“Tween” animal rescue superstar Mimi Ausland from Freekibble.com is back with another guest blog. We bet you already know what she’s doing on her summer vacation! Catch up on previous Freekibble blog posts here. We’re thrilled to bring you the latest.

By Mimi Ausland

Hi. This is Mimi Ausland from www.freekibble.com again. I just got out of school and am looking forward to doing many things with animals and freekibble.com this summer. I will be putting in trivia questions, going to events with the Humane Society, answering e-mails, making new Kibble Kartoons, volunteering at the HSCO and more! Because they are my local shelter it felt especially good when we donated 2,000 lbs. of HALO food for their dogs and cats. Although I am VERY excited about how summer is finally here, I think that it is pretty crazy how freekibble.com and freekibblekat.com have now been online and helping shelter animals for 15 months! We are feeding 13 shelters around the country on the freekibble program but this month we have donated over 19,000 lbs to 17 shelters. Overall we have created enough kibble to feed 1,244,000 healthy meals – 86 tons of kibble! WOW! And people are playing from 136 different countries!!!

With all this exciting stuff going on it is hard to pick what I like best right now – but I would have to say one thing is super cool… Getting all the e-mails from kids around the world. Every day info@freekibble.com gets many e-mails from kids saying that they are very inspired or that they would like to start something like freekibble on their town. I think that this is very neat because I get to see how many people want to help others but sometimes they don’t know how. I think, no I know, that everyone can make a difference… whether it is setting up a lemonade stand and sending the money you make to an organization that is helping someone or something, washing a car for $2.00 and buying food for the homeless shelter with that money, starting a website like freekibble.com or freerice.com, volunteering at a soup kitchen or at your local Humane Society, do what you want to do, just get out there and do something! Also, if you would like to spread the word about freekibble.com and freekibblekat.com, you can now download Kibble Kards to share with your friends and family to help us generate more kibble to feed homeless animals. Link: http://www.freekibble.com/multimedia/FKDownloadFlier.pdf

One of my other favorite parts about this whole project is volunteering at my local Humane Society of Central Oregon. I love walking dogs on the trails and playing with them in the play pens, I love brushing and loving cats in the get-acquainted rooms, I even enjoy cleaning out the litter boxes and dog kennels! It is a great feeling to leave the shelter and know that you helped a dog or cat that day. It also makes me feel great knowing that the dogs and cats are getting a healthy, nutritious, meal, donated by freekibble and freekibblekat.com.

I hope all of you have a wonderful, relaxing summer with and I will be writing again soon!
MIMI

Here’s another guest blog post from one of our favorite organizations, Green Chimneys. This one is from Michael Kaufmann, who was kind enough to give some of us from Halo a special tour of the Green Chimneys farm. Michael directs the farm and wildlife center, so is responsible for the welfare of all of GC’s animals. Be sure to see our previous blog posts about GC too!

They came from Germany and Japan, Belgium and Brewster, N.Y., Alberta and Australia. In fact, this year’s Humane Education Conference, co-hosted by Green Chimneys – a non-profit organization that brings together special needs children and animals – and the ASPCA, attracted more than 100 people from 10 countries committed to a single purpose: to improve long-term prospects for animals and their caregivers. Guests, including educators, animal welfare professionals and others interested in the humane-animal bond, heard from animated speakers with impeccable credentials. Presentations ranged from a dynamic demonstration of how to establish a supportive relationship with animals by Linda Tellington-Jones, inspirational founder of The Tellington TTouch, to “Euthanasia from a Veterinarian’s Perspective” by Lila Miller, DVM, ASPCA Vice President of Veterinary Outreach and Veterinary Advisor. Across perspectives, speakers and visitors shared a common desire: to celebrate, embrace and encourage more adults and children to connect with animals.

The staff, students and residents of Green Chimneys are very fortunate since animals are a core part of our everyday life. Our goats, horses, Labrador pups, injured birds, bunnies and sheep are among the 200 animals that frequently become our children’s most valuable co-therapist, teacher and friend. Our children gain self-esteem, learn responsible animal care and become nurturing caretakers concerned about others.

