Be The Good!

Hello lovely friends and happy Monday! I know, I know, those words don’t usually go together, but it is definitely a happy Monday because I am so thankful and excited to be a part of a great cause!

I have been challenged by Jane.com and Cents of Style to #BeTheGood. Challenge accepted! What an awesome opportunity to do something, big or small, for another person. Through this challenge I chose to donate to a cause that is near and dear to my heart – Dog Rescue and Adoption!

Why this charitable act you may ask? Well first and foremost, we rescued our youngest pup, Roger, in December of 2009 and our lives were forever changed by this little fluff ball. At only 5 months old, Roger had already seen two homes and had been surrendered twice. How anyone could give up that sweet face is beyond me, but I am so thankful they had the foresight to realize they could not properly care for him and knew surrendering him was the right move, in the hopes that he would find his furrrrever family.

This cause has two parts that are critical for all to understand. And without being too graphic, it is completely and utterly sickening the kind of animal abuse and cruelty that takes place in our society. From dog fighting and then using smaller breeds as ‘practice’ and bait for larger dogs, makes me cry. WE need to speak up and let our voices be heard because those poor animals, who love their owners unconditionally not matter how they are treated, cannot speak for themselves. We must be their advocates and spread awareness about this inhumane treatment of living and breathing things. Do not look the other way to this kind of horrific behavior. Please PLEASE report any kind of questionable acts. You never know what life you may be saving!

What happens to these animals that have been abused and treated in unthinkable ways? They (hopefully) find their way to a rescue group or shelter, if not euthanized. These AMAZING organizations rehabilitate the animals and get them the medical treatment they so desperately need. It kills me and breaks my soul when I see and hear of many people going to pet shops to purchase animals, especially cats and dogs. There are so many animals that would make purrrrfect pets and they are readily available in large quantities through your local shelter!

We rescued Roger from Little White Dog Rescue and it was truly a wonderful experience. I took comfort in their intense screening and application process, to ensure their dogs were going to homes that would provide the love, care, and kindness they so much deserve. Making a donation in exchange for Roger was by far the easiest $$$ I’ve ever shelled out because I was paying it forward! My donation to LWDR helped pay for surgeries, treatment, Dr.’s visits, medicine, grooming, food, and other miscellaneous costs (that add up quite quickly) for other dogs that were waiting to be placed with their forever family.

CALL TO ACTION: SPREAD AWARENESS. BE EDUCATED. BE PROACTIVE. BE AN ADVOCATE!

I challenge all of you to take a part in this movement and spread goodness throughout! I also personally challenge Amy from My Soapbox Moment and Michelle from Adventure Culture! Good luck my friends… you have 24hrs to complete a service or act of kindness. See below for details:

Choose a good deed. Could be as simple as paying for the coffee after yours.
Share your goods. Pick your favorite social channel (Facebook, Instagram, Vine, Twitter, etc.), but first, make sure to take a selfie (or something appropriate to your story), and share your story, big or small. Be sure to use these hashtags to help this campaign spread: #BeTheGood #JaneCares and #CentsofStyle. You’ll see your story featured at http://Jane.com/bethegood
Tag 1-5 of your friends to do the same within a 24 hr period.
Look stylish while doing it!com and Cents of Style are selling some super cute #BeTheGood t-shirts on Jane.com. All profits made will be donated to Girls Inc. an organization that inspires girls to be strong, smart and bold.