A Note from Janice Brown, Founder
The
butterfly effect is a popular theory stemming from a paper that Edward Lorenz
wrote for the New York Academy of Sciences in 1963. He said that a butterfly
flapping her wings in
In times of dirty politics, sensational
news headlines, and unsafe streets, it can be easy to get caught up in how “bad”
the world is. I will never forget a time I was in a parking lot and saw a man
in another car open his door and begin dumping garbage onto the black top. I
approached him and inquired about what he was doing, and why he was not using a
garbage can (which was about 10 feet away). He yelled some obscenities at me,
and then told me that he was actually helping,
because they pay people to clean up the parking lot and if he didn’t dump his
trash, the employees would have nothing to do.
It’s amazing to me how some people’s minds
work. This stranger’s actions made a lasting impression on me. It’s clear there
needs to be a shift in thinking about our roles in this world.
The animal advocacy community often talks
about how many animals are killed each year due to lack of adequate shelter
space, insufficient funds within municipal and privately run shelters, or the
numerous hardships that homeless animals (and the people working to take care
of them) face each day. And while it is essential to know what we’re up against—and
to keep track of the numbers so we can measure progress and results—we need to
make a concerted effort to look for the positives, as well. The fact that a magazine
such as ours, promoting rescue and adoption, has continued to gain readers and
increase in size says a lot about you, the public. Luckily, we’re able to do
what we do because there is a demand for the voice for homeless animals to be
heard.
That’s why I am always excited to present
our annual Rescue and Adoption Issue. This is our fifth year to focus on the
sweet animals who are in shelters waiting to find loving homes, and to
celebrate the people who work in the wonderful community of animal welfare. Every
day, I hear stories about people who took in a stray animal, donated money to a
shelter, adopted a special-needs or older animal who was close to being
euthanized, or drove an animal six hours across state to tag-team with another
breed-rescue volunteer who escorted a dog to his new home. All of these acts
may seem small in the scheme of things, but in reality, it is the little things
that we all do day to day that add up.
The next time you stop to pet an animal,
write a check (no matter how large or small) to an animal group, or even if you
just decide to take your dog around the block one more time for an extra long
walk, you are impacting something else in the world…maybe even as far away as
Brazil!
If you remember one thing from this issue,
please remember this: Most animals are not in shelters because they are bad
animals. In fact, nearly all of the reasons pets are relinquished have to do
with their humans, not them. Excuses like: I’m moving, I’m getting married, I
got a new job, someone in my family has allergies, I’m pregnant, etc. are just
some of the popular phrases that animal welfare workers hear over and over
again. Animals are not pieces of furniture. They are not disposable. Bringing
an animal into your life is a longtime commitment that should be made
carefully, with the same time and attention as other major life decisions receive.
I realize that if you are reading this
magazine, there’s a good chance you already know this, and believe the same thing
I do. So I’m asking each of you to pass this issue on to friends, co-workers,
family, and others in your life who may be thinking about getting a companion
animal. Please be sure that they understand the seriousness of that choice, and
that shelters and other rescue groups have some of the best animals on the
planet. Please explain the benefits of adoption, and don’t let people buy
animals from a pet store when there are so many loveable animals waiting for
good homes.
It’s
almost beach weather! Happy Spring
Janice Brown
jb@ChicagolandTails.com
