Notes from the Editors
Janice Brown,
Founder and Editorial Director
The holiday season evokes a myriad of emotions and memories for people, and it is no different here in our office. We have been all smiles lately, reminiscing about days past, and looking forward to those yet to come with much excitement.
This month we turn 49 (in dog years!). Amazingly, we’ve been making our way into the hearts and homes of pet lovers for seven years, and have enjoyed every moment of it.
We are also celebrating the big five-o; this is our golden issue. It’s amazing to see how much we’ve changed since our debut (check out page 17 to see how far we’ve come).
Our family has grown quite a bit over the years and today we reach well over a million and a half pet lovers every month. With this issue we welcome our newest readers in New York City and Los Angeles. Adding these cities is a major milestone for us, and the positive energy has been flowing since we announced our launch.
This magazine means a lot to me. It means a lot to our staff. However, it means the most for the animals. In the short time we’ve been publishing Tails, we have accomplished a great deal. We have put in the photos and descriptions of more than 1,300 adoptable animals. We have listed over 5,000 free event listings for nonprofit organizations. We publish the most comprehensive and up-to-date national animal resource database in the country. And nothing warms my heart more than to know the information we put out there is helping communities. We receive countless emails with upbeat stories of adoption, rescue, and other ways in which the magazine has contributed to happy endings.
I thank you for your continued support of the magazine and for the animals. We could not do it without you. Together I am confident we can continue to make a difference.
Wishing you happy, healthy holidays and all the best for 2008.
Jason A. Heidemann,
Executive Editor
My buddy Lane recently adopted a Pit Bull named Leia. A friend of his could no longer care for her, so Lane took the dog in. On the outside, this big and stocky former bouncer and his lean and energetic Pit Bull look like quite the formidable pair.
I was at Lane’s house one evening during Leia’s feeding time. At one point he reached for the drawer that contained her dinner. My stereotype several years ago of a Pit Bull and his person was such that I would’ve expected him to reach for a raw steak and a severed human hand. Instead, he pulled out an assortment of healthy and holistic food items for her to enjoy, including vitamins that he mixed in with her meal. Not only are this Pit Bull and her person two big softies—but they’ve also gone organic.
It made me think of the mission and the principles upon which Tails was founded seven years ago and how times have changed. Our original goal was to cultivate an awareness of the animals whose world we share and to instill respect for and appreciation of companion animals. I think my friend Lane—and people everywhere—are doing that. Not only has he chosen not to stereotype Leia based on breed, but he also cares about her enough to give her only the very best.
It is also our goal at Tails to empower the community to become a part of the solution to problems such as pet overpopulation, unnecessary euthanasia, and injustices like dogfighting. Part of the way we fulfill this mission is by providing content both online and in print that empowers you—the reader—to become educated and involved. But we’ve also established the Tails to the Rescue Fund, a program that directly impacts pets and their people in need.
As we enter 2008, we look forward to bringing you more stories that illuminate the bond between pets and their people. We also look forward to presenting practical ways you can make a difference for the companion animals that share our homes and lives with us.
Happy holidays!
Founder and Editorial Director
The holiday season evokes a myriad of emotions and memories for people, and it is no different here in our office. We have been all smiles lately, reminiscing about days past, and looking forward to those yet to come with much excitement.
This month we turn 49 (in dog years!). Amazingly, we’ve been making our way into the hearts and homes of pet lovers for seven years, and have enjoyed every moment of it.
We are also celebrating the big five-o; this is our golden issue. It’s amazing to see how much we’ve changed since our debut (check out page 17 to see how far we’ve come).
Our family has grown quite a bit over the years and today we reach well over a million and a half pet lovers every month. With this issue we welcome our newest readers in New York City and Los Angeles. Adding these cities is a major milestone for us, and the positive energy has been flowing since we announced our launch.
This magazine means a lot to me. It means a lot to our staff. However, it means the most for the animals. In the short time we’ve been publishing Tails, we have accomplished a great deal. We have put in the photos and descriptions of more than 1,300 adoptable animals. We have listed over 5,000 free event listings for nonprofit organizations. We publish the most comprehensive and up-to-date national animal resource database in the country. And nothing warms my heart more than to know the information we put out there is helping communities. We receive countless emails with upbeat stories of adoption, rescue, and other ways in which the magazine has contributed to happy endings.
I thank you for your continued support of the magazine and for the animals. We could not do it without you. Together I am confident we can continue to make a difference.
Wishing you happy, healthy holidays and all the best for 2008.
Jason A. Heidemann,
Executive Editor
My buddy Lane recently adopted a Pit Bull named Leia. A friend of his could no longer care for her, so Lane took the dog in. On the outside, this big and stocky former bouncer and his lean and energetic Pit Bull look like quite the formidable pair.
I was at Lane’s house one evening during Leia’s feeding time. At one point he reached for the drawer that contained her dinner. My stereotype several years ago of a Pit Bull and his person was such that I would’ve expected him to reach for a raw steak and a severed human hand. Instead, he pulled out an assortment of healthy and holistic food items for her to enjoy, including vitamins that he mixed in with her meal. Not only are this Pit Bull and her person two big softies—but they’ve also gone organic.
It made me think of the mission and the principles upon which Tails was founded seven years ago and how times have changed. Our original goal was to cultivate an awareness of the animals whose world we share and to instill respect for and appreciation of companion animals. I think my friend Lane—and people everywhere—are doing that. Not only has he chosen not to stereotype Leia based on breed, but he also cares about her enough to give her only the very best.
It is also our goal at Tails to empower the community to become a part of the solution to problems such as pet overpopulation, unnecessary euthanasia, and injustices like dogfighting. Part of the way we fulfill this mission is by providing content both online and in print that empowers you—the reader—to become educated and involved. But we’ve also established the Tails to the Rescue Fund, a program that directly impacts pets and their people in need.
As we enter 2008, we look forward to bringing you more stories that illuminate the bond between pets and their people. We also look forward to presenting practical ways you can make a difference for the companion animals that share our homes and lives with us.
Happy holidays!
