Wednesday, June 16, 2010

What a FANTASTIC Idea!!


PAMPER A POOCH

A holiday in the Cayman Islands really can be a walk in the park, thanks to a new scheme called “Doggie’s Day Out” started by the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman in association with the Human Society.

Twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays, the five star resort, located on Seven Mile Beach, takes on two dogs from the Humane Society and offers its guests the chance to walk them in return for a US$25 donation to the Society. The scheme isn’t only open to resort guests however, and visitors from all over the island are queuing up for their turn.

The programme was started by the Housekeeping Manager who happens to own a veteran from the Humane Society, named Charlie. Together with the engineering team, she designed a walk around the resort’s Blue Tip Golf Course and the North Sound Club which provides plenty of shady locations for resting between walks.

The scheme is also helping to find homes for the dogs, as people become attached to their dogs and choose to adopt them. The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman is investing in ‘Adopt Me’ leads and offers free grooming for any dog that gets adopted to ensure they are in good shape for their new home – or possibly for their flight back to Canada.

For information on the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman visit
www.ritzcarlton.com and for more information about The Humane Society of the Cayman Islands see www.caymanhumanesociety.com

As you remember, my parents and I visited the Cayman Island Humane Society last June while staying on the island. We had so much fun meeting all of the staff and very cute dogs and cats available for adoption! Here are some pictures from last year:


Kudos to the the Ritz-Carlton organization for helping out these innocent and super cute doggies find their forever homes and of course encourage their guests to adopt rather than purchase. This program will encourage hundreds to re-think the type of dogs that are currently at animal shelters either on the island or back in their home countries! This is a happy story that makes me feel much more positive after the previous post today!

xoxox
nicole

Just Not Fair

All the cats and kittens who are shown in this video died this morning at my local shelter due to lack of space. This video needs to be shown to ALL individuals who refuse to spay or neuter their pets and/or think it would be beneficial for their female to get pregnant to educate their children on birth! COMPLETE IGNORANCE!


I am sorry I am ranting but I am just so sick of the same thing over and over again. It really doesn't ever end!

xoxxo to all the pets sleeping in a shelter tonight
Nicole

Sunday, June 13, 2010

My Gardens Are Complete!

Yay!! I wanted to share with you some brand new pictures of my gardens in my backyard. Last year I started a butterfly garden in hopes of attracting some rare and beautiful monarchs that frequent Southern Ontario in the summer months. In April all of the perennials I planted last year started coming back and now they are HUGE and flowering! I was so proud of "Bambi's Butterfly Garden" (hahaha) that I decided to extend it and plant some additional native flowers/plants. In addition to the sneezeweed, butterfly milkweed and snakeroot that I planted last summer, I have also now added some black eyed susans and other various "butterfly plants" that will hopefully attract them to my garden!

*Bambi's Butterfly Garden*

For the first time ever I have also completed my very own Organic Vegetable Garden!! Yay I am sooooo proud of it! Yesterday I headed over to Toronto's sustainable Evergreen Brick Works organization and picked up some organic cucumber, bell pepper and tomato plants which I planted this morning! Here's to hoping that all my little veggies grow nice and big and I can enjoy some beautiful organic salads on the deck this summer! Not only am I so proud of my little gardens but it is also very sustainable and helpful to the environment. Growing my own organic veggies will prevent unwanted trips to the grocery store and not to mention all of the polluting miles it takes for one tomato to make it from the farm to the fork! Also, my butterfly garden has enabled me to plant native species which will benefit the local environment and provide a home and food for other little bee's, animals and insects.

*Gizmo's Organic Vegetable Garden*

xoxoxox
nicole

Saturday, June 5, 2010

A Happy Story Amongst Tragedy

We have all been dealing with so much sadness and frustration lately with the devastating Gulf Oil Spill. For those of you like myself who feel helpless in that situation I wanted to share an uplifting and heartwarming story about two lions that have been rescued from a Bolivian circus and brought to live out their golden years at an anima sanctuary in California. The rescue was funded by animal lover Bob Barker and organized by Animal Defenders International. Please enjoy the video, I know I did!




xoxox
nicole