AUTHORS GIVE BACK: SPARKLE ABBEY AND PUP, PROTECTING UNWANTED PETS

SparkleAbbeyMy Authors Give Back guest today, Sparkle Abbey, is the co-writing team of mystery authors Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter. The authors took their pen name from the names of their two rescue pets, Sparkle (ML’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). They like to joke that they could have been Chewbacca Matisse, the names of their other two rescue pets.

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Are You Smitten with Your Kitten? Do You Smooch Your Pooch?

Ah, February the month of love…  Flowers and hearts, candy and cards. We love “LOVE” and celebrating love in all its forms is a wonderful thing. And there are lots of types of love – the romantic kind, the family kind, the friendship kind, and, yes, the pet kind.

Many of us are very attached to the furry ones who share our lives and that’s an extra special kind of love. It doesn’t matter to them how we look, what kind of job we have, or that we owe them a phone call. They don’t even care if we hold up our end of the conversation. They’re great listeners. There is no stress to this relationship. They ask so little and yet they give so much.

Even the most independent and stubborn show their gratitude with licks, barks, mews and ankle rubs. And if they leave fur and hairballs and other “presents” behind, well, that’s just part of living the good life, isn’t it? Just by being there for us, just by loving us, they remind us of what’s really important in life. As long as we have a roof over our heads, food to eat, and a furry friend to cuddle with, life is good. In fact, several studies have shown a correlation between owning a pet and certain health benefits such as lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Other studies have shown dramatic decreases in hypertension after owning a pet for six months.

And while all the mess and fuss of pet ownership may seem too much trouble to the petless folks, it makes perfect sense to those of us who consider our pets an essential part of our lives. And there are a lot of us! A recent poll found that three out of five Americans have a pet and 91 percent of us consider our pet a member of the family.

However, the sad news is the 6-8 million pets end up in shelters every year through no fault of their own. Some have to be surrendered because of allergies, changes in living situations, or relocations. Most are great family-friendly pets and twenty percent of these unwanted pets are pure-bred animals.

Here’s the good news. Most shelters and rescue groups work hard to find their animals new forever homes. Most organizations include vaccinations, microchipping and other extras in their adoption fees. They can also help you choose the right pet for your lifestyle and family situation. So, if you’re thinking of adopting, please consider a rescue pet. Shelters always have a great selection of animals looking for forever homes.

And to celebrate February, the month of love, a wonderful way to honor our furry friends would be to donate in their honor to your local shelter or animal rescue. Many shelters have a list of items they need or cash is always welcome so that they can purchase food or contribute to the costs of their overhead. If you don’t have a favorite local rescue group of your own, we’d like to suggest PUP, Protecting Unwanted Pets, of Laguna Beach, California. Our books are set in the lovely community of Laguna Beach and this organization is the fundraising arm of the LB Animal Shelter. You can donate via their website.

Because rescue pets are so near and dear to their hearts, the authors like to pair their book events with a rescue organization. For the launch of Desperate Housedogs, their first book, they worked with their local public library and the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. For the second book in the series, Get Fluffy, the authors and Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary and Rescue put together a benefit, Yappy Hour, which they describe as a BYOD (bring your own dog) event with pupcakes from a local bakery,  training tips, and a dog walk. The third book in the series, Kitty Kitty Bang Bang, is out now and this time they’re planning an event with Smitten Kitten and the Furry Friends Rescue group.

KittyKittyBangBang

From Amazon:   Caro Lamont—pet therapist—and her cousin Melinda Langston—owner of The Bow Wow Boutique—pamper the kitties and pooches of Laguna Beach’s elites. Unfortunately, their human clients keep turning up dead.

Sparkle Abbey urges readers to do whatever they can to support their local pet rescue. Donate, volunteer, foster, adopt, and spread the word!

They enjoy hearing from readers and especially love hearing about your pets!

Email: sparkle@sparkleabbey.com

You can find out more or connect with Sparkle Abbey at the following:

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/Sparkle-Abbey/e/B005XNPQP8

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sparkleabbey

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sparkleabbey

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sparkleabbey/

Website. www.SparkleAbbey.com

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Thank you so much, Mary Lee and Anita, for sharing your pets, charitable organizations, and your books with us. This was a wonderful post! I hope your latest event with Smitten Kitten and the Furry Friends Rescue Group is hugely successful.

