RememberMeThursday is September 28th

*This is a sponsored post. The pack and I received a box of goodies from Helen Woodward Animal Center in exchange for spreading awareness about adoptable animals waiting in shelters. All opinions and words expressed here are mine and the pack's!We write because we think what we have to say will have some value and interest to our readers. There are no affiliate links in this post.

When I attended BlogPaws in Myrtle Beach this past May (at the beginning of summer!), I was fortunate to meet up with the folks from Helen Woodward Animal Center. At first, I thought their Remember Me Thursday campaign focused on memorials for lost pets, but I quickly learned that the pets they are remembering are the ones stuck at shelters throughout the U.S. waiting for someone to adopt them and give them the lives they deserve, safe and secure; loved and cared for; forever.

To help spread awareness for the #RememberMeThursday #RememberTheRescue campaigns, they were kind enough to send me a blogger's kit so I can help them with their campaign. I shot some video of me unboxing the kit, and you can watch that below.




I've been rescuing pets ever since I was a child. Too many pets to count. You can see my past pets on the Traveling Dog Lady website: Dogs are here; cats are here. This is just to give you an idea of how long I've been actively rescuing adoptable and unwanted pets -- even before it became "trendy".

Everybody already knows the stories of both Charlie Brown and Cooper, my current dogs that came to Massachusetts from Tennessee via Great Dog Rescue of New England. GDRNE is an organization that is near and dear to my heart. I volunteer for them, processing intake forms for dogs about to be transported to New England from southern states where there are high-kill shelters. We are fortunate to live in Massachusetts, because there are few (if any) kill shelters here. Great Dog is a shelterless rescue, which means that all dogs go immediately into foster homes. Litters get fostered together, with their mama dog, until they are weaned and ready for adoption. Because of my unique volunteer position, I get to see every dog that's on its way up to New England before anyone else. Let me tell you it is so hard not to want to adopt every single last one of them! Not only are they cute, cute, cute, but their stories tug at my heart every time. Even the littlest ones who usually arrive here as a whole litter, just like my hounds did nearly 6 years ago.

My rescued tripawd, Cooper, wants you to #RememberTheRescue 

Then, there are the cats. Again, you probably know the story of my three current cats, Cali, Tux and Newman. They were all motherless kittens that my friend's daughter found on three separate occasions. It is unclear whether they are related, or not. Since they were all found at approximately the same time, one would think they are related, but apparently they were found in three different locations. In any case, she bottle fed them, and was going to keep them, but then she realized she was having her own (human) baby, and they didn't want cats in the house with the baby for whatever reason. When asked if I wanted to adopt ONE of them, I told her I'd take all three.... sight unseen! It's hard to believe they are eight years old already. Seniors!?  These are just three of the DOZENS of cats I've rescued and shared my life with. Yes, I was a crazy cat lady before I became a crazy dog lady. Although, I have had both dogs and cats my entire life.

But I can't adopt them all, and that's where you come in. Help raise awareness for the plight of forgotten animals in shelters by participating in the #RememberMeThursday campaign on September 28, 2017. Use the hashtag #RememberMeThursday and #RememberTheRescue when sharing about the event with your friends and followers.

I write to save lives!
Counting down to #RememberMeThursday on the left side of my computer screen.
On the right is PetPoint, the database for dog and puppy intakes for Great Dog Rescue of N.E.
Framed photos of all my dogs, including Hector (l) and Hobie (r) give me encouragement while I work.
The current dogs just bark the whole time I'm working. lol

Don't forget to enter the #RememberTheRescue photo contest! Winnings go to your chosen shelter. The contest is on now, through September 30th, and you can find out more details here. 

Join us in lighting up social media on September 28th. Use the hashtags mentioned above, and light a candle for the forgotten animals that need everyone's help. You can light a virtual candle or a real one, or one of the handy battery-operated candles as shown in my video.

So, mark your calendar for September 28th, 

and join the contest today! 

^^ Kitty looks like Tux!! ^^

A Tribute to My Dog on his Gotcha Day

Today marks 17 years since Hobie's "gotcha day" (the day I adopted him).

Gotcha Day!

Of course, he's been gone two years now, and I miss him every day. He was the canine love of my life. Charlie and Cooper fill Hobie and Hector's "shoes" (paws) as well as they can, but there will never be another Hobie and Hector. They were the dynamic dog duo!

Best friends for ever!

Tails entwined in love! 

When I met Hobie, it was truly love at first sight. I had to make it look good, so I told the people who brought him to see me that I needed to take him for a walk before deciding. Of course, I had decided the moment we locked eyes -- he was my dog. I had waited a lifetime for him. I was 40 years old, and had somehow not given birth to human children. I had imagined a little girl with blonde hair would be my kid, but the universe had other plans. Hobie got plopped in front of me. He wasn't a female, but he sure was blond! For some reason, I felt that he was my canine soul mate. I still feel that way today, about him. I loved him so much, it was almost inappropriate! He filled a void in my life, and I am forever grateful to him for not only filling up my empty heart, but also leading me on this journey of writing about my dogs.

On the bed in Cape Cod!

Asleep on my lap!

In the yard on Cape Cod!

I'm still waiting for the rain and cold to subside before putting the little garden plaque I bought to memorialize him in our back yard, which we dubbed "The Timba Memorial Park" after my black Lab, Timba, who passed away in the back yard in 2001.

Timba at her favorite place: Thompson Pond. She taught Hobie how to swim and "go fishin'"!

Hector at Thompson Pond. I always said he was Timba, reincarnated!

Timba, "fishing" in Thompson Pond

Hobie "fishing" in Thompson Pond

Timba was 17 years old (ironically!) when I adopted Hobie, who would be 17 today if he had lived that long. Timba taught Hobie many things, and Hobie himself passed those things along to Charlie Brown and Cooper (and of course, Hector, who left us too soon).

Hobie and Timba in the then-un-named Timba Memorial Park (our back yard). This was Hobie's first day with us!
Timba showed Hobie the ropes, on how to be a Mueller family dog.

And, in turn, Hobie showed Charlie Brown the ropes!

One of the first things I did after I said yes to Hobie's original owners was take him to Petco and get a bunch of supplies. I kept the receipt, all these years! He was so cute in the car with me. He always loved going for car rides after that! All my dogs have been car riders. I wouldn't have it any other way.

"They take a piece of your heart, and never let go."

Pet Adoption: The Numbers Behind the Need #PetAdoption #Petfinder

Doesn't the dog in the photo look like Charlie? I did a double-take. Same markings. The only difference is that bushy tail! What are your thoughts on the numbers behind the need? Does your state have a "no-kill" shelter policy (like we do in Massachusetts, for the most part)? Or is there a high-surrender, high-kill rate? Tell me in the comments below.

Pet Adoption: The Numbers Behind the Need: Developed by Orvis.