Ready or not, here they come: the holidays. Christmas trees and garlands, Hanukkah candelabras and dreidels — whatever holiday you’re celebrating, it’s a time of expectation, delight and get-togethers with good friends and family.
But the holidays, with all their accompanying frenzy and anxieties and demands, can also bring extra stress into our lives. To counter that, why not sit back, relax and think
about the meaning of the Season: a time for thanks and for giving.
We can start with giving thanks for the dogs in our lives and acknowledging the unparalleled joy they bring just by being there. Dogs have a way of soothing even the most troubled mind and the most aching heart, thanks to their unconditional love and forgiveness for our human blunders. They don’t care if we’re having a bad hair day or if the car won’t start or if Aunt Sue suddenly doesn’t want to come to our Holiday dinner. All they care about is being by our side, sharing the gift of love. And what do they ask of us in return? Simple human kindness. Freedom from want and fear. Somewhere to lay their head at night. Someone to share their joy at simply being alive.
Amidst the tumult of this season, it’s so easy to forget that acts of caring and giving are at the very heart of the holidays. One way to honor that spirit is to reach out beyond ourselves, reach out to better the lives of other dogs, dogs we’ve never met yet who need our help.
There are dozens of ways we can do that — and I’m sure you’ll think of some I haven’t mentioned!—so let’s take a look at a few.
• Donate to a local shelter or a rescue group. Shelters and rescues are overrun with animals this time of year, and they can always use donations of things like food, towels, grooming supplies, collars and leashes and of course, cash. Gift certificates from a local pet store or a website like Chewy are always helpful. One word of advice before you donate: make sure the organization is legitimate and preferably a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity. Go to their website, to Charity Navigator, or to the California Registry of Charitable Trusts website at http://oag.ca.gov/charities). Both the Chico Animal Shelter and Butte Humane Society are non-profits, although there are many others.
• Volunteer at a local shelter. Shelters welcome volunteers with open arms: their dogs need to be walked, played with and sometimes bathed or groomed, and there simply aren’t enough shelter staff to do it all. Most shelters require volunteers to be 18 or older, so check first.
• Sign up to foster a dog at a shelter or rescue. Fostering is a great alternative if you’re not ready to make a full commitment to adopting, but want to help a dog with training or simply being in someone’s home. Many shelters and rescues also have a foster-to-adopt program, where you can foster a dog for a certain period and decide later if you want to adopt that pup.
• Provide dog food for an unhoused person with a dog. People living without a home often rely on their dog for comfort, companionship and sometimes safety, and it isn’t always easy for them to find good quality dog food. Many communities also have programs specifically for the pets of the unhoused; in our area, the Chico Homeless Animal Outreach has been helping the pets of people without homes since 2013.
The Thanksgiving holiday may be over, but we can always make room in our lives for thanks and giving!
Joan Merriam lives in Northern California with her Maine coon cat Indy, the infinite spirit of her beloved golden retriever Joey, and the abiding presence of her dog Casey, in whose memory this column is named. You can reach Joan at joan@joanmerriam.com.
