada to Protect Virginia Range's Wild Horses

Last summer Nevada passed a bill that would facilitate a partnership between the Nevada Department of Agriculture and equine advocacy groups to manage the wild horses of the Virginia Range. This fall wild horse advocacy groups submitted a management plan to the state, but the NDA has continued to delay its implementation, while it continues to unnecessarily remove horses from the range. 

Please send a letter asking Nevada's governor to implement the plan, which wild horse advocates will be a win for both horses and the state. 



2. Tell Congress Big Cats Aren't Pets

Big cat advocates have been working to get the Big Cats and Public Safety Protection Act passed this year, which will fix the patchwork of state laws by creating a federal ban on private ownership and breeding of big cats in the U.S. Not only do big cats pose a threat to public safety in the wrong hands, but private ownership has has raised serious concerns about their psychological and physical welfare.

Please sign the petition urging your representative to support and co-sponsor this important piece of legislation to protect big cats. 



3. Help Stop Laval University's Deadly Pig Lab

Animal advocates are urging Laval University to stop using live piglets in its pediatric residency program. After being used unnecessarily to teach students how to perform invasive procedures, the piglets are then killed and their bodies are further mutilated. The university could easily switch to non-animal alternatives, thanks to In light of advances in technology and the availability of human simulators that don't cause harm to any living being. 

Please send a letter to Laval University Rector Denis Brière, Ph.D., asking that the use of live piglets be ended immediately. 



PLEASE 
TAKE 1-2-3 ACTiONS 
ON BEHALF OF
THE ANiMALS TODAY
THANK YOU !

Thursday, March 20, 2014

ANiMAL MUNDi: Wailing Potoo Birds By Corinna of TheFrogBag


by Corinna of TheFrogBag

Wailing "po-Too" Birds

In the annals of weird birds the potoo (genus Nyctibius) should get a chapter to itself. The common name refers to the call it makes (“po-TOO”) while foraging in the American tropical forests it calls home. 

Since potoos are nocturnal the wail is only heard at night, like that of the whippoorwill to which it is distantly related. Solitary and secretive, the bird itself is almost never seen. There is even a myth that says the call comes from a broken-hearted spirit who longs to return to its love, the moon. In fact, the potoo has earthly concerns like any other creature. Judging by its wide-eyed expression, it may have more of them than average. 

photo perunature.com 

During the day the potoo is almost never seen despite usually sleeping in plain sight. That’s because its cryptic coloration is so highly evolved for its environment that it is virtually invisible when sitting on a broken tree branch. The feathers are a complex mixture of brown, grey, and black, just like bark, and it perches with its head raised to mimic the jagged end of a snag. In addition, its eyelids have a peculiar “notch” in them, enabling it to see through squinted or even closed eyes. This allows it to ascertain threats during the day without revealing its huge, distinctive orbs and thereby giving itself away to daytime predators.



Potoos are not rare, but they are difficult to study. Little is known about their mating habits beyond the fact that they seem to remain mostly solitary their entire lives. This is true even before they are born, as potoos only lay one egg at a time without the benefit of a nest. Instead the young hatch in depressions in the branches or trunks of trees. Both parents care for the baby for about a month. By that time the fledgling is big enough to accomplish the “broken branch posture” itself and make short, silent, bug-hunting flights. 

photo planetparaguay.com


Odd as they are, potoos are just one more example of the wealth of life in the tropics. And while they are currently not threatened or endangered, they still rely on habitat that’s in constant peril. 

If you’d like to learn more about the tropics, the Rainforest Alliance (rainforest-alliance.org) is a good place to start. 

Thursday, March 13, 2014

ANiMAL PETiTiONS CORNER by Alicia of WoodsEdge

Presented by Alicia of WoodsEdge

1. Help End Cosmetics Testing on Animals in the U.S. 

This week landmark legislation was introduced that would end cosmetics testing for animals in the U.S. Even though animal testing for cosmetics isn't required by law, numerous companies still use and kill millions of animals for nothing more than human vanity. With the European Union's ban on testing and marketing in place and a number of other countries following suit, there's no reason for the U.S. to lag behind on this issue when alternatives are available. 

Please sign the petition urging your representative to support and co-sponsor this critical piece of legislation to end the unnecessary suffering of animals in labs. 



2. Tell California Orcas Don't Belong in Captivity

In response to the documentary Blackfish, a California lawmaker just introduced a bill that would ban orca performances at theme parks, end captive breeding programs and end the import/export of orcas into and out of California. It would also require that the state's 10 captive orcas, who are currently at SeaWorld San Diego, be retired to sea pens if possible or kept on display only. 

Please sign the petition urging California lawmakers to be a leader for orcas by supporting and co-sponsoring this legislation. 



3. A Victory for Greyhounds, But They Still Need Help

This week Colorado became the 39th state to ban greyhound racing in the U.S. when Governor John Hickenlooper signed a bill making dog racing illegal. There are now seven states left with operational tracks and four where dog racing has been suspended but is still legal. 

