My dog, Kyle, and I get along famously. I think that may be because we are so similar: we are both fairly mild-mannered; I understand his debilitating fear of thunder because when I was his age, I ran and hid from thunder under the bed; and we are both able to fall asleep anywhere at a moment's notice. So the fact that we are giving up our couch cuddle time for this is really something.

Kyle and I put our heads together and set a stretch, but totally attainable, goal of $500.  We're reaching out to a lot of people, and are hoping that with your donation of $10 (or $5 or 25 cents--whatever), we will reach that goal in no time.   Plus, for every person who donates $10 or more, I will pitch in $5.   With a lot of response, I hope to have to get off the couch twice: once to do the walk, and once to set a new, higher goal before the walk even begins!

Below, you will find a pre-set message about PAWS and the Mutt Strut.  I would like to add a quick note on the expenses of PAWS.  PAWS is not your run-of-the-mill shelter.  PAWS will often place animals with foster families so that the organization is not confined by its own space issues.  (This is also helpful to the socialization of the animal.)  When animals are placed with foster families, PAWS takes care of all expenses related to food and medical bills.  Often, this can be quite a bit, as animals who have been abandoned, mistreated or orphaned may come into PAWS with health issues.  And now, the pre-set message:

Join us as we raise money to save Philadelphia's homeless, abandoned and orphaned animals at the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). Receiving nearly 30,000 homeless, abandoned, and orphaned animals each year and seeing the highest volume of unwanted and unloved animals in the region, PAWS is working to end the killing of healthy and treatable pets in the City of Philadelphia.

On Saturday, October 6, we will participate in the PAWS Mutt Strut, which will bring 1,000 animal lovers and their pets together for a 1.5-mile walk through FDR Park. We will raise badly needed funds for PAWS’ lifesaving programs including adoption outreach, spay/neuter clinics, and low-cost vaccination services. We will also raise awareness of the harsh reality that thousands of healthy and treatable animals are killed in Philadelphia each year, simply because they do not have homes.

The Mutt Strut will offer us a day of companionship and celebration, and will enable PAWS to give countless more animals the chance to experience that companionship and safety for themselves. Please give whatever you can, and consider joining me on October 6!