Vote for ADS Bailey

(http://www.bissell.com/redirect.asp?page_id=47193&Pet=1593)

Click on the link above, and you'll be voting for ADS Bailey. He's an entry in the Bissell Pet Photo contest. He's representing the Atlanta Dog Squad (ADS), and if he wins the overall contest, the Atlanta Dog Squad wins a $10,000 donation for its retriever rescue activities. Plus, Bailey could be the featured pet for a Bissell PetHair removing vacuum cleaner ad campaign.

Why would I be encouraging you to vote for this dog and this cause? Well, the cause ought to be self-explanatory, but the Atlanta aspect for a North Idaho pet lover might be a bit of a stretch. Well, this North Idaho pet lover is a teacher, as you may have read in past posts.

And, Bailey belongs to one of my former students who now lives in Atlanta. Her name, when I taught her, was Kelly O'Conner; that was back in the 1980s. Nowadays, Kelly Bryant and her husband have dogs, and Kelly's involved with dog rescue activities.

Here's what she wrote me yesterday when I asked her what the heck this was all about anyway:


Bailey is actually one of our personal dogs. He is a Flat-Coated Retriever that my husband and I rescued from a local animal control facility a few years ago. Since understanding the plight of unwanted family pets, particularly black dogs like Bailey, I have become involved with a local retriever rescue group here in the Atlanta metro area: Atlanta Dog Squad (www.atlantadogsquad.org).

The real reason Bailey is entered in the Bissell contest that we're hoping that Bailey's picture (and, hence, Bailey) will win the grand prize and become the next Bissell dog. The grand prize is an award of $10,000 to the pet charity of the winner's choosing. Obviously, the charity I would choose is Atlanta Dog Squad.

Folks can vote one time per voting period. Bailey's picture, named "ADS Bailey", is in voting period #14 which is open April 8th - April 14th. The picture of Bailey (below) was taken on the beach in the Outer Banks of North Carolina during our vacation last October.

Kelly's note also included a heads-up about a CNN story about "Black Dog Syndrome." I went to the link and read about the problems shelters have adopting out large black dogs. I had no idea that this was a problem and was fascinated by all the reasons people are reluctant to adopt big black dogs. You can find the story by clicking (http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/04/09/black.dog.syndrome.ap/index.html)

So, there ya go. A Sandpoint connection with a black dog in a vacuum cleaner promotion contest. How many ever thought you'd be reading about that combination this morning? And, how many of you will help ol' Bailey out by clicking on the link, voting for him and telling others to do the same?

Who knows? Maybe some day we'll be seeing Bailey on a vacuum cleaner ad, and we can say, "I know that dog." Best yet, though, an animal rescue facility will win some money to continue doing good works for pets and especially black dogs.

Thank you for helping out. I'm sure Kelly will thank you too.