SASHA Farm Animal Sanctuary Auction Items Request

From Amanda of SASHA Farm;

I am with SASHA Farm Animal Sanctuary in Manchester, MI. In the past, Etsy for Animals has been very supportive of our organization by sending donations for our annual silent auction. I am chairing it this year, and I'm writing in hopes that you'll pass our request on to your members.

We are the largest farmed animal sanctuary in Midwest, currently caring for over 230 rescued farmed and other domestic animals. We are a 501(c)(3) organization and receive no public funding, so the work we do depends solely on the generosity of compassionate people like you. Our annual silent auction raises a significant portion of our operating budget each year, and we hope to continue that success.

The deadline for donations this year is April 5th, and the auction takes place on April 24th. There is no minimum value, but we do reserve the right to group items with values less than $15. Also, all donations should be vegan and animal friendly. Donations can be sent directly to the sanctuary.

SASHA Farm
Attn: Amanda
17901 Mahrle Rd
Manchester, MI 48158

Donations will be acknowledged on our website, and we will provide a receipt for the value of the item for your tax purposes. (Please be sure to state the retail value.) Handmade items are always a huge seller at the auction.

We very much appreciate the support Etsy for Animals has shown us in the past. Thank you so much!

Amanda
SASHA Farm
http://sashafarm.org
www.facebook.com/sashafarm

From Christina about Lab Rescue in CT/NY

From Christina of http://esmeraldadesigns.etsy.com

From labrador retriever rescue of CT/NY
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/labrescuect.html
Roxy's story

On April 2, 2009, 8-year-old yellow female Roxy, as well as her 2-yr-old
black male son and 5-month-old yellow female daughter, were taken into
rescue after being abandoned in their home. Roxy had been hit by a car 3
weeks prior, but had not received any medical attention and was unable to
walk on her right rear leg. X-rays revealed that the impact of the car had
completely rotated the head of the femur out of the hip socket. In addition
to her injuries, Roxy had been completely over-bred with back-to-back puppy
litters and also had a severe skin condition caused by allergies that were
never treated. Her eyes were so inflamed that they barely opened and her
ears were severely infected as well. At our vet's office, there wasn't a dry
eye when she arrived. Amazingly, given the pain that she was in, she was
still able to wag her tail! Roxy is a survivor of the worst animal cruelty
but has gotten a second chance to be shown kindness by human beings.
However, she still has a long road ahead of her to full recovery.


November, 2009. Little did we know that Roxy was pregnant when she came
into rescue and went to her foster home. Two weeks into foster care, Roxy
whelped 9 puppies very unexpectedly. Unfortunately, all of her treatments
had to be postponed while she was nursing the puppies. After the pups were
weaned, we resumed Roxy's care. All the puppies were adopted!


She was treated by Dr. Emily Rothstein, a veterinary dermatologist. Roxy had
one of the most severe cases of bacterial dermatitis she had ever treated.
Roxy's eyes and ears were affected, as well as most of her body. A
combination of antibiotics, medicated baths, topical medications and a raw
diet has improved her skin issues dramatically. Because of the years of
neglect, Roxy's immune system was very reactive and sensitive. Environmental
allergies have also been another source of her skin issues. She continues
her treatment in foster care and it is unlikely that she will have 100% coat
re-growth. Her dislocated hip has healed on it¹s own and surgery was not
recommended because of her poor reaction to anesthesia. Instead, daily
exercise to build up muscle mass around her hip socket is seeing results.
She shows no sign of pain nor favors the hip that was injured. She continues
to be monitored by Dr. Rothstein for skin issues. Roxy is a labrador with
great heart and spirit. She is a happy girl, finally playing with toys, very
affectionate and always wanting to please. She sees joy in simple things,
loves the comforts of home, her favorite chair and lives each day to the
fullest. Roxy continues to heal and for that we are most grateful to her
foster parents. We continue to need help with her medical expenses. Thank
you to everyone who has helped already! If you would like to contribute,
please use the Paypal donation link below. We hope you enjoy the new
pictures, as well as pictures of her puppies. Bless you from Roxy and all of
us here at LRRCT!