I definitely have a soft spot in my heart for all animals. But especially, my cat, Samantha. She’s my baby and gives me great joy.

So what about you guys? Do you donate to your local animal shelters, etc.? Sparkle Abbey and I would love to hear about your pets – so leave a comment if you have a moment and brag away!

51 comments

  2. Patricia Yager Delagrange

    Oh my goodness, of course this is one of my most favorite subjects – pets! And now I have two new authors to read! YAY! Thank you both for telling us about Sparkle Abbey and for caring about the furry ones on this earth.
    Patti

    Reply
  3. Tami Wirth

    As you both know, at the moment my world is revolving around my new fur baby–6 mo old kitten, Mojo. Blinded after a reaction to anesthesia, though not totally. I don’t know if her vision is slowly returning or if she can see just shadows and light, but in any case she is a handful. She can escape from anywhere. Its truly like having a newborn baby in the house. I’m running on very little sleep because the little darling has her days and her nights mixed up. When there is nobody around to pay her any attention she sneaks past the babygates and heads upstairs to pound on everybody’s bedroom doors until someone gets up to carry her back downstairs and then the party starts all over again. I actually got almost 4 hours of sleep last night. The most in a long time. But you know what, I wouldn’t trade her for the world. She’s an adorable lovebug who amazes me at what she can accomplish with very little, to no vision.

    Reply
    • Rhonda Hopkins

      Hi Tami! Thank you for visiting my blog. I’m so sorry to hear about Mojo’s reaction to the anesthesia. I know it nearly killed me when my cat, Samantha, had surgery and I thought she was going to die afterwards, she was so sick. I hope Mojo gets better, but you’re right – no matter what, the love they bring is worth some sleepless nights.

      Reply
  4. Cheryl St.John

    In December we rescued a puppy from being sold to a puppy mill. She’s half King Charles Cavallier and half Llaso apso. She’s already been to the groomer because she’s a fur ball! Her name is Annie.

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  5. Cindy Best

    Our little rescue Pom/Shi mix is just the best and cutest pup we’ve had in many years. She was so scared the night we got her from a 2nd Chance Rescue home. They had taken her from a puppy mill along with 22 other dogs. She was 8 months old, smelled horrible and had mats in her fur and wouldn’t try food or water. She just huddled in the crook of my arm. By the third day, she learned we were “safe” and would come running when she heard my voice. Now she cuddles with us in bed all night and doesn’t make a sound (unless she hears the cats!) She is such a blessing to me, and I know that no matter how long or short her life might be, it has been 1000% better than where she’d been!

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  7. Parker Blue

    My three dogs are all rescues, two rehomed after being rescued from puppy mills. They need more patience, but are so worth it!

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  9. Cheryl Sease

    It’s so nice to find you here, Sparkle Abbey. You two rock! Rescued pets are dear to my heart. My last five have come from shelters. Each one has been a delight, and each one has reciprocated any small thing I’ve done for them a thousand times over by listening when I need them to listen, being a joy to be around all the time, and loving me unconditionally. They KNOW they have a forever home when they leave the shelter. It’s in their expression. Each has a story. Tony the cat was a stoic fellow and shy, but came to the front of the cage when I stopped. Jenny was a dog returned to the shelter twice when I got her, and who exhibited none of the problems others thought she had when she came home with me. Sam the cat showed off for me to get noticed, and instead of the cat I came to adopt, I took Sam home instead. I adopted 200 pounds of dog in one day when I brought home Conner (70 pounds) and Beau (130 pounds). Sadly, I lost Beau a year later, but Conner and Sam are still around. My other pets didn’t come from shelters, but they were no less loved, and some day I expect to see everyone of my fur-covered friends waiting at the Bridge for me.

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  10. Andrew Peters

    Rescue cats are the best….I had Merlin from Hastings in 2003 and he emigrated with us to Spain where he loved the garden and the sun. He died a few months ago, aged 16….pretty good for a cat who loved the outdoors.
    I now have 2 Spanish cats.who will be with me forever.I try to support the Chester Cat Rescue s often as I can….with money and an occasional signed book to auction.

    Reply
  12. Donna Coe-Velleman

    All of our pets have either been strays or from the pound. They always seem to pick us before we pick them, I applaud anyone who tries to help.

