In praise of taking it to the street .....

I love getting together with good friends for coffee!   Solving all the worlds' problems with the phone snugged into our shoulders while doing dishes is just not the same!
Lets face it ...multimedia might allow us to stay in touch, but there  is simply no substitute for the 'real thing'!  It is the difference between connecting and actually engaging on a personal level, eh?
That is why I am such an advocate of offsite adoption events.   Even the best petfinder photos cannot hold a candle to the personal appeal every pet has.  
What was the first thing I noticed about Henry?  Was it is handsome self?  Close .. but no cigar!   What really made an impression was that he was so responsive to every single thing that I said!  In other words, we had a chance to connect in a way that no petfinder photo would have allowed us to do!
One of the most savvy fundraisers that I have seen around is the monthly Dog Walk that East Coast German Shepherd Rescue puts on.   It is a brilliant in its simplicity!  No set up.  No tear down.  No rental.  No auction items to track.   Just pay a small fee and have a wonderful walk with like minded folks.
It really is frosting on the cake that it is also a fantastic opportunity to meet some of the adorable adoptables in their care!  Like a lovely little 'sneak preview' before putting in an application!
For any inquiring minds that want to know ... the next one is scheduled for this Sunday, Feb 19th at 11 am at the Salt Marsh Trail!
If you live in the valley, this weekend CAPS is coming back to the Greenwood Mall this Saturday (Feb 18th)!  They will be there from 11 am until 3pm and are bringing some of their beautiful kitties!  The foster pawrents will be there to answer any questions interested folks might have.   
It will also be a great opportunity to talk to the volunteers for anyone who has been wondering if it would be a good fit for them!
If you live in the Sydney area, this Saturday, Feb 18th,  the Friends of the Sydney SPCA will be back at the Mayflower Mall from 11 am till 3 pm with adorable adoptables in tow!   As I understand it that legendary big fat bank account actually turned out to be a huge deficit dripping with unpaid bills ... so they are wise to bring along the best four footed fundraisers to be found anywhere!
And before the keyboards catch on fire ...  even though it is not an adoption event per se, this is also the weekend of the GPAC Doggie Expo ... where nobody tries to pretend that changing sponsors from one dog food company that supports rescue to another one that does the same is about anything other than money.
What time is it?  Clearly ... this weekend in Nova Scotia it will be a good time to meet adorable adoptables and the wonderful kind hearts that rescue them!