From Sarah of http://whimsystore.etsy.com;

From Sarah of http://whimsystore.etsy.com;

Team EFA

Sarah Woodcock, the owner of CustomJewelryTags.com, cares deeply for animals. In addition to CustomJewelryTags.com, Sarah Woodcock has an online jewelry shop, The Whimsy Store. The Whimsy Store is a proud member of Etsy Team EFA and donates 10% of its online sales to help animals. Donations go to Southwest Metro Animal Rescue and Adoption Society (SWMARAS), an all-volunteer non-profit 501 © (3) organization that works tirelessly to help animals in the Southwest Metro area of Minnesota.

Etsy Team EFA members are eligible for 10% OFF at CustomJewelryTags.com by simply entering coupon code ‘TEAMEFA’ during checkout. In addition, CustomJewelryTags.com offers earring cards, jewelry tags, and business cards (below) to help Etsy Team EFA members promote the fact that they too care deeply for animals. A special thank you to Etsy Team EFA member Eva of A Lil Sumptin Sumptin for the Etsy Team EFA designs we used to make the earring cards, jewelry tags, and business cards below.

If artists would like another design from CustomJewelryTags.com, we are happy to add the Etsy Team EFA square (below) to their earring cards, jewelry tags, and business cards.

Etsy Team EFA Earring Cards, Jewelry Tags, and Business Cards

2 inch by 2 inch Earring Cards in the Etsy Team EFA Design

Click here to order these earring cards.

2 inch by 3 inch Earring Cards in the Etsy Team EFA Design

Click here to order these earring cards.

1.5 inch by 1 inch Jewelry Tags in the Etsy Team EFA Design

Click here to order these jewelry tags.

3.5 inch by 2 inch Business Cards in the Etsy Team EFA Design

Click here to order these business cards.

Etsy Team EFA Square (which we are happy to add to another design from CustomJewelryTags.com)

From ModJess -- Artists and Fur

From http://modjess.etsy.com;

Since discovering items made with real fur on Etsy, I’ve struggled with this conundrum: how is it that some “artists,” of all people, could possibly be part of cruelty to other living beings? Isn’t the very nature of being an artist something that results in a more compassionate, holistic view of life?

Which got me thinking. What is an artist? How do we become artists and what makes us different?

As children, we all start out as blank slates. Of course, our environment weighs heavily on the people we become. But there’s an innate wonder and curiosity about the world around us that is beautifully evident in children’s artwork. They do silly things, brilliant abstracts, wildly original compositions. (I think this is because they’re free from the cliches and knowledge and self-criticism that limit our creativity as we mature.) And there always seems to be a fascination and admiration for other forms of life besides their own, as children often depict animals in their artwork. Children are naturally drawn to animals, understanding, from a very deep place, that they are important cohabitants with us on this planet. Beautiful, interesting, scary, soft, cute, ugly. But always fascinating.

Perhaps artists are a bit different than non-artists because we retain a little more of this precious curiosity as we mature. Maybe, it’s because we really see. Our eyes remain wide open, and must be so, in order to create. In keeping our eyes open, we can see the intricate, almost unimaginable beauty of another living being. Whether that being is a person or a dog or a mink or a mouse, there is a complex system inside them that creates such a stunning exterior. And, in working with living subject matter, there is a sacred relationship we develop with them. How can this not be? To look so closely into the eyes of another living being is to see the world and the beauty of life reflected back at you. It’s surreal. It’s life-changing. And when you’ve done this, you can not possibly be capable of taking that life away.

The death of another living being, especially for such a purpose as creating fur, is unconscionable. It goes against the very nature of who we are as artists. We are the visionaries, the big picture thinkers, who see the sacred relationship between all living things. To exterminate life is the antithesis of appreciating it. And appreciating it is the very first step—as even children inherently know— in making art.

This adorable drawing was done by Lea, at age 5, of her dog Sailor.

A little help from my friends or The Saving of The Bulls

From Melissa of http://brightdesign.etsy.com

Thank you to EFA members who helped through shop sales;

thisisit.etsy.com -
veganosaurus.etsy.com -
mvegan5.etsy.com -
holisticallyheather.etsy.com -
auntflospads.etsy.com -
aktie9.etsy.com -
lolalynn.etsy.com -
kimbascritters.etsy.com -
oooohshiny.etsy.com -
doxiedoodles.etsy.com -
spiderblue.etsy.com -
luniquejewellery.etsy.com -
gingercardco.etsy.com -
buttonanza.etsy.com -
dragonhouseofyuen.etsy.com -

A little help from my friends
-or-
The Saving of The Bulls

For those of you who have been following the story of the three bulls who were to be sold to slaughter, we've got some good news for you: The money was raised, and Pooka Cow, Spotty Friend, and Less Spotty Friend are now safe in the care of Jodi and her husband! The three bulls were able to spend Valentine's Day out to pasture where they belong, rather than en route to a slaughterhouse.





