Hi, auction people, this is Bella.
You may know me from the posts on social media or the periodic ad campaigns using my likeness.
Truth be told, I’m less than thrilled about being photographed and used for advertising purposes. My understanding when I was led in here on a leash was that I be a greeter of all guests and offer myself up for a belly rub by those who need to feel some love.
But since I’m often used shamelessly for auction promos, I’ve decided to use this platform to bark about something that is important to me. (Mom stepped away from the computer, so I’m taking over!)
Before I was adopted by Heather, I was a guest at the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter.
I was found as a stray in a local trailer park and had been on the street for a few months, scrounging around trash cans and trying to find something to eat and a warm place to lay. It was a lonely, ruff existence.
When I got to CVAS, I got a warm place to sleep and good food handed to me (although I would have preferred a Pup Cup of whipped cream now and then).
CVAS is a great place to stay, but nobody wants to live there furever.
#MakeADogsDay
According to the Shelter Animals Count National Database, in the first half of this year, 1.4 million dogs like me entered shelters across the U.S.
Of those, 991,000 were lucky to find furever homes. (I’ve been told the bigger the dog and older the dog, the harder it is to find a good home.)
I’m so grateful to Heather for bringing me into her life and life at Gateway Gallery Auction, where I get plenty of tummy rubs and treats and still get to scrounge in a trash can now and then (sorry, mom).
But while I’m living my best life, other dogs are still out there at CVAS and other shelters.
Wed., Oct. 22, is National Make a Dogs Day, thanks to the Subaru company.
“Make A Dog’s Day began as a way for Subaru to say thank you to the pets who support us, love us and make our world a better place,” explained Alan Bethke, senior vice president of marketing for Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru has a long history of supporting pets in need. Since 2008 through the Subaru Loves Pets™ initiative, the company has donated more than $42 million to national and local organizations to support the rescue, transport, and adoption of nearly 350,000 pets.
I’m asking you to help make a dog’s day, too.
If you live with a dog, please give it some extra love and treats!
(And I hate to even suggest this, but please make sure your friend is up-to-date on shots, too.)
If you don’t have a dog, could you make room in your life to adopt one from CVAS?
There are lots of great friends there who would love a furever home.
Bella’s Suggestions
CVAS is special to me, so if you could throw them a bone, I’d sure appreciate it.
I asked my friend over at CVAS, Jen Vanderau, what my four-legged friends need.
“The ways to help us are pretty much endless,” she said. “We have a wish list on our website and we’ve had people have donation drives for us.”
She said you could set up a Facebook fundraiser, host a food/lemonade stand, host a yard sale or ask for birthday donations.
She also said they could use volunteers for events or just to help with projects around the building.
My personal favorite suggestion is to provide toys or make/buy treats for the animals at the shelter (maybe even a can of whipped cream?).
Us furry friends are always thankful for treats and toys! It makes us feel loved until we find a family to love us furever.
When you help, please tell them Bella at Gateway Gallery sent you!
Welp, I hear Heather coming back toward her desk, so I gotta run off.
Thanks for anything you can do to Make a Dog’s Day!
–Your faithful friend, Bella
