mymichele's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kindness is a good thing, Axl is a good thing, and yo mama is a good thing Moo. How are my Diaryland friends today? I am stressing out over work because I have a story due on Monday and like I said, people don't really like to call me back anymore. But other than that, I'm looking forward to a pleasant weekend. I called my dad yesterday, and I think it was a productive conversation. He was nice to me, but it might have been because there was someone in the car with him. I knew this guy because I had heard him on the radio before, but thats a whole other story that you don't want to hear about. This dude's banner is really distracting and annoying. I think I might cut and paste so I can look at something else.. geez louise. Ahhh.. much better. Anyway. Back to my dad.. we're going to the horse races on Sunday, so we'll see how that goes. I haven't seen him in a long time. And I haven't seen my puppy man either, and that's not good. I lurrve me some puppy man. BB and I are going to go get him fit for a tuxedo tonight. That excites me in strange ways. I've never seen him in a tuxedo the 4 1/2 years we've been together, so that should be an interesting experience. Giggle! I was reviewing stuff and I stumbled upon greatness. You should go check this chick out because she really kinda rocks. And her message in my guestbook reminded me of something. When I check my stats, I see that 295 people have read my Guns N Roses spiritual journey. And that makes me happy! Because it was an important event in my life and I'm glad I can share it with so many people. If you haven't read it yet, you should. Cuz I thought it was good stuff. I'm tired. I wanna go back to sleep. Damn waking up for school and work.. who ever thought of that should be shot. Speaking of work, my Operation Kindness story is on the front page today, which excites me. I'm going to share it with you because I am proud of it. So, here ya go. ________________________________________ Two dogs, one deaf and the other blind, are taken for a walk at Operation Kindness by staff member Cynthia Fairchild. The dogs were injured by a burglar who came into the dogs� home and threw acid on the defenseless animals. This is just one of the many stories that the 10,000-square-foot Carrollton animal shelter holds. There is a story for each of the 210 animals that the shelter cares for at any given time, as well as the 5,000 dogs and cats that are adopted each year. This is what draws Fairchild into working at the non-profit, no-kill shelter. �I love the animals,� she said. �That�s the only reason why I get up and go to work. It�s not for the pay.� The shelter has advocated animal rights since it opened in 1976. It is run entirely on donations, adoptions, merchandise and fund-raising events. Opened in July 1999, the facility is dedicated for Dallas philanthropists Sarah M. and Charles E. Seay. They gave $1 million towards construction in the name of their schnauzer, Dulce. The organization is the largest of its kind in the Dallas area. Before taking home a dog or cat, new owners must get their new pets neutered or spayed first. This is not only a requirement of the state of Texas, but it also helps keep the population of animals under control. While it doesn�t cost anything to adopt a dog or cat, Operation Kindness asks for a minimum donation upon adoption. For a kitten or cat, the group asks for $100, and for a puppy or dog, $115. This donation pays for spaying or neutering, an ID collar and tag, a leash or carrier, and various vaccinations. Lori Myrick, an adoption counselor and also a member of the board of directors, helps with the fund-raising events, including the wine tasting fund-raiser which takes place in November. People donate gift certificates and wine and food. It�s our largest fund-raiser of the year. Over 500 people came, and we made over $35,000.� The shelter gets many different kinds of donations. A grieving pet owner who had to have his dog put to sleep brought the dog�s toys and food for the shelter. The shelter also receives money from spaying and neutering. Donation boxes are all across the Metroplex. The group also has a program in which, for $50, a donor can name a dog or cat. The donor will then receive a birth certificate bearing the dog or cat�s new name. Money from donations is needed for food, shelter and medical care for the animals. The only cost for a new pet is a fee for spaying and neutering. Since Operation Kindness does not kill animals, it�s popular among animal lovers. Sherie Ehrichs brought in a puppy to Operation Kindness. She wasn�t happy about it, but the shelter�s policy against killing made the decision a little easier for her, she said. She already has two dogs and a baby on the way, so she knew it was the right choice to make, she said. �I cried so much over this puppy,� she said. �I wanted to make sure she had a good home. This is a no-kill facility, and that�s important to me.� Ehrichs found the puppy in Sherman, where it was wandering around, looking for food. She didn�t name the puppy because she didn�t want to get too attached to it. �She�s my little girl,� Ehrics said. �She likes to be held like a baby. Under a different situation, this would be my dog.� Fairchild, who has a dog at home that she found at the shelter, gets used to growing attached to the dogs, she said. �After working here for so long, it gets easier,� she said. �It�s always hard to see them go, though. But it�s also a happy thing, because you know they have a good home.� 9:36 a.m. - April 19, 2002 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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