June 6, 2011
Facebook has a great tool for Page admins that allows them to see what is happening on their pages; I thought I’d share what’s happened on our page in the last month, from January 1, 2011 to now, and since I first launched the Page on Facebook in April 2009. As you can see, with more than 27,000 subscribers to the Pawsitively Texas Facebook page, we’ve been able to get the messages out to more than 5 million post views in the past month. Pretty fantastic! From January 1, 2011 through June 4, we’ve had more than 24 million post views. And since I first launched the Pawsitively Texas page on Facebook, we’ve had more than 44 million post views. Even more fantastic! I always say it takes a village, and the folks that network here on Pawsitively Texas are true miracle workers.
I’m sharing these numbers because I know much of the time, many of us feel helpless that we can’t do more. But please never forget that something as simple as stopping by the page a few minutes a day and sharing a few pets in need is one of the most cost-effective, little-time-required, activities you can do to help animals in need, fundraise, or raise awareness for the plight of shelter pets!
People often ask me how many pets have been saved due to the networking here on Pawsitively Texas page, and I can’t answer that. One, I don’t track it, because as MUCH as I celebrate the ones we save, I am deeply grieved by the ones we can’t save. Deeply. Like many of you, I often lose sleep over it. Also, there is truly no way to track since the networking that occurs here is a true “pebble in the pond” ripple effect! When people see a post here and Reshare to their page, then several on their network see the post from their friend or family member, are touched and inspired to Reshare on their page, … and on, and on it goes. I know statistics have their place, such as I’m sharing today, but at the same time, I’d rather focus my energy on networking pets and finding ways to help Animal Rescue groups, than trying to keep up with the impossible task of tracking save statistics.
I love to see and share the good news posts of pet adoptions and rescues (please don’t forget to share them with us!!!) and I love that so many of you believe in the vision I had for Pawsitively Texas and have supported it as you have!!!
I know things in Texas, and across the USA, MUST change. It is simply immoral to treat the precious animals so with so little compassion creating the problems we all work to eliminate. So please, stay in this “fight” to help the animals with us, and tell others!
I continually ask … “How can we do more?” “How can I help the Rescue groups more?” So please share your ideas with me! And I hope you will continue to tell others about Pawsitively Texas and invite them to subscribe to this blog (see the “subscribe to follow” link in right column) and join us on our Facebook page!
Networking is a powerful tool we have to save the lives of the precious animals that depend on us so. Please continue to invite friends, family, and colleagues to join us here on Pawsitively Texas! And if you haven’t already, add your email address to our subscription box in the upper right column – you’ll be notified when new blog posts are published here (that’s all, no spam from us!).
Great article and post! Thanks again for all your help with FHS!
More fosters. We desperately need more fosters, or at least some kind of system to get the animals out of danger and into a place where they can be adopted in a low stress, healthy environment.
“How can we do more?”
Fundraiser’s .. Fundraiser’s.. Fundraiser’s..
That’s all I can say about that. It’s all to often we hear about the no kill shelters being full, out of food, in desperate need of something… and the kill shelters being full… having to euthanize animals because there’s just no space. So get involved and start a fundraiser! Or do what you can by donating much needed items to your local shelter / rescue groups (ex. cat food, dog food, kitty litter, toys, bones, treats, blankets)
About twice a year when I have extra money piled up, when I go to the store to stock up on my own pet supplies, I double or triple what I’m buying. I fill up my trunk with cat food, dog food, treats, and kitty litter because I know that’s something that’s always needed. Then I take it all to the Second Chance (no kill shelter) over in Killeen. I know as a single individual I probably only get them enough food stuffs to last a week (if they’re lucky lol) but at least I’m trying to do something.
And that’s just barely doing anything. If you’re a member of a special group see about doing a bake sale, car wash, craft table, marathon, etc to raise money and awareness in your neighborhood for the critters in need. If allowed, ask your local group for some official lists of whats needed or pictures of the pets in need, and go door to door.. or to local business’s and ask if you can put up a donation jar with all the proceeds going to your shelter or rescue group. Or even start your own group to raise money to help get the lower income family’s pets spayed/neutered and their yearly shots.
Other things to do? VOLUNTEER!!! An extra set of helping hands to cuddle with the animals, walk them, play with them, socialize them, etc is ALWAYS welcomed!
Write to your congress representatives.. or your statesmen.. and demand for better laws and funding for the animals in need or to stop animal cruelty in your state.
Take time to go to your own local shelter and post pictures of those waiting hopefully to be adopted. Networking gets the word out, and not every shelter does it.
Try to get your city to convert to a no kill city. It’s hard, but it is possible!
Boycott (when permissable) the people that breed puppies for profit. Write your newspaper(s) or local news stations and ask that a story be done on all the homeless pets while there’s people trying to make a quick buck with “pure-breds”.
The only way to make a real difference is to care enough to do something…anything…and there’s millions of ways to do so.
Anyways, that’s my rant and reply 🙂 If you or anyone you know need some ideas on fundraising for your neighborhood, I’m more then happy to help out!
Great stuff, Nicole! Thanks! I believe there is something everyone can do, we all just have to find our niche!
I think the biggest need is politically. We need to get our representatives to do more to protect the animals and then enforce the penalties. I think that would be a full time job. Why isn’t someone working on that? I guess I could point the finger to myself….