Ribbit!
Padsworth, here, to tell you some more about my project! It's near and dear to the hearts of all of us here at the Lilypad, and you can see on this page that we've dedicated our efforts to Pepper -- our rescue pup who crossed the rainbow bridge last November.
My project is all about making beds and blankies for animal shelters and rescue efforts. Most of us have a shelter or a rescue near us, and all it takes is a call or a visit to find out if they are interested in receiving handmade, sturdy items to help their pups and kitties show off their cuteness when prospective pet parents come to call.
We've talked before about how the animals in a shelter are frightened and lonesome, and many times they are stressed by the animal in the next cage. When you have been kept awake all night by your noisy neighbor, by the hard surface of your enclosure, or you are longing for a snuggly place to lie down and rest, it is really hard to look your cutest and friendliest when folks come to see you!
Our efforts will not only contribute warmth and comfort to the dogs and cats, but also help them to present well to prospective new pet owners.
There are some organizations that specialize in this type of community service, and one of those is Kennel Comforters. (You can click on that linkie and go to see their site.)
Kennel Comforters is an all-volunteer group -- their site says they have donated over 11,000 beds to shelters! Ribbit!
Their site has lots of great posts to show you how to contribute; you can donate via paypal, or you can use their patterns and instructions to make beds!
These folks really do it right! There are instructions to help you make rectangular beds, round beds, large and small beds!
And for each one that you make, and post a picture on our page, you will receive TWO entries in our prize drawings at the Pets on Quilts Show 2013!
We had a chance to "talk" to their founder via email, and we loved hearing what Joan Laisney had to say:
Hello Snoodles,
Nice to meet you; it takes all of us to help homeless pets in shelters.
The staff barely have time to feed, clean and medicate, so most
shelters have volunteer support groups wanting to help with the extras
to make pets comfortable.
We have been sewing beds 4 years, almost 12,000 pet beds, and we operate
with donations and volunteer hands. I have heard from Japan to
Germany of others doing the same as individuals. There is a large group
in NYC who have made beds for years. (Shelter Pet Project?)
Our biggest challenge is getting
volunteers who will sew; I do a lot of recruiting via CraigsList ads,
fabric shops & sewing guilds, etc.
What has helped the most is sewing AT the shelter...the public seeing us in action is a powerful tool!
Thru my shelter volunteering I designed a cat scratcher specifically for shelter cat cages.You can see it at StretchandScratch.com
My "aha moment" came when I was helping Girl Scouts put their newly-sewn
cat beds in the cages. I saw scratch marks on the walls where cats had
tried to relieve stress and get exercise. I envisioned exactly
what they needed and I tithe a portion of sales to support Kennel
Comforters.
I have zero money for advertising but word of mouth spreads fast --
shelters everywhere want the scratchers; my challenge is getting them to
add a Wish List link to my scratcher website so donors will buy and
send them.
That's my story, I am called "the scratcher lady" and I'm sure my hubby will put it on my tombstone!
Joan Laisney
I hope that her story, and the Kennel Comforters site, will inspire you to help out your local shelter by participating in the Padsworth Project! Ribbit!
Don't forget now, the Padsworth Project is part of the Pets on Quilts Show . . . To be a part of the Padsworth Project, join our linky party on the Project page. Link up a blog post or a Flickr photo on our page, and you will earn TWO entries in the prize drawing after the Pet Show! And you can enter the linky party as many times as you want! (That's how much we want to see shelter animals comfy while waiting to be adopted!)
The Pet Show is coming in August, so you'd better get hopping!
Lots of love,
