Pledging open for Santa Cause for Paws

Santa Cause for Paws is an initiative where boxes of simple items are pledged and donated to shelter animals.

Every year new beneficiaries are chosen so that various animal sanctuaries have a chance to benefit from much needed donations.  Not only do the items like a can of food, a blanket, something useful etc help make a furry heart happy, it also brings to attention the amount of orphaned animals waiting at shelters for a new family.

Pledging is open so get your school, your workplace, your community involved but remember that when pledging it's also your duty to complete the pledge and drop off the boxes.  There is a huge list of drop off areas to make it easier for you.

If you can't pledge a box, Santa Cause for Paws more than welcomes donations which are used to make up boxes.

For more information on Santa Cause for Paws as well as what is needed in your area go to: Santa Cause For Paws

For a list of what to pack (furry kids require a lot less than human kids) click on your area and click on the What to Pack menu at the top.  Here is an example from the JHB/PTA area:

Optional Staff item is your choice but adding a packet of sweets, or a bottle of cream, anything that can be used by the staff is always highly appreciated. These items are for the staff at the animal sanctuaries as a Thank You for everything they do for the animals.

PLEASE NOTE: pay attention to the right hand side which shows how many boxes are needed for which animals i.e. kitten, puppy, adult dog, adult cat.

People usually buy more for kittens and puppies but the adult animals also need boxes so please consider them as the target for kittens and puppies may already have been filled.

For kittens and puppies, make certain that food and toys are appropriate for the young ones.

For dogs, rather buy biscuits (besides a can of food) than bones or hooves as they make choke on these.

Two things Yum - example, biscuits and a can of food
Something warm - a blanket
Something fun - a toy
Something useful - example a bowl, a leash, flea powder, shampoo, pet brush etc
Optional staff item - example, biscuits, clothes, tea, sweets etc

Follow them on Facebook where auctions are run to raise money for sterilization of animals in locations etc and where you can view the handing over of donations to the various sanctuaries - Santa Cause for Paws

Make a pledge and make a furry heart happy this Christmas!

Christmas Drive for Animal Sanctuaries

I could grovel for forgiveness being late with posts, especially posts about the Samsung NX300 but you know, life happens lol.

I am working on a post about Tracking with the NX300 as it seems to be done in a round about way and hope to have it up soon.

In the meantime, something very close to my heart, animal sanctuaries.  It's almost Christmas again, time seems to fly by so fast and the animal sanctuaries could always use a little help.

One group of very dedicated people started an initiative last Christmas to organise a drive to collect the equivalent of a Christmas Shoe Box, but for animals shelters.  Not only did they achieve their goal but they were also able to collect extra donations and help even more.

They didn't stop there, throughout the year they ran smaller drives and have been helping various different animal shelters with donations from the public.  Kind members of the public and businesses have also donated different items which were auctioned off and the money added to the donations.

The work that these people have done is phenomenal and once again they are gearing up for the Santa Cause for Paw Christmas Drive.

If you would like to help out, you can find information on their Facebook page: Santa Cause for Paws.

Pledging opens on 20 September 2014 where the public can pledge one or more boxes for a cat, kitten, puppy or dog (the choice is yours and you can donate how many boxes you want).  Get your school involved, family, friends, your work, community. Even if you can only donate one box, it will make Christmas something special for a shelter animal.

Keep an eye out on the site and the Facebook page for drop off areas.

Follow the links below for more information on what to pack per box:

What to pack
What to pack: Something fun
What to pack: Something useful
What to pack: Something warm
What to pack: Something yum (tin of food AND treats)

The list of beneficiaries has grown this year, extending further than before:

Beneficiaries Cape Town
Beneficiaries Gauteng
Beneficiaries Durban KZN

A kind gesture when putting your boxes together would be to also add a little gift for the staff at the sanctuaries e.g. a packet of sweets.  Just something to let them know they are appreciated.

NOTE!!!  Keep in mind that kitten and puppy boxes require extra care as they will need food, treats and toys specific to their age group i.e. don't add adult cat food to a kitten box, a tin of kitten food is what is required.

Also, don't add hooves or bones for dogs as they may swallow sharp pieces.  For soft toys, avoid any toys with loose parts, buttons, plastic eyes and mouth.  This too can be torn off and swallowed causing implications.

This is, in my opinion, one of the first to ever extend help to as many different sanctuaries as possible.  They have also helped sanctuaries for rabbits and chickens because each and every life deserves a chance. With the help of the public, more and more sanctuaries are getting the support they need.

My hats off to the wonderful people who have worked tirelessly to make this initiative successful and my greatest thanks to every donation from businesses and individuals of the public.

Monkey Helpline Shoe Boxes

Monkey Helpline works to rescue and rehabilitate monkeys who have been injured in some way whether it's from a fight with another monkey, bites from dogs, knocked over by passing cars or the ever growing pellet gun shootings.

A volunteer group, Monkey Helpline also educates the public, school and businesses on the behaviours of monkeys, how to avoid conflict and how to respect our wildlife.  See a detailed description of who Monkey Helpline is here:

About Us

Monkey Helpline works tirelessly 24/7 and relies on donations from the public to keep going and any thing you can help them with is greatly appreciated.  The perseverance and dedication of Monkey Helpline is an inspiration in determination to save our wildlife and many could learn from them.

Donations of the following items are welcome anytime of the year but Christmas is coming up so if you would like to help see the following link:

Shoe Boxes

For other donations, including international please see the link below:

Donations
Monkey Helpline Web page

I will always be for the health and wellbeing of animals because they are the ones who are usually forgotten.

