Helping Pets Without A Home

I'm betting you have a PetSmart nearby. If you find a spare hour this weekend or next, pack up the dog or brave kitty and head out to that local PetSmart and get yourself a cute keepsake of your furry pal with Santa, read details HERE . Honestly, I've never been a fan of photos with the big man in the red suit but this is for a good cause. For each picture purchased, PetSmart donates $5.00 to a local animal rescue league. Even better donate your time for this fun event. The materialism of the upcoming holiday season has been bumming me out more and more as each year passes and I've been feeling all grinch-like and honestly just want to skip the whole holiday spending thing, you know?

So, instead of shopping (which I despise) or cleaning cat boxes (which isn't nearly as unpleasant as shopping), I spent an hour or so last Sunday collecting donations at the door for the local Humane Society and handing out flyers for the event. It was painful because I'm shy but I'm also a people watcher and was fascinated by the differing reactions when I started my meek little plea for cash and people spied my collection basket. I met some very sweet, generous people as well as more than my fair share of rude folks. But the best part of the day was spent helping out (okay, mostly watching) the dogs get photographed with Santa. It was so much fun meeting the dogs (no cats showed during my shift), many in little holiday outfits! One family even brought several changes of clothes for her good natured labrador to try on. Too cute! I very much recommend this event if you have a relatively well behaved pal. I only dared to bring one of my three dogs, the pee-er and the the barker were left at home, but it's a picture we'll enjoy forever.