But, be assured, our animals are as well taken care of as our children. Their habitats are kept clean. They are tended to by professional animal experts and loving youngsters. And, like other animal lovers, we provide healthy food. Recently, hundreds of our employees’ pets and area shelters also got a special treat. Halo, Purely for Pets donated cans of its all natural dog food. And, boy, were our pups happy! Colleagues exchanged funny stories about how their dogs looked up “asking for more”. Count a couple dozen of us among Halo’s new loyal customers!!! Visit www.greenchimneys.org

This post comes to us from Alana Taylor, a social media marketing consultant for Halo. She is currently living in the East Village and double-majoring in Journalism and History at New York University. She also writes for Mashable.com and PBS.org. Alana will post here on occasion to teach us all how to use social media to help pets!

Our first blog post on using social media highlighted Facebook groups and fan pages as well as ways to use blogs. This time around, I’m going to give you a heads up on Twitter, DIY (do it yourself) social networks and social bookmarking — all ways you can spread the word about holistic pet care!

Create Your Own Social Network

If you are more of a leader and organizer than a participant, then do your part by creating your own social network where other like-minded pet owners can join and start discussions.

Ever heard of the site Ning.com? The popular and fast-growing DIY social network site is easy to navigate and set up. Anyone can do it. All you need is a positive attitude, a niche interest, and a reason for people to join. Before you know it, you’ll be running your own social network!

Some examples that are popular are Pet Lover’s Paradise, The Million Pet Network, and Kitty Happy.

Talk on Twitter!

If you don’t have a Twitter account yet, then you’re certainly out of the loop when it comes to virality and word-of-mouth marketing online! Twitter is a micro-blogging site that acts as a never-ending chatroom where people hold conversations, share links, and follow interesting people or brands.

Twitter has proven to be one of the most effective ways of sharing information with people online having news spread fast. Really fast. Once you get your account started, you can begin by following pet-lovers, pet companies (like @HaloPets!), and other interesting people in the community.

Some pet-loving Twitter users I like include:

@HelpAnimals
@AboutExoticPets
@WeAreTheCure
@Paw_Naturaw
@AlleyCatAllies
@PetHabitats
@HealthyPet
@ASPCA
@Kat5Rescue
@Action4Animals
@Liberty4Animals
@EcoPup
@SSPets
@AnimalActivism
@WoofWellness
@BFNetwork
@DogQuality
@PetReLocation
@Bideawee
@HolisticHealing

Begin by listening to what they have to say, and then be useful by contributing to the conversation, re-tweeting their messages and links, and getting people to follow you back. One tweet, much like the wings of a single butterfly, can create a great wind that can make a difference.

Subscribe and Share

Lastly, one of the most simple but extremely effective ways of helping to spread the word online is by subscribing to RSS feeds and e-mail newsletters of important pet sites, companies or organizations so that: a) You can stay aware, and b) You can forward the information to your friends, family and online network.

Even something as simple as sharing a blog post from your Google Reader feed or sharing it on a site like FriendFeed can make a difference. Start to build up your credibility as a person who is up-to-date with the latest news by consistently sharing important links and people will slowly start turning to you as their source. That’s how you become important on the web, by filtering information for people and sharing only the most important things.

So, there you have it! These tips should be a starting point for you to get the ball rolling and be more active online.

Have tips of your own? Success stories? Share them in the comments! (Don’t forget to use the social bookmarking tools below to share this post and your other favorite posts with friends!)

This post comes to us from Alana Taylor, a social media marketing consultant for Halo. She is currently living in the East Village and double-majoring in Journalism and History at New York University. She also writes for Mashable.com and PBS.org. Alana will post here on occasion to teach us all how to use social media to help pets!

