Word has it that Best Friends has asked Willie Nelson to do a national TV spot aimed at dogfighting in Georgia.  Watch for it - please let me know if you happen to see it - perhaps my Georgia friends will have the privilege of seeing it first.  Not much time to watch TV but I'd like to know how it goes over.

      Animal lovers need to know about Best Friends - www.bestfriends.org

      This organization provides a viable way for us to get involved (if so moved) and the work done touches the depth of this nation as well as other countries.  I've given the warning before, if you truly love animals, go to this web site only when you have the time to spend because it is hard to tear away from.  The site is also updated frequently.  The networking aspect of the site allows every person in every state to participate and there are tons of ways to get involved, whether it's dogfighting in GA or devastation in another country.  Best Friends is 1 of only a handful of worldwide animal organizations permitted on foreign soil in disasters solely to help displaced, injured and endangered animals, domestic and otherwise. 

  I think the average person (not unlike me) looks at some of the terrible things going on and thinks it is too overwhelming and too terrible for one person to make a difference.  In order to combat this, my personal philosophy is one animal at a time.  On the web site, there are wish lists, both a primary one and then individual ones for different rescues in progress (if you only love birds of prey, it's here to choose).  The things they need range from batteries to incubators.  They need heavy duty work gloves, survey tape measures, toys, treats, specialized things for every kind of domestic animal - all kinds of things and if you can only send 1 thing, it's 1 more they have to make a difference for animals.  I think the area they lack the most in contribution is for the efforts concentrated on disaster rescues, but there is no need unimportant.

    I also think most animal lovers have that secret wish in their heart to be able to alleviate the suffering we see every day in our own back yards.  Best Friends has successfully pulled together an organization that is making a difference.  They do it 1 volunteer at a time, 1 donation at a time and 1 animal at a time.

      You can also choose only to support efforts on USA soil - no problem.  In disasters, it has been repeatedly demonstrated that some people, unable to evacuate with their pets choose to stay and potentially die.  Those fortunate enough to get out have to agonize about possessions and pets.  Best Friends volunteers walk right into these disasters (fly, swim, wade and tunnel) and therefore also provide a benefit to the suffering of humans. 

      I guess my one of my primary philanthropic directions will be easy to guess when I hit the big one