Jodi has informed us that, all told, over 100 people donated in one way or another to make it happen. It's a significant sum to raise in just under two weeks, and just goes to show how many of us truly value the life of each and every creature. She'll be keeping us all up to date on the cows' progress and wellbeing on her This Is It! Creations blog.

This past Saturday was indeed a joyous day for that now somewhat larger family. The new cow parents have dived headfirst into a crash course on bovine care. Says Jodi: "If you had asked us a few weeks ago whether we would be cow parents today, I would've just laughed. You never know what turns life will take, that's for sure!"

Feeding and care of the three bulls is a significant investment, so the couple is grateful to continue to receive any donations through the established ChipIn widget or site. As usual, Jodi's sentiments sum it up best:

We are now the proud parents of these sweet boys, and we are thrilled that they will be able to live out their lives... I promise that I will keep you all updated - for now we are just going to focus on taking care of them and trying to raise enough money to make sure they have everything they need.

Spoken like a true cowmama. :)

Need help with a puppy hit by a car

Beatrice is a 6 month old puppy who was found wandering in my neighborhood in Atlanta limping and dragging a leg. The vet said that she is extremely emaciated and suffered a broken leg after being hit by a car.

Based on the age of the injury, the vet speculates that she had been living on the streets with a broken leg for almost two weeks!

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help with her surgery. I've rescued and adopted out 12 abandoned dogs in the last 6 months-- donations to help with Beatrice's surgery would be so helpful.

Although she has had a rough time, she is a super sweet puppy. She will be up for adoption after her surgery.

To make a donation, please visit my site below and click the donate button on the left nav. Were a 501c3 so all donations are tax deductible:

http://www.ATLanimalwelfare.org

thank you,
Atlanta Animal Welfare Committee

Dog rescue story

From Jaison, an EFA member; his shops are http://pickledporcelain.etsy.com and http://pickledaliens.etsy.com

"I am getting in touch to tell you a little story. I recently rescued a dog from a severe neglect situation. Now when I say rescue I don't mean I went and got him from a shelter, I mean I took him out of the snow and frigid temperatures and onset of starvation by undoing the rope that he was tied to, and putting him in the back seat of my car. This is the story of Wendell, a Cairn Terrier. Wendell has been in a situation where he has not been neutered, vaccinated, house broken, nor fed or hydrated regularly. Certain details aside (concerning where he came from) he was close to death. The night I rescued him, I took him to the emergency vet. Wendell, with the spunk of the happiest dog on earth, somehow was clinging to life despite being half his normal body weight. He weighed 5.3 pounds. You could run your fingers along his rib cage and feel the space in between them. He also was suffering from a tapeworm. So, three weeks later Wendell is alive and well. He gained 2.5 pounds in the first 15 days. He looks different, better, with his Toto like appearance, even though he is a tan-faun color.


Animal Friends here in Pittsburgh accepted him in order to vaccinate him, neuter him and soon find him a forever home. The great thing for me is that I live near Animal Friends which is truly a great facility. It is pretty much a sanctuary with park space too. You can actually bring your pets there to walk the trails through the woods or have parties and picnics. I will be able to follow Wendell's progress and find out when he has been adopted.
We donate to shelters and organizations regularly that help animals. Pittsburgh has a number of no-kill shelters and sanctuaries. It just makes me feel good to have done the right thing and not turn a blind eye to something. The situation "set me back" a little financially of course but as I said we donate regularly and know we put Wendell in the best hands in this city. Until he is rehabilitated fully and adopted, I know he will be treated like a dog king. We have two dogs of our own, Vespi and Lucy for whom we feel great about spoiling every day."

February Charity of the Month

From MVegan5.etsy.com

Because of the dire situation in Haiti, I have decided to feature the WSPA as the charity of month, because of their work helping the animals of Haiti.