GREY2K wants to know which state you want to see them focus their efforts on next. Take their poll and let them know here: http://www.grey2kusa.org/action/states/co.php


PLEASE 
TAKE 1-2-3 ACTiONS 
ON BEHALF OF
THE ANiMALS TODAY
THANK YOU !

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Toxoplasmosis: Don't give up your cat by Veronica of ScrappyRat


Toxoplasmosis: Don't give up your cat!
written & illustrated by Veronica of ScrappyRat

Handmade Black Cat Pendant
(benefits EFA's COTM) by ScrappyRat

In the many years I've worked in rescue, I have encountered people giving up their cats, or being told by their doctors to do so, due to toxoplasmosis risk. It's unfortunate since not only is this unnecessary according to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), it's not even the most common way to contract the disease.

Oddly, while it seems everyone thinks of cats when they think of toxoplasmosis, the far more likely culprit is handling raw or undercooked meat, since meats are very likely fecally contaminated. The CDC classifies toxoplasmosis as a food borne illness, not a zoonosis (a disease that can be transmitted directly from non-human-animal to human). Fully cooked to the recommended temperature, the fecal bacteria in meat is rendered inactive, but pregnant women and the immunocompromised should never handle raw or undercooked meat.  I get annoyed that doctors tell people to dump their beloved pets (even strictly indoor cats who are very unlikely to be carriers), yet don't tell them to have someone else cook any meat for them (or not to eat meat at all), since that's actually a far a bigger concern. 

Home is Where the Cat is Pendant
(benefits EFA's COTM) by ScrappyRat

Gardening is another way that humans can contract Toxoplasmosis. Wildlife feces is prominent in soil, and the CDC cites this as another risk factor, yet I haven't heard of a rush of pregnant women being told to fear their gardens the way doctors tell them to freak out about their cats. 

Garden Fairy Kitty Cards
(Benefits EFA's COTM) by ScrappyRat

Toxoplasmosis is a relatively minor infection provided you aren't pregnant or immune compromised, but if you are, it can cause serious illness. You have to actually ingest infected feces to get it, and so does your cat, so you can help prevent exposure by keeping cats indoors so they don't eat wildlife and their feces-filled innards. Another way to avoid it? Clean the litter box daily since the Toxoplasmosis parasite does not become active and transmissible for 24 hrs to 5 days after being shed. It doesn't hurt to wear gloves and a mask, and use basic sanitation skills when scooping the litter box, and ideally, if you are in the high-risk group and want to be super duper absolutely careful (and why not?) you can have someone else scoop the box.

I think doctors get overexcited sometimes about things pets can transmit, despite those diseases being extremely few compared to what humans transmit to each other. They also seem more worried about what you can get from the living animals on our sofas, than the dead ones in the kitchen. You're *far* more likely to become extremely ill from exposure to food borne illness, your toddler or small child, his friends, and your co-workers, than get sick from anything our pets are likely to carry, particularly when our pets are kept healthy, vetted, vaccinated, clean and indoors. 

New Kitten Adoption Card
(Benefits EFA's COTM) by ScrappyRat

It seems people are much more likely to believe that their pets are dangerous to their health than any of the things that *really* risky in our surroundings. I suppose it's because people still, sadly, see pets as disposable, making it easy believe we can get rid of the risk by getting rid of the pet. I'd love to see the concept of disposable, "give-away" pets come to an end. It would make rescue so much easier and allow shelters to cut their "euthanasia" rates dramatically.

In the mean time, when you hear someone spreading the idea that cats are dirty animals that need to be tossed aside out of fear of Toxoplasmosis, please set them straight. Send them to the CDC website, and make sure they know they shouldn't fear their feline.

Magical Kitten Pendant
(Benefits EFA's COTM) by ScrappyRat

Thursday, March 06, 2014

ANiMAL PETiTiONS CORNER by Alicia of WoodsEdge

Presented by Alicia of WoodsEdge


1. Demand Justice for Researcher's Dog Who Was Maliciously Poisoned

Nyxo was a dog who belonged to a researcher who was studying the harmful effects of a toxic rat poison commonly used in d-CON. Sadly Nyxo was intentionally poisoned with the poison by someone who is believed to have done so to intimidate his owner because their research had demonstrated how this poison hurts wildlife. 

Please send a letter to California's Attorney General asking that whoever is responsible for this heinous act is brought to justice. 

http://action.biologicaldiversity.org/o/2167/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=15118


2. Help Get Protection for Emperor Penguins

Emperor penguins are the most ice-dependent species of penguin, but the loss of ice in the Arctic is making it threatening their future survival. 

