In my research for finding my place in the animal advocacy movement, I realized that I needed to find a way to raise money to fund my goals in order to make any kind of a difference. I came up with http://www.bookphilosophy.com, based on selling low-cost books on Amazon. I started off with my own extensive collection, traded bricks for books on Craigslist, as well as friends and family donating their books. I've also purchased books from local consignment shops, yard sales and even in lots on Ebay. It is still in the phase of trying to just break even, but I hope to someday open a physical location and possibly even do a catalog of some sort. I am trying to find a way to get more people to donate books to this effort. I'm studying how to become a non-profit, so that is in the works. I am also reading Nathan Winograd's Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America, which accelerated the whole No Kill Movement in order to gain an understanding of what needs to be done and how to go about doing it.
Other ventures:
- Donating a portion of my purchases & sales on Ebay to Spay Baton Rouge
- I recently began a part-time position with Neighbors Magazine selling advertising and have pledged half of my commission (10% of the cost of an ad) to the No Kill Baton Rouge Initiative launched by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation.
- Selling items in my Etsy Shop, The Vintage Kitty
If you would like to donate your used books, craft supplies or vintage items please contact me or you can make a monetary donation below.
This project just began July 2010 in an effort to take on the extremely high euthanasia rate here in Baton Rouge. I have volunteered at several different shelters, beginning in Jacksonville, NC (a military town) where animals were "put down" if they were at the "shelter" for one full week. I was a member of the group S.H.E.L.L. (Students Helping Earth Live Longer) at Coastal Carolina Community College. I held the office of Reporter and as such was given the assignment to take on a cause. Mine, of course, was to help the animals. I visited the pound (a better title than "shelter" in this case, in my opinion) each week and photographed animals that were up to be euthanised (that's the polite term pounds use instead of saying "killed"). I would post these pictures on a prominent bulletin board at my school and put them in the school newsletter. It was a small contribution, but it did get some of the animals adopted. Meanwhile, I made it a point to visit EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL in that place (that I was allowed to, some were in quarantine for diseases like rabies or were very aggressive) to give them a bit of love knowing I would perhaps be the last bit of compassion they'd have on this earth. It broke my heart to know they were going to die and I wanted to save them all.
When I moved back home to Louisiana, I spent some time volunteering for Cat Haven and CAAWS (Capital Area Animal Welfare Society), and the Denham Springs Animal Shelter.
I am drawn to helping animals. My passion is to do my part to end their suffering. I am not a zealot. I am not a vegetarian or vegan or any of that (although I do admire people who are). I do not put animal rights in front of human rights. I just feel a certain fondness for them and their plight. I want to make a difference in what happens to them. They are innocent creatures who have no way of standing up for themselves. I leave you with my all time favorite quote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” ~Margaret Mead |
No comments:
Post a Comment