We are running the EFA WSPA Haiti Animal Relief Fundraiser, which began already, and will continue after the month of February. The WSPA has a blog for animal disaster relief efforts, where they have post news and updates about their work in Haiti.


Many members have already listed items to help; you can add yours. Anyone who wants to list items to help, please put this in the title; EFA WSPA Haiti Animal Relief Fundraiser; then as always, everyone can donate to the disaster relief fund directly, then submit their donation amounts here.

EFA Treasury West

Did you see this EFA treasury? It's a treasury of the January Challenge entries made vy http://lolalynn.etsy.com, our challenge leader.

Three Bulls

Animal lovers everywhere, here is a story you won't want to miss.

Jodi of the amazing VET shop This Is It! Creations made a terrible discovery over the weekend: that these three bulls who graze on her property were to be sold for slaughter in short order. Being a person of high ideals, naturally Jodi immediately started looking for an answer - that is, a way to keep these three gorgeous animals from such a brutal and unnecessary death. The solution? Buy them! But cows don't come cheap; their freedom can indeed be purchased, but it will come to the tune of about $3600. Not only that, but the payment must be made by the end of next week!


And so, friends, we ask for your help. Chip in to save Pooka Cow, Spotty Friend, and Less Spotty Friend!



Important note: though the ChipIn widget here says that the final date to donate is March 13, in reality it is February 13!

Several VET member shops including 3 AM Art Productions, Veganosaurus, Holistically Heather, and Cards and Jewelry by Michele as well as Etsy for Animals' Lola Lynn are donating portions of sales through the zero hour. More shops are adding sales donations all the time - Jodi is keeping an updated list on her own This Is It blog. Jodi's own shop will be putting 100% of all sales from today, Wednesday February 3, towards saving the boys. So get shopping already!

Just a few dollars from each of us can make a big difference. These lives matter! Help Jodi to help her friends. What's their alternative to a terrifying slaughterhouse? Says Jodi:

"We've been asked where the cows will go if we do raise enough money to save them - they will stay here, at least for the short term. We have 11 acres of land, a barn, and a stream. We are planning to create a line of products where all of the profits will go toward their care (hay, vet bills, fence mending, etc.) If we can find a loving family with enough land to adopt them, we are definitely open to that as well."

Country idyll or the abattoir - three lives are on the line. So, wanna buy a journal? :)

EFA Logo - Etsy for Animals - Embroidered Kitchen Towel - EFA Charity

From The Pet Boutique Blog, see post here.

I digitized the Etsy - EFA - Etsy for Animals logo to embroider on a number of items. Each item will benefit the Etsy EFA charity of the month during which the item was sold.

The towel measure 20 x 28 inches. This listing is for one towel embroidered with the EFA - Etsy for Animals Logo.


The towels are machine washable in cool water and tumble dry at low temperature. There is a twill tape in one corner for ease of hanging.

We offer the solid waffle weave towels in brown, wheat, white, green, dijon, provincial blue, cream, bright red and black.

Solid waffle weave matching dish cloths are also available.

Personalization is also available for a nominal fee. Convo for details.

The classic simplicity of these towels is at home in rustic country, French or English country, as well as in any contemporary setting.

EFA Artists Helping Animals is a group of more than 500 independent artists, independent craftspeople, independent vintage suppliers, and independent art and craft suppliers that combine their efforts to provide charitable relief to animals. EFA can be found as a Team on Etsy.com, an online marketplace for buying and selling handmade items. All members of EFA are also Etsy members.

Each month an animal charity is chosen from charities nominated by one or more EFA members to be the EFA Charity of the Month. Please check out our EFA Animal Charity of the Month to see who we are supporting this month as a group and past charities to which we have donated.

Many members of EFA donate 10 to 100 percent of their sales or profits to either the EFA Animal Charity of the Month and other animal charities. To find EFA sellers on Etsy, search team efa.

These items are crafted in a smoke free and animal friendly environment.

50% of the earnings from the EFA logo items will be donated to the EFA charity of the month. Etsy for Animals champions the plight of animals around the globe.