    Thanks Rhonda

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  13. Emma

    My mom and I are getting a book about me together right now. We love the titles of the books you mentioned! Mom always adopts her kitties from shelters, our latest 2 were adult rescues. Mom’s first dog was also an adult rescue but my Kuvasz sis and I were not rescues. Nice blog!

    Reply
  14. May the K9 Spy and KC Frantzen

    Hi everypawdy!
    Special sniffs and greetings from me, May the K9 Spy, to Sparkle and Abbey, Matisse and Chewbacca and of course, PAWSOME ladies Miss Mary Lee and Miss Anita!!! Thlbpt!!
    Mom just received your books from when she won the contest at Seekerville and we are SO excited to read them. (I Love it when she reads, or Dad, because I get to curl up and read along too. It helps me with my own writing you know, reading good authors!!! Can’t wait!)
    PAWMAZING stories shared here.
    Thank you all humans for taking care of us. We do our best to enrich your lives. It’s our purpose. (“”) (“”) **That’s 2 paws, way up, BOL!
    My own rescue story is told in my first book, and… It’s pretty much like it really happened (except for the K9 Spy part, but shhhhhhh…)
    Dad and Mom were about to move from TX to TN and the neighbor came over with “that look.” She told them that her daughter had a FURiend who had a little Schnauzer who was abused and always lived in a cage, and needed a home.
    Dad and Mom had their paws full already, since their family was April, a yellow lab mix and Hans, a Schnauzer – both rescues – plus 2 horses, and they were about to move!
    But the lady pleaded, so Dad and Mom came to see me anyway.
    I was VERY grateful, though not very well mannered at the time.
    Well, what could I do? at 11 months old, I was still a puppy and all I knew was that crate 24/7!!
    Anyway, one look and they brought me home and so the adventure began! Now here I am, star of my own book series and going to festivals and schools, letting humans younger and older know there is HOPE and that the Creator has a plan.
    Who’d a thunk it? I’ll be 13 on June 13th too. (Pawty on my Facebook page for sure, huh Mom?!)
    Wishing you all the bestest and congratulations on your book successes. Keep ‘em comin’!!!
    Thanks for the opportunity to check in ~
    love from May, incognito today – BOL!

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  16. Michael Allan Mallory

    Best of luck to Sparkle Abbey! Good work guys!

    We currently have two rescue cats, four and five years old. Our third cat passed almost a year and a half years ago. He was a pure bred Maine Coon, a big, handsome animal even in his last days. Buddy was nineteen when he passed. He limped from arthritis in his back legs and because of that we bought a drinking fountain to make getting water easier for him. During the last year of his life THE highlight of his day was to limp over to the fountain and have me hand pour water in a three foot stream for him to lap up. I know, even with an endless fountain of water, he preferred it to be hand poured. Eight to ten pourings each time. And then he’d lift up his paw so the water fell on it and he’d lap it from from his paw for the next few minutes. “Water, Buddy,” I’d say to him, “do you want water?” And he’d perk up and limp over, sometimes even saying “wa-wa.” (He was a very talkative cat.) I’d pour for him first thing in the morning after I got up, when I got home from work, and before I went to bed every evening. It was, as I said, the highlight of his day in his old age. I was happy to make those final months more comfortable and entertaining for him.

    Reply
    • Rhonda Hopkins

      I’m so sorry for your loss, Michael. Buddy sounds like a very special cat. My cat, Samantha just loves fresh water. So just about every time I pass the dish, I give her fresh and she comes running. She’s a very talkative cat, too. She even says “mama”. ;-) I think I’ll have to write a blog post one day about all the things she says. I’ve had her since she was a kitten and she’s 11 now. I hope I have a lot more years with her. Thank you so much for visiting my blog tonight. :-)

      Reply
  19. Waverly

    Pepe, who is the hero and star of our first book, Dial C for Chihuahua, is a rescue dog, one of the many Chihuahuas flown up to Seattle (and other cities around the country) from L.A. where they made up 30% of the shelter population for a while. Luckily Pepe has found a loving home with our heroine, Geri Sullivan, and the two of them solve crimes together. Curt (my co-author) and I are inspired by your story to pair up with a local rescue organization for the launch of our second book in the series, Chihuahua Confidential, which comes out in April.

    Reply

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