Monkey Helpline Christmas Box Drive

Monkey Helpline, an organisation that rescues injured monkeys as well as many other animals, is running a Christmas Box Drive.  Carol and Steve work tirelessly with many dedicated people to help educate and save Vervet Monkeys and show the wonders of our wildlife that is slowly being destroyed by humans.

The Christmas Box Drive has three categories where anything you can give and drop-off or send via post is welcome: 

1) New Born Package
- Soft baby blanket- Face cloth- Detol- Glucose powder- Protexin - Kyron (available from a vet)- Gastropect- Rehydrate- Vidaylin multivitamin drops- baby safe teething toy- small soft baby safe teddy- Baby milk formula, S26- Purity Baby Food, Yogurt and banana, apple, - Cerelac / Rice Cereal - Johnsons baby shampoo- Detol soap- Waterless hand. cleaning gel- F10 ointment- F10 SC spray- Small heating pad (Dischem)
2) Monkey Pack- Raisins- Monkey nuts (peanuts in the shell)- Morvite- Dried fruit/ prunes etc- Puffed Weat cereal- Energade concentrate (mixed berry flavour)- Popcorn.(unpopped)- Brown rice- Peanut butter- Apricot jam- Honey- Samp and Beans- Astros- Marshmallows- Chewable multi vitamin ( eg. Teddy vites) - Black rubbish bags- towel
3) Rescue Pack- Glucose powder- Arnica drops/ tablets- Rescue drops/ tablets- Traumele drops/ tablets- Rehydrate- Energade concentrate.(mixed berry flavour)- Hot water bottle- soft baby blanket- Towel- Crepe bandages- Sofban- 50 or 75m Elastoplast roll- Micropore- Flexus.- Cotton wool- Gauze swabs- 1m syringe- Needles (23, 21, 18G)-Gelonet/ Parafin gauze - Tetravac. (Tetanus vacine) - F10 ointment- F10 SC spray- Standard Tourch Batteries- Ringers Lactate- Standard Touch/ LED Head lamp- Cable Ties


From the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/monkeyhelplinesa?ref=stream
"Carol Booth-Monkey Helpline With Spring already well on it's way, Monkey Helpline faces one of it's busiest times of the year. It is from around now until December that mothers from the age of 4 start to give birth to young.

During the unnatural habitat, i.e. human settlements, that the monks have to live in every day, they face far more unnatural dangers, such as humans wielding guns, catapults, etc, domestic pets, security features such as electric fences and razor wire, and motor vehicles.

Any trauma to the monkey can cause a mother to self-abort her baby prematurely. Sometimes they are strong enough to survive and be rescued and passed onto our human surrogates, and other times they are not developed enough and have either died in-utero due to trauma, or post birth from complications or abandonment.

We have put together some same packs as ideas for you if you want to donate goods in the form of Shoebox Hampers.

There are 3 categories to choose from – however, you can donate according to your budget. Most of the items can be purchased from Dischem and Pick n Pay.

The drop off points for these boxes will be at:

Riverside vet (Durban North)
Ashburn vet (Glenashley)
Westville vet (Westville)

Please ensure your box has your name, phone number and email address on."

"Carol Booth-Monkey Helpline For people across the seas that would like to get involved with the Vervet Christmas Shoe box drive you're welcome to post to MH. Our address is: Monkey Helpline c/o Steve Smit- 10 Palmiet Drive, Westville, Kwazulu Natal, 3630, South Africa. THANKS for your involvement. So Vervet appreciated!!"

Home page: http://www.monkeyhelpline.co.za/

This is an opportunity to help support our precious wildlife and Monkey Helpline understands that things can be costly, so anything at all that you can donate will be greatly welcomed.  Get the children involved, get your community involved, get into the spirit of Christmas and make a Vervet's day.

Santa Cause for Paws - spoil a shelter animal this Christmas

Christmas is usually a time to celebrate and give to those less fortunate.  But what about shelter animals?  An idea by an animal lover sparked a wonderful organisation called Santa Cause for Paws.

The organisation aims to ask people to help give animals in shelters a treat this Christmas by pledging boxes of goodies and useful things.  If you pledge a box, you can choose whether to pledge just one box or more to either a cat, dog, puppy or kitten.

Keep in mind that for the little ones, you do need to give items specifically designed for them such as puppy and kitten food (and not adult cat or dog food).

Shelter animals don't ask for much, they don't want an iPad, the latest gaming console or games.  As Santa Cause for Paws says "Something warm, something yum, something useful, something fun."

To find out what to put into the box and what is and isn't safe for shelter pets please click on the link provided: http://www.santapaws.co.za/index.php/box-content

How to pledge a box for a special shelter animal: http://www.santapaws.co.za/index.php/pledge-a-box

Drop off areas (this is currently being updated): http://www.santapaws.co.za/index.php/box-drop-off

Beneficiaries of the boxes: http://www.santapaws.co.za/index.php/beneficiaries

The main website: http://www.santapaws.co.za/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SantaCauseForPaws

Four boxes have been pledged my side :-D.
Please, don't pledge if you don't intend making up a box and dropping it off.  Everyone is working hard to make this something special and they need everyone who pledges to play their part.  Santa Cause for Paws is also working on making drop-off areas in as many places as possible.

From the Facebook Page "Pledging has officially opened. If you are able to donate a box or two, Please visit our website, register and follow the procedure. We do ask that you only pledge if you can commit to dropping off your box(es)  www. santapaws .co.za"

UPDATE: Photos are available on the Santa Cause for Paws Facebook page above of the beneficiaries receiving the donations.