January Charity of the Month: HSMO

From Michelle of http://michellevielle.etsy.com;

When I read the article in TIME about the Humane Society of Missouri's
amazing rescue of over 500 dogs (who later gave birth to 100 puppies)
from a fighting ring-- the largest dog rescue in U.S. history!--I
wanted to find a way to help. When I saw the individual portraits and
descriptions of some of the rescued dogs (mostly pitbulls), it broke
my heart to think of them being tortured.

I have wonderful memories of living with a sweet pitbull named Tondu
who was the most loyal friend-- and biggest lapdog-- anyone could ask
for. When we went camping by the river, he would whimper when he saw
me go in the water and would jump in after me to "save" me. When I lay
down to rest, nothing would make him happier than to climb up on top
of me; he never understood why he wasn't a 2 lb puppy anymore, and I
always felt sorry for having to push his hulking body off of me so I
could breathe!-- and yet, here I see pictures of pitbulls with
mutilated limbs that needed to be amputated, dogs missing lips and
ears, and some dogs too scared to even come out of their pen:
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1942909,00.html The
thought of someone doing that to Tondu is too much.

The Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO) has the daunting task of taking
care of, rehabilitating, and finding homes for hundreds of tortured
dogs. To make matters worse, it takes a real animal lover to adopt a
previously tortured pitbull, but most animal lovers already have a pet
and/or children-- and a rescued fighting dog can not be adopted into a
house with other pets or children. This seriously slows down the
process of finding loving homes and a happy ending to this story.

The GOOD NEWS is that many of these dogs are able to be rehabilitated
and can be adopted-- some were immediately sweet and affectionate to
their rescuers!-- and some dogs, like Big Red (pictured here:
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1942909_2005482,00.html)
already "scramble into any available lap"! However, the HSMO Animal
Cruelty Fund needs all the help we can give. That's why I am so
thrilled that HSMO is the Etsy For Animals' January Charity of the
month! Please consider donating the sales from some of your artwork
for this cause, and spread the word!


--
www.MichelleLevy.wordpress.com

EFA Front Page feature

This EFA treasury made FP! Made by http://stylinstuff.etsy.com

Dogs Examiner Feature

Dogs Examiner feature:

Shared by http://osha.etsy.com

Shared by http://osha.etsy.com

"


I learned about this grand campaign for finding shelter pets a home. That is it.... promoting shelter pets so you can find them and they can find you and together you can save each other. Fabulous!

Please take the time to check it out. There are some fun commercials and informative links.

Also if you know of an organization that is interested in joining this cause you can sign up HERE.

A warm place to sleep, some food, and love is all they ask for. Most of us have all that we just need to add the pet :D

Thank you."

The charity that will benefit from the EFA/To Happy Vegans Tombola is...

It's the Year of the Tiger;
The charity that will benefit from the EFA/To Happy Vegans Tombola is;
Cedarhill Animal Sanctuary http://cedrhill.org


"Better to light a candle for one lost animal than to curse the darkness of man's indifference. Saving just one animal won't change the world, but it surely will change the world for that one animal. Without us, they have no voice. REMEMBER PLEASE, deep inside the heart and soul of every stray is the ultimate desire to be loved."

"Until there are none....rescue one"

C. Kay McElroy, Executive Director of Cedarhill


From http://sharonfosterart.etsy.com, who submitted this charity to benefit;


Over 300 animals claim Cedarhill Animal Sanctuary in Caledonia, MS as their forever home. Kay McElroy started the sanctuary when she rescued her first big cat at age 42. Now 65 , Kay has built a beautiful secluded sanctuary for little cats, big cats, pigs, horses, dogs, wolves and about every animal that you can imagine and some that you probably can't even think of.


Kay has been on dialysis herself for over 18 months and her personal struggles with pain only make her more empathic to the animals that she rescues. Cedarhill is a big lovely place with large open air enclosures. One of my favorite things about Cedarhill is that Kay and her staff provide toys (big toys) for even the tigers. She cares for the animals' overall well-being with items that stimulate their mind and bodies. There are lovely ponds, swing sets, room to roam, and other animal pals for them to live out their lives in safety and peace. Mississippi State University has a veterinary school only about 40 miles away and the soon to be vets get hands on training with the huge variety of animals. This is not a zoo - it is a sanctuary in the truest sense of the word. Local Boy Scouts have built wolf enclosures.


