The Wonderful Work of Lucky Dog Animal Rescue

By now, you've probably heard me mention Allay Yoga's video doga classes, which are being offered Wed evenings from 8-8:30 PM right from the comfort of your own home for only $8!! Partial proceeds from these classes will benefit Lucky Dog Animal Rescue.  To sign-up, click here

I thought it might encourage you to to sign online for 30 minutes of quality pup time for this great cause if you knew a little bit more about the phenomenal work Lucky Dog does each and every day. So here goes!

Lucky Dog Animal Rescue is an all-volunteer, non-profit animal rescue organization dedicated to saving the lives of homeless animals and educating the community on responsible pet ownership. Lucky Dog does not have its own facility. Instead, our dogs stay with temporary fosters (and occasionally boarding partners) while they wait to find their forever home. We hold adoption events each week where you can see the Lucky Dogs strut their stuff, and we also arrange private meetings for adopters who fall in love with a pup’s internet photo. Our volunteers are more than just volunteers, and our dogs are more than just dogs. We are a family. And we welcome you to become a part!

What is a “Lucky Dog?”

A Lucky Dog is a fortunate animal who we are able to rescue from a high-kill shelter or from an owner who needs to re-home his or her pet.  Right now, “Lucky Dogs” are primarily of the canine variety, but Lucky Dog Animal Rescue plans to expand to help animals of all kinds.  We consider any animal in need a potential “Lucky Dog”!

Where do Lucky Dogs come from?

Most Lucky Dogs come from high-kill shelters in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.  We work with shelter partners in low-income and rural areas where hundreds of highly-adoptable dogs are euthanized each month due to overpopulation problems, lack of spay/neuter education and inadequate funding.  With the help of our dedicated volunteers and supporters, Lucky Dog rescues as many of these pups as possible.

Where are the Lucky Dogs now?

The Lucky Dogs live in foster homes throughout the Washington, DC area, including Maryland and Northern Virginia. They live as far north as Baltimore and as far south as Burke and Woodbridge. Lucky Dog Animal Rescue does not have a shelter of its own. We rely completely on the generosity of our foster parents!

How do Lucky Dogs get Here?

We have wonderful partners who drive the Lucky Dogs all the way from their rural shelters to the DC area.  These “transports” can be as large as 60 dogs and as small as 1 dog.  A portion of each adoption fee goes to the costs of arranging these transports. We always need lots of help when the dogs arrive from the shelters – let us know if you’d like to be part of the welcoming committee.

How can I get a Lucky Dog?

It’s simple! Just fill out the adoption questionnaire to get the screening process started!



*This information was taken directly from the Lucky Dog Animal website. Fore more information visit www.luckydoganimalrescue.org!

Post-Christmas Blues by Hannah Leatherbury

The days after Christmas are difficult for me this year. I am taking stock of what I didn't give and what I didn't receive. My self-employed status also has me worrying about the upcoming tax season and how I will fare. I returned to the principle of asteya today because I had just blogged on ahimsa and thought it was the next logical choice. It also turned out to be the best reading I could have asked for at this time of year.

Asteya can be thought of as non-stealing and non-coveting. It's easy to interpret this in material terms, such as gift-giving and receiving, being happy with what you already have and for what someone put the time and thought into giving you (even if it would not have been your first choice – thanks for those socks!) Some of the most interesting thoughts I read on asteya describe the ways in which a sense of entitlement in your yoga practice can betray this principle. For example, coveting the abilities of another practicioner instead of tuning into your own body and its abilities. I found this particularly comforting after reading about the world's youngest yoga teacher – she's six and teaches 5:30am classes at an ashram in India.

Another fantastic essay encourages us to think about other things that we take which are not ours like

• time (being constantly late for an appointment with someone)
• credit (taking praise without cause)
• funds (buying on credit when we can't pay off the debt)
• thoughts (assuming the outcome of an argument rather than listening to the other party)
• food and drink (ingesting more than our body can handle)

All this to say, I'm reconsidering what I “take” and how that effects my life. I'm reminded to spend more time giving thanks for what I already have.

There is a fantastic mantra that my teacher told me to practice once: I am enough.

Hannah Leatherbury is a registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance (RYT-200) and a blogger within the Yoga Journal Community. She received her training in Classical Hatha yoga in 2009 and has been teaching ever since. Her interest in movement and wellness evolved from a childhood filled with dance training in tap, jazz, ballet and modern coupled with a post-college urge to stay active and healthy. She has a B.A. in Creative Writing from Goucher College. You can contact her via her blog http://community.yogajournal.com/saturn_shows_up or at hleatherbury [at] hotmail.com

2011 Will Be The Year Of...

Compassion, Process, and Patience

Every year I set goals for where I want to get to instead of where I want to be. This year, my only goal is to experience--be in the process with compassion and patience for myself and others.

Here are my new years resolutions:
- Be where I am--focus more on where I am than where I am going
- Keep an open mind--there is rarely one way of doing things--what is right in the moment is always changing.
- Nourish body, mind and soul through daily exercise, eating well, meditation, and journal writing/reflection
- Try something new every month--keep it if it works, let it go if it doesn't
- Nourish relationships--Listen as much or  more than share
- Let go of expectations of others--see them for who they are and where they are

What are your goals for 2011? Do they focus on attainment or experience (there is room for both!)? How can you implement them in your day-to-day life?