Now, the Fish and Wildlife Service is considering listing them under the Endangered Species Act, which will help them by ensuring they are not harassed or killed, in addition to limiting human activities that could impact their environment.

http://advocacy.pewenvironment.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1793&ea.campaign.id=26068&ea.tracking.id=Alert


3. Don't Let Hunters and Trappers Take Over Public Lands

The Senate is currently considering a bill that would make it a year-round open season for hunters and trappers on public lands, which will further threaten wildlife and put people and their pets who use public lands for recreation in constant danger. Among other serious issues, it will also allow for the import of polar bear trophies and stop the EPA from regulating lead ammunition.  

Please sign the petition urging senators to oppose this dangerous bill. 

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/469/141/450/stop-the-bipartisan-sportsmens-act-from-giving-all-public-lands-to-hunters-and-trappers/

PLEASE 
TAKE 1-2-3 ACTiONS 
ON BEHALF OF
THE ANiMALS TODAY
THANK YOU !

Wednesday, March 05, 2014

ANiMAL MUNDi: Tree Bats by Corinna of TheFrogBag

by Corinna of TheFrogBag
Photos courtesy of named photographers

Tree Bats

Bat cave. That’s where bats live, right? Many do spend the day deep underground but with close to 1,000 species worldwide there just aren’t enough caves to go around. Instead, many have evolved to sleep in crevasses (which are sometimes provided by bridges and buildings in modern times), in the folds of big, tropical leaves, and, in the case of the aptly named tree bat (Ardops nichollsi), in the branches of trees. 


Despite being listed as a “species of least concern” by the IUCN, little is known about the tree bat beyond the fact that it spends its time in trees throughout the northern Lesser Antilles and the Caribbean. It seems to prefer rainforests, although individuals been spotted in cacao and banana plantations as well as dryer forests. Happily, the population seems to be healthy and their habitat relatively unthreatened. In fact, the biggest danger to their continued success seems to be the growth of hurricanes due to global climate change. 

They are considered fruit bats, so their interest in banana plantations is no mystery. The same can’t be said for their mating habits, which have never been fully described. Like most bats, they only produce one offspring at a time, but unlike many they may breed twice each year. If that’s so it would certainly contribute to their population stability. 

Like the trees they inhabit, their color is variable. Much of their fur is tricolored, with cream, dark brown, and light brown pigments all existing in a single hair, particularly on their bellies. The tragus (the small projection of cartilage at base of the ear that helps with echolocation) is often tinged with green, almost like a leaf. 



If a bat that is often seen near agricultural areas, sleeps in accessible locations, and isn’t rare is this mysterious, what must we be missing about more elusive flying mammals? The answer is: a lot. Bats are notoriously understudied in general, not to mention underfunded in terms of research and conservation. 

Want to do something to help bats worldwide? Batcon.org is a great resource. They’ll even point you to some actual bat caves! 

Tuesday, March 04, 2014

March's COTM is… Recycled Doggies


March's COTM is…
Recycled Doggies


Nominated by Heather of TheBlueWindmill
Blog Feature written by Heather
Photographs courtesy of Recycled Doggies

March’s Charity of the Month 
is Recycled Doggies !

“This is an all-volunteer, foster home-based rescue that helps Greater Cincinnati, Ohio area shelter dogs, one by one, escape certain death and find their forever homes. We believe that amazing dogs are abandoned at shelters all the time. Our mission is to help these animals put their best paw forward and find them a loving forever home. We recycled unwanted shelter dogs into wonderful pets!”


Recycled Doggies was started by former volunteers of a Kentucky shelter. All of the dogs are fostered in volunteer homes until they are adopted. There is no shelter or facility of any kind. The dogs are pulled from shelters, nursed back to health, cleaned up, and socialized before being placed for adoption at weekend adoption events.

Their focus is saving dogs who are on death row and who may not have put their “best paws forward”. They do not accept owner surrenders or strays since all dogs come directly from shelters. 


Recycled Doggies is run by a team of devoted volunteers who do not take a salary nor are compensated for their time and efforts. They are solely reliant on adoption fees and donations for medical bills, vet care, and food. 

All age-appropriate vaccinations are given to the dogs and included in their $175.00 adoption fee. The dogs are also de-wormed, spayed/neutered, and microchipped,  Blood work, dental, and other medical tests and treatments may be given as recommended by their vet. The adoption fee remains the same even for dogs who have special needs or required further medical treatments.


On Recycled Doggies adoption paperwork, all potential adopters or co-applicants must be the head of household and at least 21 years of age. No dog is put in their care until an application for adoption has been fully approved. 

Adopting a Recycled Dog is a wonderful way to save a life while at the same time gaining a very special new family member into one's home! 


RECYCLED DOGGiES

ViSiT their WEBSiTE

CHECK OUT the DOGGiES
LiKE their Facebook
FOLLOW their Twitter
MAKE a DONATiON

SHOP TEAM EFA COTM
- click HERE -
for products that benefit
this Charity of the Month

THANK YOU 
for supporting
our COTM Program !

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...