Arthur the pot-bellied pig is one of my favorites. He has no idea that he is a pig. He is quite the character. Please visit him and all the other animals on the Cedarhill website.. http://cedrhill.org


~ Sharon Foster

EFA feature

We've been featured!

January 2010 Charity of the Month

Humane Society of Missouri
http://hsmo.org

Submitted by Michelle of http://michellevielle.etsy.com; "I am moved to nominate the Humane Society of Missouri's Animal Cruelty Fund even though I live in Berkeley, CA, because I read about their incredible rescue in TIME magazine of 500+ dogs from a fighting ring -
the largest dog fighting rescue in U.S. history. The Humane Society of Missouri is in dire need of support from animal lovers and charities as they seek to find loving homes for and rehabilitate these tortured creatures."

"Since 1870, the Humane Society of Missouri has been dedicated to second chances. We provide a safe and caring haven to all animals in need - large and small - that have been abused, neglected or abandoned. Our mission is to end the cycle of abuse and pet overpopulation through our rescue and investigation efforts, spay/neuter programs and educational classes. We are committed to creating lasting relationships between people and animals through our adoption programs. We further support that bond by making available world-class veterinary care, and outstanding pet obedience and behavior programs."

From EFA member, Marilyn

From EFA member, Marilyn of http://artbymarilyn.etsy.com;

I am Marilyn R. Meier-O'Brien and I have a sanctuary in my backyard. This started twenty years ago, when my mom first spotted two ducks fly into our front yard. She fed them, and they came back every year. I do not know what first brought them to our home. They feel safe and relaxed and enjoy themselves.


We have always been here for a stray or whatever bird, animal, came to our yard to help them or feed them.


About 3 years ago, I noticed two ducks (Mallard + Drake), come and just sit in the yard. I would have just ignored them except that I had a birdbath that I had given my mom as a gift and they would sit around it all day or stand in it. They are clean and never cause me any trouble. They would stay all Summer and Fall and Winter. One late Fall I felt badly because they weren't leaving my yard and they really had no food, so I researched and I found that ducks like whole kernel corn. I went and purchased a bag of whole kernel at a local feed store. I also picked up peanuts, garden seed for the other birds and animals. I just couldn't feed one and forget the others.


Now they are happy creatures, and I love to watch their unguarded antics because they feel safe with me. The last three years, they stay almost all day in my yard and all the creatures get along fine (a lesson for humans). The only problem now is I have to feed them, otherwise they would starve. It is a harsh winter in Wisconsin and I was told they stay all winter because of the lakes.

I was amazed, one day I was driving to do errands, and the ducks were flying low next to my car. I actually couldn't believe it. It seemed wherever I was the ducks weren't far from my car. I finally got home and opened my car trunk, and they started coming down around me. I stood in a flurry of ducks all around me. I called our Vilas Park and the lady said, "they think of you as their mom". I felt like Doctor Doolittle or the Pied Piper. I walk right in the middle of them and they gather all around me. I believe it is like the cranes that go to Florida from Wisconsin with a leader of a human being. It is amazing to have this connection.

The squirrels and birds are the same way. Robins gathered last year here prior to their flight south. I have blue jays that come and get (steal) a peanut right in front of me.

I am just pleading with all people in the world who would like to have me continue helping these animals to donate for my cause. Michele Erez is helping me with this because I am not a tech. Any donations can be made through paypal, so that the voiceless ones will have food all year long. The squirrels need peanuts and I get the saltless, sugarless dry roasted ones. They go through 1 bag a day.


I pay $7.37 for a 50 lb. bag of whole kernel corn; they go thru 4 bags a week and 10 bags of peanuts a week at $3.99 a bag. I also purchase 2 bags of bird seed a week at $3.98 each.

I wouldn't ask for help, but I am on disability and a limited income. I have painted (Candy & Dandy-my ducks) and my squirrels, and the images are available on t-shirts. All of my work is on http://www.artbymarilyn.net linked to etsy and Michele is also on etsy http://mvegan5.etsy.com.

Please feel it in your hearts to help these creatures and help me to help them get thru the cold Wisconsin winter. It is appreciated.

Very sincerely, Marilyn R. Meier-O'Brien

Paypal Button;

EFA Treasury

EFA Treasury made by http://stylinstuff.etsy.com on the Front Page of Etsy!