Whether you have just one tiny Jack Russell Terrier named Frankie who licks your ears in the morning or a dozen Dachsunds you love to let loose in your backyard, you are a pet owner. And chances are that you are also an animal lover who cares deeply about making sure that pets (not just yours) are properly fed and taken care of.

But spreading the word about holistic pet care isn’t always easy. Life can get busy and jam-packed. So read on for some tips on how just a few minutes spent online can make a big difference.

Join a Facebook Group/Fan Page

Chances are that if you don’t already have a Facebook profile, you’re on the verge of getting one. Perhaps you love connecting with friends on the site or maybe you don’t see the point of having your information online. But one thing is for sure: you love your pets.

Facebook can be a great place to meet other caring pet owners. Do a group search for terms you care about most, like “holistic pet food,” “pet foundations,” or even “I love dogs.” Then, pick from the fan pages and groups that interest you and join. Start out by checking the HaloPets, Bideawee, Humane Society, and Best Friends Animal Society fan pages!

(Keep an eye out for how many members each group has. It’s better to be a part of a group that has lots of members rather than just two.)

Now it’s your chance to really shine. Be active! Have a question? An interesting tip or link to share? Want to upload a video about the ingredients in pet food? Then do it! And keep checking back to see what other members have to say about your comments. Soon you’ll be connecting and networking with other people on the web who share your same interests.

Most importantly, you’ll be spreading awareness about the issues that matter to you without having to spend too much time or money.

Write a Blog Post

A great way to reach out online and get people thinking is by writing a blog post on your blog. It doesn’t matter if you don’t usually write about animals, make a special post and state why you think it’s so important to highlight pet care.

If you really want to get people to stop and read your post, make sure to write a catchy title or create a “top ten list.” Don’t just tell people but show them why it’s important to care about pets or why certain issues are significant in improving the lives of animals around the world. You can check the Halo Pets blog for ideas or get inspiration from other blogs like For The Love Of Dog Blog, Pet Lover’s Blog, Dolittler, and Dog Lover.

Not a writer? That’s fine! Put together a link round-up from across the web. Point people to other great sites, like charities or foundations, and blog posts that you think are most interesting. Post pictures and videos that are inspirational, eye-opening and motivating. Check out SlobberSpace for photo-blogging inspiration, or KC Dog Blog for ideas on how to round-up links!

Make sure to share your blog post with all your friends, submit it to viral sites like Digg and StumbleUpon (which you can and should do often with pet-related article you like), and post the link to your social network profiles.

The following post comes to us from Emily Steers. Emily is part of Halo’s public relations team, and is thankful that her puppy, Margo, is such a cool, compassionate friend.

This holiday season, presents are coming in all different shapes and sizes. “Happy Holidays” has taken on a different meaning, and we have all learned to appreciate those things in our lives that come absolutely free-of-charge: relationships with those who respect and care for us.

It is also the time of year to give thanks and appreciation to our non-human friends—our four-legged family of pets that shower us with unconditional love every day. Never ones to ask for a present or a favor (beyond, perhaps, a scratch behind the ears), our cats and dogs certainly should not go unacknowledged during this time of giving.

On November 22, 2008, Halo, Purely for Pets presented “Give Thanks To Your Pet Day” at a Los Angeles-based dog park. Our event was a true hit with all of the dog owners who brought their dogs to the park for exercise and fresh air. Armed with Liv-A-Little treats and a patient camera crew, we on the Halo team had no problem getting dozens of pet owners to take the time to explain why they were most thankful for their pets.

Pharoah, Bean, Ozzie, Bob, Reese, LuLu, Fannie and all of our furry friends had some remarkably caring, conscientious and eloquent owners. The dogs are a source of energy, of companionship, of warmth, and of love, and families and friends came together over stories and their adoration of their pets.

Watch the video below:

Our pets enrich our lives in so many ways—from their lit-up faces that greet us at the door every day, to the fact that owning a pet is proven to lower blood pressure in adults. Halo hopes that every day is Give Thanks To Your Pet Day in your home!

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